"James E. Gunn - Breaking Point" - читать интересную книгу автора (Gunn James E)

about and probably more. And all it does is throw out a VUHF signal that says beep on one side, boop
on the other, and bup-bup in between. It does not speak English, mention the planet Earth, announce
anyone's arrival and purpose, or teach etiquette."

Captain Anderson spread his hands. "They got it from somewhere. They didn't get it from[Pg 14] us. This
ship and the box are the only Terran objects on this planet. Therefore they got their information from the
box."

"Q.E.D. You reason like Euclid," said Paresi admiringly. "But don't forget that geometry is an artificial
school, based on arbitrary axioms. It just doesn't work where the shortest distance is not a straight line....
I'd suggest we gather evidence and postpone our conclusions."

"How do you think they got it?" Ives challenged.

"I think we can operate from the fact they got it, and make our analyses when we have more data."




Ives went back to his desk and threw a switch.

"What are you doing?" asked the Captain.

"Don't you think they ought to be answered?"

"Turn it off, Ives."

"ButтАФ"

"Turn it off!" Ives did. An expedition is an informal, highly democratic group, and can afford to be, for
when the situation calls for it, there is never any question of where authority lies. The Captain said, "There
is nothing we can say to them which won't yield them more information. Nothing. For all we know it may
be very important to them to learn whether or not we received their message. Our countermove is
obviously to make no move at all."

"You mean just sit here and wait until they do something else?" asked Johnny, appalled.

The Captain thumped his shoulder. "Don't worry. We'll do something in some other area than
communications. HoskinsтАФare those landing suits ready?"

"All but," rapped Hoskins. He scooped up the oxygen bottle and disappeared.

Paresi said, "We'll tell them something if we don't answer."
The Captain set his jaw. "We do what we can, Nick. We do the best we can. Got any better ideas?"

Paresi shrugged easily and smiled. "Just knocking, skipper. Knock everything. Then what's hollow, you
know about."

"I should know better than to jump salty with you," said the Captain, all but returning the doctor's smile.
"Johnny. Hoskins. Prepare for exploratory patrol."