Page 167 - The Perpetrations of Captain Kaga

Investigating the Mystery of the Talking Plant
165
Lugo steered his friend into one of the side galleries. “Here is the
Tzigian room. It’s a strange world— perhaps not to you, Captain
Kaga, but most of the Pontengans who saw these relief maps and
habitat models last night were impressed. How many planets do you
know of where the entire land surface is covered with thirty-meter
high vegetation? And in this corner is a specimen of the sonopor
plant, which the PKU is developing as a trade item. Whoa! What’s
this?”
He ran over to a pedestal on top of which lay a bruised and battered
mass of spongy purple tissue. It had been hacked and crushed to an
unrecognizable pulp; thick blue fluid oozed out of it down the sides of
the stand.
“Oh, no!” cried Lugo. “Someone has destroyed the sonopor plant!”

3: An investigation begins

Captain Kaga took hold o’ Lieutenant Lugo’s arm. “Snap out of it,
man. Something funny is going on here. Who’s in charge of security?”
Lugo pulled his eyes away from the wreckage of the sonopor plant.
“In charge? Beside us? Why, the Center staff— Farnitt’s the director.
What time is it? 0845. He should be in by now. The opening broke up
early last night, about 2130. Let me press this emergency call button by
the door. There! If he’s in the Center, he should be here quickly.”
Kaga continued to search around the display area while Lugo
fretted. Then they heard a door open and close on the far side of the
main hall. A moment later a Pontengan humanoid came rushing into
the room, breathless and bleary.
“What is it? What’s going on? Did you push that button, Lieutenant
Lugo? Who is— the plant! What happened to the plant?”
“If you will permit me, sir , I am Captain Kaga. I was invited here
for the opening, but just now arrived. It looks as though someone
grabbed this Tzigian short-handled chopper and made mincemeat of
your display. There are no digitprints on it—it’s been wiped clean.”
Kaga paused, taking stock of Farnitt, whose attention was glued to
the ruined exhibit.
Lugo looked at the implement lying on the floor by the base of the
pedestal; its blade was covered with blue stains. “I didn’t notice that,
Captain. I guess I’m still upset by the death of Bulakko.”

165