“Where?”
“On a planet somewhat larger than the Earth, they concluded, comparatively near a dying red sun—a star of the type designated as K9e.
The surface gravitation of the planet is about 1.250 g—about one and a quarter times Earth-gravity.
The atmosphere is denser than Earth’s.
It contains sufficient free oxygen to sustain human life —but also enough free chlorine to be very unpleasant.”
The Commander was listening intently.
“The basis of those conclusions—”
“The metals of the robot, in the first place.
They are mostly aluminum and beryllium bronzes.
They are alloyed according to standard metallurgical formulae.
But spectrographic analysis proves that they were not smelted from any ores mined in the System.
The impurities are small in quantity, yet the metallurgists declare that the evidence is conclusive.
“The deposits of corrosion, in the second place, on the body of the thing.
They contained chlorides, due to the action of free chlorine.
And you recall the stink of chlorine in the air, when the thing appeared?”
Jay Kalam nodded, frowning intently.
“In the third place, Jay, there is the sort of life they found in the green slime clinging to the thing.
Micro-organisms of types unknown in the System.
I’m no bacteriologist, and you’ll find details in the report.
But those are queer things.
They perish, in the normal conditions of the System, for want of chlorine.
And thrive on the chlorine in some of the common bactericides.
Some varieties break down chlorides, and liberate free chlorine.
If such organisms ever get established in the oceans of Earth—” Hal Samdu’s rugged face set grimly.
“I hope Derron doesn’t think of that!”
The Commander was asking, “What else?”
“They attacked the problem from another angle,” Hal Samdu continued.
“The robot-thing was obviously a mechanical reproduction of a living original.
It has many features, such as the scales, beak, teeth, gill, and nostril-vents, which, being useless to a machine, prove that conclusively.
And those things also tell a great deal about the alien environment in which the original lived.”
Jay Kalam held up a lean hand.
“One question, Hal.
Why should the robot have been copied after such an original?”
“The scientists discussed that, Jay.
Besides any possible intention to deceive other creatures of that world, or to mislead and terrify the people of this—” The rugged brow of the Admiral-General furrowed with a frown of concentrated effort.
“Besides that, Jay, there is the general speculation that machines designed to operate efficiently, under any given set of conditions, must frequently follow the same principles that life has found most efficient under those conditions—the very words of the report!
Why don’t you just read it, Jay?”
But the Commander motioned silently for him to go on.
“From the dimensions of the thing, and the amount of power provided for the functioning of its limbs and wings,” Hal Samdu resumed laboriously, “particularly from the size, strength, weight and camber of the wings themselves, in relation to the total weight— from all that, the scientists arrived at fairly precise data on the atmospheric density and surface gravity.
“From a study of the cooling system, insulation, and lubricants used—all checked against the optimum temperature conditions for those chlorine-loving micro-organisms—they closely estimated the temperature of the planet.
“The photo-cells that served as eyes for the thing revealed a good deal.
From their sensitivity, the adjustment of their iris diaphragms, and the nature of the color filters used, it was possible to determine very exactly the intensity and the color of light to which they were adapted—the light of a K9e sun, within a certain range of distances.
“One deduction checked against another, to verify and refine the first approximations.
I’ve been able to give you but a clumsy sketch of it, Jay.
Aye, the science of the System has become a fine and powerful instrument!”
“Too powerful,” Jay Kalam said, “in the hands of the Basilisk!
But what else, Hal?
Anything on how the robot arrived in the New Moon—and how Davian was taken away?”
Hal Samdu shook his shaggy white head.
“There was no real evidence, Jay, but one of the geodesic physicists has a theory.