"The Guest's body does not appear to be in the same biological category as Earth life forms. Some of its features are contrary to reasonable expectations. The only explanation I can offer for this is that the Guest is an artificial being, perhaps the product of centuries of genetic manipulation combined with complex bioelectronics. Since these abilities are far beyond us, any suppositions I might make as to the actual functions of the Guest's organs must be considered unreliable, perhaps misleading."

A chemical analysis of the Guest's tissues followed. There was no cell structure per se in any of the tissues; rather, each area or organ in the Guest's body appeared to have a separate metabolism, which cooperated with, but was not part of, other areas or organs. There was no central waste-disposal system. Wastes appeared to build up without relief in tissues. Phan thought this might have been the cause of death. "Perhaps nutrients unavailable in an Earth environment triggered processes below the level of detail our investigation can uncover. Perhaps the Guest, in its native environment, was attached to a complex life-support system that purged its body of waste products. Perhaps the Guest was ill and certain body functions were inactive."

Buried in a footnote: "The Guest does not appear to have been designed for a long life span." The footnote was signed by Harold Feinman, who had not attended the final parts of the autopsy. There was no further elaboration.

Despite the report's clarity, something was being left unsaid. Feinman, at least, seemed to be hinting that the Guest was not what it appeared . . .

In the bottom report of the stack was an Australian booklet, prepared with obvious haste and considerable deletions. This booklet began with a synopsis of statements made by the mechanical visitors that had emerged from the Great Victoria Desert rock.

Hicks rubbed his eyes. The light was poor for reading. He had leafed through this booklet once already. Yet he needed to feel completely prepared for the next morning, when he accompanied the President into the Oval Office to meet with the Australian representatives.

"The comprehensibility of the mechanical beings' statements to our investigators is astonishing. Their command of English appears to be perfect. They answer questions promptly and without obfuscation."

Hicks studied the glossy color photographs inserted into the booklet. The Australian government had just two days before provided a set of these photographs along with video disks to every news organization in the world; the images of the three silvery, gourd-shaped robots hovering near a wood-posted razor-wire fence, of the great smooth water-worn red rock, of the exit hole, were in every civilized household in the world by now.

"The robots, by their every word, convey a sense of goodwill and benevolent concern. They wish to help the inhabitants of the Earth to 'fulfill your potential, to come together in harmony and exercise your rights as potential citizens of a galaxy-wide exchange.' "