Page 197 - The Perpetrations of Captain Kaga

Investigating the Mystery of the Talking Plant
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“Why, yes, I was, as a matter of fact. It was very crowded in there,
and quite noisy, too—until Bulakko picked that thing up and it started
playing back all the conversations that had taken place nearby. Then
everyone stopped still and listened; it was a strange sensation, to
realize suddenly that one’s remarks had been recorded by a fungus. Of
course, Bulakko was playing around with the sonopor; he manipulated
it in such a way that the voices came out distorted, sometimes at a very
high speed, sometimes very slowly.”
“Hmm. Can you recollect who else was in the room?”
“No, I’m afraid I can’t. There were one or two other aliens present
as well as a large number of local Pontengans and other invited guests.
After Reverend Emenoy left, Bulakko came over to me and continued
to talk about the plant. Of course, it came through in English this
time; I hadn’t understood any of it before.”
“What did he say?” asked Kaga.
“Oh, he was enthusiastic, as always, trying to promote his planet
and everything on it. He claimed that his plant could store up sound
for several days before it dissipated. He even boasted that he
personally could remember all the conversations the plant had played
back, despite the distortions. I guess I didn’t seem impressed enough,
so he said that he would demonstrate it tomorrow—that is, today—at
the PKU Science Center. Then he told me some technical thing about
how the Tzigians had discovered the biomolecular basis of queueing
theory, but I couldn’t follow it at all. I suppose the demonstration will
have to go on without him, now,” she concluded sadly.
“Did others in the room hear him say these things?”
“I suppose so,” she replied. “He wasn’t one to keep his Languex
turned down to low volume.”
“Did you tell Mr. Farnitt about this incident when you met him
afterward?”
“Yes, sir, I did.”
“Thank you, Miss Woswoot,” said Captain Kaga with finality. “You
have been a very big help to us. You may go now.”
After the woman had made a graceful but hasty exit, Lugo turned to
Kaga and said, “Captain, that was a good piece of work! I had
forgotten what General Sleeth told us this morning. But he didn’t
know what time he had gone out hunting, did he?”

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