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OCTOPUS COMMISSION REPORT NOV 3TH 2101
BAIKONUR COSMODROME
Summary report on the case
classified as “Schwarzkommando”.
Two years have elapsed since we received a communication from the Yevpatoria-based radio
telescope network about a series of signals in response to the so-called Cosmic Call, launched
in 2003 as part of the METI (Messaging Extraterrestrial Intelligences) program. Following a few
assessments, which did not last long as there was unanimous agreement on the artificial natu-
re of the detected signals, the focus of the question shifted onto the meaning of the signals,
and on the identity of the Issuer.
To this end, an interdisciplinary commission with an expertise in science, philosophy, linguisti-
cs, literature, and art was convened. An initial analysis revealed that the signal used the same
bitmap codes as those sent from Earth. However, their sequence appeared, at least initially, as
almost incomprehensible, except the rare cases in which the bitmap was clearly isolated within
the string of signals and therefore was making direct reference to the original Cosmic Call.
EXCERPT #1
hypothetical meaning:
Only after a careful examination of the strin- human being
gs, was it established that the Issuer had
enhanced the 5x7 bitmap table, creating a Appendix A shows the table of the origi-
series of mini-strings by juxtaposing some nal Cosmic Call.
bitmaps in block-sequences, typically con- In Appendix B, one can find all the ideo-
sisting of 2 to 4 bitmaps. The most likely grammatic strings that have been deci-
analogy was with Far Eastern ideogramma- phered so far and whose meaning one
tic languages. Through these strings, the
Sender was therefore able to create a more statistically agrees upon, with some as-
complex vocabulary and extend the seman- sumed elementary morphological and
tic richness of his message. syntactic rules.
Here is a very simple example:: Once the meanings of the signals had
Bitmap Of The Cosmic Call been identified in their most basic se-
= = male mantic structures, one was left to see
> = female whether the combination of strings
could generate complete sentences.
String created by the sender The solution to the problem came after
=> = male | female many hypotheses, and as is often the
=> = male | female
OCTOPUS COMMISSION REPORT NOV 3TH 2101
