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m papers； book reviews； class outlines； and letters home。 Bill snagged the disks with the letters on them。 The 〃what the hell is this？〃 category were the programs Phil was concentrating on。
〃Why don't you tell us what you know so far； and maybe we can help a bit；〃 Bill suggested。
〃There's a dozen programs here but they seem to be of three types。〃 Phil pulled down menus with the mouse； then three columns filled the screen。 The first column was labeled DATE； the second was labeled PLACE； and the third EVENT。 The first entry was July 22； 1879； London； frog fall。 The second entry was August 19； 1881； Kiev； Ukraine； woman burns。 The third entry was March 2； 1882； St。 Augustine； Florida； ice fall。 Terry scanned the list。 These were the kinds of events Kenny's books and files were filled with。
〃There's five hundred and twenty…two entries on this list。 There's three other lists too。 One of the lists isn't in any kind of order。 It's kind of a hodgepodge of things like Sasquatch and yeti sightings； UFO reports； junk like that。 Most of it's garbage except the report about a prehistoric fish caught off the coast of South America。 I saw a picture of that fish so I know it's true。〃
Terry understood。 He'd never have believed the I…5 mountain either； if he hadn't seen it in person。
〃Some of this stuff is pretty old。 I found a file labeled with Zorastrus's name。 It's got the really old stuff in it。〃
Bill and Terry exchanged glances。 The name Zorastrus kept ing up。
The screen now filled with programming mands。
〃This is the second kind of stuff。 He's got several versions of this program。 You can see what he was trying to do。 Most of this stuff is just display instructions…mands to read his data array； plete some calculations； and display the output。 The important part is here。〃 Phil scrolled the program until his finger came to rest at a particular spot。 〃This is where his formula starts。〃
〃Formula for what？〃 Bill asked。
〃I ain't no mathematician；〃 Phil protested； but then he yielded。 〃It looks like he's trying to fit a curve to three sets of variable data。 Okay； it's like this。 Let's say I draw a line on a piece of paper through points A； B； and C。 Then I want to know where that line will be if I add an inch to A； an inch to B； and an inch to C。 That's what he had the puter doing。 He wasn't using inches though； and he wasn't always adding the same amount to each reference point； and sometimes he subtracts。〃
〃If he wasn't using inches what was he using？〃 Bill asked。
〃The only one I've figured out is this one。〃 Phil reached up and tapped the third column。 〃It looks like it varies between 1 and 200；366。 One set ranges from 1 to 366 and the other from between 1 and 200。 It works something like an odometer。 Once this column reaches either 365 of 366 it rolls over a number in the next column。〃
〃It's counting days and years？〃
〃Yeah； it even corrects for leap year。〃
〃Umm。 。。〃 Bill began。 〃That makes sense。 Kenny thinks these events in the past have something to do with what's happened。 What's the third kind of stuff？〃
〃Graphics。 Here； watch this；〃 Phil opened another file using the mouse。 〃This is still a piece of crap； but it's the best thing this bozo programmed。〃 The screen was split with a line marking off one third of the screen。 The larger portion had two small circles； one in each upper corner of the screen。 Phil punched a key and the two circles slowly expanded。 When they met the screen froze and the letter A appeared at the point of contact。 Another letter A appeared in the left…hand column with three sets of figures。 Phil punched another key and the circles expanded again。 As soon as the circles finished crossing each other the screen froze again。 This time two more letters appeared； a B and a C； marking the two new contact points between the circles。 There were now three sets of three figures in the left…hand column。 Terry noticed that the A figures had changed。 Another key punch and the circles began to expand again。 Terry watched the A； B； and C columns of figures change as the circles expanded。 When they reached the edge of the screen the program stopped。
〃That's it？〃 Bill asked。 〃That's all it does？〃
〃I told you it was a piece of crap。 Part of this stuff is dates again。〃 Phil pointed to the columns of figures on the left side of the screen； 〃Hard to tell though because he ran all the numbers together； course I could fix it in a jiff。〃
〃No； Phil。 What about the rest of the numbers？ Counting the dates； it's really four sets of numbers。 I haven't figured out the other three yet。 Here； look at this one。〃 More work with the mouse and another set of mands filled the screen。 〃This one's a little different。〃
Punching more keys； Phil called up another program。 It was like the other program but instead of two expanding circles； these began to pulse； repeatedly sending out expanding waves。 As one circle expanded； another circle formed within it； chasing the first circle to the edge of the screen。 When the expanding circles nearly reached each other； the image switched to show smaller multiple circles expanding within each other。
〃He adjusted for scale； it's the same circles；〃 Phil added。
The circles continued to expand； but one by one the inner circles overtook the outer circles and merged until only two circles remained。 Then the image froze。 Terry looked over at the numbers on the left。
〃Phil； what's the date count？〃
〃You have an idea； Terry？〃 Bill asked。
〃Remember our idea about Hiroshima and the bomb？ Maybe these circles start with the bomb？〃
Terry and Bill looked at Phil expectantly； but he just shook his head。
〃Counts wrong。 If we subtract the count from yesterday then we miss Hiroshima by seventeen years 。 。 。 still。 。 。 that's an interesting idea。〃
Phil drifted inward； reminding Terry of Kenny's drift into a catatonic state。 But Bill urged Phil on。 〃These other numbers； do they have something to do with the frog falls； avalanches； and other events on Kenny's list？〃
Phil seemed reluctant to e back from wherever he was。
〃You're thinking latitude and longitude； aren't you？ That's what I was working on when you got here。 There's too many numbers； though。〃 Phil looked lost in thought again。 〃All right； maybe you guys can help me…I think I'm getting it。 Colonel； I need some more data。〃
Bill agreed to get him whatever he needed。
〃Hot damn；〃 Phil laughed； 〃some of it's classified。〃
Modern munication systems are made up of radio； television； phone； and puter networks。 To keep this system functioning； there must be transmission and reception facilities； copper cables； fiber optic lines； broadcast towers； dish antennae； translators； boosters； switching stations； and satellites。 Lose a part of this system； and backup systems automatically e on…line。 Lose the backup systems and puters will automatically reroute signals。 Lose those routes and the system fails。
Like everything else about the effect； the losses were uneven。 Some satellites were lost； and others lost their ground munication facilities。 Other ground stations reestablished contact where possible。 Underground transmission lines were left intact； as were transatlantic and transpacific cables。