Free Alan Dean Foster by Alien Nation

but we're learning.
    The double heart setup isn't the half of it, and they aren't really hearts as we understand them. They move the blood, all right, but they're not the same size or shape, and instead of chambering they've got the damndest most complicated ventricular setup you ever. . ."
    Sykes was bored by the first sentence. "You think I was lucky? Lucky my ass. I had to empty my damn gun into him. I thought he was down for the count after my first shot and started to check him out. If I hadn't watched my step it'd be me you'd be lecturing George about."
    "That's the way these people are." Winter was studying the body, still obviously intrigued by what he didn't know. "They're so damn big and dense that if you don't hit both pumps or the brain you just piss them off. Maybe one of these days we'll have a Newcomer on the staff to help us with explanations, but right now we don't know what half the goop inside them is even for."
    "Me, I don't want to know. Mind if I see that?" Sykes reached hopefully for the report.
    The Examiner hesitated, his gaze taking in the unlocked door. They were still alone in the morgue. "Okay, but just here. No copies."
    Sykes smiled thinly. "Yeah, right. Just here."
    Francisco was making a detailed examination of the body, starting with the feet and working his way up. As he reached the right hand he absently turned it over to check the palm--and frowned. Something on the skin made him lean closer. He studied the dead flesh the way a counterfeiter would examine a batch of freshly printed fifty-dollar bills.
    Letting the hand fall back, he reached up and carefully peeled back the dead alien's upper lip. What he saw made him frown anew, but neither the busily reading Sykes nor the indifferent Winter glanced in his direction.
    Finally he removed his fingers from the breathless mouth and straightened.

    54
    Three lab assistants had entered a few moments earlier and were busy at their respective tasks. One bulked much larger than his companions. A glance showed that Sykes was going to be occupied for a while yet. Making his way across the floor between tables empty and full, he introduced himself to the alien lab assistant. They began conversing softly in their own tongue. The other pair of lab workers ignored them.
    Eventually Sykes returned the folder. "Thanks, Winter. Do you a favor sometime."
    "You know what they say. Silence is golden."
    "Not where I work it ain't. You got anything else?"
    "You've seen it all. Oh, wait." Winter fumbled with the folder's back pocket. "Since you're so interested, here's an extra head shot if you want one." He passed an 8 X 10 Polaroid of the dead Newcomer's face to the grateful detective.
    "Sure you won't miss this?"
    "No problem with photos. It's the synopses and analyses the boss gets touchy about passing around." He nodded in the direction of the corpse.
    "We're just about to start cuffing in. You're welcome to stick around and watch if you want. I guarantee you'll learn a lot. Every time we open one of these guys up there's a new surprise."
    "Yeah, I'll bet." Sykes had what he'd come for. Sliding the photo into his own folder he scanned the morgue in search of his partner, found him deep in conversation with the Newcomer lab worker.
    "Take it easy, Sykes." Winter offered a final smile.
    "Easy as I can." But he wasn't paying attention to the Deputy Examiner anymore.
    His first impulse was to go gather up his Newcomer, and get moving, but he hesitated. If he strained his hearing he could make out snatches and bits of alien conversation. The lab assistant appeared by turns to be animated, sullen, and unsettled as he responded to Francisco's questioning. Then he was nodding as if agreeing with something the detective had said-or like someone who'd just agreed to do something for someone else.

    53
    Unable to stand it any longer, Sykes walked over and stared straight into his partner's face.
    "What's this, what's going on?" At his intrusion the lab worker melted