July 4 - - 04:44UT
*******************************
----- The following transcript is from William Harrison’s and Fred Williams'  archives as a part of the history compiled by Misty Jo Garris recorded and transcribed by software from Myasia Direct Communications.--------- < p>

******

    BILL HARRISON: "Yes Fred,  I'm watching it as we speak; I've got it on the monitor, channeled into my observatory office from the 61-inch.  I also have CNN running mute, and the local Albuquerque Fox affiliate, with captions . . . and on yet another monitor, I’ve programmed Brad’s estimation of time to the ecliptic.   Are you at the eyepiece?" 

    FRED WILLIAMS:“Yes, I’m at the eyepiece.  Be advised, Bill; you are on the speaker and Misty is recording all this ‘history’; so watch your darned language!    I do not have a clock rigged where I can see it, nor have I rigged a counter.  So, if you wouldn’t mind,  while we’re on the phone, I’d like to have you do a countdown as we get close to the predicted time of ecliptic-plane crossing.   Can you do that for me?  I don’t want to miss anything . . .  I just hope we see something”

    BILL HARRISON:  "Sure, I can do that.  Right now, we have 347 seconds according to Bradley's predictions.   I'll give you a full countdown when we get to ten.  And I’m confident we will see something!  And Fred, I’ve read that Misty’s software can clean up even your language!”

    MISTY JO GARRIS:  “Hi Bill.  Yes, the software can clean it up.  I know he is kidding.  But Bill,  let me tell you, Fred says you are the one who put the “Crow Statement” in our newsgroup  posting.  Now, I’m asking:  True or not?”

    BILL HARRISON: “Ah, come on Misty.   It was late.  I thought it would be just a humorous statement to show how certain we were of ourselves.  You had gotten tired and crashed to sleep on us.  It was a ‘figure of speech’. . .”

    MISTY JO GARRIS: “You guys slipped that into the posting after I went to sleep.  I would not have signed it if I knew you going to put Crow in it!!  So we’d better see something!  Fred says it was your idea.”

    FRED WILLIAMS: "Yeah Bill. Tell Misty it wasn’t me.  It was your idea!  ‘Fess up; get right with the world!” ---------------------

Image: "The Two Ravens" Wikipedia, Arthur Rackham.   Some British Ballads

----------

BILL HARRISON: “ Okay, Okay! Yes. It was my idea. But we're a team!”

MISTY JO GARRIS:  “Of the hundreds of responses to our posting, the majority are overwhelmingly positive.   But,  I’ve seen three email responses with Crow Recipes in them, all anonymous.  So you are confident on the reputations of Fred and me?  That isn’t any different than what Jack Johnson was saying, is it?”

FRED WILLIAMS: (Fred Williams  laughing)  "You know,  Bill,  I should have mentioned it.  Misty has already researched the crow menu.  She says there isn’t much, and doubts that she can make it taste better, only bitter, like crow is supposed to be.  And that is just based on principle . . .”

(Bill Harrison, laughing in background.)

MISTY JO GARRIS:    “Crow Eating – even in a symbolic way -- will be a major media event. I’ll bet hundreds of news networks all over the world would air it. I’ll bet they’d pay to air it!   And if anyone gets to eat it, Bill, I’ll fix it for you.  I’ll convert to Vegan.  My research of recipes for crow actually turned up one that is quite old, quite English, "Umble Pie with Rook," it's called,  and though it could be made good, I can make it quite bitter.”

FRED WILLIAMS: (Laughing)    “I think she is really beginning to be  worried about us, as in you.  Would a right-minded person do what you did. . .?

“Have you seen the newscast’s about us?  Each embellishment of our individual and joint accomplishments just reminds me of how delicate a reputation like ours is and how great the tarnish and the fall if nothing happens . . . perhaps crash would be a better term . . .  Yet I think they have discussed Misty far more politely than either of us.  And for absolutely good reason.  Misty, it would be better if you dissociated yourself from out wild antics, you know?"

MISTY JO GARRIS: "I wouldn't if I could.  I'm having the time of my life.  The crow . . .  Now, that seems a little "risque."  None of this will have an effect on my company -- except perhaps to increase sales.  Besides, I feel so connected through you gentlemen, to this discovery . . .  I have confidence we will see something."

FRED WILLIAMS: “Probably everybody on the night side of the planet is watching, so we better!”

(Four seconds of  absolute silence . . . )

“And a great many are probably watching because of us and our prediction of something happening!  Meaning, who will they blame if there is nothing to see.  Yeah, they’ll blame us. Millions of people, maybe a billion people, possibly more; probably more; since it's worldwide on television; thousands of astronomers.   They are ALL ready to blame us!  This is awesome . . .   Now,  I just hope something obvious happens . . . that anyone watching can detect . . ."

BILL HARRISON:  “Hey guys, Carol Anne and Cheryl just walked into my office.   I’ll put everything on the speaker and the room mike.   Hi Sweetheart.  Are you two ready to see this?”

CAROL ANNE  HARRISON:  “Hi Misty. Hi Fred. ”

FRED WILLIAMS AND MISTY JO GARRIS TOGETHER: “Hi Carol Anne. Hi Cheryl.”

CAROL ANNE HARRISON:   “Yes Bill, darling, we are ready to see this.  They called the Chama Council Board meeting off so everyone could be with their families to watch what you three predicted would happen . . . So, since my husband ,Bill; my girlfriend from highschool, Misty;  and my good-looking friend, the fabulous Fred -- all risked their spotless reputations and anonymity . . . Yes, I’m anxious to see something happen.”

BILL HARRISON:  "Well, thanks, Honey!  It is rewarding to think even my wife is supporting me!  What kind of look is that? Just kidding, just kidding.

“OK Fred, three  minutes, five seconds . . . mark!   I suppose Visitor’s idea of the plane of the earth's orbit is very precise.  We can check it against our measurements of the ecliptic.  Hey, slight change of subject.  We both know Misty is a Member of the National Academy.”

“But the invitation to the National Academy meeting as guests of the President came as a surprise to me.  And you can’t turn the President down, so I letting  you know that Carol Anne and Cheryl are going with me to Washington tomorrow.  The government has a chopper picking us up at the Bureau of  Reclamation Camp on the north side of Chama bright and early.  Then we hop to Los Alamos to pick up some more passengers from the National Lab.  Then we helicopter to the Air Force Base at Albuquerque and catch a military charter flight direct to DC.  I think we pick up10 or 12 people from Los Alamos.  They are busing the folks from Sandia Labs to the base.  How are you and Misty going?”

FRED WILLIAMS:  “Being as far from the pulse of civilization as we are here at the ranch,  we get a real treat!  They chartered a  Lear Jet to pick us up here on my dirt-strip at the ranch and direct  to DC.”

BILL HARRISON:  “Wow.  You’ll be there probably a lot earlier than we will. What about luggage, your clothes etc.?”

FRED WILLIAMS:  “That is a story in itself.  The Secret Service contact who made the hotel and travel arrangements personally knows Misty. . . and he asked me if she were still here! like he knew she was . . .   so I put Misty on the phone . . . And that's all it took.  She continues to amaze me!  I haven’t asked her how the Secret Service knew she was here,  even . . . later I will.   Hey.  She just gave me one of them sly looks . . .”

“Misty travels a lot, you know.  So, by phone she ordered clothes and other things purchased and delivered to our hotel in DC.  She has, or her company has, a contract with people who do that sort of thing for a living. . . Not to worry!” 
   

BILL HARRISON:  “We’re traveling light, too, but not as light as you two.  I’m taking one conservative suit and some lightweight casuals, the women are taking whatever women take.  I’m glad we won’t have to do airport security!  I have come to hate flying commercial, as much as you do.”

CAROL ANNE  HARRISON:  “Misty, since we are going to be there, I want to go shopping  in the D.C. area and so would Cheryl.  Can you hook us up with the people who do that for you, since they would know where to get things?”

MISTY JO GARRIS:  “I can do better than that.  We girls will all go shopping.  I’ll show you some shops you wouldn’t believe.  Besides, it will be good therapy!  So after the Academy meeting we’ll do it.”
   

CHERYL HARRISON:  “I think I’m going to like this trip!”  

BILL HARRISON:  “OK Fred our Moment of Destiny is coming up!  To "crow" or not to "crow" . . .  15 seconds . . . ”

    “10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3,  2, 1, MARK!

“Jesus Christ!  Jesus Christ!  It just flared!  My CCD's bins all filled at once! Just whited-out!  Christ! . . . I'm grabbing my portable phone and going outside.  Give me a few seconds... Jesus Christ!    Carol Anne, Cheryl, come on.  Let's go outside.”

"Okay, Fred.  I'm on the portable,  Jesus! that is bright!   I'm going through the door to the outside...are you and Misty  there?"
   

FRED WILLIAMS:  "Yeah Bill.  We're here . . .   I'm just trying to get this after-image to wipe out.  I feel like I'm blind in one eye...but the sight is coming back.”
 

“You sure don't need a telescope to see it.  We are in the dome and it is like bright moonlight.  Brighter.   Much, much brighter  than full-moon moonlight. . . probably magnitude  -16 or -17.  We'll be able to see it easily  in daylight.”

“I'm impressed . . . 130 or so million kilometers away, and what, fifty times brighter than the full moon?  I'm impressed . . .”

  Image:NASA, Hubble, MDC Archives, M J Garris

“Misty hasn’t said a word.    She is just looking at it . . . This is not dumbstruck speechless time.  I think I’m witnessing her full realization that this is real and this is serious.  It occurs to me, watching her, that maybe you and I don’t yet understand all the reality this has suddenly become . . . and maybe she does . . .” 
 

BILL HARRISON:   "Christ Fred!  What do they want?"

FRED WILLIAMS: "I'm beginning to think it is not "us" they want.  They just want to get our attention, solidly.    At least they have stopped flashing.  Hey Bill, here’s a funny thought.  If you were asking God for some sort of ‘sign’,  how would this rate?"

BILL HARRISON:  "They don't need to flash.  I’m glad they aren’t.  I couldn’t get any sleep with that bright light flashing all night long!  I probably won’t get any sleep as it is . . .”

FRED WILLIAMS:  “Even if the course and speed haven’t changed; this qualifies as “something happening. Thankfully, no crow in our future!”

BILL HARRISON:   "Maybe crow would be the easier way.  We humans can’t be that important.  I can’t imagine any good reason another intelligence would travel between stars to contact us.  And the lead in!  To make sure we notice their arrival.  Apparently not "threatening" us.  Turning the lights up,  right on "cue," assuredly confirming what we predicted: “Something happening” when they arrive on the ecliptic.  Like building trust.  Like, no surprises.   I suspect there will be surprises.  I even sense that "we humans" may not even be the "reason" they are here.  You know?  It is getting scary.”

FRED WILLIAMS:  "Right you are.  Now is the time to start running on adrenaline.  I’m going to throw away the little introductory speech I finished putting together for tomorrow's meeting.  I think we should just wing it.  Shall we wrap this up?" 

BILL HARRISON:  "Yeah.  I guess so.  I need rest, but what has just happened probably won’t let me.   I doubt I'll be able to sleep.  Carol Anne, Cheryl and I will see you tomorrow!  I’ll be the one that looks to be dead on his feet." 

FRED WILLIAMS:   "Well, let me say this: Misty seems to be back with us.  I think she, too, would just like to get another day’s sleep and to think about this.  But she is signaling me that we ought to shut down. Finger drawn across the throat.  Perhaps too much History?  All right.  We’ll see you tomorrow. Goodnight, Bill."  

MISTY JO GARRIS: "Goodnight, Bill, and Carol Anne, and Cheryl."

BILL HARRISON:   " Goodnight Misty, Goodnight, Fred."

 This story is continued at www.xomba.com/elements_fear_six