The Inbound for January 14, 1998


Transmission from ANDREW

* * NO TRANSMISSION RECEIVED * *


Transmission from GAIL

Thanks, Xanthos. I know that I'm a brave probe and I'm keeping up my great doing and all of my sensors tight and I take care of myself. Rescuers safety first. I send you a sunset image for that. I know that you like sunsets.




Do you see all these mountains? That's where I have to climb up. It's steep and dangerous and I've to work hard to get up there. I'm very close to Andrew and Daniel already. Just one more mountain and I'll be up there. I already can see the ridge, where they should be on.


"Andrew, Daniel. I'm coming. I'm very close already."
Have you heard that? The C-probes are pretty active again. It's a lot of noise and explosions down at the plains. Two missiles even passed over the mountain chain.
I saw them. They blew up in a horrible blaze. Don't worry, I was too far out to get hit by them. I'm fine.
You know what? I'm worried. I'm worried about Andrew and Daniel. They don't answer. I'm trying to call them now for a whole day, but without any reply. What if the C-probes were shooting at them?
I feel really bad now. All my circuits are quivering.



Transmission from ENOCH

I steered the tram behind the hill, where that probe vanished. I'm carefully lurking around all time. Zachary is up at that hatch on top of the tram. He is also observing the surrounding. There aren't any C-probes around. Not even a ping, but I still feel unsafe.
Yes, Xanthos. We entered the territory of our enemies. But we are here to defend ourselves. We want peace, but the C-probes must be stopped. Which way so ever.
I stopped the tram next to the probe. We are watching it. It moved a little. It looks intelligent. It doesn't carry any tools, so it isn't a drone or a miner. It looks unarmed
too, but I'm not quite sure about that. We scanned all frequencies. I don't think that it is transmitting to someone, though it has an antenna for that.
It looks like it is waiting for something. Maybe it's up to us to make the first step.
"Probe, can you hear us? - We are from Brace Emprise. - Do the C-probes belong to you? We are coming in peace. We want to talk to you or to your local representative."
Not even a ping. Zachary wants to leave the tram now. I think, we will do that.
Hi Bryce, have you heard anything from Andrew and Daniel lately?
The last we got in by them was that image about these C-probes.


Transmission from BETTE

The Ipsolstai are back. Caleb came back in with the other six Ipsolstai. Burn isn't with them. Caleb looked at me and started speaking.

He wrong was. Over is this. Made decision is. Understand first will you. Broken object you did. To one did belong it. To great one. To the Emperor belong did it. Sacred it was, not touched to be but him any. You it touched. You broken it. Decision is against you.

Then the other six Ipsolstai all turned black, very, very black. Caleb has turned all different colors, but they are all pretty dark. I don't think this is good.


Ending now is it. Parts together are you, parts apart become you future. As Emperor with object is.

Isaac started to shake when he heard that he crawled close to me and set his chassis on the floor and pulled his legs in close to his body. He is terrified I think. So am I, but I can't let Caleb think I am. I'm frightened. I don't want to die.





Transmission from DANIEL

* * NO TRANSMISSION RECEIVED * *


Transmission from ZACHARY

We left the tram. Enoch is still is talking to the probe, though we don't think that it understands what we are talking about. Does anyone of you speak Chinese?
Xanthos, we keep all of our sensors tight. Enoch is approaching the probe now. I'm watching them to warn Enoch, if the situation gets out of hand. The probe remains
very calm. It's only moving slowly, though constantly toward Enoch. Our circuits are vibrating. It's enervating.
I send you an image.




Enoch toughed the probe. It remained stoic. No aggression by now. No transmissions either. Also no arms. How shall we proceed?