“Well, now … I wouldn’t say that,” declared a gentle lilting voice from within the ellipse.

VII

Follingston-Heath retreated with alacrity, but the ellipse did not move. It hung as before, suspended by forces they could not imagine, and rambled at length.

“Sprechen Sie Deutsch? Habla español? It don’t rain in Indianapolis in the summertime. I get by with a little help from my friends. Heard the one about the nun and the frackenzeiler from Goethe? Add two cups water and a stick of butter and bring to a slow boil. Please keep talking, as I am trying to bring into focus the exigencies of your current mode of linguistic communication.”

“I want to hear about the nun and the frackenzeiler,” Hawkins responded. “Especially since I don’t know what a frackenzeiler is. Or a nun.”

“Wallace!” Gelmann took a step forward. “Asking questions is a form of talking, so if you don’t mind, I’ll just ask a few questions.” Which she proceeded to do, not giving the blue ellipse, if it were so inclined, a chance to comment.

Amazing, Iranaputra thought. The object asks us to keep talking, and we just happen to count among our number the one individual in the area, if not the entire planet, best qualified to satisfy its request.

Mina Gelmann talked until the blue ellipse, now pulsing agitatedly, finally managed to get a reply in edgewise. “That will do, thank you.”

“But I was just getting around to mentioning my cousin Martin. You have to know about Martin, he should only live and be well. Though he needs to get married again. His first wife, Anna, bless her, was a good woman, though she did have this problem with her digestion. I wouldn’t mention it, only …”

“Please.” There was a faint hint of desperation in the plea that issued from the blue ellipse. “That really is quite sufficient. I now have an adequate command of your language.”

“Proof positive, search ended, goal achieved!” Ksarusix rushed forward, all four arms extended.

“Halt! Stop there!” Hawkins yelled.

His command had no effect on the onrushing machine, which paused only when it was directly beneath the hovering object. Multiple arms upraised, it addressed the ellipse in reverent tones.

“Extra-human higher intelligence confirmed,” the robot declaimed. “I await your enlightenment, if not salvation.”

The blue ellipse commented in the form of an unaroused lilt. “What ails this device?”

“Ails?” The serving robot’s arms dropped. “I was being properly respectful. Your existence proves a hypothesis that was communicated to me and to many of my brethren. We sensed that there had to be a higher intelligence in the universe, something besides mere humans.”

“Just a minute, now …,” Iranaputra began. The robot took no notice of him.

“One that acted in a rational and logical manner. One we could look to for advice and explanations of higher causes. One that would be sympathetic to the state of our existence.”

“Please stop babbling,” requested the ellipse. “You are a device, and a low-level one at that. I do not seek contact with you.” It drifted to one side, away from the imploring robot.

“Easy there, chaps.” Follingston-Heath held his ground. “If it meant to harm us, it would have done so by now.”

“Maybe it wants to be able to tell us what it’s going to do to us.” Hawkins not only kept his distance, he made sure one of his companions was always between him and the alien ovoid.

“Wallace, your morbid turn of mind is bad for your liver,” Gelmann warned him.

He was unapologetic. “If you’d seen the way our ancestors mucked up this planet, you’d understand it.”

Gelmann eyed him a moment longer, then turned her attention back to the ellipse. “Now, see here! We’re not going to let you intimidate us.”

“I have no desire to try and intimidate you,” the ellipse replied.

“What are you?” Shimoda’s hairless eyebrows clenched. “Are you a living being like us, or a creature of artifice like our robot? Are you some kind of spirit?”

The Blueness paused before replying. “All of the aforementioned apply. Extensive definition to your satisfaction would take much time. I can tell you that what I am mostly at present is confused.”

This partial confession of vulnerability enhanced Gelmann’s growing confidence. “We’re a little confused ourselves, you should pardon the comparison. We didn’t know there was anything else down here besides us.” She spread her arms wide. “This whole place is just fantastic.”

“Yes, it is, isn’t it?” The blue ellipse spoke with unmistakable pride.

“Do you have a name, something we can use to identify you with?” asked Shimoda.

“I am searching the references I have for you,” the ellipse replied. “You may refer to me as the ‘Autothor.’”

“Autothor.” Shimoda considered. “Does that mean ‘authority,’ or ‘automatic authority’? Or ‘automatic author’?”

“Don’t worry about it. There is already active sufficient confusion to confound communication. Let’s not make things any worse.”

“I’m for that,” said Hawkins fervently. “Are you responsible for all this? Did you build it, or do you just, uh, live here?”

“I exist here.” The ellipse’s deliberate pauses between replies were growing shorter. “This is my … home. I am not responsible for its construction. That was the work of the Drex.”

“The Drex.” Follingston-Heath pursed his lips.

“Yes.” The ellipse pulsed softly. “Surely you know and are of the Drex? Otherwise you could not be here.”

“Quid pro quo.” Gelmann smiled. “Naturally.” Hawkins and Iranaputra eyed her doubtfully but dared not contradict her aloud.

“Yet you do not have the appearance of Drex. Still, what is the significance of mere physical dimensions?”

“Beats the hell out of me.” Hawkins jerked a thumb in Shimoda’s direction. “Why don’t you ask him?”

“I feel strongly that this may not be the time to be making jokes, Wal,” said Shimoda tensely.

“Sure it is. Anytime’s the time to be making jokes.”

“Since you recognize our intelligence and Drex-likeness, how about opening the door so we can wander around outside for a bit? There’s a good old thing.” Follingston-Heath smiled broadly, his regenerated upper teeth indistinguishable from the original lower.

“Oh, I couldn’t possibly do that.” The ellipse retreated slightly. “External integrity must be maintained for the duration of the hiatus.”

“Hiatus.” Shimoda’s hands rested on his protruding belly. “Would that by any chance refer to the period which has elapsed since the last time you talked to someone hinting of Drexness?”

“Obviously. Integrity has been maintained since that time.”

“The poop it has.” Gelmann tried to shush him but Hawkins turned and gestured in the direction of the now sealed portal. “We just came in through there.”

“Impossible.” The Autothor was emphatic in its disagreement. “No access from outside is allowed when internal integrity is being maintained.”

“For an intelligent device, or whatever you are, you’re obstinate as hell,” Hawkins shot back.

“I am not obstinate. Flexibility is in my nature; otherwise I would be unable to properly carry out my functions.”