The Caverns of Mare Cetus Read Online Free PDF Page A

that."
       "But you forget previous profiles showed he was a very sane inorganic chemist," said Garrett.
       "So much for the profiles," said Ramon. "I have to agree with Hunter. The guy was a nutcase."
       "Is that what you think, señor?" asked Garrett.
       "Yeah. That's what I think. For him to do what he did, he had to be a nut. What I can't figure out is why we're wasting our time even talking about him."
       Arielle stepped up behind Ramon and put her hands on his shoulders and began kneading them with her maroon-polished fingernails.
       "Hey. Cut that out," he said as he pulled away from her.
       "I think Garrett's making some good points," said Arielle. "Whether you do or not. I want to hear more." She stepped up to Garrett. "Why do you say he wasn't a flake?"
       "Because Severon management tried hard to bring out a Mendrax to investigate him. For reasons I can't go into, they wouldn't have done that if they thought he was insane. Unfortunately, the Novies put a stop to Severon's plans. It's been rumored the Novian Government wants no part of the Mendrax, but I can't go into that either."
       "A mendrac?" asked Isis. "Isn't that a Novian animal? Looks like some kind of goofy rodent? How the heck can a mendrac investigate anyone? What does any of this have to do with Severon?"
       "He said Mendrax," said Ramon, snickering. "And that's even more goofy than your armored, spike-tailed, four-eyed rodent. The Mendrax are delusions. They don't even exist."
       "Delusions?" asked Devon. "A Mendrax is a delusion?"
       "Hey," said Ramon. "She really does talk."
       Devon stared at him blankly. "So I do." She pushed back her wavy brownish-black hair from her face.
       "You must not read any fiction, kiddo," said Ramon. "You've never heard about the Mendrax and their concubines? They were supposed to have been some kind of Amazon warriors that fought in wars on Earth about fifty years ago. But it's all a bunch of BS. Even Achilles is more real."
       "Achilles?" asked Devon, her eyebrows narrowing. "You think he was real? You're the one who's deluded then."
       "Enough already!" exclaimed Hunter, eyeing Ramon and Devon with annoyance. "Let's trade fables another day." He turned toward Garrett. "Ramon's right. The guy was a suicidal nutcase, nothing more."
       Garrett scoffed. "When have you heard of some guy trying to commit suicide by cutting his arm to the bone?"
       "Suicide isn't an art to a psychotic," quipped Hunter.
       "From what I've heard, he was thoroughly convinced about something being inside her and worried about it getting inside of him."
       "Bull. Nothing was ever found."
       "What about their blood chemistries?" asked Garrett.
       Hunter sighed. "Big deal. He had a rare blood disorder, and her system had traces of drugs that Vimap logs proved he had given her."
       "None of which could be concluded to have resulted in the chemistries that were found. No. You're wrong. There was something more at Severon."
       "Then tell me what it was," said Hunter.
       Ramon had taken off his hardhat and mussed up his dark brown hair with his hand. "I think it was a monster. It looked just like this." He opened his eyes wide, contorted his mouth, and held up his hand, making it look like a claw.
       "If I knew that," said Garrett, "we wouldn't be discussing this now."
       "Come on, guys," said Isis. "Let's can this conversation already. Just thinking one of you guys might pop a cork like Powell did gives me the willies."
       "Powell?" asked Trent. "Powell was on Sid's mission. That was an Explora mission. Parrolli was the guy on the Severon Corporation mission."
       "What's the difference? They both stink." Isis stepped up to Garrett. "That's one lethal piece of hardware. Can I hold it?"
       Garrett handed her the rifle.
       "Don't worry," said Devon, stepping beside Isis and placing a hand on her shoulder. "That kind of butchery will