Contact

Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

March 21st 2157

            “By the time you guys receive this message it will all be old news.  People will have studied and offered their professional opinions about what this cube is and what it means for mankind.”

            “So I decided to send you guys a few short video clips that I collected from the finding and testing of the cube.  I copied the videos from the stations archives.  I am also sending several pictures that I took of the cube.  From some of the pictures you can actually see the writing that covers the whole thing.”

            “Jafta says that he thinks it is mathematic equations of some type because of all of the patterns that you guys can see from the images.  Salim thinks that it might actually be a form of computer language, uh, kind of like binary or something like that.”

            “I’m not sure what it is, or even who I believe is right, or should I say more right.”  Jake grinned and looked down from the camera.  “Anyhow, I have to go.  We believe that we will receive a message from the Asteroid Mining Coordination group to tell us what we are suppose to do with the cube.”

            “I think that I will wait and find out what they have to say before I send this message.”  Jake grinned once again but this time looking directly at the recorder.  “I hope everything is going well for you.  I love you all.”

            Jake turned off the recording on his DNAC, and pulled the curtain back that separated his little bunk from the rest of the sleeping quarters.  Pulling himself out into the hallway he then headed toward the lab.

            Mathews was working at his station, his head was bowed toward the holo screen.  Jafta was also at his workstation looking as if it were business as usual.  Salim and Mel were huddled together talking.  Salim was writing notes on a personal holo screen projected from his DNAC.  Sam and Luca were in the same place he had last seen them, with their faces inches from the cube.

            Jacob floated through the large room until he had joined Luca and Sam at the cube.  Jake let the cube stop his forward momentum.  They didn’t acknowledge his presence for a few moments.  And then without looking up Sam said, “We find ourselves in a unique situation.  We have something that no one has ever seen before.  I think we need to start a pool.”

            Jacob realized he was only half listening to Sam.  Realizing that he had stopped speaking he looked up and asked, “A what?”

            “A pool,” Sam said, “you know, everyone puts money in and the winner takes it all.”

            “And what exactly, would this pool be about?” inquired Luca.

            “Well,” Sam smiled, “Jafta and Salim have their theories, we should come up with theories and see who gets the closest.”

            “I really don’t have any theories.”  Jake glanced sideways as he spoke.

            “No,” said Luca, “I don’t think we are in a position to be making theories about what this is.  And I don’t think we can do any better than what Salim and Jafta had already come up with.”

            Sam began to protest, “Aw come on…”

“Everyone to my work station,” Mathews said in a raised voice that carried through the whole room.  The group floated up to his workstation, “I just received word that we will be receiving a message from Doctor Dorian Reed.”  A few gasps of shock and excitement came from the small group.