[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Vulcan? he repeated. What s your brief?
Since the Doctor had absolutely no idea, he couldn t
have answered that directly if he d wanted to. I am the
Examiner, he said, whirling back to face the two men. His
hand went into his pocket and touched the button there.
And I intend to start my examination at once. Whatever
Hensell might imagine that meant, he was clearly taken
aback when the Doctor crossed to Bragen and began to
peer myopically at the Security Head s uniform.
Bragan stared down at the odd man who was fingering
the buttons on his tunic. He seemed to be upset by this.
Guilt? the Doctor wondered.
May I suggest, Governor, Bragen began.
You may not! Hensell almost yelled. It was bad enough
with this ridiculous Examiner challenging his command of
the situation. He didn t need Bragen to start suggesting
anything at all. As the Doctor straightened up from his
examination of Bragen s tunic, Hensell glared down at
him. There was only one possible reason he could think of
that might prompt the arrival of an Earth Examiner.
Somebody s leaked a report about these rebel groups,
haven t they? he demanded. That s it, isn t it?
Is it? the Doctor asked infuriatingly. He started to look
over Hensell s tunic next.
Flustered, Hensell glared down at the man. Internal
affairs are my business, he stormed. Don t interfere!
When the Doctor glanced up sharply, Hensell snapped:
According to the charter, as defined in section nine,
paragraph twenty
Yes, yes, yes, the Doctor said, finishing his
examination of Hensell. He hated people trying to claim
authority on the basis of some silly little by-law that made
them little tin gods. It was probably the most inefficient
system of government he could think of. When all else
fails, quote rules by the million.
Governor, Bragen interrupted again, there is
Lesterson s capsule.
Hensell was about to reprimand Bragen again for
breaking in when he considered the man s point. Maybe
the Examiner wasn t here for it but the artefact could
provide a distraction, maybe even derail this meddling
Examiner until Hensell could apply a little pressure of his
own and have the man re-called. Hensell was not without
influence back at the Colony Office in Berne... The
capsule was found in the mercury swamps here while we
were excavating for the city foundations, he explained. It
must have been here for years, long before Earth decided to
colonize Vulcan. Lesterson wants to open it, but I m not at
all sure that it s wise
The Governor feels it may be dangerous, Bragen
added. It could contain alien bacteria start a plague
anything!
The Doctor sighed. Typically narrow-minded
bureaucrats terrified of the unknown. The chances of an
alien bacteria actually being able to infect a human being
were incredibly remote. Most germs were terribly fussy
about who and what they infected. And anyway, if
Lesterson had even an ounce of scientific caution, he d
open the capsule in a sealed, sterile environment.
Yes, all right, Bragen, Hensell muttered. To the
Doctor, he added: I suggest that you concentrate your
attention on the capsule, Examiner.
Why? the Doctor wondered. He could see in a second
that this was an attempt to sidetrack him. But he had to
admit that his curiosity had been roused. Vulcan had
shown no signs at all during his brief investigation of
having any native life forms. If the capsule wasn t from the
Earth, then it was logically from some alien planet. It
might be inactive now, but he d better make sure about
that. I shall examine the capsule later, he promised. You
may leave us now.
Hensell flushed at this abrupt dismissal. Refusing to
grant the Doctor the final word, he nodded curtly. I shall
look forward to your report. He gave the Doctor s odd
clothing a look of utter disgust. And, Bragen, see that the
Examiner and his party get some proper clothes to wear.
He swept out. Bragen, with a chilly smile towards the
Doctor, followed.
As the door closed, the Doctor flopped on to the closest
bed. What a cheek! he exclaimed. I am wearing "proper
clothes"!
Ben was staring at the closed door when he heard the
tootling of the Doctor s recorder again. His hand flashed to
his pocket, which was empty. What a nerve! The Doctor
had picked his pocket during all of that chatter. Ben almost
had to admire him for it. You were pushing it a bit,
weren t you? he asked the Doctor. Seeing if that button of
yours came off the Governor s tunic.
Yes, the Doctor agreed with a happy grin. Very rude,
wasn t I? Terrible manners. He didn t look at all ashamed;
quite the contrary, he looked rather pleased with himself.
He blew a few more notes on his recorder, then tucked it
into an inside pocket. We have to have a look at that
capsule.
You want to watch that you don t push this Examiner
thing a bit too far, Ben warned him.
Ignoring his advice, the Doctor said: The Examiner [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl akte20.pev.pl
Vulcan? he repeated. What s your brief?
Since the Doctor had absolutely no idea, he couldn t
have answered that directly if he d wanted to. I am the
Examiner, he said, whirling back to face the two men. His
hand went into his pocket and touched the button there.
And I intend to start my examination at once. Whatever
Hensell might imagine that meant, he was clearly taken
aback when the Doctor crossed to Bragen and began to
peer myopically at the Security Head s uniform.
Bragan stared down at the odd man who was fingering
the buttons on his tunic. He seemed to be upset by this.
Guilt? the Doctor wondered.
May I suggest, Governor, Bragen began.
You may not! Hensell almost yelled. It was bad enough
with this ridiculous Examiner challenging his command of
the situation. He didn t need Bragen to start suggesting
anything at all. As the Doctor straightened up from his
examination of Bragen s tunic, Hensell glared down at
him. There was only one possible reason he could think of
that might prompt the arrival of an Earth Examiner.
Somebody s leaked a report about these rebel groups,
haven t they? he demanded. That s it, isn t it?
Is it? the Doctor asked infuriatingly. He started to look
over Hensell s tunic next.
Flustered, Hensell glared down at the man. Internal
affairs are my business, he stormed. Don t interfere!
When the Doctor glanced up sharply, Hensell snapped:
According to the charter, as defined in section nine,
paragraph twenty
Yes, yes, yes, the Doctor said, finishing his
examination of Hensell. He hated people trying to claim
authority on the basis of some silly little by-law that made
them little tin gods. It was probably the most inefficient
system of government he could think of. When all else
fails, quote rules by the million.
Governor, Bragen interrupted again, there is
Lesterson s capsule.
Hensell was about to reprimand Bragen again for
breaking in when he considered the man s point. Maybe
the Examiner wasn t here for it but the artefact could
provide a distraction, maybe even derail this meddling
Examiner until Hensell could apply a little pressure of his
own and have the man re-called. Hensell was not without
influence back at the Colony Office in Berne... The
capsule was found in the mercury swamps here while we
were excavating for the city foundations, he explained. It
must have been here for years, long before Earth decided to
colonize Vulcan. Lesterson wants to open it, but I m not at
all sure that it s wise
The Governor feels it may be dangerous, Bragen
added. It could contain alien bacteria start a plague
anything!
The Doctor sighed. Typically narrow-minded
bureaucrats terrified of the unknown. The chances of an
alien bacteria actually being able to infect a human being
were incredibly remote. Most germs were terribly fussy
about who and what they infected. And anyway, if
Lesterson had even an ounce of scientific caution, he d
open the capsule in a sealed, sterile environment.
Yes, all right, Bragen, Hensell muttered. To the
Doctor, he added: I suggest that you concentrate your
attention on the capsule, Examiner.
Why? the Doctor wondered. He could see in a second
that this was an attempt to sidetrack him. But he had to
admit that his curiosity had been roused. Vulcan had
shown no signs at all during his brief investigation of
having any native life forms. If the capsule wasn t from the
Earth, then it was logically from some alien planet. It
might be inactive now, but he d better make sure about
that. I shall examine the capsule later, he promised. You
may leave us now.
Hensell flushed at this abrupt dismissal. Refusing to
grant the Doctor the final word, he nodded curtly. I shall
look forward to your report. He gave the Doctor s odd
clothing a look of utter disgust. And, Bragen, see that the
Examiner and his party get some proper clothes to wear.
He swept out. Bragen, with a chilly smile towards the
Doctor, followed.
As the door closed, the Doctor flopped on to the closest
bed. What a cheek! he exclaimed. I am wearing "proper
clothes"!
Ben was staring at the closed door when he heard the
tootling of the Doctor s recorder again. His hand flashed to
his pocket, which was empty. What a nerve! The Doctor
had picked his pocket during all of that chatter. Ben almost
had to admire him for it. You were pushing it a bit,
weren t you? he asked the Doctor. Seeing if that button of
yours came off the Governor s tunic.
Yes, the Doctor agreed with a happy grin. Very rude,
wasn t I? Terrible manners. He didn t look at all ashamed;
quite the contrary, he looked rather pleased with himself.
He blew a few more notes on his recorder, then tucked it
into an inside pocket. We have to have a look at that
capsule.
You want to watch that you don t push this Examiner
thing a bit too far, Ben warned him.
Ignoring his advice, the Doctor said: The Examiner [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]