“You’re right, son. We must find out all we can and send a full report on the symbols’ significance to our space friends,” Mr. Swift went on. “Can you translate any more from the stone if I send a copy of our space dictionary?”
This codebook, which the two Swifts had compiled, contained all the mathematical symbols translated from earlier messages.
“I’m afraid the carving is too worn and faint,” Tom explained. “That’s why I want you to send the pilot model of the new camera I’ve been working on.”
“Your electronic retroscope?”
“Right, Dad. I’m sure it can help us decipher the rest of the carving.”
Tom’s latest invention was designed to “see” what a rock face-or any other surface-looked like originally, before being exposed to wear or 36 ELECTRONIC RETROSCOPE
erosion. Tom believed that it would prove highly useful in scientific research by geologists, archaeologists, and paleontologists.
The camera was based on two earlier achievements of the Swifts. One was Tom’s discovery of a hitherto unknown electromagnetic radiation given off by all matter. This had led to the invention of the Swift spectroscope and the force-ray repelatron used in Tom’s latest spaceship.
The new camera also made use of certain detector features invented by Mr.
Swift and used in Tom’s “Eye-Spy” camera which could take motion pictures through a wall or other solid object.
“If my retroscope works,” Tom went on, “it’ll not only show us the original carving, but help us determine the date of the space armada’s landing. I’m hoping we can find some other carved stones or perhaps traces of wreckage of the space vehicles. But we’ll need permission from the Mexican government to dig.”