,translator's ,error                    
by ,*>les ,dye            ,x 0 a        
p]fectly natural mi/ake = m5 to make4444
    ,illu/ration3 ,! mural ext5d$ ! full
 l5g? ( ! hall1  depict+ sc5es ( ! old  
,m>tian civilization4444          ,ri*>d
 ,pott]boy 0 a beefy man ) a big r$ face
 l an old-"t  politican's2 he look$ l an
 elephant beside ! little man ) !       
telescopic spectacles sitt+ next to him4
 ,!y bo? arose z ,grisby  walk$ 94      
,pott]boy's face grew a %ade r$d] z he  
glanc$ m5ac+ly at 8  wat*4 8,good ,"l1  
,grisby1 :]e d y ?9k y're at8 ,vacation+
  back on e>?8 ,we've be5 wait+ "h ne>ly
 an h\r = y60 ,he  wip$ 8 m\? ) ! back (
 8 h&4 ,8 upp]s didn't fit well  & he 0 
incl9$ to sputt]4    ,be=e ,grisby c\ld 
reply1 ,pott]boy 0 introduc+ him to !   
little  man ) ! p[]ful glasses4 8,philip
 ,grisby1 ,mr4 ,!odore ,mc,ginnis1      
newly-appo9t$ hi/orian ( ! ,m>tian      
,rehabilitation ,project40    ,grisby   
gravely %ook ,mc,ginnis' limp h&1 /ill  
say+ no?+4    8,well1 %all we g to y\r  

(fice80 ,pott]boy sugge/$ impati5tly4   
8,y might also h c(fee s5t 94 ,?is 0    
,mc,ginnis' fir/ trip into  space2 &    
aft] two weeks1 ,i'm sure he'll enjoy   
dr9k+ out ( a  pla91 old-fa%ion$ cup    
aga960 ,! ,adm9i/rator1 slapp+          
,mc,ginnis  on ! back1 *uckl$ at 8 own  
he>ty humor4    8,c(fee1 ,hal/ead10     
,grisby %\t$ z !y walk$ f reception into
  (fice4    ,pott]boy light$ a huge     
cig>1 :ile !y all sat ar\nd 9 /ra9$     
sil5ce until ! secret>y ent]$ & left !  
c(fee4    8,n[10 ,pott]boy said1 puff+  
furi\sly on 8 cig>--b he didn't  f9i%4  
,= ! fir/ "t1 he notic$ h[ ill & deject$
 ,grisby  look$4    ,9 spite ( be+ a    
back-slapp+ extrov]t1 he 0 completely   
disconc]t$4 ,aft] ye>s ( setbacks1 ?+s  
_h seem$ to be go+ s  well ! la/ "t he 0
 "h4    ,grisby1 :o 0 kn[n z an optimi/1
 moi/5$ 8 lips & ran a  %aky h& ?r\gh 8 
?9n+ hair4 8,= a hi/orian1 ,mr4         
,mc,ginnis1  y h come at a mo/ hi/oric  
mom5t4 ,! ,m>tian ,project has j        
fail$60    ,except = ,mc,ginnis tak+    

notes1 !re 0 dead sil5ce4 ,pott]boy     
felt sudd5ly ill4 ,8 cig> ta/$ l old    
rope4 ,he wond]$ :at he  0 go+ to tell !
 gov]nm5t 9 ord] to ju/ify ! billions   
sunk  into ?is1 z well z o!r planet>y   
rehabilitation projects4 ,to build  !   
sol>-sy/em into "o ( ! f9e/ 9 ! galaxy1 
_h orig9ally  be5 8 idea2 &1 = any      
failures1 he w\ld c]ta9ly be to blame4  
8,let's h ! details10 ,pott]boy said 9 a
 weak voice4    8,!re's no?+ mu* to     
tell10 said ,grisby1 smil+ wanly4 8,j   
be=e y l&$1 bo? pol> furnaces melt$     
?r\gh ! ice & sank  into ,god kn[s :]e40
    ,pott]boy look$ agha/4 8,b h[8 ,i   
?\ght !y 7 design$ to  float1 once !    
pol> caps began to melt80    8,s did ,i1
 b !y didn't4 ,i c't (f] any            
explanation4 ,!y j  didn't60    ,= !    
fir/ "t1 ,mc,ginnis op5$ 8 m\? & said 9 
a dry voice1  8,i take x1 !n1 t ?is 0 ! 
la/ try to get wat] into !  canals80    
8,! la/ try10 ,grisby & ,pott]boy bo?   
said1 />+ d[n into _!  cups ( c(fee4    
99       99       99       99       99  

,= a:ile1 no "o said any?+4 ,!n1        
,grisby1 m to himself ?an to  ! o!rs1   
8,if only some?+ c\ld h be5 done ab\t ^?
 damn$  ,blott+ ,pads6 ,!y1 alone1 h    
app>5tly ru9$ ,m>s2 & caus$ !  only     
intellig5t life-=m to atrophy into !    
cone-%ap$ ?+s y  see occasionally wri?+ 
9 ! s&40    ,mc,ginnis cle>$ 8 ?roat4   
8,is x true t no "o has be5 able to     
capture & analyze a ,blott+ ,pad80      
8,!y've be5 captur$1 b ! m9ute !y are1  
!y crumble to du/2  & any liquid or     
moi/ure absorb$1 rema9s 9 ! =m ( a gooey
  t>--( :i* y see traces all ov] !      
planet4    8,! only way to keep liquids 
is to /ore !m 9 conta9]s l9$ )          
deut]ium--heavy hydrog51 t be+ ! "o     
mat]ial ?r\gh :i*  !y _c absorb4 ,(     
c\rse1 at m ?an t5 feet di/ance1 !y  c't
 absorb ?r\gh any?+4 ,:5 we fir/ arriv$1
 e "o ?\ght  !y w\ld h to walk ar\nd 9  
deut]ium l9$ arm\r2 b1 = "s  peculi>    
reason nobody has be5 able to figure    
out1 !y won't absorb  f m54 ,! ,blott+  
,pads1 :i* resemble li*5s only 9 !      

vague/  way1 av]age two feet 9 diamet] &
 c absorb up to a gallon (  wat]1 :i*1  
almo/ in/antly1 is excret$ 9 ! =m ( t>4 
,t's  all t's kn[n ab\t !m4 ,if y look  
out ! w9d[1 ,mc,ginnis1  y'll see !m    
float+ & crawl+ all ov] ! s&40          
,mc,ginnis cross$ ov] to ! w9d[ & /ood  
wat*+ ! gre51  rubb]y disks ly+ on ! s& 
& hov]+ a few feet 9 ! ?9  morn+ air4   
,he & ,pott]boy _h arriv$ be=e dawn &   
?is 0 8  fir/ glimpse ( !m4 8,!re mu/ be
 millions ( !m10 he said4    8,yes4 ,h[ 
!y bre$ we don't "k4 ,to electrocute !m 
is ! only way  to kill !m4 ,radiation1  
poison1 or %oot+ won't "w2 & we c't  run
 ar\nd us+ atomics40    8,oh1 well10    
said ,pott]boy1 break+ a long sil5ce1   
8if ! project to  completely melt ! pol>
 ice _h be5 successful1 9 probably no   
"t1  ! ,blott+ ,pads w\ld h absorb$ all 
! wat] 9 ! canals1 9  spite ( !         
electrocution angle40    ,grisby sigh$  
bitt]ly4 8,no1 x w\ld h work$4 ,! ,pads 
c't  absorb :ile float+1 & ! mom5t !y   
came to re/ )9 ! t5  foot area bord]+   

ei!r side ( ! canals1 ! high t5sion     
cables  w\ld h done ! re/60             
,mc,ginnis 0 pe]+ f> to 8 left4 8,i take
 x ^? are !  g5]at+ plants80    8,!y 7 !
 g5]ators--,i gave ord]s ?is morn+ to   
/>t  dismantl+ op]ations40    8,z ,i    
und]/& x10 ,mc,ginnis said1 8! cables & 
plants are  bord]+ only two ( ! canals80
    8,yes1 all subsidi>y bran*es 7      
block$ (f f ! two ma9  art]ies4 ,once ! 
art]ies became fill$1 & ! ,pads--we     
hop$--electrocut$1 ! o!r bran*es w\ld h 
be5 op5$2  includ+ ! m9or ones connect+ 
directly ) ! pol> caps40    8,:at d y   
say to tak+ ,mc,ginnis ov] to ! ru9s80  
,pott]boy  ask$4 8,s9ce ,i'm leav+      
tonight1 & probably nev] visit+ ,m>s    
aga91 ,i w\ld l to gaze1 cynically1 on !
 bus9ess t />t$  ?is :ole damn$ :ite    
elephant project roll+60    8,s9ce y're 
go+ to be "h = a ye> or two1            
,mc,ginnis10 ,grisby  said1 8y c wait & 
g out lat]1 :5 y h m *ronological  data 
conc]n+ ! project80    8,no1 ,i might z 
well g out n[4 ,i'm feel+ r re/less &   

depress$--,i always d1 at ! end ( "s big
 dream l ! ,m>tian  ,project40          
99       99       99       99       99  
,! adm9i/ration build+s t[]$ l m\nta9s  
aga9/ ! flat1  two-dim5sional s&9ess (  
,syrtis ,major4 ,! ?ree m5 9 sun goggles
  & *emically cool$ clo?+ look$ l       
insects z !y trudg$  across ! r$di%1    
iron-oxide nightm>e4 ,heat waves roll$  
up into  ! pale sky l break]s f "s      
gigantic ocean4 ,blott+s ,pads1         
resembl+ %9y1 gre5 fi%1 d>t$ swiftly z  
!y mov$ out ( !  pa?way ( ! m54    8,we 
c\ld h tak5 a jet out10 ,grisby 0 say+1 
8b ,i want$  ,mc,ginnis to see ! des]t1 
,cones1 & ,pads fir/ h&4 ,incid5tally1  
!re's approximately "o ,pad to e tw5ty  
squ>e feet ( ,m>s4 ,!y  sl[ly1 b        
con/antly1 rotate c\nt]-clockwise ar\nd 
! planet4  ,t way1 !y all get a crack at
 :at little wat] =ms ar\nd !  pol> cap  
edges40    ,9 spite ( ! int5se heat1    
,pott]boy _h ano!r cig> go+1 on  :i* he 
w\ld puff heavily be=e speak+4          
8,sabotage1 ( "o sort or  ano!r1 seems  

to be ! only answ] to ^! pol> furnaces4 
,! fir/  two explode1 & ! second two    
s9k6 ,i c't help feel+ t someone        
doesn't want ,m>s resurrect$ f its s&y  
grave40    8,yes10 ,grisby said1 ) a    
s>ca/ic laugh1 8! ,blott+ ,pads don't6  
,b1 !n1 ,i d\bt if !y "k t !y don't4    
,!y're completely  un9tellig5t--j a     
c\ple ( in/9cts 9 a rubb]y bag1 absorb+ 
wat] & transmut+ x into t>4 ,&1 z y "k1 
,pott]boy1 all m5  & te*nicians 7 giv5 a
 six mon? psy*o be=e be+ all[$ to  "w on
 ! project2 !n c>efully wat*$ = any sign
 ( dang]\s  neuroses40    ,= a:ile1 !y  
walk$ along li/5+ to ! crun* ( _! feet  
on  ! s&1 say+ no?+4 ,! ru9s loom$      
/eadily l>g] ?r\gh !  rippl+ heat waves4
    ,f9ally1 ,grisby said1 8,!re is "o  
puzzl+ ?+--n a s+le man 9  ! eighte5    
ye>s we've be5 "h1 has lo/ 8 life or met
 ) an  accid5t40    8,h[ d y acc\nt =   
t80 ,mc,ginnis ask$4    8,i don't4 ,nor 
c anyone else4 ,our equipm5t seems to h 
be5 !  only ?+ meet+ ) disa/]s40        
8,well10 int]rupt$ ,pott]boy1 ?9k+ ( :at

 he 0 go+ to h to  say back on e>?1     
8we'll j h to put x d[n to n und]/&+  ! 
ali5 laws ( *ance1 or ! undetect$ =ces  
work+ on ,m>s--if  !re are any8 ,b1     
outside ( ! ru9s1 ! s&1 & ! ice caps1  !
 only two rema9+ ?+s are ! ,pads & !    
,cones4 ,! ,pads run  ar\nd absorb+     
wat]1 & ! ,cones bake 9 ! s&1           
occasionally  s5d+ up head-splitt+      
telepa?ic squawks t no l+ui/ c  deciph] 
or beg9 to compreh5d4 ,e/abli%+         
communication has prov$  impossible1 9  
spite ( _! telepa?ic p[]s4 ,& ! only    
motion  !y appe> capable ( is sluggi%ly 
burr[+ up & d[n 9 ! s&40    8,yes1      
g5tlem510 ,grisby said1 gravely1 8we've 
fail$ 9 resurrect+  ! "o                
seem+ly-intellig5t life-=m on ,m>s40    
8,h[ d y "k !y're any m intellig5t ?an !
 ,pads80  que/ion$ ,mc,ginnis4    8,oh1 
well10 said ,pott]boy1 8! ru9s %[1 z y  
%all pres5tly  see1 t !y've develop$    
telepa?y4 ,& !y h tri$  communicat+ )   
u40    8,also10 ,grisby add$1 8:5 ! fir/
 p>ty l&$ to e/abli% a base1  & />t$    

br++ wat] f ! %ips1 ! ,cones set up     
%rill  m5tal vibrations1 attempt+ to w>n
 u be=e ! ,blott+ ,pads c\ld  come )9   
range & />t absorb+40    ,z !y came )9 a
 hundr$ y>ds ( ! ru9s1 ,mc,ginnis halt$4
 8,are  ^! ! ru9s8 ,j two metal walls80 
8,! only bit ( ,m>tian culture left on !
 :ole planet10 ,pott]boy  said1 light+  
ano!r cig>4 ,h[ he /ood !m 9 ! heat1 0  
beyond  bo? ,grisby & ,mc,ginnis4 ,b1   
!n1 ! gov]nm5t (ficial 0  ecc5tric 9 _m 
ways4           99       99       99    
99       99    ,9 ano!r five m9utes1    
,mc,ginnis 0 t\*+ ! /range1 glassy      
surface ( "o ( ! walls2 bo? ( :i*1 ran  
p>allel to "o ano!r  & t[]$ tw5ty-five  
feet into ! air4    ,grisby1 notic+1    
said1 8,ano!r indication ( h[ advanc$ ! 
,m>tians 74 ,we've tri$ ev]y?+1 includ+ 
atomics1 on ^!  walls 9 ord] to get a   
piece = analysis--no luck4 ,we drill$   
d[n  five ?\s& feet & c\ldn't ev5 f9d ! 
bottom ( ei!r wall4    8,/ep ar\nd to ! 
inside "h4 ,?is is :]e ! *ronological   
l9e  draw+s beg91 z well z !            

hi]oglyphics1 :i*1 ,i'm told1 !         
ar*eologi/s h pretty well deciph]$40    
8,we'll h to skim r rapidly10 ,grisby   
cont9u$1 89 ord] to get  back be=e our  
helmet & suit *emicals give out40       
,mc,ginnis pe]$ myopically at ! huge    
sc5e pictur$ on ! wall4 ,x  %[$ sev]al  
l>ge cone-%ap$ creatures ) long legs &  
arms1  simil> to ^? ( a human4 ,9 place 
( heads1 !y _h /alks on  :i* a s+le eye 
re/$1 :ile1 und]nea?1 gap$ :at appe>$ to
  be a m\?4 ,! ,cones 7 /&+ ne> a wall  
:i* 0 9 front (  a city ( fanta/ically  
complex ar*itecture--yet1 brea?-tak+ly  
beautiful6 ,! surr\nd+ l&scape 0 a      
jungle ( weird1 luxuriant  foliage2     
trees & plants alike1 t[]+ hundr$s (    
feet into !  air--almo/ z high z ! city 
itself4 ,91 & ar\nd ! picture's         
=egr\nd1 sev]al ,blott+ ,pads 7 %[n ly+ 
on1 & hov]+  ov] ! tall grass4 ,! wall 9
 ! draw+ _h ! same picture on x  z !    
actual "o ,mc,ginnis & ! o!rs 7 />+ at4 
,und]nea?  ! sc5e1 7 sev]al r[s (       
complex h5-scrat*+s4    8,f !           

hi]oglyphics & picture10 ,grisby said1  
8"o mu/  conclude t ?is 0 ! height (    
,m>tian culture4 ,h]eaft]1 z  we walk   
along1 y'll notice1 n only ! physical & 
cultural  *>act]i/ics *ang+1 b ! %>p    
del9eation ( ! murals  !mselves becom+  
vague & incompreh5sible40    ,!y walk$  
d[n ! long expanse ( ! fir/ wall 9      
sil5ce2  ,mc,ginnis ) 8 note book1      
,pott]boy1 8 cig>1 & ,grisby1 8  %att]$ 
dreams ( turn+ ! s&y grave ( ,m>s into !
 once  f]tile p>adise depict$ 9 ! fir/  
mural4           99       99       99   
99       99    ,ea* sc5e %[$ an increas+
 numb] ( ,blott+ ,pads1 & a  decreas+   
am\nt ( foliage4 ,:ole g>d5s 7 %[n )]+  
away2 & huge cities be+ des]t$1 z !     
,pads increas$1 & !  gre5]y & wat]      
disappe>$4 ,! la/ sc5e on ! wall %[$ !  
fanta/ically beautiful city ( ! fir/    
mural1 crumbl+ to du/ )  ,blott+ ,pads  
re/+ on ! s&y wa/e !y _h creat$ ar\nd x4
    ,! second wall %[$ ! elongat$ legs &
 arms ( ! ,cones1  %rivell+ & )]+4      
,lat]1 ! /alk ) eye & m\?  vani%$4 ,!n !

 ,cones began to %r9k until !y 7 only an
 eigh?  _! orig9al size4 ,! f9al1       
compreh5sible sc5e %[$ ! ,cones  buri$ 9
 s& ) ,blott+ ,pads all ar\nd !m4       
,/range dott$  & wav]+ l9es--telepa?ic  
symbols--connect$ ! apex ( ea*  ,cone ) 
t ( its neighbor4 ,aft] t1 ! rema9+     
sc5es fell  %>ply (f into               
incompreh5sibility1 leav+ ! lat] portion
 ( !  wall completely blank4    ,z !    
?ree m5 rea*$ ! second wall's end1      
sev]al ,cones came into  view1 be+ gr\p$
 m closely ?an ! ?\s&s ( o!rs scatt]$   
willy-nilly ov] ! planet4    ,mc,ginnis 
/opp$ %ort4 8,s ^! are :at !y atrophi$  
into f  lack ( wat]10 he said1 sadly4   
,%ift+ 8 gaze1 he gl>$ bitt]ly  at !    
,blott+ ,pads1 cov]+ mo/ ( ! des]t z f> 
z ! eye  c\ld see4    ,pott]boy &       
,grisby foll[$ suit1 />+ (f into !      
approa*+  dusk at ! "o big /umbl+ block 
:i* _h prev5t$ !m f  resurrect+ ,m>s4   
99       99       99       99       99  
,! humans _h left4    ,all traces ( _!  
com+ _h be5 oblit]at$ by ! sea ( re/less

  s&1 except "o ?+--a sph]ical deut]ium 
wat]-conta9]2 :i*1  dur+ ! w9dy season1 
w\ld be buffet$ ab\t ! planet ?is way  &
 t1 ! law ( av]ages occasionally caus+ x
 to crack into !  timeless ,m>tian wall4
 ,at su* times1 ! ,cones w\ld           
philosophically  contemplate x & !      
peculi>1 yet likeable1 creatures t _h   
br\ght x4    ,"o ,cone1 :o 0 consid]$ a 
little /range by 8 bro!rs  because he   
lack$ ! philosophic int5sity = complete 
introv]t$  contemplation1 "o day1 broke 
! telepa?ic sil5ce2 a ?+  consid]$ /ill 
/rang] by 8 bro!rs1 s9ce x 0 ?\ght v    
rude to di/urb "o ano!r1 except 9 times 
( extreme importance4    8,a %ame we    
c\ld n communicate 444 /ra9 incurr$     
de/roy+  furnaces 444 ?\s&s ( ye>s to   
erase 4440    ,weak5$ by _m buffet+s1 ! 
wat] sph]e hit ! wall = !  la/ "t4 ,) a 
crack x split 9 half1 spla%+ gallons (  
wat]  f> up ! wall4 ,! ne>e/ ,cones     
%riek$ 9 telepa?ic unison z  !          
,life-,de/roy] spla%$ ne>by6 ,almo/     
imm$iately1 direct$ by  ! urg5cy ( _!   

comm&s1 _! organic-robots--! ,blott+    
,pads--7 hurl+ !mselves ^u ! dea? giv+  
liquid6    ,! ,cones1 at ! height ( _!  
evolution>y asc5t1 "o by "o1  return$ to
 ! contemplation ( et]nity4 ,once & =   
all "t1 !  dang] 0 pa/4                 
,transcrib]'s note3        ,?is etext 0 
produc$ f ,dynamic ,sci5ce ,fiction1    
,decemb] #aieb    7,vol4 #a1 ,no4 #a474 
,ext5sive rese>* did n uncov] any       
evid5ce    t ! ,u4,s4 copyright on ?is  
publication 0 r5ew$4      ,obvi\s errors
 h be5 sil5tly correct$ 9 ?is v]sion1 b 
m9or inconsi/5cies h be5 reta9$ z pr9t$4