Page 185 - The Perpetrations of Captain Kaga

Investigating the Mystery of the Talking Plant
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“Members shall not cease their toil!” replied Kortokox. She
scrabbled back up to the top of the heap and disappeared into its
interior.
Kaga again followed Lugo as they made their way out to the
anteroom. As the environmental parameters shifted back to
Pontengan values, Kaga looked at Lugo accusingly.
“You didn’t tell me anything about those formal greetings and
farewells.”
“Sorry,” said Lugo. “You were in a hurry to talk to her and I can’t
remember everything. By the way, can you guess what ‘Kortokox of
Jaleeka’ means in their language?”
“No, what?”
“Member of the hive,” answered Lugo, as they re-entered the outer
corridor.

8: A Sort of Doctor

“Now, on the other side of the building we have the quarters of Dr.
Too-Rasoo and Reverend Emenoy. Let’s visit Dr. Too-Rasoo first;
he’s a lot easier to take than the emissary of Yo.”
“Fine with me,” said Kaga. “After we’re done here, we can knock
off for lunch. Tell me about our next interviewee.”
“The first thing to understand about Drast is that what the Languex
translates as ‘doctor’ is not what that word really means in Galactic
Standard English. It is not a title bestowed upon a student at the
completion of his studies, of that I’m quite certain. No young Drastian
is a doctor; I checked that out with our ethnologists. Dr. Too-Rasoo is
an elder of his society, respected for his ability to make sharp deals, to
drive hard bargains. When he was young, he must have had to dive
into the crater lakes to retrieve crystals, just like the others. But—”
“Wait a minute,” said Captain Kaga. “You’re going too fast. What
crystals?”
“Why, the pikary crystals that we buy from Drast. They are essential
catalysts in the manufacture of merlitron.”
“Merlitron? What’s that?”
“Oh, didn’t you know? That’s a prime component of hepatoid
pumps.”
“Hmm. I’m not familiar with that particular device.”

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