第23部分(第2/7 頁)

So　we're　isolated？〃

〃We're　isolated。〃

〃I　guess　it's　back　to　the　old　pencil　and　paper。　I　always　say；　traditional　tools　are　best…particularly　when　there's　nothing　else。〃　And　left　the　room。

〃He　seems　to　be　in　a　good　mood；〃　Barnes　said。

〃I'd　say　a　very　good　mood；〃　Norman　said。

〃Maybe　a　little　too　good；〃　Ted　said。　〃A　little　manic？〃

〃No；〃　Norman　said。　〃Just　a　good　mood。〃

〃I　thought　he　was　a　little　high；〃　Ted　said。

〃Let　him　stay　that　way；〃　Barnes　snorted；　〃if　it　helps　him　to　crack　this　code。〃

〃I'm　going　to　try；　too；〃　Ted　reminded　him。

〃That's　fine；〃　Barnes　said。　〃You　try；　too。〃

TED

〃I'm　telling　you；　this　reliance　on　Harry　is　misplaced。〃　Ted　paced　back　and　forth　and　glanced　at　Norman。　〃Harry　is　manic；　and　he's　overlooking　things。　Obvious　things。〃

〃Like　what？〃

〃Like　the　fact　that　the　printout　can't　possibly　be　a　discharge　from　the　puter。〃

〃How　do　you　know？〃　Norman　said。

〃The　processor；〃　Ted　said。　〃The　processor　is　a　68090　chip；　＇＇148＇＇　which　means　that　any　memory　dump　would　be　in　hex。〃

〃What's　hex？〃

〃There　are　lots　of　ways　to　represent　numbers；〃　Ted　said。　〃The　68090　chip　uses　base…sixteen　representation；　called　'hexadecimal。'　Hex　is　entirely　different　from　regular　decimal。　Looks　different。〃

〃But　the　message　used　zero　through　nine；〃　Norman　said。　〃Exactly　my　point；〃　Ted　said。　〃So　it　didn't　e　from　the　puter。　I　believe　it's　definitely　a　message　from　the　sphere。　Furthermore；　although　Harry　thinks　it　is　a　substitution　code；　I　think　it's　a　direct　visual　representation。〃

〃You　mean　a　picture？〃

〃Yes；〃　Ted　said。　〃And　I　think　it's　a　picture　of　the　creature　itself！〃　He　started　searching　through　sheets　of　paper。　〃I　started　with　this。〃

001110