The Menagerie 2 (Eden) by Rick Jones Read Free Book Online Page A

did, feeling a static charge at the ends of her fingertips, the sensation not unpleasant at all, just a tingle. A moment after striking the last symbol a holographic image the size of a chalkboard appeared in front of her. On it were schematic images of the ship in detail. But on the board’s right was a series of characters, ancient and archaic, with marginal similarities to Sumerian and Egyptian type, situated like text and documents. 
    “Of course we were unable to decipher it,” O’Connell continued. “But as you can see there are similarities to the writing on that holographic image that corroborates with the writings you posted in your publication regarding your discoveries in Eden. As I said prior, Ms. Moore, the percentage of similarities is much too high to be coincidence.”
    When she touched the board it responded, the images touch-sensitive as she was able to drag the image from the right side of the panel to the center with the point of her finger. With a few taps the symbol grew larger, like zooming in. “I know this character,” she said. “It’s ancient Sumerian.”
    “Does it give any insight at all regarding this ship? A manual perhaps?”
    “It’s just one character,” she told him. “I don’t mean to get your hopes up, O’Connell, but it’s still a puzzle. To line up the language and decipher it could take months.”
    Months? “Ms. Moore, we brought you aboard because of your expertise in such matters. Surely you could apply your skills of interpretation in speedier manner.”
    “This is a language never seen before,” she told him. “And a majority of these symbols are completely alien, no pun attended. But their syntax, their meaning, or to determine if we even have a word in our language to describe what they’re talking about, may not exist.”
    “Ms. Moore, we do not have months. What we have is days .”
    “What do you want her to do?” asked Savage. “She just gave you an honest assessment of her capabilities.”
     “All I’m saying,” said O’Connell, “is that time is not a luxury. We need Ms. Moore to interpret the language to a point where we can at least begin the process of reverse engineering. Just enough to open the door a crack, is all we need. Once she does, then we can do the rest.” He turned to face Alyssa, who was enamored with the board by continuing to drag symbols from one point to the next. “Surely you can do that much, can’t you, Ms. Moore?”
    Savage could see Alyssa dragging symbols that she recognized, characters he recognized, to the board’s center. There were quite a few.
    “I think that may be a possibility,” she said. “But don’t be surprised if I can’t—at least not in the amount of time that you’re giving me. But I will give it my all, O’Connell. I promise.”
    He nodded. “That’s all I can ask for, I guess.”
    “You said you had books, annals, filled with symbols your team gathered from all over the ship.”
    O’Connell nodded, then faced the opposite side of the chamber and pointed. “Down that corridor you’ll find a Central Post with more personnel. Of course you’ll have your own space with the best computer and software to aid you in your work—absolutely everything you’ll need. It’s a big ship, however, with lots of corridors. But you’ll get used to it. You’ll be able to find your way around.”
    Savage went to the doorway and noted a string of light pods as far as his eyes could see. “How big is this ship exactly?” he asked.
    “Big enough.”
     “And we’re on what? The third level?”
    “With two more below us, yes.”
    Savage did a quick calculation. The point of the remnant was exposed beyond the wall of the crater, this he knew, with the lower tiers buried within the surface.
    His eyes scanned overhead, at the surrounding walls. They were buried this far in, but hanging precariously in the loose earth and could easily dislodge and fall to the bottom after a massive