Mercury Read Online Free PDF

embarrassment Yamagata could not tell. His hair was thinning, combed forward to hide a receding hairline. He refuses to take rejuvenation treatments, Yamagata guessed; it must be against his religious principles. Molina, on the other hand, looked like a young Lancelot: piercing eyes, flowing hair, strong shoulders. Yamagata pictured him on a prancing charger, seeking out dragons to slay.
    Before the discussion became truly disagreeable Yamagata tried to intervene: “Everyone was quite surprised to find creatures living in the clouds of Venus, and even on that planet’s surface,” he said.
    “Silicone snakes, with liquid sulfur for blood,” Captain Shibasaki added, taking up on his employer’s lead.
    Bishop Danvers shuddered.
    “Incredible organisms,” Molina said. “What was that line of Blake’s? ‘Did He who made the lamb make thee?’ ” He stared across the table at the bishop, almost sneering.
    “But none of those creatures have the intelligence that God gave us,” Danvers countered.
    “Those Jovian Leviathans just might,” said Molina.
    The table fell silent. At a nod from Yamagata, the two waiters began to serve the appetizers: smoked eel in a seaweed salad. Yamagata and the captain fell to with chopsticks. The two others used forks. Yamagata noted that neither of the gaijin did more than pick at the food. Ah well, he thought, they’ll feel more at home with the steak that comes next.
    Bishop Danvers wouldn’t let the subject drop, however.
    “But surely you don’t expect to find anything living down on the surface of Mercury,” he said to Molina.
    “I’ll grant you, it’s not the most likely place to look for living organisms,” Molina admitted. “The planet’s been baked dry. Except for the ice caches near the poles there’s not a drop of water anywhere, not even deep underground.”
    “Then what makes you think—”
    “PAHs,” said Molina.
    “I beg your pardon?”
    “PAHs,” Molina repeated.
    The bishop frowned. “Are you being deliberately rude to me, Victor?”
    “I believe,” Yamagata intervened, “that our noted astrobiologist is referring to a certain form of chemical compound.”
    “Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons,” Molina agreed. “P-A-H. PAHs.”
    “Oh,” said Bishop Danvers.
    “You have found such compounds on the surface of Mercury?” Yamagata asked.
    Nodding vigorously, Molina replied, “Traces of PAHs have been found in some of the rock samples sent for analysis by the people building your base down there.”
    “And you believe this indicates the presence of life?” Danvers challenged. “A trace of some chemicals?”
    “PAHs are biomarkers,” Molina said firmly. “They’ve been found on Earth, on other planets, on comets—even in interstellar clouds.”
    “And always in association with living creatures?” Yamagata asked.
    Molina hesitated a fraction of a second. “Almost always. They can be created abiologically, under certain circumstances.”
    Danvers shook his head. “I can’t believe anything could live on that godforsaken world.”
    “How do you know god’s forsaken this planet?” Molina challenged.
    “I didn’t mean it literally,” Danvers grumbled.
    “How strong is this evidence?” Yamagata asked. “Does the presence of these compounds mean that life is certain to be found on Mercury?”
    “Nothing’s certain,” Molina said. “As a matter of fact, the PAHs deteriorate very rapidly in the tremendous heat and totally arid conditions down there.”
    “Ah,” said the bishop, smiling for the first time.
    Molina’s answering smile was bigger, and fiercer. “But don’t you see? If the PAHs deteriorate quickly, yet we still find them present in the rocks, then something must be producing them constantly. Something down there must be continuously creating those complex, fragile compounds. Something that’s alive.”
    The bishop’s face blanched. Yamagata suddenly foresaw his sun-power project being invaded by armies of