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This section deals with George's arrival in London.
Viewers familiar with this subject may pass on to the next
section.
Please select PASS or CONTINUE.
Two days later George arrived at the Spacers Club in Bloomsbury.
The duty Spacer recognised him and smiled. "Hello George,.
I'm Martha. You will not be troubled by the Purity League while
you are here. May include your name on the share list?"
George returned the smile. "Of course Martha, why not. It
was no fun being in jail, even though it was only for three days.
Have you put yourself down as being first on my list?"
"Now now George, don't presume too much. What honest Spacer
would presume to do such a thing?"
"All of them at a guess. I would be very suspicious of any
Spacer that did not want to be first on on a male Spacer's list."
"If I had not been told what you are like by the girls in
Germany I would say that you flatter yourself a bit George. If
you did not have a partner already in Singapore you would be besieged
by girls who would love that honour. Your reputation precedes
you. May I have the chance to confirm tonight what I have heard?"
"That is OK by me Martha but don't expect too much."
"I can't wait. By the way, the Commander would like to see
you in his cabin. He would like to hear your side of the story."
"OK Martha, I'm on my way."
Commander Ivan Syncayvitch welcomed George with a beaming smile.His
long wrinkled face betrayed his age but his demeanour was that
of a much younger man. The walls of the Commander's cabin were
covered in images and souvenirs. The images were of every Spacer
cadet who ever graduated with a special section for those who
were no longer alive. The souvenirs included replicas of the nameplates
of the space ships he had served on and small samples of rocks
in vaccuum containers. Under the glass top of his desk was a big
arc of display screens that only he could see. The light from
the screens lit up his face a little with ever changing colours
as the scenes on the screens varied. On the glass top were an
image of his wife Eva in an almost invisible frame and a display
screen facing away from him.
"Welcome to London George. I understand that you showed
the Germans what we are made of to good effect. I see the queue
has already started for your company. Did you know that Kathy
Hilditch was once a shipmate of mine?"
"No sir, I didn't."
"She is the oldest Spacer who is still on active service.
She designed the ventilation system and a great deal of the power
management services on Lagrange Five. She sent me a recording
of your experiences in the courthouse. All the girls thought that
it was hilarious. The wig that she wears is a masterpiece of engineering.
It has four cameras in it that she controls by wiggling her ears.
You should see the recording of Frau Schmidt's reactions. She
would have loved to be in Kathy's place so she left before she
lost control of herself. I gather that you entertained the three
non-Spacers before you left Germany. Unfortunately there is only
the confidential Spacer recording of that little party so none
of us will be able to see it. I am sure that Eva would love to
know what went on that night."
"You will be pleased to know sir that Kathy put her wig on
a pile of books on the dressing table and set her cameras to record
everything before the non-Spacers arrived. We viewed it after
they had left then she gave it to me. It was great fun watching
them try what I was accused of."
"I understand that Captain Dinella Rossi was in charge."
"Yes she was sir. She showed the non-Spacers the correct
procedures."
"How did they react?"
"With a mixture of shock, horror amazement and delight sir.
They had never imagined that it is routine for Spacers to care
for each other's personal hygiene sir."
"That is not unusual George. The idea of privacy is too firmly
ingrained in most of them."
"When they had become used to seeing us without wigs etc.,
they became curious about our hairlessness. Captain Rossi warned
them first then offered them a formfit glove to try on. They didn't
need any more explanations after that."
"Very good George. Now I can tell you something that you
didn't know."
"What is that sir?"
"A copy of a recording has been obtained that shows what
Fraulein Asbach was doing between 17:45 and 18:20 on the 22nd
of February. She was in a park with a man that we are sure is
called Ali Hasif. We have no record of the conversation at the
moment but we will soon have the services of a German speaking
lip reader to study the recording. It looks as if he gave her
instructions. At one point he showed her something that we think
was an image of you. We did not want to use the recording to prove
your innocence because we want to protect our sources. We also
want to find out what Mr. Hasif has to do with the affair without
him knowing that we suspect him of being involved. I have therefore
arranged that you will be discreetly followed by a bodyguard while
you are travelling around London. It may be that you were picked
on at random but we want to be sure that you are not in any danger
while you are here. I advise you to wear your formfit under your
civilian clothes whenever you are outside this club."
"Thank you for telling me sir. I think that I may have been
picked on because I have presented some of my papers at non-Spacer
meetings. I was under the impression that my work was good for
public relations sir."
"It is George. The Spacers League likes what you do. You
help to show that Spacer scientists are not basically different
to non-Spacer scientists. Your previous papers are frequently
quoted as references in your field. I am sure that the British
Royal Society would prefer that you will be able to present your
paper on cows in person. I know that you are jokingly referred
to as "The Real Doctor Doolittle."
George smiled. "I am not anything like him. I don't talk
to animals, I just use body language. Most of the time it does
not work. Sometimes I get it right and then I feel that I am beginning
to get somewhere."
People never think of the long hours that you have put in to get
the results you have. They just remember that you have had more
success with your work than anyone else. I know how much time
you have spent studying animals in Malaysia to see if you could
get them to trust you. Then you carried on in Cologne with your
cows after Lt. Cdr. Tai had to go back to Singapore. The League
wanted to keep Lt. Cdr. Tai with you until you had finished your
research but there wasn't a Spacer on Earth or at Lagrange who
could take her place. You will be glad to know that there is a
sub-orbiter leaving for Singapore next Wednesday."
"Thank you sir. What will be my duties in Singapore?"
"Nothing has been arranged yet George. You deserve a holiday
in any case."
"I won't need a holiday if I am with Yin So sir."
"But Tai Yin So will want a holiday when her work is finished
won't she?"
"I guess so sir."
I have allocated you cabin 17 while you are here. Enjoy your stay."
"Thank you sir."
George realised that something important on one of the Commander's
screens had cut the conversation short. Otherwise he would have
kept him chatting for hours.
Cabin 17 had been keyed to his voiceprint As he entered he saw
a large bouquet of flowers on the bedside table. Attached was
a little note: 'See you tonight - Martha'.
George found that his small collection of personal posessions
had been arranged on the desk next to the communicator screen.
The screen had been activated as soon as he had opened the door.
|On the screen was displayed:
PERSONAL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOR GEORGE MCFIGG
from The Royal Society
"Gee-Mac 207, show." George said to the display and
a message appeared.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL BE ERASED WHEN IT HAS BEEN
READ
Dear George,
We would like you to meet a post-graduate student who will be
at the same meeting as you when you present your paper on communication
with other species. Peter Whitfield will be presenting his paper:
'Proof of the existence of extra-terrestrial life.' Such a paper
would not normally be accepted without two or more recognised
references but it has been decided to make an exception in this
case. The Spacer, Marita Andersson, who is currently the Reader
in Spacer Studies at London University has requested that this
paper should be presented at the same meeting as yours. As you
know, Marita Andersson's credentials are unmatched in any discipline.
She has been elected as an honorary member of our society on account
of her record as the only scientist to have visited a planet outside
the solar system.
She has requested that no reference to Peter Whitfield's paper
should appear in the programme and that only trusted members of
the committee should be told about it. Peter Whitfield will be
introduced immediately after you have presented your paper. We
infer that the paper will include world-shaking news because of
the request for security.
The message was signed by Derek Barnes, the secretary.
George read through the message again before he said: "Clear,
Gee-Mac 207."
The message disappeared and was replaced by:
PERSONAL ENCRYPTED MESSAGE FOR LIEUTENANT GEORGE MCFIGG
from Lieutenant Commander Marita Andersson.
"Gee-Mac 207, show." George said to the display again..
PLEASE NOTE THAT THIS MESSAGE WILL BE ERASED WHEN IT HAS BEEN
READ
George,
Please send an acknowledgement of receipt as soon as you have
read this. The Commander knows about Peter Whitfield. He would
like to see us in his cabin at 16:00 to discuss future arrangements.
It was signed: Big-Mar 708.
George said "Clear, send acknowledgement. Gee-Mac 207."
As he cleared the screen for the second time the call system said:
'Commander Syncayvitch seeks admission."
"Admit him, Gee-Mac 207."
The Commander came into the room looking worried. He came straight
to the point.
"George, Lt. Cdr. Andersson will not be meeting you in my
cabin today. Peter Whitfield will not be presenting his paper
at the Royal Institution. His discovery is too important for that.
I have come here because I suspect that there is a security leak
somewhere. I think that my cabin might be bugged. I have asked
Lt. Singh to investigate."
"What is this discovery sir?"
"Peter Whitfield has found a worm in the rock samples "
"What sort of worm sir?"
"I don't know the details yet George but it appears that
it consumes rocks."
"What wonderful news. When can I begin to study it sir?"
"It might be sooner than you expect. However, its existence
will remain a secret until arrangements for its care and protection
have been finalised. In the meantime I would like you to postpone
your return to Singapore to be with your partner Lt. Cdr Tai."
"I understand sir. I presume that you do not want me to say
anything to her about it."
"Nobody must be told who does not know already. It must not
be referred through any electronic means of communication until
we can establish absolute security. I have arranged that Lt. Cdr
Pushkin will carry a sealed copy of Peter Whitfield's paper to
the the League in Houston by the next sub-orbiter. Lt. Cdr Pushkin
will not know what she is carrying except that it is private communication
from me to Admiral Becker."
"Is there anything that I can do sir?"
"I'm afraid not George except to carry on as if you know
nothing about what I have just told you. Lt. Cdr. Andersson will
want to meet you for your advice. Lt. Dawson is a planetologist.
I am sure that she will as happy to hear you rehearse your presentation
as she will enjoy your you other talents."
The commander grinned as he spoke. His reputation for knowing
every Spacer by name and her interests was legendary.
"Thank you for your advice sir but I do not think that my
evening guests will be much inclined to mix work and pleasure."
"Don't you be so sure George. I know how some Spacers like
to get that little bit of extra attention. I must go now to see
if Lt. Singh has found anything."
The foregoing is an account of the occurrences that led up to
the first time that George McFigg heard that an alien creature
existed on Earth. The whole story is very long and complicated.
It will now continue in some sort of chronological order.
PAUSE
The next section deals with how things
started. Viewers familiar with this subject may pass on to the
following section. Please select PASS or CONTINUE.