the genus two calculations of [@golm1]. The idea of an $S$-matrix is fully compatible with our interpretation of the instability of the states $|n \ra$.

Basis Independence
==================

It is our intention to derive a formula for the decay widths which can be compared with future calculations in light-cone string field theory. We must therefore determine the effect of the change to the basis in which gauge theory and string theory calculations should match. It turns out that the result is not changed by the basis transformation (at least to order $g_2^4)$. Basis independence would be a triviality if it were implemented as a standard “change of representation” in quantum mechanics, since matrix elements are invariant. However, things are not entirely trivial since states and operators actually transform contragrediently. We follow the recent paper [@sv], although the same result should emerge from the similar formalism of [@caltech].

The metric $g_{ij}$ defined by the free two-point functions of the $\co_i$ of (\[2pt\]) can be referred to local frames using the vielbein g\_[ij]{} = e\^k\_i \_[kl]{} e\^l\_j We found the usual practice of different fonts for the “frame” and “coordinate” indices confusing in the present application, so we prefer to emphasize that 