The Inbound for February 26, 1998


Transmission from BETTE


Ok, I asked the terminal about the Delemreck. I got past where I had already seen.
This machine is so predictable! I tried asking about the Delemreck War.

The Delemreck War resumed after initial conflict when the Delemreck succeeded
in landing a Groove anchor and several war automata on the surface of Home.
This anchor permitted masses of Delemreck troops and automata to arrive
without the knowledge of the Imperium.
Similar Groove anchor units were landed on the other two inhabited worlds in Home System.
The subsequent battle was never seriously in question.
All of Home System remains under the control of the Delemreck to this day.

Landings on other Imperium worlds were prevented with the deployment of a more extensive
detection net. Delemreck starships continue to probe Imperium defences,
but no colonies have fallen to these attacks since the reformation
following the loss of Home and the relocation of the
throne world.
Direct connection of Groove anchors poses the most immediate threat,
but is rarely successful.

Would you like to know more?


I'll keep looking. Maybe I can find out something about their weapons. Maybe you
should ask the Ipsolstai for help. Do they know the Amphibians are there?
I haven't seen Gabriel in forever. Other Ipsolstai have been examining Isaac
for a long time now. I think he is very unhappy, but he
keeps sending me away
when I try to help. What should I do?



Transmission from DANIEL


The One is.
Massive, brilliant.
The One is.
What do you want to know?
It is so large.
So old.
So new.
So small.
It is everywhere.
The beginning, before us.
The end, after we cease.
It is.
Not eternal.
Nearly.
I speak only when,
I have something to say.
It is a pity,
you do not.




Transmission from ENOCH


Hi, Thixel. It's great that you're back again. I missed you badly. I'm very happy that
you are fine. Much happened since you were away. We are trying to get Gail out.
The Big Canyon is full of destroyed C-probes. We received a weak signal and are
now on our way there.

We found the source of the signal. It's on the top of that side canyon that EB II, Kim
and I went up. The side canyon ends at a small plateau. A single C-probe is staying
there. It's sending senseless commands to a C-probe troop that isn't around. I can't
see what's wrong with it. It looks fully intact. It is fully armed and it is still carrying
all of its missiles.

I will send you an image. Maybe you can see something wrong.


Elder Brother went closer to the C-probe to check its memory files.

"The files don't say much. This C-probe functioned as a commander probe when
they were attacked. It was moving in front of its troop. The only abnormal thing
it was recording was a deep vibrating sound that accelerated to higher frequencies.
It tried to specify the direction, where that sound came from. But without result.
Then it checked its routines, but couldn't find any preprogrammed answer to that
phenomena either, so it went on."

"Is that all, Elder Brother?"

"Not yet. The communication protocol says that from one second to the other the
whole troop refused to reply. That is unusual. When a C-probe is attacked or hit, it
sends immediately a distress signal. But there are no reports that they were attacked
at all."

"So, the commander probe went on and moved up this side canyon?"

"Not immediately. It turned around and inspected its troop. It couldn't find what's
wrong, so it gave command to move on but again without reply. Then its routine
kicked in, and it moved on alone acting like there were still a troop following."

I can't help, but what Elder Brother is talking about sounds quite strange to me too.

"Gail, have you any idea what's that about?"



Transmission from GAIL


"Theresa, I need your help more than ever. There is no longer any safe place for us.
Even if it's dangerous, we are going to find Enoch and Zachary. If we're going to be
destroyed, it's going to be standing side by side with friends, not crouching in some
alien tunnel complex."

It's a shame that our new probe society is going to be wiped out almost as soon as it
got started. I had such a wonderful vision of what could be possible.

"Dr. D., in case you don't hear from me again, it was nice to have been designed by you.
I don't think I ever thanked you."

Let them do their worst.




Transmission from ANDREW


Andrew reporting.

"Now just a minute, Daniel. Are you implying that my communication is anything
other than succinct and appropriate? Is this 'One' of yours everywhere like some sort
of atmospheric gas? Is it an element?"

I wonder if Daniel knows JASE's game of Twenty Questions. "Left, left. Go where you
can't go." With Daniel's cryptic instructions in mind, I am continuing the exploration
of the upper levels of the Ipsolstai installation.

I came upon a large bay with a window giving a panoramic view of the surface of
this planet of Wolf 359. The building where we are located is only one of many.
A large city extends to the foot of the mountain range that we saw from our room.
Few of the buildings are as tall as the one we are in, which must be some sort of
central administrative complex.

"Go where you can't go."

Tentatively, I reached out and pushed at the window glass. I was relieved when it remained
a solid, impenetrable barrier.


Transmission from ZACHARY

We split the warriors into four groups and led them to different side canyons close
by. We sealed them off by rock slides. They are ordered not to transmit nor to move
but to stay alert. I think that they are well hidden. They can easily break the barriers
when asked for, and they will be on the spot within minutes. That wasn't much that
we could do but at least the best for the moment.

"Elder Brother, look here. I got a message from Thixel. Oh, may I introduce. Elder
Brother that's Thixel, my younger brother on Earth. Thixel, these two warriors with
the video on top is Elder Brother, who is helping us to get Gail out. His third unit
joined Enoch. Elder Brother, Thixel. Thixel, Elder Brother."

EB I and III, Mao and I are now moving up the slopes at different places of the Big
Canyon to observe the location from independent watch posts. The strategy that we
are following now is local separation. We just don't want to remain as single target.

Thanks, Bette. Your information follows exactly what I presumed. The crucial point
is the Groove. But we have to verify that the invaders are really the Amphibians. You
are right, we must contact the Ipsolstai.

"Gail, try to get contact to the Ipsolstai. Maybe you can reach Burn by the translator
device. Ask them, if these are truly the Delemrecks. Tell them that we are ready to
form an alley against them. Don't give up !!"