The Reply

CHAPTER 7

It had analyzed the data, received a little over three days ago, quickly, in less than four seconds. The various courses of action, though, were more difficult to determine. More data had been needed. Power had been allocated to sensors, and the wealth of transmitted electronic material that flowed out of Earth’s atmosphere had been the target. That took time, and when it was done, there was no clear-cut answer, only probabilities.

The probabilities were weighed and the machine made a decision. A message had been sent to Earth in reply, then the master program was activated. It would take time for the program to run its course.

Waiting didn’t bother it. First, because it wasn’t alive and second because it had spent millennia waiting to activate the master program. A few more days would not matter.