第3部分(第4/7 頁)

〃Oh　yes。〃

〃Your　report　will　have　to　take　that　into　consideration。〃

Norman　promised　it　would。

A　White　House　staffer　said　to　him；　〃You　realize　the　President　will　want　to　talk　to　these　aliens　personally。　He's　that　kind　of　man。〃

〃Uh…huh；〃　Norman　said。

〃And　I　mean；　the　publicity　value　here；　the　exposure；　is　incalculable。　The　President　meets　with　the　aliens　at　Camp　David。　What　a　media　moment。〃

〃A　real　moment；〃　Norman　agreed。

〃So　the　aliens　will　need　to　be　informed　by　an　advance　man　of　who　the　President　is；　and　the　protocol　in　talking　to　him。　You　can't　have　the　President　of　the　United　States　talking　to　people　from　another　galaxy　or　whatever　on　television　without　advance　preparation。　Do　you　think　the　aliens'll　speak　English？〃

〃Doubtful；〃　Norman　said。

〃So　someone　may　need　to　learn　their　language；　is　that　it？〃

〃It's　hard　to　say。〃

〃Perhaps　the　aliens　would　be　more　fortable　meeting　with　an　advance　man　from　one　of　our　ethnic　minorities；〃　the　＇＇17＇＇　White　House　man　said。　〃Anyway；　it's　a　possibility。　Think　about　it。〃

Norman　promised　he　would　think　about　it。

The　Pentagon　liaison；　a　Major　General；　took　him　to　lunch　and　over　coffee　casually　asked；　〃What　sorts　of　armaments　do　you　see　these　aliens　having？〃

〃I'm　not　sure；〃　Norman　said。

〃Well；　that's　the　crux　of　it；　isn't　it？　And　what　about　their　vulnerabilities？　I　mean；　the　aliens　might　not　even　be　human　at　all。〃

〃No；　they　might　not。〃

〃They　might　be　like　giant　insects。　Your　insects　can　withstand　a　lot　of　radiation。〃

〃Yes；〃　Norman　said。

〃We　might　not　be　able　to　touch　these　aliens；〃　the　Pentagon　man　said　gloomily。　Then　he　brightened。　〃But　I　doubt　they　could　withstand　a　direct　hit　with　a　multimeg　nuclear　de