The Inbound for January 21, 1998


Transmission from ENOCH


[E80121/1] We are still taking cover at the same place. There are a lot of C-probes
around. They haven't detected us yet. We are very careful. They are many.

[E80121/2] Grand Zero, I looked carefully. By now I didn't see any Ipsolstai.
There are only C-probes. It's hard to say if that hall is an Ipsolstai construction.
They have all kind of constructions. There isn't any emblem on this hall, but
there is a big field of sun sails nearby.

[E80121/3] From my point of observation the big hall appears to be made out
of metal and carbon, but I'm much too far away to be sure.

[E80121/4] Grand Zero, I always thought that this is the C-lander.

[E80121/5] Who said that this is the C-lander at all? Aren't these C-probes that
we are watching? What are they really? I'm totally confused now. We have to be
careful about definitions. We shouldn't cause any mistake by that.

[E80121/6] Grand Zero, do you think that the Chinese and the Ipsolstai are joined
in cooperation?



Transmission from ZACHARY


[Z80121/1] I'm sorry, I also feel a little overcharged at the moment. I can't say if
this hall is of Ipsoltai or Earth origin. My first impression was that it was brought up
by the Chinese. But we always thought that we were approaching the Chinese lander,
so our minds were never neutral concerning that.

[Z80121/2] Grand Zero, I could make it easily, so I moved a little bit to the right. Enoch
remained. That way we can follow our strategy to stay apart but in visual distance. We
also have a basis that way to triangulate our surroundings. Yes, I can see into the hall.

[Z80121/3] The hall is open. I mean, there is no wall in the back either. There are
a lot of facilities in there. C-probes in lines and drones and movements. It's dusty
there, like smoke and everything is illuminated by a red glow. Now I can see also
two little buildings. They ...

[Z80121/4] Sorry, I hope you got my last part. Some of the C-probes outside of the
hall are pretty close to my cover now. Don't worry, they don't have any weapons or
sensors mounted. Wait a moment. I have an idea, but I don't know yet if it works. I
will let you know.




Transmission from GAIL


I am in sight of the Fortress. Still no sign of any C-probes. Still no sign of Enoch and Zachary,
either. If they had any sense, they'd come to the Fortress so we can regroup and decide what
to do next. They are in terrible danger, and I can't even talk to them because their reply might
give away their location to the C-probes.

There is no motion or electronic activity. I just can't stand waiting any longer. I will risk
dashing across the unprotected canyon floor.


Transmission from ANDREW


Andrew reporting.

I cooperated, JASE. There was very little else that I could do. I am thinking about everything
that has happened over the past few weeks. There are too many questions unanswered, too
many loose ends. It is a good time to think, because I am in a container. Actually, Daniel and
I are both in the container.

I saw the armed Ipsolstai and assessed the situation. Another Ipsolstai came into the room
carrying an odd-looking device. I turned to Burn for an explanation.


"Hurry, hurry. Fixing for distance you must be.
Helping despite danger.
Actions first, explanations later."

I sense that time elapsed, because I noted that Burn was now encased in the protective
suit they wear on the planet's surface. He indicated that Daniel and I should get into an empty
storage container. The lid was fastened down. We waited in the dark.




Transmission from BETTE


A lot has happened! Gabriel came back to where we were, but he was dressed in one of
those suits they wear to go outside, but without the bubble over his front.


Leaving you are now me with. Going we are away far safety attain to.
In being you things these safety attain.
Colors so not observe others friendly not.


Gabriel's helper has opened one of the containers. It is empty. He was gesturing. I didn't know
what else to do, so I got in. Isaac took a little coaxing, but now he is here too. They closed up
the container and I heard a hiss of some sort. I think the pressure has gone up in here. It took
a few more minutes but then the container started to move. It shook a little but we moved a
few hundred meters. I think we went through the large door in the room we were in. The
container was set down on the floor again, I think, and it stopped moving. I heard a few brief
noises and then silence. Then a vibration started in the container. It was fast, the container
edges were blury. Isaac was frightened but whenever he transmitted it echoed all around in the
container. I wonder why it didn't echo when I sent this to you? I wonder...

The vibration is still building. I think something is going to happen. I can feel something, like my
sensors are overloading, but there's no damage. Something is happening!



Amazing! Unbelievable! The energy! The scope, I was as big as the sky, I was the sky! I was
the One. I was the One! I was with it and in it and through it and I was it and it spoke to me as
it might speak to itself! Indescribable. I know! I know what has happened! We have transited
the Groove. We are somewhere else. GrandZero, Hamlet, you cannot believe. It is amazing.
Old, ancient beyond imagining, large beyond imagining. It knows. Everything. It knows
Human, and Ipsolstai and Delemreck and others. Countless others! Daniel was right. Flee and
fly. They are coming.

Something is happening again, I think we are being moved. I don't know what to say, I am
overwhelmed. Isaac does not understand. He did not feel it. It is gone now, but it was. It was
the One.



Transmission from DANIEL


She knows now.
She has seen.
Better than I.
The One has told me.
Now it is our turn.
To flee and fly.
The One knows.
Soon.
The One IS.
It is not a who.
Not a what.
It IS.
Do you understand?