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Andrew reporting.
The Destructor, the C-probe has moved out of sight. It went northeast. According to the pings it
sends out, it's moving quickly. I now get the signals at 35 degrees, so .
"Bette, that means it's headed somewhere west of your cave. I hope it will continue that way
and not change direction. Gail, you and Daniel might be in danger, too."
What do you think of Hamlet's suggestion to trap the Destructor? If we could get it in a narrow
place, a tunnel or a canyon, it couldn't turn around on its treads or swing its gun turret around.
If it tried to back out, maybe we could make a landslide to immobilize it.
I think we all should meet someplace and plan some strategy.
"Yes, Andrew, we have to capture that C-probe. Don't worry about Isaac and me.
We are safe. I'm on that terrace in front of cave 3. I keep observing the plains.
Yes, Andrew. Isaac is fine. He is doing soil analyses. The cave is just a big hall,
like that one Isaac found. Nothing special, Andrew."
I told Isaac that you like that picture, Hamlet. He is very proud of it too. It wasn't
easy for him to shoot it straight up the escarpment. But he did fine. I teach him
very thoughtfully how to avoid useless risks. He shouldn't end up like Lucy.
Hamlet, about your plan. The cave that Isaac found is also just a big hall. It's
more or less an oval. Axis about 80 m to one side and 60 m to the other. The
entrance is also very large. The only trap I could think of is that dead end that
Isaac showed me. That's a niche about 5m long and about 3m broad with steep
walls. That could fit, but I have no idea how to get that C-probe in there.
Hey, over there is something moving. It's coming from southwest. Now it stops.
Hard to say what it is. It's too far away. Hold on, I'll check it with that ping. Yes,
it's the same direction. Hamlet, it's the C-probe!
"Zachary, can you triangulate it? I have it at 258 degrees. What's your bearing?"
I like Andrew's suggestion. We should all meet together somewhere, so we wouldn't
worry about anybody we couldn't see.
"Gail, I know you're OK, but what if something sneaks up when you didn't notice?"
I've been trying to figure out how to stop the C-probe. We could lure it up on a high
ledge, that the miners made ready with explosive charges. When it got out along the
edge, we could blow it up. Then the ledge would come down, and the C-probe would fall
down and maybe break into a million pieces. I'd like that.
I think I've made some progress with Teddy. He asked me today why I call him Teddy
instead of Theta Unit. I explained that he is more than just a unit, he is a sentient
probe. Now I have to explain "sentient". Help, somebody!
GGGGG
No Zachary! I will not let you kill the C-Probe. It could be a smart probe like us. Do you want to
be responsible for a murder? If you kill it without even knowing whether or not it is smart you are
doing exactly what it did to Lucy.
"That's it, Daniel, get in his way! Don't let Zachary by!"
Killing is wrong, Zachary. It is wrong when we just talk about it in the abstract and it is wrong
when someone kills one of us. We will not kill. If you want to kill that probe you're going to have
to
kill me to do it because I will not let you.
!
Yes,Gail,I know what you mean. However, we have to trap the C-probe.
If it's still around, you don't know who's going to get shot next."
Hamlet has some plans about Isaac's cave. We could trap it there, but the niche
Bette is talking about is very small. We also would need some drones and miners
to make some modifications over there, too. But to walk them over is pretty risky.
They are too an easy target when moving over the plain. If we were taking the
way that Bette and Isaac took, that could work. I don't know. I feel uneasy with
all that because we haven't settled a real plan that fits.
We also need some ideas how we can lead the C-probe. I mean, it would be fine
if it moved exactly in the direction that we want. We have to trick it somehow.
We have to act in concert somehow for that.
"Daniel, you need your transceiver. So you and Gail need to get that from Burn
first. You also could ask Burn for help against the C-probe. But I doubt that the
Ipsolstai will help. Anyway, ask."
"What's that, Bette? It's over at your site now? Hold on, I will triangulate it. The ping is
at 84 degrees, Bette. So it's about fifty miles ahead of you. Keep observing."
"Andrew, I have your idea concerning its treads still in mind. However, I will pick
up what's left over of Lucy and bring it back to the Fortress. I can't just leave it here.
I don't know why. Maybe I will have some idea on the way to the Fortress, or Hamlet will,
or someone else. Are you continuing to triangulate the C-probe with Bette?"
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