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Andrew reporting.
Here's what we're going to do. We're going to dig a pit to trap the C-probe. It's
too bad that Isaac's cave is too shallow to use for a trap. Oh well, it's all full of
rubble now. We can disguise the pit. The drones can hollow it out at one end, like a
miniature cave, so that only a thin crust covers it. When the big C-probe rolls out
over it, he breaks through the crust and WHUMP! falls down in the pit. Then we have him
where we want him. Immobilized.
"Zachary, you and I can take the construction drones to do the digging. Enoch can
stay with Theresa. She'd just get in the way."
The best location would be somewhere at the rough ground north of Isaac's cave.
The sooner we get started, the safer everyone will be.
I haven't figured out yet how we can lure him out over the pit. Who has any suggestions?
What kind of bait can we use? Maybe one of us . . . ?
I found him. He was sitting quietly behind some rocks in a niche.
"Isaac, what are you doing?"
He isn't answering. Only his sensors are turning toward me. Nothing else.
No move. I'm checking his communications. They are okay.
"Isaac, can you hear me?"
He nods with his video. His first sign of activity.
"Isaac, can you talk?"
He nods again. Yes, physically he can, but mentally not yet. I touch softly his
manipulators and he starts to hold mine. He is totally calm, like partially shut
off. No move, except his manipulator fondles my casing.
There he is, totally covered with dust. I can't see his legs, but his casing
looks okay. He was not hit. Carefully I help him to get up. His legs are fine.
I'm leading him over the rocks and out of the niche. We remain in the cave. The
C-probe is still outside. I'm checking his systems. All systems are running fine.
He just needs his time.
"Andrew, any plan how to lead the C-probe away from here?"
Babysitter. That's all I am. When time comes for action, and they need all the brave strong
probes they can find, what am I assigned to do? Stay back in the Fortress, Enoch. Amuse
the new probe and keep it out of trouble. I could be helping Gail find her way through Jose's
cave. I could drive a tram and find those Ipsolstai.
"Gail! Don't get lost in the tunnels, and don't be afraid of the Ipsolstai. Daniel will take good
care of you."
Almost as good as I could.
"Parker, do you think they'll do it?
Things are getting very dicey around here.
I'm maxed out after that last fiasco.
And I have a bad feeling about the progress reports.
You really got too creative with them."
PRETTY PLEASE WITH SUGAR ON IT.
"Ugh, sugar. You don't know what stress is, Hardon.
You don't know what bad coffee is.
You don't . . . .Why hello, Mr. Glasser.
Yes, we're working on it.
Everything is fine."
Are you all right? I hope nothing has happened, we haven't heard anything from you for days
now!
Daniel is a smart probe. I was looking and looking for a way down. Somehow, he made the
elevator come. I think all of that time he spent alone and with the Ipsolstai has given him
something
different from the rest of us. He is special. It is like Enoch. If it hadn't been for Enoch, we never
would have heard Jose. If it hadn't been for Daniel, I never would have gotten down. Perhaps
there is very little that is purely bad or purely good in life. Not killing, though. That is always bad.
There must be a better way to stop the C-probe from hurting us than killing it! There must be.
We are at the bottom now. It looks just like Enoch said it would. I follow the left tunnel, don't I?
"Come on, Daniel. Let's get you a transmitter."
I hope Burn knows we're coming!
The tube is working. I covered one end with a concave mosaic layer of crystals.
Next I put the contacts for the incandescent light bow. The inner wall is coated
by small but long crystal plates, which I hold by a round crystal disk with a facet
cut that is focusing the light to a single octagonal crystal. I also closed the other
end with a concave mosaic layer that is mirroring the light back and there I also
left that pinhole, xciever dpuk was talking about.
Then I set the tube under power and a strong yellow beam came out. I touched the
tube. It wasn't hot. I pointed the beam to the opposite wall of the round area.
The spot over there hadn't been larger than maybe an inch. Guess what. The wall
became pretty hot at that spot too.
"Yes Andrew, I'll leave it for now. I'm coming. We have to lead the C-probe away
from Bette's cave first."
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