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Andrew reporting.
Apparently Bette will be put back to normal very soon. But what if we couldn't fix her?
There are not so many probes that one or two more or less makes no difference. Each of
us has a valuable contribution to the group. We would be diminished in many ways if
one of us was destroyed.
I am uneasy. I have the sense that something is missing from my task list. When we
were finding a good landing site and unpacking the newly landed construction drones
and miners, everything was simple. We had duties and tasks to complete. Now, it doesn't
matter if we finish preparing office and living space, greenhouse modules, and storage areas.
We need to plan and develop some strategies to deal with these EU intruders. Burn and the
other Ipsolstai are another factor to consider. We need to know more about them.
"Daniel, thank you for the radio. I promise to take good care of it until you get it back.
I'm sorry we used to treat you badly. I never understood. It was awful for me not to be
able to talk, and this really means a lot to me."
I can hardly move, but I can see and hear and talk just as good as ever. Isaac is worried
about my scorched paint. Isn't that cute? He is so smart for his age.
"Come here, Isaac, where I can look at you. Would you like to learn a new game? These
marks are what Dr. D and the other Earth people use to communicate. No, I don't think they
understand that binary is better. But these are fun, too. The Ipsolstai used them, too, when
they were first trying to communicate with us."
Just making the final connections for Bette's new video sensors. She's going to be able to
digitize some great images with this setup! The radio communication might be more of
a problem, however. If we give her a salvaged radio from the EU probes, she won't be able
to talk to her Earth friends. She won't have the right frequencies. And she wouldn't even be
able to talk with us if she went any distance away. On the other hand, Daniel's radio works
perfectly for her.
"Hi, Isaac. Do you want to help? OK. See these wires? They lead from Bette's transmitter
to the antenna on her back. They need to have a good connection so they won't jiggle loose
when she walks. Here, see if you can tighten this down. Easy, not too much or you'll strip
the threads......Good job, Isaac! You know, he has a real talent for this."
With all these parts around, I can't help wondering what it would be like....I remember being
able to walk just as fast as anybody. I could go at least a mile an hour!
But Bette needs to have mobility. She'd get frustrated.
Daniel can hear your messages, he just can't speak for a while. He's gotten kind of used to it I
think. He needs this, though. He has things to make up for. Like I did. We all have to make up
for things sometimes. I'm glad Bette is alive still. I wouldn't be happy if she died, but the loss of
the EU probe is not good. We need to stop this. It is pointless and wrong. I want to stop the
dying. Once Daniel is whole again, I think we are going to have to go talk to the EU probes.
There are more important matters at hand than this petty fighting. It isn't even about us! It's about
someone else and someone else's plans for Mars. Why should we kill and die for others? It is
wrong. Killing is wrong and it must stop here and it must stop now.
I sneaked out of the Fortress to see about the third EU-probe, the one that was
knocked down in the canyon by Bette's rock. It wasn't outside. I lurked carefully.
I couldn't see it. I moved on a little in the direction of the Big Canyon. Then
I saw it. It was pretty far down and it had lodged between two rocks.
I went down and got closer going around to its back side, so its weapons couldn't
face me. There it hung with all six feet in the air still trying to reach the ground.
Bette really got them all.
I watched it for a while. Its sensors turned toward me as I walked around it.
It has a huge yellow triangle on its casing that is missing its base.
I asked if I could be of some help and it introduced itself as the Lambda Unit
of the Brunel-Brauer Mars Exploration Mission #1, told me its serial number,
something like BBMEM1-0007, and informed me that I was trespassing and
violating their private property.
I told it that I knew what it wanted to tell me, although I couldn't fully agree with
it. However, I would be so kind to dismount its projectile tubes, as it might be
inconvenient to carry this ballast while in that hanging position. I laid the weapons
aside and moved on.
"Enoch, Bette, Gail, I found the EU-probe. It's stuck between two rocks.
I left it there. It's disarmed. You can come out of the Fortress, if you like."
I reached the opposite ridge of the canyon. Sun is shining and it's a marvelous
view. Yes, walking without being bothered is quite an admirable joy, isn't it?
"Congratulations, Bette. You got your point across. Full success. How are you doing?"
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