第28部分(第5/7 頁)

〃Hal；　names　are　confusing。〃

〃We　have　to　pin　this　guy　down！〃

WHERE　IS　THE　LOCATION　YOU　ARE　FROM？

I　AM　HERE。

〃We　know　that。　Ask　again。〃

WHERE　IS　THE　LOCATION　FROM　WHERE　YOU　BEGAN？

Ted　said；　〃That　isn't　even　good　English；　'from　where　you　began。'　It's　going　to　look　foolish　when　we　publish　this　exchange。〃

〃We'll　clean　it　up　for　publication；〃　Barnes　said。

〃But　you　can't　do　that；〃　Ted　said；　horrified。　〃You　can't　alter　this　priceless　scientific　interaction。〃

＇＇189＇＇　〃Happens　all　the　time。　What　do　you　guys　call　it？　'Massaging　the　data。'　〃

Harry　was　typing　again。

WHERE　IS　THE　LOCATION　FROM　WHERE　YOU　BEGAN？

I　BEGAN　AT　AWARENESS。

〃Awareness？　Is　that　a　planet　or　what？〃

WHERE　IS　AWARENESS？

AWARENESS　IS。

〃He's　making　us　look　like　fools；〃　Barnes　said。

Ted　said；　〃Let　me　try。〃

Harry　stepped　aside；　and　Ted　typed；　DID　YOU　MAKE　A　JOURNEY？

YES。　DID　YOU　MAKE　A　JOURNEY？

YES；　Ted　typed。

I　MAKE　A　JOURNEY。　YOU　MAKE　A　JOURNEY。　WE　MAKE　A　JOURNEY　TOGETHER。　I　AM　HAPPY。

Norman　thought；　He　said　he　is　happy。　Another　expression　of　emotion；　and　this　time　it　didn't　seem　to　e　from　a　book。　The　statement　appeared　direct　and　genuine。　Did　that　mean　that　the　alien　had　emotions？　Or　was　he　just　pretending　to　have　them；　to　be　playful　or　to　make　them　fortable？

〃Let's　cut　the　crap；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Ask　him　about　his　weapons。〃

〃I　doubt　he'll　understand　the　concept　of　weapons。〃

〃Everybody　understands　the　concept　of　weapons；〃　Barnes　said。　〃Defense　is　a　fact　of　life。〃

〃I　must　protest　that　attitude；〃　Ted　said。　〃Military　people　always　assume　that　everyone　else　is　exactly　like　them。　This　alien　may　not　have　the　least　conception　of　weapons　or　d