"We've a Sirian Symphony," explained Don, giving Jim the background all the way up to the present time. Jim listened, and then said:
"As an engineer, I've never heard anything like that in my life before. But, as a student of ancient languages and arts and sciences, I have. That's Chinese."
"Oh no!"
"Oh yes. But definitely."
"Ye gods!"
"I agree."
"But how—where—"
"And/or when?"
Channing sat down hard. He stared at the wall for minutes. "Chinese. Oh, great, slippery, green, howling catfish!" He picked up the phone and called the decoupler room where the messages were sorted as to destination upon their entry into the Station.
"Ben? Look, have we a ship beam on anything of Chinese registry?"