Page 19 - The Chronicles Ser2 (6-10)

images telepathically over the Head Band’s transmitter. Perhaps a similar technique could offer
some sort of interchange between Human and Grey.

Rupert arrived with the latest scans and they both sat down together to look over them.
Most of them were unremarkable but one caught Rupert’s’ keen eye. “That’s an odd configuration
for any brain” Rupert said after some time studying a scan of the aliens’ upper skull cavity. “Take a
look at the top left quadrant” he said handing the scan to Galena. She took it and transferred the file
to the large viewing screen. She zoomed in on the upper left quadrant of the image.

“Oh I see! It looks more like a section of micro circuitry than brain matter. Could it be possible, I
wonder, that they replaced damaged tissue with bio-electronic circuitry. If so; it’s incredibly fine
work. You can hardly tell where real tissue ends and the artificial stuff starts. Absolutely remarkable,
not even the Unat and Osir are capable of this delicate work, despite all their eons of Genetic
Manipulation. Good find Rupert; you’ll be mentioned in dispatches.” Rupert was dumfounded, she
was praising him! Wonders would never cease.

“If I may, Dr Fry, I recall a Bio-Geneticist from one of the Unat worlds, did a thesis on the integration
of Biological and Electronic systems. She is touring the Achenazi Confederation Science circuit.
Should I send her a message of this discovery she might be able to help?”

“You could be onto something there. Do it; but make it discreet. We could put a few noses out of
joint with the teams coming from The Unity. Oh; and keep these scan files secured somewhere safe
should she want to join in this investigation. Nobody but we three should have any knowledge of
this, understood?” she said, giving him a wry smile and a wink. …

The evening meal aboard the H’Gru ‘Fen was a very social affair. Reminiscent of the ancient
Bedouin Nomads of the deserts on old Earth, dishes were served all at once with the individual
taking samples of each to their platter. Unlike Arab custom of eating with one hand, the Buraxin
used fine, delicate utensils. There were some dishes that would not have been out of place in a
Bedouin tent at meal times. There was steamed fish, various meats etcetera, and a selection of
deserts and speciality dishes. One Buraxin speciality was the dried, desiccated torso of a desert
lizard, similar to a Skink. The taste was a mixture of bitter and sweet. Usually it was drizzled with a
sauce. Eating it dry was a brave thing to do. It was rumoured to have aphrodisiac properties. Jicklac,
as host, decided on which speciality guests were allowed to try. He’d kept one especially for Meorr.

“Meorr, I would deem it a great honour if you would partake of the Hummerslaang Pie. I think you’ll
find it to your liking” he said as he summoned a server with the dish. Hummerslaang Pie was
primarily a form of steamed pudding. It was made of some form of curdled milk, a sweet gelling
agent usually a type of seaweed, rice flour, two kinds of citrus fruits and a fatty suet. On the whole
the ingredients could be from any world’s recipe list. It was the exotic spices that made this pudding
special. The actual spice list was a family secret mix of ten spices, passed down through the
womenfolk for generation after generation.

Meorr tentatively took a portion onto her desert platter. She sniffed it, the heady aroma
made her salivate. The taste explosion and the texture were such a surprise she coughed. It was
creamier than she had expected and lighter too, like a mousse. She had many tastes to assimilate.
First a honey, then cinnamon, then a citrus tang. The sensations went on and on. The crew waited
for her to eventually speak.

“I thought my first taste of Mescal was a shock! But this…Wow!” she tried another mouthful and
nodded her approval. The crew erupted in a round of cheering and applause. One of the unveiled
women beamed a smile. She had been the one chosen to cook the deserts. Her name was Lehran;