“That’s good to know,” said Ken. “I’d guess that’s an indication of an advanced culture. Maybe it’s inevitable for a technology that has probably been around for seven thousand years.

“It’s the same one Korquit speaks, right?” said Hutch.

“Yes. Something else,” Barry said. “I’ve acquired their numbering system. It’s based on eight rather than ten. That’s not a surprise. They have only eight digits. Which means that if we do any counting, ten will be eight and thirty-six will be thirty. And so on.”

•  •  •

Barry took another hour to go through the intercepts. Then he announced he was ready to proceed. “Tell them we’re just here to say hello,” said Derek.

“Is it okay to let them know we’ve been to the ice world?”

“Sure. If they ask.”

“All right. I’m ready whenever you are.”

“Let’s do it,” said Derek. All five of the humans pulled headphones over their ears. The AI would translate the alien responses.

“Barry,” Derek said, “put us on 33.7 megahertz.” The speaker came alive with static. Two voices were discernible through the interference. “That doesn’t sound much like an operational unit.”

“Jiggle it a bit,” Hutch said.

Barry did. The static subsided.

Barry switched to transmit and began speaking in the alien language. He spoke slowly, enunciating each word carefully. And he provided the English version simultaneously. “Greetings. We are visitors from another place. We wish to say hello.”

Nothing came back. He tried again. “Greetings. We are visitors from another place. Is anyone there?”

Silence reigned.

“They are not responding,” said Barry.

Derek rolled his eyes. “Hutch, your AI is a master at stating the obvious.”

“Wait a minute,” said Hutch. “We have the wrong frequency.”

“How do you mean? This is the one—”

“Remember? They only have eight fingers.” She scribbled some numbers on a pad. “Try 26.9.”

Barry made the change. And they answered. “They are saying they can’t understand us. Who are we? Who’s calling?”

“Say hello to them, Barry.”

He did. Then: “They’ve been watching us. They’re asking if we’re on the vehicle that’s been waiting offworld for the last few—somethings. Do you wish me to answer?”

“Yes. Tell them yes, that it’s us.”

“I think she is female, but I cannot be certain. She is becoming difficult to understand. I believe she is screaming at someone. Not at me, but someone who is with her. Now she is screaming at me. Telling me not to get off the circuit. I think she is having a stroke. She is gone. Wait, I hear movement. More talking. A new voice.

“It’s saying hello. This one also seems uncertain. Identifies itself as Shalon Kobay. I can’t tell whether that is a name or a title. But he’s saying welcome. He wishes to know our intentions. Do we want to come to ground? I assume he means to land.”