or。〃
〃So do we；〃 Harry said。
〃We do？〃 Beth and Norman said together。
But Barnes wasn't listening。 〃And the ship seems to have picked up something on its travels。〃
〃Picked up something？ What is it？〃
〃I don't know；〃 Barnes said。 〃But it's something alien。〃
〃SOMETHING ALIEN〃
The moving walkway carried them past endless large cargo bays。 They were going forward； to join Barnes and Ted and Edmunds。 And to see their alien discovery。
〃Why would anyone send a spaceship through a black hole？〃 Beth asked。
〃Because of gravity；〃 Harry said。 〃You see； black holes have so much gravity they distort space and time incredibly。 You remember how Ted was saying that planets and stars make dents in the fabric of space…time？ Well； black holes make tears in the fabric。 And some people think it's possible to fly through those tears； into another universe； or another part of our universe。 Or to another time。〃
〃Another time！〃
〃That's the idea；〃 Harry said。
〃Are you people ing？〃 Barnes's tinny voice； on the monitor。
〃In transit now；〃 Beth said； glowering at the screen。 〃He can't see you；〃 Norman said。
〃I don't care。〃
They rode past more cargo areas。 Harry said； 〃I can't wait to see Ted's face when we tell him。〃
Finally they reached the end of the walkway。 They passed through a midsection of struts and girders； and entered a large forward room which they had previously seen on the monitor。 With ceilings nearly a hundred feet high； it was enormous。
You could put a six…story building in this room； Norman thought。 Looking up； he saw a hazy mist or fog。
〃What's that？〃
〃That's a cloud；〃 Barnes said； shaking his head。 〃The room is so big it apparently has its own weather。 Maybe it even rains in here sometimes。〃
The room was filled with machinery on an immense scale。 At first glance； it looked like oversized earth…moving machinery； except it was brightly painted in primary colors； ＇＇103＇＇ glistening with oil。 Then Norman began to notice individual features。 There were giant claw hands； enormously powerful arms； moving gear wheels。 And an array of buckets and receptacles。
He realized suddenly he was looking at something very similar to the grippers and claws mounted on the front end of the Charon V submersible he had ridden down on the day before。 Was it the day before？ Or was it still the same day？ Which day？ Was this July 4？ How long had they been down here？
〃If you look carefully；〃 Barnes was saying； 〃you can see that some of these devices appear to be large…scale weapons。 Others； like that long extensor arm； the various attachments to pick things up； in effect make this ship a gigantic robot。〃
〃A robot 。。。〃
〃No kidding；〃 Beth said。
〃I guess it would have been appropriate for a robot to open it after all；〃 Ted said thoughtfully。 〃Maybe even fitting。〃
〃Snug fitting；〃 Beth said。
〃Pipe fitting；〃 Norman said。
〃Sort of robot…to…robot； you mean？〃 Harry said。 〃Sort of a meeting of the threads and treads？〃
〃Hey；〃 Ted said。 〃I don't make fun of your ments even when they're stupid。〃
〃I wasn't aware they ever were；〃 Harry said。
〃You say foolish things sometimes。 Thoughtless。〃
〃Children；〃 Barnes said； 〃can we get back to the business at hand？〃
〃Point it out the next time； Ted。〃
〃I will。〃
〃I'll be glad to know when I say something foolish。〃
〃No problem。〃
〃Something you consider foolish。〃
〃Tell you what；〃 Barnes said to Norman； 〃when we go back to the surface； let's leave these two down here。〃
〃Surely you can't think of going back now；〃 Ted said。
〃We've already voted。〃
〃But that was before we found the object。〃
〃Where is the object？〃 Harry said。
〃Over here； Harry；〃 Ted said； with a wicked grin。 〃Let's ＇＇104＇＇ see what your fabled powers of deduction make of this。〃 They walked deeper into the room； moving among the giant hands and claws。 And they saw； nestled in the padded claw of one hand； a large； perfectly polished silver sphere about thirty feet in diameter。 The sphere had no markings or features of any kind。
They moved around the sphere； seeing themselves reflected in the polished metal。 Norman noticed an odd shifting iridescence； faint rainbow hues of blue and red； gleaming in the metal。
〃It looks like an oversized ball bearing；〃 Harry said。
〃Keep walking； smart guy。〃
On the far side； they discovered a series of deep； convoluted grooves； cut in an intricate pattern into the surface of the sphere。 The pattern was arresting； though Norman could not immediately say why。 The pattern wasn't geometric。 And it wasn't amorphous or organic； either。 It was hard to say what it was。 Norman had never seen anything like it； and as he continued to look at it he felt increasingly certain this was a pattern never found on Earth。 Never created by any man。 Never conceived by a human imagination。
Ted and Barnes were right。 He felt sure of it。
This sphere was something alien。
PRIORITIES
〃Huh；〃 harry said； after staring in silence for a long time。
〃I'm sure you'll want to get back to us on this；〃 Ted said。 〃About where it came from； and so on。〃
〃Actually； I know where it came from。〃 And he told Ted about the star record； and the black hole。
〃Actually；〃 Ted said； 〃I suspected that this ship was made ＇＇105＇＇ to travel through a black hole for some time。〃
〃Did you？ What was your first clue？〃
〃The heavy radiation shielding。〃
Harry nodded。 〃That's true。 You probably guessed the significance of that before I did。〃 He smiled。 〃But you didn't tell anybody。〃
〃Hey；〃 Ted said； 〃there's no question about it。 I was the one who proposed the black hole first。〃
〃You did？〃
〃Yes。 No question at all。 Remember； in the conference room？ I was explaining to Norman about space…time； and I started to do the calculations for the black hole； and then you joined in。 Norman； you remember that？ I proposed it first。〃 Norman said； 〃That's true； you had the idea。〃
Harry grinned。 〃I didn't feel that was a proposal。 I thought it was more like a guess。〃
〃Or a speculation。 Harry；〃 Ted said； 〃you are rewriting history。 There are witnesses。〃
〃Since you're so far ahead of everybody else；〃 Harry said； 〃how about telling us your proposals for the nature of this object？〃
〃With pleasure；〃 Ted said。 〃This object is a burnished sphere approximately ten meters in diameter； not solid； and posed of a dense metal alloy of an as…yet…unknown nature。 The cabalistic markings on this side…〃
〃…These grooves are what you're calling cabalistic？〃
〃…Do you mind if I finish？ The cabalistic markings on this side clearly suggest artistic or religious ornamentation； evoking a ceremonial quality。 This indicates the object has significance to whoever made it。〃
〃I think we can be sure that's true。〃
〃Personally； I believe that this sphere is intended as a form of contact with us； visitors from another star； another solar system。 It is； if you will； a greeting； a message； or a trophy。 A proof that a higher form of life exists in the universe。〃
〃All well and good and beside the point；〃 Harry said。 〃What does it do？〃
〃I'm not sure it does anything。 I think it just is。 It is what it is。
＇＇106＇＇ 〃Very Zen。〃
〃Well； what's your idea？〃
〃Let's review what we know；〃 Harry said； 〃as opposed to what we imagine in a flight of fancy。 This is a spacecraft from the future； built with all sorts