"Walter Jon Williams - Surfacing (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Williams Walter John)

"We would never have noticed them except for an accident," Philana said. "That's how alien they are."


"Yes."


Humanity wouldn't know of the Dwellers' existence at all if it weren't for the subsonics confusing some automated sonar buoys, followed by an idiot computer assuming the sounds were deliberate interference and initiating an ET scan. Any human would have looked at the data, concluded it was some kind of seismic interference, and programmed the buoys to ignore it.


"They've noticed us," Anthony said. "The other day I heard them discussing a conversation I had with one of the humpbacks."


Philana straightened. Excitement was plain in her voice. "They can conceptualize something alien to them."


"Yes."


Her response was instant, stepping on the last sibilant of his answer. "And


theorize about our existence."


Anthony smiled at her eagerness. "I ... don't think they've got around


to that yet."


"But they are intelligent."


"Yes."


"Maybe more intelligent than the whales. From what you say, they seem


quicker to conceptualize."


"Intelligent in certain ways, perhaps. There's still very little I understand


about them."