Illegal Alien

"In fact," said Kelkad, "in the elderly, the strain of transplanting a fourth lung outweighs the benefits of having it in most cases."

"Indeed, you can get by, as long as you don’t exert yourself, for an extended period with just two lungs, correct?"

"That is right."

"And, again so long as one doesn’t exert oneself, three hearts, or even just two, would be enough to allow life to continue, no?"

"That is right."

"But the kivart — well, if the kivart goes, severe motor-control problems develop almost at once, isn’t that so?"

"Yes," said Kelkad.

"Indeed, without his or her one and only kivart, a Tosok would die quickly, no?"

"That is correct."

"And so," said Dale, "Hask would doubtless have harvested Seltar’s kivart, which, in many ways, is the most crucial of all the organs to recover, and—"

A muffled sound, then Judge Pringle’s voice: "Mr. Rice, caution your client. I will not tolerate outbursts in my courtroom."

"I’m sorry, Your Honor. Hask, be quiet—"

Hask’s untranslated voice, plus the near-simultaneous translation, both somewhat murky, as if being picked up by a microphone some distance away: "Do not pursue this line of questioning."

"I’m sorry, Hask." Dale’s voice. "It’s my job to defend you."

"I do not wish this defense."

"Mr. Rice." Judge Pringle again. "Mr. Rice."

"A moment, Your Honor."

"Mr. Rice, the Court is waiting."

"Hask." Dale’s voice. "Hask, I’m going to finish."

"But—"

Judge Pringle: " Mr. Rice—"

"Kelkad," said Dale, "it is true that the kivart is a crucial organ, yes?"

"Most definitely."

"And yet it is missing from the collection of harvested body parts, no?"

"Apparently."

"Hask would have known to harvest it, no?"

"Doubtless. And, regardless, he would have consulted the procedures manual when confronted with Seltar’s accidental death; that would have reminded him."

"So expected body parts are missing here, too, aren’t they?" said Dale. "Just as they were from Dr. Calhoun’s body?"

"I— I suppose that is true," said Kelkad.

"Thank you," said Dale. "Your witness, Ms. Ziegler."

"Umm, no questions," said a muffled voice. Ziegler sounded perplexed — and Frank didn’t blame her. It seemed as if Dale was arguing Ziegler’s own case: that Hask had first practiced his aberrant behavior on one of his own before trying it on a human being.

*34*

The camera had been shut off. Frank floated in the starship’s sickbay, looking at Kelkad. They were more alone than any two people in the solar system right now; even Mir currently had more people aboard, as well as constant contact with the ground crew in Kaliningrad.

"We should return to the planet," said Kelkad.

The planet. Not "to Earth." Not "home." The planet. The gulf between them was gigantic.

And yet Frank knew he would never have another chance like this one — away from the other Tosoks, away from the media, away from the rest of the scientific entourage, away from the court.

"Kelkad," said Frank, "privately, just between you and me, do you think Hask killed Clete?"

Kelkad did not hesitate. "Yes."

The word surprised Frank. He’d expected a denial — but perhaps denial was a human failing.

"But why? Why would he commit murder? Is he — is he crazy?"

Kelkad’s tuft moved backward in negation. "No more than any of us."

"Then why would he do it?"

Kelkad pushed gently off the wall. "We should leave."

"No, please. Just between you and me. I have to know."

"You would not understand."

Frank thought about that. It had always been a possibility — that the aliens’ psychology would prove so different, so bizarre, that none of their actions would ever make sense to a human. "Try me," he said simply.

Kelkad had reached the far side of the room. He stuck out his front hand to brake himself. Once he’d touched the wall, he began to drift slowly back in the other direction. He seemed to be thinking, as if deciding how to possibly put the idea into words the human might understand. "Like you," he said at last, "we believed we were created in God’s own image — and that meant we must be perfect beings, divinely designed and flawlessly executed. It gave us great comfort knowing this — how much easier the problems of life are to bear when you know you are a child of God!"

Frank thought about his own Catholic upbringing. He nodded slightly.

"But then," said Kelkad, "like you, we discovered the principles of evolution." He had reached the near wall again. This time he grabbed onto one of the storage-unit handles to anchor himself.

"In our case, it was different," continued Kelkad. "You humans have a world that is mostly water, with landmasses isolated one from the other, creating discrete habitats in which evolution can proceed separately. Indeed, it astounds us that your race has only so recently learned of evolution, for it should have been obvious many hundreds of years ago.

"We Tosoks may be forgiven, I think, for taking longer to puzzle it out. Our world is about twenty percent water, and there are no isolated landmasses.