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sensible fit of our months into our year. It happens because
there's no simple relationship between the orbital periods of
planet and satellite; there's no reason why there should be. I'm
guessing that if this is a calendar that relates to some other
planet,
then the reason for this odd mix of thirty-sixes and thirty-sevens
is the same as the one that causes problems with our calendar: That
planet had a moon."
"So these groups are months," Caldwell stated.
"If it's a calendar-yes. Each group is divided into three
subgroups-weeks, if you like. Normally there are twelve days in
each, but there are nine long months, in which the middle week has
thirteen days."
Danchekker looked for a long time at the sheet of paper, an
expression of pained disbelief spreading slowly across his face.
"Are you proposing this as a serious scientific theory?" he queried
in a strained voice.
"Of course not," Hunt replied. "This is all pure speculation. But
it does indicate some of the avenues that could be explored. These
alphabetic groups, for example, might correspond to references that
the language people might dig from other sources-such as dates on
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documents, or date stamps on pieces of clothing or other equipment.
Also, you might be able to find some independent way of arriving at
the number of days in the year; if it turned out to be seventeen
hundred, that would be quite a coincidence, wouldn't it?"
"Anything else?" Caldwell asked.
"Yes. Computer correlation analysis of this number pattern may show
hidden superposed periodicities; for all we know, there could have
been more than one moon. Also, it should be possible to compute
families of curves giving possible relationships between
planet-to-satellite mass ratios against mean orbital radii. Later
on you might know enough more to be able to isolate one of the
curves. It might describe the Earth-Luna system; then again, it
might not."
"Preposterous!" Danchekker exploded.
"Unbiased?" Hunt suggested.
"There is something else that may be worth trying," Schorn
interrupted. "Your calendar, if that's what it is, has so far been
described in relative terms only-days per month, months per year,
and so on. There is nothing that gives us any absolute values. Now
-and this is a long shot-from detailed chemical analysis we are
making some progress in building a quantitative model of Charlie's
cell-metabolism cycles and enzyme processes. We may be able to
calculate the rate of accumulation of waste materials and
toxins in the blood and tissues, and from these results form an
estimate of his natural periods of sleep and wakefulness. If, in
this way, I could provide a figure for the length tf the day, the
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other quantities would follow immediately."
"If we knew that, then we'd know the planet's orbital period," said
somebody else. "But could we get an estimate of its mass?"
"One way might be by doing a structural analysis of Charlie's bone
and muscle formations and then working out the power- weight
ratios," another chipped in.
"That would give us the planet's mean distance from its sun," said
a third.
"Only if it was like our Sun."
"You could get a check on the planet's mass from the glass and
other crystalline materials in his equipment. From the crystal
structure, we should be able to figure out the strength of the
gravitational field they cooled in."
"How could we get a figure for density?"
"You still need to know the planetary radius."
"He's like us, so the surface gravity will be Earthlike."
"Very probable, but let's prove it."
"Prove that's a calendar first."
Remarks began pouring in from all sides. Hunt reflected with some
satisfaction that at least he had managed to inject some spirit and
enthusiasm into the proceedings.
Danchekker remained unimpressed. As the noise abated, he rose again
to his feet and pointed pityingly to the single sheet of paper,
still lying in the center of the table.
"All balderdash!" he spat. "There is the sum total of your
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evidence. There"-he slid his voluminous ifie, bulging with notes
and papers, across beside it-"is mine, backed by libraries, data
banks, and archives the world over. Charlie comes from Earth!"
"Where's his civilization, then?" Hunt demanded. "Removed in an
enormous celestial garbage truck?"
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