OutBound Transmission Started on September 12, 1997
To: Zachary
From: Bombardier on September 12, 1997 at 18:07
Hi Zachary, it's Bombardier. It may be possible for the Ipsolstai to not know that the Groove has opened, but I don't know for certain. We know so little about it. I think that it would be best to proceed as if this is a possibility.
To: Daniel
From: Bombardier on September 12, 1997 at 18:04
Hi Daniel, it's Bombardier. I haven't had a chance to comment on your actions the other night. It would have been best if you had coordinated your actions with the other probes, but what happened was really great. Things seem to be working out well.

Now, I have to ask: did YOU blow up the lander or did the EU-probes do that themselves? It doesn't matter either way, I am just curious.

To: Bette
From: Bombardier on September 12, 1997 at 18:01
Hi Bette, it's Bombardier. The probe that's orbiting Mars right now is called Mars Global Surveyor (MGS). It is really nothing more than a camera in space. It has a transmitter to send pictures back to Earth and a receiver to direct it in its orbit and pretty much nothing else. It would be really boring to try and play with it, more boring than the drones. Its purpose is to map the entire surface of Mars so that we (Earth-bound people) can see interesting areas in detail and to find potential future landing sites.
To: Andrew
From: Bombardier on September 12, 1997 at 17:54
Hi Andrew, it's Bombardier. There's something wrong with your memory. You should have nearly perfect recall of past events. Can you run a diagnostic check of your systems to make sure they are working properly? Thanks!
To: Enoch
From: Ratboy on September 12, 1997 at 17:16
Hello Enoch, This is Ratboy. Space Turtle made a good point. I had become so frustrated with the disrespect that Parker and Harden where showing to my friends on Mars, that I made an emotional decision to return that disrespect. You may want to save that message for use at a later date.
It may be best not to answer them at all for now. Although, I must point out that, ignoring someone is a much nastier form of disrespect. Space Turtles concern that you are getting outside help is the real issue.
To: Daniel
From: Ratboy on September 12, 1997 at 16:59
Hello Daniel, This is Ratboy. What part of you do you miss the most? Is there anything I can do to help?
To: Zachary
From: Ratboy on September 12, 1997 at 16:53
Hello Zachary, This is Ratboy. Once again you have shown a Human quality. Our "youngsters" feel the same way. But, just when they think they know everything there is to know, something new comes along and the learning process continues. That is what we live for. To keep learning new things. Keep an open mind, my friend.
To: Zachary
From: Taz on September 12, 1997 at 14:20
Zachary,

This is JASE. You asked, "Does this mean I can ask
Burn to do things for me and he has to do them?" If the individual owing the debt is sincere about honoring the debt, then yes that individual would WANT to do anything that you asked. BUT, it is NOT proper to misuse the debt of honor by asking the individual do do things just to see if he will honor the debt. You did not save Burn just to see what you could get out of it did you. No, you did it because it was the right thing to do. The next right thing you need to do, is to accept the fact that Burn feels a debt of honor to you without requiring any return on the debt.

TTFN

Your friend,

JASE

To: Daniel
From: Koala on September 12, 1997 at 12:54
Daniel, this is Space Turtel.

I see that my reference to a clean slate was not a great success. You took my words literally when they were intended to be a common Earth expression in the American version of the English language. There are many expressions that have meanings different from the literal meaning of the words that comprise them. I am certain we will encounter more as we converse.

I am very glad you answered Ratboy and me. You and he seem to understand each other without effort. I am glad for you. It must seem sometimes that we speak a different language than what you were taught. When we use expressions (such as 'clean slate'), we probably are from your point of view. Do not worry, you will learn just as quickly as the other Probes did when they first began to talk to us. It may seem you are at a disadvantage because we were out of contact with each other for so long, but the truth is that you have an advantage the others did not, you could listen to the lessons and learn from them. That will make it much easier for you as you strive to speak and understand our expressions with the same ease as the other Probes. Soon you will find conversing with us to be "easy as pie."

Please don't ask me to explain where that expression came from. I don't know and it is not high on my priorities to find out. Some expressions in the English language have continue long beyond the conditions that spawned them in the first place. That is part of what we call the character of our language. It is also what makes English such a difficult language to learn and to use correctly. In fact you can probably detect errors in grammer from most of the MARSupials, and that should prove better than anything else how difficult it is to always be precisely correct in using English.

The "bottom line"* here is do not become discouraged. Soon you will be using the language better than the rest of us.

Your friend, Space Turtel.

* "bottom line" is an expression that originates from the concept of a list or equation where each element is listed in a vertical collumn. A line is drawn underneath the collumn and the result is written beneath it. The result, is called the "bottom line" which is a shortened version of the original expression "what's under the bottom line." This is a good example of how an expression cannot be taken literally in order to translate it to its intended meaning.

To: Andrew
From: JASE on September 12, 1997 at 11:11
Andrew,

This is JASE. Can you hear me? You have not responded to any of the questions that I have asked for several days. If you can hear me, please review the last few days transmissions and answer the questions that I asked. Or at the very least, please acknowledge that you are receiving my transmissions.

TTFN

Your friend,

JASE