The Engineer Reconditioned by Neal Asher

Author:Neal Asher [Neal L. Asher]
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Science fiction, General, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fiction, Fiction - Science Fiction, Science Fiction - General, Adventure, Fantasy, Short Stories, Science Fiction - Adventure, Fantasy - General
ISBN: 9780809556762
Publisher: Cosmos Books (PA)
Published: 2006-02-14T19:30:00+00:00

A BRIEF ANALYSIS OF HELMINTH PARASITE VECTORS IN

NAUTILOID-ORBONNAI-THRAKE POPULATIONS

BY CARMEN SMITH.

He closed his eyes and tapped his cross for luck, then reinserted the crystal and ran it to near its end. When he turned it on the scene presented to him froze him in his seat.

" — but of course the thrake has no need to be this mobile. It is my opinion that this is a throw-back to the tumbling delay, and a time prior to such widespread infestation. This is, of course, based on tenuous evidence. There may be a cyclic — "

Mark was not listening. He was staring in horror at the creature on the screen. It bore the appearance of a giant metallic wood-louse bent into an L. It had four short insectile legs on the ground, and six of what could only be described as arms. They were long, had two joints. The pair nearest its head ended in crablike pincers, and the pair below ended in clubs. The final pair Mark could not see because they were the ones holding down the orboni, while the thrake dismembered it with its pincers, and conveyed it piece by piece to its nightmare, machine-like mandibles and grinding mouth.

"My God!"

He had never been more sincere in that exclamation. He felt sick. He jerked the crystal from the viewer and tossed it to one side as if it were infectious. He then took up the next crystal. SOME XENOETHNOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THRAKE ...

"Barbarians!"

He tossed the crystal aside and took up the next.

"Let me get this right. You wish to go out alone to study the Orbonnai. I do hope you are aware of the ... difficulties," said Carmen.

"I saw that obscene recording of the thrake creature," said Mark. Carmen looked askance at him then shook her head.

"They're no problem — "

"I beg to differ."

"You can beg all you like, but no amount of begging is going to get you near the Orbonnai. They move very fast when they want to ... well, in most cases. Most of the recordings we've managed to make have been by remote chameleon drone. Paul was the exception. He came close to the station to feed because he was old and had been driven away from his group by a younger male."

"Then perhaps he is the one I should seek. In that other," Mark pursed his lips in distaste, "recording, I noted that Paul had been radio tagged."

"Which crystal was that?"

"You are well aware of the one I am referring to."

"Oh yes, 'Sexual Dynamics In Orbonnai Family Groups'. I remember it — a most definitive study."

"I still wish to make my own observations."

Carmen stared at him in annoyance for a moment. "I will do everything I can to prevent you. You were foisted on us here at Seventeen by the New Christian Church at Carth. It is unfortunate that Earth Central have not seen fit to keep the likes of you off our backs."

"I resent your inferences, Madam."

"And I resent your beliefs. I find

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