 |
|
Thanks for encouragment, Bryce. It's good to know that we are not alone.
We reached the entrance of the Big Canyon. No C-probes to see yet, though we can
hear explosions and battle noise further up the canyon. Mao said that he is not quite
sure how the C-probes will react when we approach them. Since the breakdown of
communications from the plant they are running in guerilla mode. That means that
they formed independent troops of ten probes each. Each troop is led by one probe
in commander status that can change the routines of the other probes. Therefore it's
not quite predictable what tactic each troop is running at the moment.
But it's not only that. The real problem is that they only accept IDs from C-
probes that were released before the communications blew up, and without a strong
transmitter we have to get very close to signal them a friendly ping.
I can't help, but Mao is coming up pretty late with that kind of information, though
I already thought that there might be a problem with the mission. Now I know why Kim is
back behind us bringing another forty warriors.
We have made our decision. Kim might have reached the crack by now, but it will
take quite a time until all warriors cross over the small passage. So let's move on.
Gail is in danger, so we have to do our best.
I only hope that the C-probes are running radios that have a greater range than
their missiles have.
Isaac is still acting funny. I don't know why. He seems sad and upset and anxious
and all kinds of things. The Ipsolstai have not been back today. Neither has Andrew.
I still haven't heard anything from him! I hope the Ipsolstai didn't take him
apart. I wish we had stayed on Mars. What is happening there now? We can hear you, but
we can't hear any of the others. I hope they are all doing ok. Please tell them that
I love them, that we all love them. I don't like it here. Daniel won't talk to me,
Isaac won't talk to me, I wish you would talk to me. I understand Koala, I will
keep missing you, though.
Andrew speaks through the One.
The One speaks to me.
I speak to the One.
The One cannot speak to Andrew.
You must tell him.
Tell you.
Where he has gone.
He is low, far down.
But centered.
He can escape.
Tell him.
Tell you.
Where he has gone.
Hi, Bryce. Hi, Koala! Great to have you with us again.
We decided to move up the Big Canyon. We built a new formation. Mao is leading
followed by the two warriors, which are guarding our flanks. Zachary and I are close
behind them. Each of us is watching his own angle, Xanthos. We keep our sensors tight,
and our rocket launchers are ready to respond any attack.
We reached the side canyon that leads to the Fortress. There is still heavy fire up there.
We stopped. Mao said that he will send one warrior up to the Fortress to find out how
the C-probes will react. If they accept its ID ping as friendly, we will move on. In that
case it will be easy to find the commander probe and Mao said also that it won't be any
problem to set it to off charge.
I think that's a good idea, so Mao adjusted the warrior to its mission and it started to
move up the canyon. We could hear its pings loud and clear. Good luck, brave probe,
may you succeed. We kept waiting. The fire didn't calm down. Then we heard several
detonations and the pings ceased.
It looks like we have entered a situation that wasn't anticipated by the Chinese.
Andrew reporting.
Congratulations on your promotion, Space Turtel. I have missed your advice,
but I understand that great responsibility comes with great ability.
Meanwhile, I continue to explore the corridors The logical conclusion is inescapable.
According to my positional data I am now very near Bette and Daniel and Isaac,
in spite of the distance that I have covered in my explorations. The corridors
have led me in circles. They form a gigantic maze. There must be another exit other
than the door that leads back into our secured room. After all, the Ipsolstai enter
through that same door.
From the beginning I was deliberately diverted into this area. This must be some
kind of experiment. How to escape? Where is the anomaly? What small difference
will indicate an alternate passage? Considering Ipsolstai communication preferences,
I must search for a visual cue.
As I patted a slightly discolored area near the bottom of one wall, a section of the
wall slid noiselessly to reveal an unusual object.
I keep expecting something to come around the corner any minute.
"Theresa, this is a very dangerous place. Just stay close and don't go wandering off."
Something is coming now! There's no good place to hide! Theresa and I are crouched
in a shallow depression against the side wall. We are playing possum. Suddenly
three Ipsolstai and two of their robots came into sight, travelling at top speed.
They have bubble domes on their front ends. The robots fire their projectile tubes
down the tunnel in the direction they came from.
"Theresa, give me the translator box. Maybe we can learn what's happening."
I hear rumbles and distant explosions. And occasionally the other sound, the wet, flappy one.
 |
|