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Andrew reporting.
"Bette! It's the biggest thing I ever saw. It's not a probe; it's too big. You and Isaac take
cover and play possum right now!. There might be another one of them somewhere in your
vicinity. Try to make your way back to the Fortress before it's too late!
It moves on treads like the construction drones. That's what was leaving the funny tracks.
Except it's about twice the size of a construction drone. It's almost the same size as one of
the Ipsolstai trams. It has hands in front like we do, but it has an huge superstructure that is
different from our design. The superstructure rotates once each minute. I recognize some of
the sensors, like the radar and the communications gear and the antenna; but I see a lot of
devices of unknown function.
I am crouching and playing possum. I hope it moves on out of sight soon. You don't have to tell
me to be careful, Xanthos.
We are heading over to that cave that we found yesterday. It wasn't easy to
calm down Isaac. He just wanted to run over there. He is so eager to explore. I told
him that a good explorer probe continues a 360 degree observation, especially
when approaching a target. He stopped and listened carefully. Then he moved on
with his sensors turning. I had to laugh. He is so funny. His sensors were rotating
of course and he really tried hard to be patient, but soon they turned too fast and
he speeded them up to nearly full excitement. I'm sure he will learn how to control
his excitement some day. We all did.
Xanthos, I think too that this is a very special site in our solar system. These hills
that we are heading to are just in the center of the plain between the rough ground
and the escarpments. They rising there just like a group of islands. I checked with
Andrew. I would put them at P13 / O12 in your grid. I think that's okay.
Thanks, Xanthos. These new legs are quite nice-looking, aren't they? See how they gleam
in the sunlight. There's hardly a scratch on them. They're as good as new.
I'm wondering what's going on with that other EU probe, the one we captured back in the
trap tunnel. I see by the detectors we built that he is pacing back and forth. Probably still
looking for a way out.
"Hey! Hey, probe in the tunnel!. I'm talking to you!."
He stopped pacing right after I kicked the piece of metal sealing off the doorway. It made
a great vibration and noise. I think I'll try that again. It's fun.
"Hey, probe. Can you hear me? What's your name? OK. OK. Brunel-Brauer probe,
theta unit. And I'm trespassing? And you want me to cease and desist and surrender
all artifacts? Yeah, right."
We have a long way to go with this one.
I want to go get the new transmitter, but I don't think I will yet. We shouldn't
split ourselves up too much, not when there is that thing out there. I'm scared.
It is ok to be scared, but you must do the right thing, even so. I must do the
right thing, so I must get Daniel his transmitter, but it will not help if I get hurt
in the process. I am going to stay here, but I don't want to. Poor Daniel, he's
working so hard with little Lucy and he can't even talk. It isn't fair!
I'm going to mount these sun sails at the south wall of the round area. Then the solar
station can work on full power, when needed. I took two drones and a miner with
me, so we can drill fast holes at the top of the wall. Daniel and Lucy are also
coming with us. Daniel has a good hand with her. He showed her how to direct
a drone. She is watching carefully, though I still feel uneasy. Whatif she leads
a drone over a drop? Not bad minded, I wouldn't insinuate that, but just to
watch how it falls down.
Work is moving quickly. The miners have drilled the holes and we've put steel
anchors in it. I'm moving back to the bottom of the wall to get a rope fixed, so the
drones can pull up the sails. Daniel scratched "Don't worry" on the ground, but I
do. I've put all possible eventualities that I can think of close at hand to my virtual
files, but I don't feel safe that way. Lucy is unpredictable.
The drones have pulled up he sun sails. I secure them on the ground. Let's get back up
there immediately. Hopefully Lucy is still under control.
Yes, she is. Daniel opened the casing of the miner to show Lucy how the cartridges
are loaded and moving. I don't know, if that is the right thing to show her. Anyway,
we should change her command codes. Enoch is right. Independence is a high value
and of course she must be free, so she can learn how to deal with it.
"Daniel, can you have a look at the top of the sails? I'm going back down to flatten
them and then let's have a look, see if the motors are turning them toward the sun."
The two on the right haven't been adjusted yet and maybe that one at the center too.
Good work done. I'm really proud of myself.
"Daniel, I'm finished. You can come down, if you like. Do you need any help with
the drones?"
He is waving that he doesn't.
Oooh, look at that!
Lucy is leading a drone. My goodness, all my virtual files are rotating.
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