"You are under arrest, Malenson," the inspector said shortly.
Subject: Report on Prisoner Malenson, File No. 8,697,032
To: Wilton, Chief Penologist, Luna Criminal Detention Center
From: Berry, Director North American Geriatrics Institute
1. Transfer of subject prisoner to this institution is confirmed.
2. Cursory examination reveals that the prisoner is a victim of acutely accelerated general metabolism.
3. An interview with the prisoner reveals that he is firmly convinced that he recently spent a period of fifteen years in space, whereas port records conclusively prove that he was absent from Earth for a period of only twenty two months (Ref. N'york Sp. Log 2/890 Pages 867,1098). His condition is perfectly suited to the experimental work now being conducted here, as I suspected. There is an excellent possibility that we may be able to correlate the clinical data of his case with our own hypotheses and so ascertain exactly to what extent senility is the product of psychological conditioning rather than chronological age as heretofore believed.
4. Prognosis negative. In the case of Prisoner Malenson himself, we are unable to prescribe treatment. All efforts to retard his fantastically high metabolism rate have failed. His body temperature is now normal at 120.6° Fahrenheit, and his pulse steady at 140/minute. Definite indications of senescence are appearing. Symptoms of incipient ataxic aphasia have been detected.
5. Death from advanced senility predicted within thirty days.