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e　world　through　a　highly　developed　sense　of　smell；　or　temperature；　or　pressure。　There　might　be　no　way　to　municate　with　such　a　creature；　no　mon　ground　at　all。　As　one　man　put　it；　how　would　you　explain　Wordsworth's　poem　about　daffodils　to　a　blind　watersnake？
But　the　field　of　knowledge　we　were　most　likely　to　share　with　extraterrestrials　was　mathematics。　So　the　team　mathematician　was　going　to　play　a　crucial　role。　Norman　had　selected　Adams　because；　despite　his　youth；　Harry　had　already　made　important　contributions　to　several　different　fields。
〃What　do　you　think　about　all　this；　Harry？〃　Norman　said；　dropping　into　a　chair　next　to　him。
〃I　think　it's　perfectly　clear；〃　Harry　said；　〃that　it　is　a　waste　of　time。〃
〃This　fin　they've　found　underwater？〃
〃I　don't　know　what　it　is；　but　I　know　what　it　isn't。　It　isn't　a　spacecraft　from　another　civilization。〃
Ted；　standing　nearby；　turned　away　in　annoyance。　Harry　and　Ted　had　evidently　had　this　same　conversation　already。　〃How　do　you　know？〃　Norman　asked。
〃A　simple　calculation；〃　Harry　said；　with　a　dismissing　wave　of　his　hand。　〃Trivial；　really。　You　know　the　Drake　equation？〃
Norman　did。　It　was　one　of　the　famous　proposals　in　the　literature　on　extraterrestrial　life。　But　he　said；　〃Refresh　me。〃
Harry　sighed　irritably；　pulled　out　a　sheet　of　paper。　〃It's　a　probability　equation。〃　He　wrote：

p　=　fpnhflfifc

＇＇29＇＇　〃What　it　means；〃　Harry　Adams　said；　〃is　that　the　probability；　p；　that　intelligent　life　will　evolve　in　any　star　system　is　a　function　of　the　probability　that　the　star　will　have　planets；　the　number　of　habitable　planets；　the　probability　that　simple　life　will　evolve　on　a　habitable　planet；　the　probability　that　intelligent　life　will　evolve　from　simple　life；　and　the　probability　that　intelligent　life　will　attempt　interstellar　munication　within　five　billion　years。　That's　all　the　equation　says。〃
〃Uh…huh；〃　Norman　said。
〃But　the　point　is　that　we　have　no　facts；〃　Harry　said。　〃We　must　guess　at　every　single　one　of　these　probabilities。　And　it's　quite　easy　to　guess　one　way；　as　Ted　does；　and　conclude　there　are　probably　thousands　of　intelligent　civilizations。　It's　equally　easy　to　guess；　as　I　do；　that　there　is　probably　only　one　civilization。　Ours。〃　He　pushed　the　paper　away。　〃And　in　that　case；　whatever　is　down　there　is　not　from　an　alien　civilization。　So　we're　all　wasting　our　time　here。〃
〃Then　what　is　down　there？〃　Norman　said　again。
〃It　is　an　absurd　expression　of　romantic　hope；〃　Adams　said；　pushing　his　glasses　up　on　his　nose。　There　was　a　vehemence　about　him　that　troubled　Norman。　Six　years　earlier；　Harry　Adams　had　still　been　a　street　kid　whose　obscure　talent　had　carried　him　in　a　single　step　from　a　broken　home　in　the　slums　of　Philadelphia　to　the　manicured　green　lawns　of　Princeton。　In　those　days　Adams　had　been　playful；　amused　at　his　turn　of　fortune。　Why　was　he　so　harsh　now？
Adams　was　an　extraordinarily　gifted　theoretician；　his　reputation　secured　in　probability…density　functions　of　quantum　mechanics　which　were　beyond　Norman's　prehension；　although　Adams　had　worked　them　out　when　he　was　seventeen。　But　Norman　could　certainly　understand　the　man　himself；　and　Harry　Adams　seemed　tense　and　critical　now；　ill　at　ease　in　this　group。
Or　perhaps　it　had　to　do　with　his　presence　as　part　of　a　group。　Norman　had　worried　about　how　he　would　fit　in；　because　Harry　had　been　a　child　prodigy。
There　were　really　only　two　kinds　of　child　prodigies…mathematical　and　musical。　Some　psychologists　argued　there　was　only　one　kind；　since　music　was　so　closely　related　to　＇＇30＇＇　mathematics。　While　there　were　precocious　children　with　other　talents；　such　as　writing；　painting；　and　athletics；　the　only　areas　in　which　a　child　might　truly　perform　at　the　level　of　an　adult　were　in　mathematics　or　music。　Psychologically；　such　children　were　plex：　often　loners；　isolated　from　their　peers　and　even　from　their　families　by　their　gifts；　for　which　they　were　both　admired　and　resented。　Socialization　skills　were　often　retarded；　making　group　interactions　unfortable。　As　a　slum　kid；　Harry's　problems　would　have　been；　if　anything；　magnified。　He　had　once　told　Norman　that　when　he　first　learned　about　Fourier　transforms；　the　other　kids　were　learning　to　slam…dunk。　So　maybe　Harry　was　feeling　unfortable　in　the　group　now。
But　there　seemed　to　be　something　else。　。。。　Harry　appeared　almost　angry。
〃You　wait；〃　Adams　said。　〃A　week　from　now；　this　is　going　to　be　recognized　as　one　big　fat　false　alarm。　Nothing　more。〃
You　hope；　Norman　thought。　And　again　wondered　why。
〃Well；　I　think　it's　exciting；〃　Beth　Halpern　said；　smiling　brightly。　〃Even　a　slim　chance　of　finding　new　life　is　exciting；　as　far　as　I　am　concerned。〃
〃That's　right；〃　Ted　said。　〃After　all；　Harry；　there　are　more　things　in　heaven　and　earth　than　are　dreamed　of　in　your　philosophy。〃
Norman　looked　over　at　the　final　member　of　the　team；　Arthur　Levine；　the　marine　biologist。　Levine　was　the　only　person　he　didn't　know。　A　pudgy　man；　Levine　looked　pale　and　uneasy；　wrapped　in　his　own　thoughts。　He　was　about　to　ask　Levine　what　he　thought　when　Captain　Barnes　strode　in；　a　stack　of　files　under　his　arm。
〃Wele　to　the　middle　of　nowhere；〃　Barnes　said；　〃and　you　can't　even　go　to　the　bathroom。〃　They　all　laughed　nervously。　〃Sorry　to　keep　you　waiting；〃　he　said。　〃But　we　don't　have　a　lot　of　time；　so　let's　get　right　down　to　it。　If　you'll　kill　the　lights；　we　can　begin。〃


The　first　slide　showed　a　large　ship　with　an　elaborate　superstructure　on　the　stern。
＇＇31＇＇　〃The　Rose　Sealady；〃　Barnes　said。　〃A　cable…laying　vessel　chartered　by　Transpac　munications　to　lay　a　submarine　telephone　line　from　Honolulu　to　Sydney；　Australia。　The　Rose　left　Hawaii　on　May　29　of　this　year；　and　by　June　16　it　had　gotten　as　far　as　Western　Samoa　in　the　mid…Pacific。　It　was　laying　a　new　fiber…optics　cable；　which　has　a　carrying　capacity　of　twenty　thousand　simultaneous　telephonic　transmissions。　The　cable　is　covered　with　a　dense　metal…and…plastics　web　matrix；　unusually　tough　and　resistant　to　breaks。　The　ship　had　already　laid　more　than　forty…six　hundred　nautical　miles　of　cable　across　the　Pacific　with　no　mishaps　of　any　sort。　Next。〃
A　map　of　the　Pacific；　with　a　large　red　spot。
〃At　ten　p。m。　on　the　night　of　June　17；　the　vessel　was　located　here；　midway　between　Pago　Pago　in　American　Samoa　and　Viti　Levu　in　Fiji；　when　the　ship　experienced　a　wrenching　shudder。　Alarms　sounded；　and　the　crew　realized　the　cable　had　snagged　and　torn。　They　immediately　consulted　their　charts；　looking　for　an　underwater　obstruction；　but　could　see　none。　They　hauled　up　the　loose　cable；　which　took　several　hours；　since　at　the　time　of　the　accident　they　had　more　than　a　mile　of　cable　paid　out　behind　the　ship。　When　they　examined　the　cut　end；　they　saw　that　it　had　been　cleanly　sheared…as　one　crewman　said；　'like　it　was　cut　with　a　huge　pair　of　scissors。'　Next。〃
A　section　of　Fiberglas　cable　held　toward　the　camera　in　the　rough　hand　of　a　sailor。
〃The　nature　of　the　break；　as　you　can　see；　suggests　an　artificial　obstruction　of　some　sort。　The　Rose　steamed　north　back　over　the　scene　of　the　break。　Next。〃
A　series　of　ragged　black…and…white　lines；　with　a　region　of　small　spikes。
〃This　is　the　original　sonar　scan　from　the　ship。　If　you　can't　read　sonar　scans　this'll　be　hard　to　interpret；　but　you　see　here　the　thin；　knife…edge　obstruction。　Consistent　with　a　sunken　ship　or　aircraft；　which　cut　the　cable。
〃The　charter　pany；　Transpac　munications；　notified　the　Navy；　requesting　any　information　we　had　about　the　obstruction。　This　is　routine：　whenever　there　is　a　cable　break；　the　Navy　is　notified；　on　the　chance　that　the　obstruction　is　known　to　us。　If　it's　a　sunken　vessel　containing　explosives；　the　＇＇32＇＇　cable　pany　wants　to　know　about　it　before　they　start　repair。　But　in　this　case　the　obstruction　was　not　in　Navy　files。　And　the　Navy　was　interested。
〃We　immediately　dispatched　our　nearest　search　ship；　the　Ocean　Explorer；　from　Melbourne。　The　Ocean　Explorer　reached　the　site　on　June　21　of　this　year。　The　reason　for　the　Navy　interest　was　the　possibility　that　the　obstruction　might　represent　a　sunken　Chinese　Wuhan…class　nuclear　submarine　fitted　with　SY…2　missiles。　We　knew　the　Chinese　lost　such　a　sub　in　this　approximate　area　in　May　1984。　The　Ocean　Explorer　scanned　the　bottom；　using　a　most　sophisticated　sidelooking　sonar；　which　produced　this　picture　of　the　bottom。〃
In　color；　the　image　was　almost　three…dimensional　in　its　clarity。
〃As　you　see；　the　bottom　appears　flat　except　for　a　single　triangular　fin　which　sticks　up　some　two　hundred　and　eighty　feet　above　the　ocean　floor。　You　see　it　here；〃　he　said；　pointing。　〃Now；　this　wing　dimension　is　larger　than　any　known　aircraft　manufactured　in　either　the　United　States　or　the　Soviet　Union。　This　was　very　puzzling　at　first。　Next。〃
A　submersible　robot；　being　lowered　on　a　crane　over　the　side　of　a　ship。　The　robot　looked　like　a　series　of　horizontal　tubes　with　cameras　and　lights　nestled　in　the　center。
〃By　June　24；　the　Navy　had　the　ROV　carrier　Neptune　IV　on　site；　and　the　Remote　Operated　Vehicle　Scorpion；　which　you　see　here；　was　sent　down　to　photograph　the　wing。　It　returned　an　image　that　clearly　showed　a　control　surface　of　some　sort。　Here　it　is。〃
There　were　murmurs　from　the　group。　In　a　harshly　lit　color　image；　a　gray　fin　stuck　up　from　a　flat　coral　floor。　The　fin　was　sharp…edged　and　aeronautical…looking；　tapered；　definitely　artificial。
〃You'll　notice；〃　Barnes　said；　〃that　the　sea　bottom　in　this　region　consists　of　scrubby　dead　coral。　The　wing　or　fin　disappears　into　the　coral；　suggesting　the　rest　of　the　aircraft　might　be　buried　beneath。　An　ultra…high…resolution　SLS　bottom　scan　was　carried　out；　to　detect　the　shape　underneath　the　coral。　Next。〃
＇＇33＇＇　Another　color　sonar　image；　posed　of　fine　dots　instead　of　lines。
〃As　you　see；　the　fin　seems　to　be　attached　to　a　cylindrical　object　buried　under　the　coral。　The　object　has　a　diameter　of　a　hundred　and　ninety　feet；　and　extends　west　for　a　distance　of　2；754　feet　before　tapering　to　a　point。〃
More　murmurings　from　the　audience。
〃That's　correct；〃　Barnes　said。　〃The　cylindrical　object　is　half　a　mile　long。　The　shape　is　consistent　with　a　rocket　or　spacecraft…it　certainly　looks　like　that…but　from　the　beginning　we　were　careful　to　refer　to　this　object　as　'the　anomaly。'　〃
Norman　glanced　over　at　Ted；　who　was　smiling　up　at　the　screen。　But　alongside　Ted　in　the　darkness；　Harry　Adams　frowned　and　pushed　his　glasses　up　on　his　nose。
Then　the　projector　light　went　out。　The　room　was　plunged　into　darkness。　There　were　groans。　Norman　heard　Barnes　say；　〃God　damn　it；　not　again！〃　Someone　scrambled　for　the　door；　there　was　a　rectangle　of　light。
Beth　leaned　over　to　Norman　and　said；　〃They　lose　power　here　all　the　time。　Reassuring；　huh？〃
Moments　later；　the　electricity　came　back　on；　Barnes　continued。　〃On　June　25　a　SCARAB　remote　vehicle　cut　a　piece　from　the　tail　fin　and　brought　it　to　the　surface。　The　fin　segment　was　analyzed　and　found　to　be　a　titanium　alloy　in　an　epoxy…resin　honeyb。　The　necessary　bonding　technology　for　such　metal/plastic　materials　was　currently　unknown　on　Earth。
〃Experts　confirmed　that　the　fin　could　not　have　originated　on　this　planet…although　in　ten　or　twenty　years　we'd　probably　know　how　to　make　it。〃
Harry　Adams　grunted；　leaned　forward；　made　a　note　on　his　pad。
Meanwhile；　Barnes　explained；　other　robot　vessels　were　used　to　plant　seismic　charges　on　the　bottom。　Seismic　analysis　showed　that　the　buried　anomaly　was　of　metal；　that　it　was　hollow；　and　that　it　had　a　plex　internal　structure。
〃After　two　weeks　of　intensive　study；〃　Barnes　said；　〃we　concluded　the　anomaly　was　some　sort　of　spacecraft。〃
The　final　verification　came　on　June　27　from　the　geologists。　＇＇34＇＇　Their　core　samples　from　the　bottom　indicated　that　the　present　seabed　had　formerly　been　much　shallower；　perhaps　only　eighty　or　ninety　feet　deep。　This　would　explain　the　coral；　which　covered　the　craft　to　an　average　thickness　of　thirty　feet。　Therefore；　the　geologists　said；　the　craft　had　been　on　the　planet　at　least　three　hundred　years；　and　perhaps　much　longer：　five　hundred；　or　even　five　thousand　years。
〃However　reluctantly；〃　Barnes　said；　〃the　Navy　concluded　that　we　had；　in　fact；　found　a　spacecraft　from　another　civilization。　The　decision　of　the　President；　before　a　special　meeting　of　the　National　Security　Council；　was　to　open　the　spacecraft。　So；　starting　June　29；　the　ULF　team　members　were　called　in。〃
On　July　1；　the　subsea　habitat　DH…7　was　lowered　into　position　near　the　spacecraft　site。　DH…7　housed　nine　Na