'Let me see those tablets again,' she said. The Delta men brought the tablets out of their packs. Kenny G took snapshots of them with his scanner. A moment later, their images came up on Chase's screen. The computer beeped: DATAMAP IMAGE: 02-1476 IMAGES CORRELATE TO 0 PREVIOUSLY MAPPED IMAGES. ANALYSING INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS. PROCESSING… INDIVIDUAL COMPONENT MATCH. COMPONENT: MATCHES 3 PREVIOUSLY MAPPED IMAGES: 1. WARRIOR'S NOSE ORNAMENT (62.3%) 2. TREE (41.0%) 3. WATER BUFFALO (34.9%) 'Warrior's nose ornament,' Chase thought aloud. She turned to Kenny. 'Could be a societal hierarchy.' She arranged the tablets based on the faces they represented-warriors, laymen, children sliding them into the slots in the shiny black floor. The raised + sign in each slot fitted into each tablet perfectly, like keys. The only problem was, Chase was wrong. THE PRICE OF FAILURE The last tablet slid into place and, instantly, Chase saw movement out of the corner of her eye. She leapt backwards, away from the doorway.
