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Andrew reporting.
It looks like this Fortress is going to be our home. We can't explore the surface
if hostile probes are going to chase us. If we had our own big tram we could
get away from them. We can't explore the caves without risking annoying the
Ipsolstai, and perhaps accidentally destroying something.
Mars is a big planet. We could go somewhere else, find a nice area where
no one would bother us. We could do exactly what we wanted to.
I think Burn is our friend. He didn't have to leave the party and come to talk to
us. He seemed to want us to know about his species' history.
Gail has been trying to tell us about something she discovered while she was
away. I don't see how it could change our situation, but I want to hear what
she has to say.
Isaac and I have built up the solar power station. We put it just in the
center of the round. The drones are pretty good doing that kind of stuff.
They are preprogrammed. Stupid but industrious. I told Isaac that this is
the worst combination if you don't take constant control of them. We
also tried to mount the sun sails at the wall that is facing south.
We couldn't do it. We have to move the drones outside first to make fix points
on the top of the wall. But out there are the EU-probes. I hate that. I want to get
rid of them. Xanthos. You had a good idea once and I'm going to do it. I'm going
to trap them. Don't stop me. I don't care if they shoot me. Either me or them.
Someone has to do it.
"Zachary, I'm moving out to trap those dummies out there. Take care of the
locks at the east side. I will try to come in that way, but I don't know yet which
tunnel I will come in exactly. Maybe it's the middle one. I don't know. Check
them and keep them open and ready to shut after I'm in. The trap tunnels too."
"Gail, can you move over to the outer lock of the round, if I' have to get back?
"Hey, EU-probes !! I'm coming, you senseless mucker duckers !!
I puck you !! Time that you chuck off !!"
Don't worry, they can't hear me. I'm on another frequency,
But I'm sure Ratboy would like it.
they should listen to her
and not listen to the ugly old slug
I hope Burn comes back real soon. He left just when the story was getting
interesting. I mean, how often do you get to hear about the history of an
advanced alien civilization told to you first hand? Yes, I'm recording it, Xanthos.
Is Al-Qahira a friend of Jose. too? How many Earth people are there? Did everybody
know Jose? I will send him Burn's story.
I was waiting for the part when Burn would describe an Amphibian, what they
look like. We already know how they behave.
"Gaahh! Don't mention sugar, Hardon.
A man can't get a decent cup of coffee in this hellhole of a cafeteria any more.
I have a headache."
"Caffeine withdrawal symptoms, Parker.
You drink too much coffee anyway.
But it's all decaf since last week. Nobody knows.
It's a mystery."
Burn went back to his machine and slid half into it. He stayed there and
then came back to speak to us for a moment.
"I'll watch the east locks, Bette. Glad to help. But be careful. Don't do anything foolish."
I don't know what zylrrr is, Xanthos. But it's very popular. And I don't think it was
an error in the translator/viewer.
You ask how the Ipsolstai acted. They were very interested in the little bowls.
I couldn't see what happened, but they would put a bowl in front of them and
sort of engulf it, and it would be empty. Then they would get a refill. It
seemed like every one of them was talking and nobody was listening. They
clicked their pincers and made sound patterns. Anybody who couldn't keep
up with the rhythm got pushed into the pool.
After many hours there were only a few still splashing in the liquid. A lot of
them just stopped moving. Do you think they're dead?
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