Alex Gore - The Cube

3921/0466/1610/5232/5153/9205/3920/5466/1605/4661/

6055/5437/0552/3252/0392/1046/6161/0523/2515/4661/605

4/6616/0539/2053/9220/0010/…

Hans looked around to make sure he had their attention and continued typing:

A – 3921 B – 0466 C – 1610 D – 5232 E – 5153 F – 9205 G – 3920 H – 5466 I – 1605 J – 4661 K – 6055 L – 5437 M – 0552 N – 3252 O – 0392 P – 1046 Q – 6161 R – 0523 S – 2515 T – 4661 U – 6054 V – 6616 W – 0539 X – 2053 Y – 9220 Z – 0010

“You are the top, Hans!”, Michael congratulated him spontaneously.

“With all my respect, Professor, two of the code groups are repeated for two letters J-4661 и Т-4661”, Sergey noticed.

“It would be strange if everything coincided 100%”, Hans smiled. “As Professor McDowell states in his “Theory of the Imperfect Detail”, no system could be ideal, because that would demand infinite quantity of energy and zero entropy, and this, as we all know, is impossible…”

Perseus killed the terrifying Medusa. She was one of the three Gorgonas and poisonous snakes curled on her head. Anybody at whom she directed her gaze, turned instantly to stone. Many brave men had gone to take off her head but no one came back.

Perseus never looked in her eyes, but fought her, following her reflection in his shield, shining like a mirror, that was a present to him by Pallas Athena. He cut with one blow the head of the monstrous Medusa and put it in his magic bag.

The young hero sat to take a rest from the long way, leaving the bag over water plants and seaweed. The blood of Medusa trickled through the bag and the weeds turned to stone at once. The charming sea nymphs came and were fascinated with the beauty of the stoned water plants. The nymphs took them and dispersed them on the bottom of the entire sea. That was how the corrals were born.

Hans took of his jacket and hanged it on the back of the chair. “I’ve adjusted an algorithm to use the music key and translate directly the messages, coming from the ship. Here, see, to the left is he original code of numbers, and to the right – their direct ‘translation’:

39210466161052325153920539205466160546616055

5437055232520392104661610523251546616054661605

39205392200010

39210466161052325153920539205466160546616055

5437055232520392104661610523251546616054661605

39205392200010

39210466161052325153920539205466160546616055

5437055232520392104661610523251546616054661605

39205392200010

39210466161052325153920539205466160546616055

5437055232520392104661610523251546616054661605

39205392200010

A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z

A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z

A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z A,B,C,D,E,F,G,H,I,J,K,L,M,N,O,P,Q,R,S,T,U,V,W,X,Y,Z

“The key is repeated 1 061 594 times”, Hans continued.

“They are quite insistent”, Michael noted.

“Yes, you are right, but when you need someone to hear you by all means, you’ve got to be a little pushy, don’t you think?”

Hans explained.

“Or when it is really important for both sides”, Marcela added.

“And what now? What does ‘good upbringing’ dictates to be done on our side?” Alan inquired.

“I suggest we return the code back… It is a very easy and courteous way to show them them that we have understood the message.” Hans made a move to start typing, but then he glanced at Norman for an approval. He just nodded in agreement. “Here, we return the code back… Once… I guess it is enough,

and if I am right, we will be understood correctly.”

Everyone fixed their eyes towards the screen, nobody moved.

Marcela could hardly breathe with anxiety. Ten seconds passed… then ten more… a minute… two minutes…

“That’s bullshit, you must have made some mistake in your calculations, Hans”, Alan said nervously.

“I’d hate to disappoint you, Hans, but Alan might have a point here”, Norman said, shifting his glance from the screen to the plump scientist.

“Have a little patience, I am sure everything is correct…” Another minute passed and everybody in the group started fidgeting, obviously freed from the initial tension. And just at this moment a sequence appeared on the screen: 039232525153

“What is it, Hans?” Norman almost stuck his long nose in the screen.

0392 = О

3252 = N

5153 = E

ONE

“One?!” Norman jumped back.

“Yes, ‘one’. It’s wonderful!” Hans was grinning as if he was the happiest man on earth.

The rest of them were gaping in wonder.

“What the hell is ‘one’?” Ivanov turned abruptly at Hans.

“Well, this is the beauty of Mathematics.”

“To hell with your crap about the beauty of science! Explain this fucking answer!” Alan exclaimed, as stunned as the rest of them.

“That’s the most exquisite possible answer”, Hans started exhilarated. “Think about it, on the one hand, it is very simple, while on the other, it’s exceptionally delicate. There is also the sense of a positive beginning. I mean, they did not start their answer with ‘minus one’…”

“He’s got a point”, Marcela murmured.

“You are totally right, Hans, but there might be another meaning to it… from Chemistry, for instance”, Sergey took part in the conversation.

“But yes, of course, how could I not think of it?” Hans exclaimed. “That’s the number of hydrogen… In its usual form it has one proton, one neutron and one electron.”

“And is the most widespread element in the Universe…”

“What do you mean? Really?”, Norman was uncomprehending. “How so, the most widespread? Isn’t it a gas?”

“That’s correct, it is a gas at a specific pressure and temperature, but what is more essential is that it is the basic component of all the stars in the known Universe. It composes about 98% of the entire matter in the Universe. Do you want us to continue?”

This time Hans typed without waiting for an answer:

4661- T, 0539- W, 0392- О TWO

2+2=4

…the screen answered to him. “Wow! See that? It’s working! The language of Mathematics is the language of space!” exclaimed Hans triumphantly.

“What now? How long are we going to exchange simple equations? Ask him something more serious.” Norman frowned.

331

…Hans typed.

“What is it, for God’s sake?” Alan asked.

“I wrote to him the velocity of sound. I guess he’ll easily understand.”

A new line of figures appeared on the screen: 299 792 458

“Ha! An ideal answer! And does not surprise me a bit.” Hans was content.

“What is this number?”

“It is the exact speed of light in vacuum”, Sergey answered.

“Can’t you ask anything more practical? For example, where does he come from. Enough with this Mathematics.” Norman demanded information and quickly.

At this moment the next message arrived. The screen froze in the dusk of the room with its bluish light.

- 1986

And then it went blank. The messages stopped.

Hans typed a few more figures.

The screen was silent.

“Why did it stop, Professor Rosenstein?”, Norman raised his voice sternly.

“I have no idea, Sir”, Norman mumbled almost guiltily.

“What is this, for God’s sake?!” Marcela exclaimed. “If it is the same letter code, 1=А, 9=I, 8=H, а 6=F. AIHF? Doesn’t it mean anything?”