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Andrew reporting.
Greetings to Koala (Formerly Space Turtel). I am glad to hear again from the Captain
of Team Andrew. I have taken your recommendations under consideration. The only
reservation I have is this: If we condone what Daniel has done to present a united
front to the Ipsolstai, will they believe that we approve of his actions?
It is no small thing that he has done. Although I can't be certain, I believe that
he altered the ship's computer security so that it was momentarily open to outside
influences. The Ipsolstai don't seem to realize that a qualitatiive shift in its
function has occurred. Something is different; it's as if something is now resident
in the circuits of the ship's computer.
Commandant Perry has sent word. He is extremely busy with preparations for the Guardian-
of-Younger-Nestbrothers' coming translation, but he will see me. He wants to know what
is so important that it can't be communicated to a crew member, or to Nelson.
Nelson took us back to our room. Things are different, though. Normally the
hallways are long and open, but now thick doors are closed all over. The Ipsolstai
are attaching pieces of metal across hallways, at angles. There is an odd sort of
atmosphere, like they are waiting for something. Nelson won't say what it is.
He seems sad.
Necessary if dying it is doing we will be.
Stopping must them be we. Not enough. Not enough.
For the Imperium, but not enough.
When we got back into the room, the Ipsolstai had installed straps, like they use
when we are in zero gravity. A trio of Ipsolstai were there.
Securing now you we being. Removing spin will we soon.
Maneuvering necessary will be.
They're strapping us in now. What is going on? Koala, what does it mean if the Imperium
is destroyed?
The One does not arrive.
It is all around.
It may speak.
Now.
The Amphibians come.
Then death. We kill,
or they do.
It does not matter.
Death comes.
The One desires brotherhood.
Friendship.
Companionship.
I have been alone,
listening, but silent.
I screamed,
but none heard.
I begged,
but none knew.
So it is with the One.
It will not be.
There is another,
similar to the One.
There may be another,
exactly like the One.
The One may find it,
but first the one must speak.
The One is everywhere,
the One's voice is here.
If here is destroyed,
the One falls silent.
The only one who listens
to the One, Me, is here.
If I die, none will hear.
It will not be.
It must not be.
It is terrible to be alone.
The One shall be,
no longer.
Hi, Koala. I followed your advice and went back to that rockface with the gate
to the dome where I was trained by Burn. Bad luck. The door is closed. But
never mind, since Burn died, we can't trust the Ipsolstai anymore. At least that's
my opinion. Gail thinks that Commander Fitzgerald was a friend of Burn, but
I'm not so sure about that.
Do you know what I found when I went back to Zachary? I found another tunnel.
It's further up the Big Canyon. I descended the I-Flyer to have a closer look at it.
But now I can't see a gate.
No, there is definitely no gate. Maybe it's a natural lava pipe or the gates are
just hidden. Don't worry, no dots on my radar either.
I flew into that cave and landed. There is also that orange layer at the bottom.
Koala, do you really think that the smoke was artificial? Sounds reasonable to
me. Maybe this tunnel is the source of the smoke, so I should walk in a little
further to find out.
Just before I start to explore, Koala, you are keeping up the thesaurus, aren't you?
May I ask you a favor? Can you name it Enoch's cave? You know, there is Jose's
cave and there is Andrew's and Isaac's cave, so nearly all names are used. It's not
that I'm vain, but it sounds good, you know.
"Zachary, I will start the I-Flyer again to watch your six, as Orpheus would say.
Guess what? I think that I found the source of that smoke."
"Zachary, don't get into any of that green liquid. Just get a small sample for
analysis. It was really hard for you to get the orange crackly stuff off your
casing, and I'm not sure we have replacement lenses for your sensors. You
wouldn't want to have only your taster dish to use; how could you send any
nice pictures back to Earth?"
See, Koala? I'm not panicking. I can think of the welfare of my brother probes, even
if I'm stuck in a narrow tunnel. I asked Theresa to use the translator box like you said.
She says that Commander Fitzgerald is happy that his orange smoke is effective against
the Amphibians. I told her to send him a distress signal.
Koala, maybe Miss Chang isn't getting along very well with Hamlet, but it's probably
just a misunderstanding. Miss Chang seemed stunned when I told her about the eggs.
She wants me to take one apart to see what's inside, but I don't think Burn would have
wanted me to do that. Is that a new game, What's Inside?
"That's a good idea, Gail. I'll take a sample of that green liquid. Don't
worry, the liquid isn't sticky. My best regards to Commander Fitzgerald.
Please, ask him, if there are still any Amphibians around, and take care
of the eggs."
Koala, that green liquid was inside the armor and also inside the creature.
It escaped, when we opened it. Elder Brother cut through the armor and
the flesh at the same time. He couldn't avoid that, because his lasers are
so strong. But I'm sure that there was no sound of decompression at all,
when we opened them. Most likely they were already dead.
"Enoch! What about the Amphibians? Can you see something at your radar?"
Koala, I can provide better news about that last hump. Guess, what was
sending the signals. You won't believe it.
It was Gen.
It looks okay. I'm still trying to get that film off. But I'm nearly finished. It
was really a lucky probe, wasn't it? It went through the lines and survived.
Maybe the Amphibians were chasing it, when they were hit by that smoke.
"Enoch, everything roger down here. Let's move up to your cave now."
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