Meanwhile, on the Borealis...

Scanning for radio transmissions...

We know of an ancient radiation

Scanning...

That haunts dismembered constellations

Scanning...

A faintly glimmering radio station

Why do we keep doing this?

Where Frank Sinatra sings "Stormy Weather"

Scanning...

The flies and spiders get along together

We're not going to find anything, you know.

Cobwebs fall on an old skipping record

Scanning...

Beyond the suns that guard this roof

How can you ^say that?

Beyond your flowers of flaming truths

Scanning...

Beyond your latest ad campaigns

We haven't heard any transmissions in months. Not since the Combine blocked the signal. Why should this time be any different?

An old man sits collecting stamps

Scanning...

In a room all filled with Chinese lamps

Because it is! It's the eleven_ty-third TIME we've scanned since ^{last Tues}day! I counted them myself.

He saves what others throw away

Scanning...

He says that he'll be rich someday

Fine. Go ahead and keep getting your hopes up. You'll just feel awful again when you turn out to--

Signal detected.



What?
What?
What?