Page 52 - The Perpetrations of Captain Kaga

Cooking the Cannibals of Kek-lawa

The report continued with specifications for the biochemical
wizards of Gnur; Kaga rapidly lost interest in the maze of technical
terms and abstruse formulae. He requested instead a summary of all
known data about the Kek. To his surprise it was extremely brief.

Physically the Kek may be compared to a terrestrial
phylogenetic level between mammals and reptiles: while
retaining a lizard-like skeleton and nervous system, the
Kek are also viviparous, warm-blooded, and covered
with short green fur instead of scales. The digestive
system suggests an omnivorous species, but the
exploratory mission saw only a vegetarian diet being
consumed. There is no other edible animal life on Kek-
lawa, so no explanation can yet be given for this
anomaly.

Society is organized around an hereditary oligarchy, the
Gorzon, whose members have wide discretionary
powers in the regulation of Kek affairs. From the first
contact, the PKU has dealt exclusively with the Gorzon,
who have had no trouble mobilizing the labor necessary
to mine, smelt and deliver the erglonium specified in the
trade agreement. Fortunately, the Kek have no use for
erglonium, one of the most sought-after prosthetic
materials on planets inhabited by silicon-based life-
forms.

And that was all. The PKU knew virtually nothing about Kek-lawa.
Was this simply the result of Rem Fildop’s failure to do any research
during his long tenure here? Kaga decided that he, at least, would try
to enlarge the store of knowledge concerning the Kek. He was
certain that it would be possible to do so without contaminating their
culture; that danger was always present in any alien contact, but PKU
officers were well-trained in ways to avoid it.
A small flashing light on the ComSet suddenly interrupted his
thoughts. He stared at it uncomprehendingly for a moment before
realizing its significance. The buzzer on the compound gate had been
disabled, probably by Rem Fildop to ensure his tranquility. Kaga
reactivated it and the screen before him filled with an image of his
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