第一小说网

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第26部分（第1页）

inary　Sony　color…television　set　and　hed　run　screaming；　claiming　it　was　witchcraft。　He　wouldnt　understand　it　at　all。

〃But　the　point；〃　Ted　said；　〃is　that　you　couldnt　explain　it　to　him；　either。　At　least　not　easily。　Isaac　Newton　wouldnt　be　able　to　understand　TV　without　first　studying　our　physics　for　a　couple　of　years。　Hed　have　to　learn　all　the　underlying　concepts：　electromagnetism；　waves；　particle　physics。　These　would　all　be　new　ideas　to　him；　a　new　conception　of　nature。　In　the　meantime；　the　TV　would　be　magic　as　far　as　he　was　concerned。　But　to　us　its　ordinary。　Its　TV。〃

〃Youre　saying　were　like　Isaac　Newton？〃

Ted　shrugged。　〃Were　getting　a　munication　and　we　dont　know　how　its　done。〃

〃And　we　shouldnt　bother　to　try　and　find　out。〃

〃I　think　we　have　to　accept　the　possibility；〃　Ted　said；　〃that　we　may　not　be　able　to　understand　it。〃

Norman　noticed　the　energy　with　which　they　threw　themselves　into　this　discussion；　pushing　aside　the　tragedy　so　recently　witnessed。　Theyre　intellectuals；　he　thought；　and　their　characteristic　defense　is　intellectualization。　Talk。　Ideas。　Abstractions。　Concepts。　It　was　a　way　of　getting　distance　from　the　feelings　of　sadness　and　fear　and　being　trapped。　Norman　understood　the　impulse：　he　wanted　to　get　away　from　those　feelings　himself。

Harry　frowned　at　the　spiral　image。　〃We　may　not　＇＇169＇＇　understand　how；　but　its　obvious　what　its　doing。　Its　trying　to　municate　by　trying　different　presentations。　The　fact　that　its　trying　spirals　may　be　significant。　Maybe　it　believes　we　think　in　spirals。　Or　write　in　spirals。〃

〃Right；〃　Beth　said。　〃Who　knows　what　kind　of　weird　creatures　we　are？〃

Ted　said；　〃If　its　trying　to　municate　with　us；　why　arent　we　trying　to　municate　back？〃

Harry　snapped　his　fingers。　〃Good　idea！〃　He　went　to　the　keyboard。

〃Theres　an　obvious　first　step；〃　Harry　said。　〃We　just　send　the　original　message　back。　Well　start　with　the　first　grouping；　beginning　with　the　double　zeroes。〃

〃I　want　it　made　clear；〃　Ted　said；　〃that　the　suggestion　to　attempt　munication　with　the　alien　originated　with　me。〃

〃Its　clear；　Ted；〃　Barnes　said。

〃Harry？〃　Ted　said。

〃Yes；　Ted；〃　Harry　said。　〃Dont　worry；　its　your　idea。〃

Sitting　at　the　keyboard；　Harry　typed：

00032125252632

The　numbers　appeared　on　the　screen。　There　was　a　pause。　They　listened　to　the　hum　of　the　air　fans；　the　distant　thump　of　the　diesel　generator。　They　all　watched　the　screen。

Nothing　happened。

The　screen　went　blank；　and　then　printed　out：

0001132121051808012232

Norman　felt　the　hair　rise　on　the　back　of　his　neck。

It　was　just　a　series　of　numbers　on　a　puter　screen；　but　it　still　gave　him　a　chill。　Standing　beside　him；　Tina　shivered。　〃He　answered　us。〃

〃Fabulous；〃　Ted　said。

〃Ill　try　the　second　grouping　now；〃　Harry　said。　He　seemed　calm；　but　his　fingers　kept　making　mistakes　at　the　keyboard。　It　took　a　few　moments　before　he　was　able　to　type：

032629

The　reply　immediately　came　back：

0015260805180810213

〃Well；〃　Harry　said；　〃looks　like　we　just　opened　our　line　of　munication。〃

＇＇170＇＇　〃Yes；〃　Beth　said。　〃Too　bad　we　dont　understand　what　were　saying　to　each　other。〃

〃Presumably　it　knows　what　its　saying；〃　Ted　said。　〃But　were　still　in　the　dark。〃

〃Maybe　we　can　get　it　to　explain　itself。〃

Impatiently；　Barnes　said；　〃What　is　this　it　you　keep　referring　to？〃

Harry　sighed；　and　pushed　his　glasses　up　on　his　nose。　〃I　think　theres　no　doubt　about　that。　It；〃　Harry　said；　〃is　something　that　was　previously　inside　the　sphere；　and　that　is　now　released；　and　is　free　to　act。　Thats　what　it　is。〃

THE　MONSTER

ALARM

Norman　awoke　to　a　shrieking　alarm　and　flashing　red　lights。　He　rolled　out　of　his　bunk；　pulled　on　his　insulated　shoes　and　his　heated　jacket；　and　ran　for　the　door；　where　he　collided　with　Beth。　The　alarm　was　screaming　throughout　the　habitat。

〃Whats　happening！〃　he　shouted；　over　the　alarm。