The Ocasek Opportunity by Val Roberts

Author:Val Roberts
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Wylde Hare Press
Published: 2016-09-14T15:58:08+00:00

Chapter 7

IIT Potempkin, Ancient Horror ambush site, Saurian space

“Well, well, well, pentasymmetrical, like the wheels on an office chair.” Dane looked at the thing on the stainless steel table and adjusted the lights. “Where would you like to start?”

Potempkin’s one physician, a wizened dwarf of a man with Nipponese features and a nametag that read Howson, made a neutral noise that might have meant anything. “I usually start by getting a step-stool. A pentasymmetrical one.” He followed statement with action, placing the stool where he would get the best light.

“Maybe with pictures of the body before we start cutting into it.” Dane shrugged. “Unless creepy alien corpses aren’t your thing. They aren’t for most people.”

“I’m short, not squeamish.” Howson let his fingers dance over a control panel and a lens emerged from the ceiling. “I assume you want the standard post-mortem pattern, yes?”

“Sure.” He had tried to stay out of Howson’s medical section both because he knew he didn’t know much about the current systems and because it was Howson’s territory and he didn’t want to trespass. He’d also tried to stay out of Captain Lockhurst’s treatment, but Howson had given him a look when the man was brought out of Cutter Two that clearly said he was expected to participate. “But…we know so little about this species. Maybe we should get everything from every angle we can.”

Howson hesitated, pursing his lips in thought. “You’re right, of course. But we’ll need to turn the body over and lift up limbs and stuff to get all of it.”

“I’m fully qualified to pose a corpse for you.” He gestured to the control panel. “That might be a little above my skillset at the moment, however. I’ve been working with Saurian technology for the past three decades, so my learning curve is going to be pretty steep.”

Howson made another uninterpretable noise. “You should be about ready to retire, shouldn’t you?”

“Great Void, no. I’m looking forward to getting a real job so I have someplace to get away from the wife for a good chunk of my day.”

Howson snickered. There really wasn’t any other word for it. “First set of images is done. Let’s turn this bad boy ninety degrees.”

It took them a few minutes to figure out a quarter turn on a five-sided body. Dane held it while Howson took the images, then they repeated the process twice more.

On the last position, he noticed what looked like a slit between two of the limbs. “Can you get a closeup of that?” He pointed to the possible opening.

Howson grunted and the lens moved closer. “Looks like a natural opening. Got it.” He looked up. “Want to start with that?”

“Yes. It’s different from anything I’ve ever seen and I’m familiar with two sentient species from completely different biomes.”

“It could be their equivalent of an asshole.”

“It could. Or it could be something inexplicable.” Dane straightened. “Where would I find a probe?”

Howson nodded toward the wall behind him, which unfolded itself into an instrument tray as the shorter doctor mounted his elevated platform.

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