Alien Tongues Read Online Free PDF

around here who see something different, Me Old Paddy.  They see strange, secret experiments going on.  And they see Big Government planting its nose right in the middle of our community.  And they see people like you arrive.  You aren't a scientist, are you, Séamus? You have some other agenda.  There are some people around here who get awfully suspicious about things like that."
    "Well," Alice announced from behind him, "Let them have the balls to tell us their suspicions to our faces.  It's always 'some people around', isn't it, Dave? Perhaps you'd like to name a few of them, for illustration?"
    Dave shrugged and rose from the table.  "Just trying to give you Labs folks a piece of advice.  Seems you get very offended by it.  Now I'll wish you a very good night and leave you alone to enjoy your evening together.  Good to have met you, Séamus Lad."  He waved a goodbye and walked back to his friends. They were looking at Dave, grinning.
    "Let's go," Alice said, pulling on her coat.  They went out to her car and drove out of the pub car-park in silence, then she said, "I'm sorry about that, Séamus. I really never expected it.  Not exactly a warm welcome to you."
    "I'm very glad you took me there.  It exposed a leak – Dave said he knew I wasn't a scientist."
    "Well, it could have been just a guess.  The vacancies for scientists are advertised and have all been filled some time ago.  Now you suddenly show up – too young to be some visiting professor.  There again, someone may have leaked your name locally, and they did a search on you to discover you're an obscure, Irish romantic poetry scholar."
    Séamus gave a short laugh. "Yes, I can see how threatening that would be to them.  Some fiendish experiment where all Yorkshiremen wake up one morning speaking Gaelic.  Exactly how serious was this reference to Big Government?"
    "Despite being from here, I really don't know." Alice swung the car round a tight bend.  "Folk here are very independent and of course believe in running their own affairs – nothing wrong with that.  When London set up the Labs after the terrorist bombings, there were mumblings that it was just some ploy to have more central government people snooping around here."
    "Anybody important here have something they need to hide?"
    "Ha, that's the big question, isn't it?  Growing up here, there were always rumors of illegal activity in some quarters, but maybe that's true everywhere?  There are a few characters around here who are a bit scary, and I have no doubt Dave has connections with them."  There was a lengthy silence. "But sorry again about Dave.  He was a big mistake of mine."
    "Alice, you don't have to say anything…"
    "Yes, I feel I should.  We'll be working together a lot these coming months, Séamus.  I don't want you suspicious of me.  I was a very geeky young girl at school here.  I don't think too bad looking, but I had these huge glasses, was always way ahead of the boys in maths and sciences, and very naive and socially inept.  I dated Dave because I thought it would make me more accepted by the local "in crowd."  At first I found him so cool.  But finally I realized what an arse he was.  We never really broke up, but when I went off to Cambridge he got another girl, which was fine by me.  He divorced recently, despite two young kids.  He's asked me out a few times and of course I've refused.  He hasn't been a pest before tonight."
    Not in your earshot, anyway, Séamus thought.  "Are these local grumblings just a coincidence with our current project, or do you see any connection?  I mean, something about the project that has sparked a special level of distrust?"
    "Maybe." Alice suddenly slowed for a pair of green eyes illuminated by her headlights, then four deer legs dashed out of sight.  Séamus wondered if he would have spotted them in time. "You see, my specialty is cryptography.  My work has been used a lot by the police to break into the calls and