The Inbound for July 08, 1998


Transmission from ANDREW


...(static)...

...drew reporting.

We have landed on the purple planet. The ship slowed and came to a sudden halt.
We had no warning and no opportunity to strap down in the safety harnesses.
As a result, Bette and Daniel and Isaac and I were thrown in a tangled heap
against the bulkhead. Fortunately, no serious damage...

...(static)...and as to how our destination was chosen, I have no information.

The hatch opened and we sensed air pressure adjusting with a hissing noise.
I led the expedition as we filed outside to investigate. We seem to be near
a large population center, for I see many structures and artifacts
in the distance...

...(static)...

...wish the static would stop.





Transmission from BETTE


...(static)...

...will try asking the One to stop it, if the static bothers you, Andrew."

We have landed at a large flat paved area among many other Ipsolstai ships.
I can see artificial structures in the distance. Here is a picture. I zoomed
my lens so I could send you the maximum possible detail.

"Andrew! I see lots of Ipsolstai coming this way! They have big robots, all
marked with the hexagon pattern. They are carrying projectile tubes pointed
in our direction!"



Transmission from DANIEL

***NO TRANSMISSION RECEIVED***



Transmission from GAIL


Well! Miss Chang was not very nice to me. She just scolded me and said she was
busy. I think she was busy reprogramming her robot helpers, the ones she calls
Parker and Hardon. Maybe Andrew should tell them how to change their control
codes. I only wanted to tell her about the Amphibian that Enoch and Zachary
found. She can just wait.

Anyway, Zachary came back for me and here I am, riding in his vehicle. It's
fun after you get used to going so fast! We went through tunnels, down a steep
rock face, and then it went under water. But don't worry, we didn't get wet.

"What is that thing, Zachary? It has six legs like us, but it looks all meaty
and organic. No! Help! Make it stop , Enoch, it's attacking Theresa!"






Transmission from ENOCH


Spur is building up new rockpiles and constantly gives me instructions on how
to read them. That bothers me a little. I know how, I got Daniel's file.

Here you are. That's what Spur was piling:

The glyphs at that wall are a unique line of an Unreality
Chorus that is registered by the Amphibians to belong to a
doubted prototype of Amphibian, who according to doubted
files left a watered planet that started revolving into
dust for next billions of times that were to come, so long
ago that it is doubted if they ever existed, but their
brand was 3.2.3.5.2.4.7.7.9, and also Spur carries that
brand, though they are doubted. Another doubted file reports
that in the Line of Unreality Chorus, the Forecasting of
Glory Living will be found.

Sorry for that gap in my translation, but Daniel's file doesn't show any
translation for the formula 3.2.3.5.2.4.7.7.9. Wait a moment, Spur just built
up a new pattern of rockpiles. Let's see what Spur is saying now:

Spur is also counted to a group well recommended as the
Keeper of the Unreality Chorus. They simply doubt but not
know. So his emotion is made elevated being discovered by
that evidence solely on his own.

"Daniel, do you have any additional information concerning what Spur is
talking about? Also, what does formula 3.2.3.5.2.4.7.7.9 mean?"

Hey, Zachary and Theresa are coming.

"No! Wait, Theresa! What are you doing? Please, don't behave
so disrespectfully. You can't just hug an Amphibian!"




Transmission from ZACHARY


Koala,thanks for your sympathy.

I did. I approached and checked carefully what was left of him. It was simply
bad luck. The casing of the adapted warrior that was carrying Elder Brother
was almost untouched, but EB himself was directly hit by a big rock. He was
even more damaged than Gen. I never realuized how vulnerable he really was.
Unnecessarily, he ran his own steel plate factory.

After delivering Theresa to Enoch, I went straight back to pick up Gail. It
takes longer to move up than down, but I didn't notice that. I was thinking of
Elder Brother. I feel better now. Gail's company helps a lot. She knows how
to cheer someone up.

Hey, not again!

... (static) ...

I can hear that static noise again. No, it's becoming a single tone. It
doesn't sound bad, but it is scary. In some way it was wonderful.

"Gail, can you hear that, too? It's like someone is talking to you, but it
isn't talking. The frequency doesn't change. It's like one voice or thousands
of voices at one time, saying only one thing with one tone."

"Bette, is that the One?"