Menagerie - Martin Day [2]
Ànd the kill ratio?' queried one of the men towards the end of the darkened table.
Jenn consulted the tabular information on a recessed screen in front of her. 'Just over six point five to one.'
Àgain,' came another voice, 'you have to remember that the test involved unarmed creatures taking on combat-ready troops. A civilian ratio would be much higher.'
`Those creatures would simply tear the non-military population of a city apart,' said Jenn.
There was a pause, and eyes began to turn to the large man at the far end of the table. His fingers drummed slowly against each other for a few moments as he stared at the final freeze-frame, deep in thought. Then he smiled.
À most exciting presentation, Dr Alforge,' he announced.
'Quite the most chilling thing I've seen in a long while. I think my colleagues and I will be able to draft an encouraging report.' He took a few sips from a small tumbler of water. 'Yes, I do believe that Project Mecrim could have a crucial effect on the war. Do my learned colleagues agree?' His eyes scanned the lower end of the table in a way which hinted that he expected no dissension.
`Thank you for visiting our establishment,' said Jenn, trying to avoid the man's eyes. 'We are pleased to know that you esteem our work so highly.'
The man's eyes twinkled as he rose, but he said nothing more. The observers and scientists slowly filed out, leaving Jenn alone. She tried to imagine the monsters let loose in cities swarming with Draconian women and children, but could only see the Head Observer's gloating face as he watched the half-real carnage.
Jenn ran to a hand basin, wanting to be sick, but nothing came.
— she was running through a cardboard tunnel something was so close behind her she couldn't turn around to see just felt its breath on her neck and the sound of its feet something huge she was crying out suspecting something deep within but unable to break through just kept running dead end suddenly huge glaring eyes eyes that accused her shocked her to her very core something someone she once recognized but no longer knew betrayed betrayed betrayed
—
The comm unit buzzed again. Jenn groaned. Her fingers skimmed the control as she fell back into the bed. It was only —
'Half five, yeah, I know,' said the voice, anticipating her thoughts as usual.
The dream had faded sufficiently for Jenn to realize that there was tension in the voice. She reached for the first nicotinesub of the day. 'What's the matter, Nik?'
'Routine testing has turned up something non-routine. I think that you should come down.'
'Okay.' She switched the unit off without asking whether Nik had been working late or had started early.
She hoped that the shower would settle her but, as she stood under the stream of water, she became more and more aware of a pain in her lower stomach. It felt different from the nervous tension that had surged through her body over the last couple of days as she had waited for the arrival of the observers. She tried to massage the ache away but it didn't budge.
It would have to wait. She reached for another nicotinesub as she pulled on her clothes, still puzzling over the pain. Maybe she'd be the first woman to discover that
'sub was carcinogenic, too. That really would be a terrible way to start the week.
Confidential Memorandum
From: Dr J. Alforge, To:
C. Y. Dugied,
Pr. Mecrim
Control 429
Date:
2417,0706,22:30 (WST)
Subject: Mecrim gut microbe 23D
(see memos 0405, 2805, 0406)
Ciaran —
Must insist that your reply 0606 simply isn't good enough. I don't believe that we can wait that long. Nikolas has done some more tests; appended to this memo. I'm sure that you now appreciate the nature of the problem that we face. Two dead already.
I request immediate evacuation.
'We who have no