Scuzzworms Read Free Page B

door.
    “We, uh, can assume that life originally crawled ashore here.”  He pointed toward a large land mass labeled ‘Materland’.  “The, uh, life forms here appear most plentiful, with development of a number of unusual and advanced appearing species.”
    He paused again, staring at a flyby video he was showing of an incredible herd of bizarre beasts, some with what looked like carapaces, others with feather-like coverings or scales, all grazing placidly on moving greenery.
    Imelda’s feet hurt from standing.  If Caldwell’s aim was to increase their enthusiasm, he could better have shown a video of the beasties in their mating dance.  It had always worked for ‘Geographic’.
    “...I, um, plan to divide the field biologists into continental groups, which will be subdivided into teams, each assigned one geographic area to study.  Each individual biologist will then be assigned one or more phyla to investigate.
    “Our division of the life forms here into phyla is of course based solely on appearance, and we expect alterations in the groupings as our work progresses.  I want to assure you that each researcher will receive full credit for individual contributions.”
    Another pause followed, as he blinked his eyes at the controls in front of him.  “Um, and, I, uh, wish to remind you that Biotech, Inc. has assured me that, uh, anyone who is able to make any discoveries with commercial value back home will be richly rewarded.  Um, very richly rewarded.  I myself will not receive sole credit for any discovery, of course, but am required to share the credit with the researcher responsible.”
    He looked at them uncertainly.  “My salary is fixed, in any case.  All the financial reward will be yours alone.  As a result, I, um, will expect all of you to share your findings with me openly, so that I can, uh, coordinate the research efficiently.  If any of you try to hide, uh, what you are working on, uh, and we end up duplicating our work as a result, uh, you will be penalized accordingly.”
    The fellow was sweating.  Imelda felt sorry for the guy.  He obviously hated administrative work.  She listened with half an ear as he told the other biologists in the room what their assignments were. It wasn’t until he was finished that she realized that he had given her no assignment.  All of the Phyla listed had been assigned.  He seemed to be getting ready to dismiss them.  She looked around uncertainly.  She was in the right place, wasn’t she?  Had someone cancelled her contract and forgotten to tell her?  She hadn’t seen any talking white rabbits, but...well, Caldwell was pretty close.
    He was scratching his head, a disoriented look on his face.  A woman leaned forward and whispered to him.  Caldwell’s head jerked up and he grinned weakly.
    “I’m sorry, I almost forgot.”  He surveyed his audience.  “Um, as you know, this planet has been astronomically and geologically stable for a very long time, long enough for evolution to have evolved to a high order of complexity.  With a high order of complexity, we must consider the possibility that intelligence has evolved.”  He paused for effect, surveying the group’s reaction.  The audience rustled attentively. 
    “Whenever we encounter such a promising situation, CHA rules state that groundbase operations can’t be initiated until we verify the absence of technology-capacity intelligence.”
    He paused again, his eyes sweeping the room.  Imelda wondered if he had forgotten the rest of his speech.  “There, uh, is only one group of species identified thus far that might harbor a cranial cavity of sufficient size for the required intelligence.”  His hands were twiddling nervously with the controls.    
    “We haven’t assigned them a phyla yet, since they, um, seem to have characteristics in common with several other phyla.  This is a heterogeneous group, including odd species from all of the continents.  They appear to