“So what is it that the Foundation did with the EBEs?” Sean questions.
“The more appropriate question,” Sloan replies, “is what they did not do to them.”
Before allowing Sean to respond, Sloan explains, “Physically, the EBEs were put through the wringer. Every type of physiological test imaginable was conducted on them. They tested their endurance, their strength, their propensity for pain, and the list goes on and on.
“But what alarmed the Foundation was no matter the amount or intensity of the exertion placed on their bodies, the EBEs always managed to astound their captors by first, passing every physical challenge presented to them, and second, the recuperation period for their bodies after a unusually rigorous or strenuous test was minimal. They could run a marathon one day and the next day they would still be able to swim the length of the English Channel.
“They are horses, Mr. O’Connell,” Sloan concludes, “thoroughbreds.”
“Sounds like they were nearly flawless,” Sean remarks.
Sloan turns toward Sean and glares at him. “You’re exactly right, Professor,” she says emphatically, “but not just were, are.”
For a moment, Sean waits for Sloan to explain what she means, but instead she continues with what seems like her linear narrative. Her indication of the present tense, however, suggests these beings are not a thing of the past, a chilling thought to be sure.
“Nearly flawless except for one thing,” Sloan notes, turning back to face the road.
She waits a moment before explaining, “Extreme cold, Professor. While their bodies are remarkably unaffected by extreme heat, and they seem to actually thrive in warmer temperatures, their ability to withstand colder environments is, well . . the best way to put it . . absolute shit. It seems to be their only real weakness.”
“They’re unaffected by bullets, knives, run-of-the-mill human weapons?” Sean wonders.
“I would not say they are unaffected. Their skin type is similar to ours, but extremely elastic.”
Sloan poses a question, “Tell me, Professor, have you heard of biotechnology?”
“Sure,” Sean nods, “I’ve heard of it, vaguely. I don’t really know the basic concepts-”
“Some scientists believe,” she interrupts, “biotechnology will one day alter the essence of what a human being is, both physically and possibly cognitively. It could change the way people are ‘built,’ and it starts cell by cell. It is essentially evolution by choice, rather than by Darwin’s theory of natural selection.
“A small minority even believe biotechnology has been happening for years, decades even, and those behind it are in the process of creating a superhuman, a person immune to all the diseases that plague mankind, a person who cannot be killed by conventional weapons, a person who requires little, if any, sleep. In short, a warrior of the future, a supersoldier.”
“Yeah, I’ve heard and read about those stories for years, Ms. Sloan,” Sean notes. “Secret military projects attempting to create the ultimate soldier, someone with the strength of a hundred men, who never needs to rest and can never be killed.”
“Well, Mr. O’Connell,” Sloan says pointedly, “our alien race may have mastered their own line of biotechnology.”
There is a moment of silence between them as Sean stares at Sloan.
“They can’t be killed?” Sean asks incredulously.
“Oh, they’re not quite there yet,” Sloan responds. “At least we don’t think so.”
That’s comforting, Sean thinks.
“When the EBEs were captured,” Sloan explains, “all sorts of medical tests were performed on them. Scans of their brains, x-rays, the whole lot. They discovered what could only be described as an extremely strong and extremely durable endoskeleton present inside their bodies. This skeleton is not like ours, with bones that are brittle and capable of being broken.
“When they performed an autopsy on the creature that died in the crash,” she continues, “they found that this endoskeleton is tough, comprised of a substance they believed to be some type of liquid metal, but they were not certain because nothing like it had ever been seen on Earth. It has the consistency of a ball of putty, but the strength of something much greater than steel. They also discovered the skeleton is extraordinarily sinuous, that it can move in any direction without having the burden of joints to slow it down.
“In essence, Professor,” Sloan summarizes, “it is a defense system, built from the inside.”
“Are you telling me,” Sean begins, “that if any kind of trauma or weapon is about to strike their bodies, this . . endoskeleton adjusts itself appropriately and braces the body for . . ?”
“Impact?” Sloan offers.
“Yes,” Sean agrees.
Sloan nods, “Something to that effect.”
“So why did one of the EBEs die in the crash and the other two survive?” Sean wonders.
“Like I said before,” Sloan replies, “two of them had been secured at the time the craft went down, while the third being was not. The Foundation speculated that there was so much trauma to the body, and in so many different places, the endoskeleton could not protect the creature from all of it.”
“Speculated?”
“Truth be told,” Sloan clarifies, “the Foundation could not determine much simply from studying the dead EBE. Since the substance was something they had never seen before, they tried to extract information about it from the surviving EBEs, but needless to say, they were not forthcoming with anything useful.”
“Language barrier?” Sean jokes.
“Not a bit, Professor,” Sloan responds evenly.
Sean hesitates, then asks, “You’re telling me they could . . speak our language?”
“Without even the hint of an accent,” Sloan notes. “Occasionally the EBEs’ grammar or phrasing sounded unusual or their pronunciation was incorrect, and they did not understand some slang words, but for the most part, it was like they had been speaking it since birth.
“In fact,” Sloan continues, “they could speak hundreds of different human languages, including a dialect spoken only by a reclusive tribe in Africa that has virtually no human contact.”
Before Sean can ask how this is possible, Sloan notes, “I’ll explain in a minute.”
She continues with her story, “While the EBEs were not forthcoming with certain information, they did encourage several rather unorthodox experiments to be conducted on them.”
“Like?”
“They requested that their captors use a lethal object on them, such as a knife or gun.”
“And did they?” Sean asks.
“Of course,” Sloan confirms. “They found the EBEs’ skin actually seems to conform around an object. For instance, when a bullet was fired into their body, their endoskeleton adjusts itself to the bullet’s velocity and mass and gives it a soft, easy landing. It’s like shooting a pillow and afterwards finding the bullet resting on top, having not even made a hole. It’s radical stuff, Professor.”
“What about hollow-point bullets, or bullets that disperse razor-like shrapnel upon impact?” Sean wonders.
Sloan looks amusingly at Sean, “Mr. O’Connell, that type of technology was not around over