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answer to a problem before the problem has ever been solved. Whether they could understand itor not, itis very possible that itis notin the same, exact form of communication as Earth speech. D: If they heardit, would they recognize it as communication? P: Most certainly. It is not background noise. This would be far different from the naturally occurring noise. There would be no doubt that it would be perceived as a form of intelligent commu- nication. There would be a pattern to this. However, whether they understood the pattern is another question. D: Would it be similarto ourMorse code? P: There is not an intentional masking ofinformation here. (Which is the literal translation or meaning ofthe word "code.") Itis sim- ply that that is the form of communication which is in use in that ea 1 mm aad reo es area of the galaxy. There would be no need to disguise the com- munications. Ifyou were hearing it with your ears at this time, the sound you would hear would be of tones, multiple tones. (Phil called on his experience with electronics to try to explain and illustrate.) There is a similar type ofcommunication now in use here, which is called Frequency Shift Keying, FSK, which is sim- ply modulating a tone, a fixed tone, and communicating by varying the frequency shift of that tone, which is called "frequency shift keying." Then it is a sound like a machineora computerwould make? It could be thought of as that, but that would not be exactly accurate. There is noequivalent There is no noise being carried in the methods of communication at this time on this planet which would be equal to it. But there are some thatcan be used as an analogy, which would be as I said, FSK Later when Phil had awakened, he said he had an idea that the tones were more similar to musical chords rather than one single tone. A chord with the different notes shifting in frequency and pitch. D: Doyou think anyone has everheardthese soundsand didnot know what they were? P: There has not been any machinery on Earth to receive this. It's possible there are those from those planets who remember, but it is not being received at this time. D: Then somethingnew will have to be invented. 50 The Keepers of the Garden