The Green Brain Read Online Free PDF Page B

crowd behind the truck took on some of their silence—a charged waiting. Only the faintest murmuring of conversation surrounded the truck.
    â€œIt is still there on the fountain, Jefe,” Vierho said.
    He took the control handle of the shield, moved it out onto the mosaic tiles. The right wheel stopped on the patterned blue-scale neck of a condor worked into the tiles. Martinho rested his sprayrifle in its slot, said, “This’d be easier if we only had to kill it.”
    â€œThose things are quick as O Diablo,” Vierho said. “I do not like this, Jefe. If that thing should get around our shield …” He fingered the sleeve of his protective suit. “This would be like a piece of gauze trying to stop the river.”
    â€œSo don’t let it get around the shield.”
    â€œI will do my best, Jefe.”
    Martinho studied the creature waiting behind the water curtain at the rim of the fountain, said, “Bring a handlight. Perhaps we can dazzle it.”
    Vierho set the shield stand, returned to the truck. He was back in a moment with the light hanging from his belt.
    â€œLet’s go,” Martinho said.
    Vierho released the handtruck stand, activated its motors. A faint humming issued from it. He turned the driver handle two notches. The shield crept forward, levered its way over the raised ring of the Plaza onto the lawn.
    A stream of acid arched outward from the creature at the fountain, splashed onto the grass ten meters in front
of them. Oily white smoke boiled from the lawn, was dispersed to their left by a light breeze. Martinho noted the direction of the breeze, signaled for the shield to be turned upwind. They circled right.
    Another stream of acid arched toward them, fell short about the same distance.
    â€œIt is trying to tell us something, Jefe,” Vierho joked.
    Slowly they approached it, crossed one of the yellowed patches of grass.
    Again the stream lifted from the fountain rim. Vierho leaned the shield backward. Acid splashed onto the glass, ran down the front. A biting smell filled their nostrils.
    A murmurous “ Ahhhhhhhh ” lifted from the crowd around the Plaza.
    â€œThey are fools to stand that close, you know,” Vierho said. “If that thing should charge …”
    â€œSomeone would shoot it with a hard-pellet,” Martinho said. “Fini a’chigua.”
    â€œFini Dr. Chen-Lhu’s specimen,” Vierho said. “Fini ten thousand cruzados.”
    â€œYes,” Martinho said. “We must not forget why we run this risk.”
    â€œI hope you don’t believe I’d do this for love,” Vierho said. He inched the shield forward another meter.
    A foggy area began to form where the acid had hit.
    â€œEtched the magna-glass!” Vierho said, astonishment filling his voice.
    â€œSmelled something like Oxalic,” Martinho said. “Must be stronger, though. Take it slow now. I want a sure shot.”
    â€œWhy don’t you try a foam bomb?”
    â€œVierho!”
    â€œAhhh, yes: the water.”

    The creature began sliding to their right along the fountain. Vierho turned the shield to cover this new approach. The creature stopped, retraced its steps.
    â€œWait a bit,” Martinho said. He found a clear place in the glass, studied the thing.
    The creature shifted back and forth, plainly visible on the fountain rim. It resembled its tiny namesake the way a caricature might. Its sectioned body appeared to be supported on ribbed legs that bowed outward to terminate in strong, gripping hairs. The antennae were stubby and glistened wetly at the ends.
    Abruptly, it lifted a tubular nose, squirted a hard stream directly at the shield.
    Martinho ducked involuntarily. “We must get closer,” he said. “It must not have time to recover after I stun it.”
    â€œWith what have you charged the rifle, Jefe?”
    â€œOur special mix—dilute sulphur and corrosive sublimate