> Well, let me try, though I should probably re-read the story before I post.
>
> OK, wouldn't the computer realize that there was no intelligent life and not wake the people up-- after all, it couldn't recognize the obvious abnormality that the statues represented... I think I read that.

I wondered about that. Then I recalled that during the fly-by of the system the computer kept them awake for *two whole weeks*, so obviously it wanted them to do something during that time. My guess (from my reading) is that the computer was smart enough to pick up anomalies that were obviously of intelligent origin, so it'd wake up its passengers on the offhand chance that they'd run into the aliens during the fly-by.

Btw, ain't it great reading things into the story that may or may not have been intended? I've heard of folks doing Master's theses on a single story by James Joyce, hehe.


> Well, that's m' best guess, for the moment.
>
> BTW, you do realize this is one of the best ways to destroy any self-esteem you had about the story, don't you? Offering a prize for people to find stuff wrong with it just lets all of point out flaws that aren't really flaws, just misinterperetations, leading you to [possibly] believe that you were way too subtle for the audience and/or didn't explain things clearly enough? At least, that's prob'ly what I'd think.

That one's for you.

Wolfspirit