He picked up a stapled sheaf of papers from his desk.
"'Analysis of word usage indicates a complete knowledge of the English language'—that's brilliant, isn't it? 'The ideational content and general semantic tone of the alien speech indicates a relatively high intelligence.
"'Usage is current, precise....' Bob, the man who wrote that report is one of the finest semantics experts in the solar system. He's the brain that finally broke that ancient Martian ceremonial language they found on the columns."
"Well, mastermind," said Mills. "What will the Engineering report say when you get around to writing it?"
"Engineering report? What are you talking about?"
"You didn't read the memo on your desk then? The one that requested a preliminary report from every department by 2200 today."
"Good God, no," said Harrison snapping up the thin yellow sheet. "What in hell has a sword got to do with Engineering?"
"What's it got to do with Semantics?" mocked Robert Mills.
Construct this. It is defective. Correct that which renders it not useful.