making Flash Gordon talk - help!

Okay, I've finally gotten back to an embarassing situation - I got a FG
awhile back where there was no sound but 5 flashes. In hooking it up
to a test bed, I believe I accidentally applied +5vdc instead of -5vdc
to -5vdc test point.

In the machine I was now getting 3 flashes, and having it lock on the
third flash.

So first I replaced on the capacitors with Big Daddy's great
replacement kit, hoping that might do something. No luck, same thing -
3 flashes, locking on the third.

Now I can read down the list of flashes, but I've found this - if I
removed U11, I get NO flashes (LED is locked on upon powerup). If U11
is in, I get three flashes.

I though U11 didn't enter the picture until the third flash? Why does
it's absence cause the board to lock as it does?

Suggestions? Help me get this game speaking! Thanks, Quentin

P.S. - I believe the whole reason I couldn't hear sound first was the
speaker - doh.