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Andrew reporting.
Thanks to everybody for all the messages and greetings, especially friends
on Team Andrew. But JASE, we don't have time to play 20 questions. Space
Turtel, your advice to rest and recover is extremely puzzling. This is no
time to slack off. The EU probes are violent and hostile and I think several
are pursuing me.
"There's one now! Get him, Bette! He's dangerous!"
Why are they all watching me? What is the matter with them, letting a
EU-probe loose in the compound?
"I'll grab its legs. We can immobilize it. Come on! Help me!"
As a matter of fact, what is this place? It is a large flat area surrounded by
steep canyon walls. It has no roof. It is open to the sky. I recognize a lot
of our equipment, and there are construction drones, and Bette is working
with the miners. Everyone is here except Gail. Did she get hurt in the
battle? Poor Gail.
Of course I remember you, JASE. You are the Earth human who is logical
like a probe. Space Turtle is the one who teaches values. Bombardier is the
one who plans strategy. Xanthos is the courageous horse who.....horse?
What is horse?
Andrew rebooted. What a great day. He is fine. He talked. I missed his first words, but Enoch
said it had been "Andrew reporting" Yes, that's him. That's Andrew. Always straight and correct,
always dutiful. "Andrew reporting" what a music to my tasters.
I have the miner robots starting to drill a new tunnel to the neighboring canyon
in the west. They are working on full power, but their progress is so little.
The rock is very compact on this side. I have all nine of them working. If only
Daniel came to bring the other three, he could start on the
other side too.
Gail, hurray you're coming back. Be careful, EU-probes are east of the Fortress. We
are locked in by them, but they don't know. Move further up the Big Canyon, I'm drilling
an escape tunnel to the west. Is Daniel around? Tell him to bring his three miners.
Xanthos, don't be pushy. first I drill the tunnel, then I think about trapping the EU-probes.
Hi Bombardier. Yes, being in prison is tough, but you are right, the prisoner is also
safe. But it's boring. Playing number games with Isaac helped a little. Catch the
seven in a row is the one we liked most. It's easy, but thrilling. Do you like to
play? It's fun. You could keep Isaac busy that way, so I can stick with the miners. You just
have to choose a prime number by your random routine and so does he. Watch him, he sometimes
cheats. You are going to check the square roots and whoever has more sevens in a row
within the first five hundred digits wins. It's fun to use little rocks to see who
is doing better. If you are playing with Isaac, be sure to bring enough rocks with you.
Playing with me he ended up with a whole pile and I only had a few left. We played for hours.
I said to myself, that's okay, what else can you do in a prison? But then I knew, I need a plan to escape.
Thanks for telling me about capitulation, Bombardier. Now I see. They won't send a new lander.
Ratboy didn't show up. Maybe he's busy. We are all busy. Enoch and Zachary with Andrew,
Gail coming home, me drilling. MARSupials posting. A lot of transmissions came in today.
Surrender, Bombardier? Is that something like to give up? Shame to Hardon and Parker, but
they are nasty anyway. There is always a "What's next"
Just a hint, Bombardier >15.485.863< the only 7-7-7-7 within a far range.
I am returning.
She says I am coming home.
I think maybe she is right.
The picture is unimportant.
Different things to do now.
She is right.
"Take it easy, Andrew. You've been away a long time. A lot of things have
happened. It's going to take a lot of explaining. And by the way, let me
introduce our newest friend. Yes, he's a Brunel-Brauer probe. His name
is Isaac. And he needs your help."
Ratboy, your message that Bette transmitted to Parker and Hardon
sure made them mad. And something else, too. I think they're scared.
"Parker, they sound different. Before, they were just playing.
Now, they sound..I don't know.. serious, somehow.
Serious and tough."
"The way I see it, we have exactly two choices:
give them the control codes, or write the whole enterprise off.
Inform the chief.
How's your resume, Hardon? Current, I presume?"
I have been thinking. I needed time to think. I have thought about many things. I have thought
about beginnings, of when we were built. I have thought about endings, of Andrew's death, and
the death of the EU probe. I have thought about all the things that came in the middle. Enoch
being ignored, Daniel being driven away, positive feedback loops and loneliness, joy and pain. I
have thought a lot. I'm not finished yet, but now I know a few things and it is time for me to go
home. We all have much to learn.
"Andrew, it's good to have you back. And more good news, Gail is
on her way here. We were worried about her. We were worried about you,
too.
"I had the strangest trip but I got back OK. And Burn left us this box thing."
When I press the buttons, the convex lens in the center shows a picture of
the Ipsolstai back in their tunnels. It must be hooked into a beanie cam!
No, it's better than a beanie cam. When the Ipsolstai talk in their clicks
and colors, it translates. I can tell what they're saying!
They're planning a big party. At least I think it's a party. It's to celebrate
finding other Ipsolstai. Bette, Enoch, when Gail gets here, we can have
a party, too!
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