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The Ipsolstai left us in that room for a long time. Nothing happened and no one was with us.
Then three came in with some equipment.
Am I Gabriel. Journey going are we. Soon. Equiping are you we trip for. Communicating you
others with kind yours afar from. Still be you holding, installing will we you.
I'd like to resist, but I don't see what choice we have. We're going to trust them. Some of the
Ipsolstai already want to kill us, I don't see that we have much to lose.
We are following the tracks of the C-probes. Zachary is up at the hatch on top of
the tram observing the surrounding. Sojourner is down here with me still sliding
over the metal floor whenever the tram turns around.
The tracks form a broad road. They spread and get closer when the passage gets
narrow. We are passing rapidly changing landscapes. Sometimes we dive down
to more or less deep canyons, then we cross sharp ridged fields. It's truly an
elusive feeling to follow these tracks. They master much greater difficulties than I
can. If I'm not constantly cautious, we will get stuck immediately. There are barriers
like shields and holes and cracks. We had to detour several times and had trouble
getting back to the tracks again.
The pings became stronger and they are coming now from various directions but
also still straight ahead. Their lander must be very close. I have that fluffy feeling again.
It is quite different to meet single C-probes at the our home plains instead of heading
directly to their center.
We moved up to the edge of a large plateau. There's broken ground up here with a lot of
glossy mounds. Good to take cover for sure, but bad to get any overview. I'm scared
to move on. There could be a lot of hidden outposts in here.
"Zachary, keep on observing. We move on."
I steer the tram slowly through the mounds. All my sensors are tight.
"Enoch, stop! There's a C-probe right in front of us."
Enoch stopped immediately. Then he came up to the hatch. He looked around.
We are not quite sure if it is a C-probe or just a stationary rocket launcher, so
I'm going to send you an image.
It is not easy to say, isn't it? It also didn't move. Therefore, they haven't detected us
by now. However, we have to leave the tram. It's too dangerous to move on with it.
Enoch steered the tram right away between two larger mounds. I looked around.
The place that Enoch chose is as good as any other one. It's a compact basaltic
area over here. No caves, no canyons, just these glossy humps.
Then we had to make up our mind concerning Sojourner. Shall we leave it in the
tram? What about the C-probes if they find it? Shall we take it with us? That's
too inconvenient. Shall we leave it on its own? I don't feel good about that. Enoch's
opinion was to leave it on its own. My opinion was to leave it in the tram. We
looked at each other. One way or the other?
Enoch knew how to help. What about the game that Isaac used to play? So, each of
us chose a number with twelve digits. Then we calculated the square roots. I won.
My square root had more seventh. We left Sojourner in the tram and closed the door.
Good luck, brave probe. We will be back soon.
Hopefully.
"Enoch, don't forget about your cartridges. It isn't much that we have for our
protection, but it's better than nothing."
Too soon to perish, too late to overcome.
Two soon to meet the One.
They promised.
Andrew reporting.
Daniel and I are clinging to the edge of the ridge. We can't go higher because it is too steep.
We can only move sideways. We have been bombarded with rocks and debris from
exploding rockets when the C-probes attack. Fortunately, we have experienced no direct hits,
but it is only a matter of time. I have never felt helpless like this before.
Gail is going to lower a rope for us to use to climb up. She can't get here soon enough.
"Gail, we're depending on you. You are our only hope!"
Daniel was nearly knocked loose by the last explosion. He is shaking his sensors and
waving with one leg.
Wait! What's that? I hear a high-pitched hum. JASE, you were right. How did you know?
Thanks, Space Turtel. I caught your Outbound to Andrew. Yes, I am a brave
and smart Probe. I knew better, I protected myself and I never gave up. Guess
what? I made it. I'm on top of that mountain just above that ridge. It wasn't easy
and I had to climb up steep jags and go down deep rifts with my rope. I hurried as
fast as I can. No probe will be killed if I can do anything to prevent it. I will do
whatever it takes. The rope kept getting uncoiled and then I tripped over it.
I slipped and one foot got caught in a crevice. I got it free, but it's a little
loose now. I have to hurry. They're depending on me.
I'm up here, right above Andrew and Daniel. I even can see them. I'm going to rescue them.
Yes, I am. That's my very own accomplishment. No one else could do it but me. And in
later days, when our probe society will be established, the probes will tell the
story of brave Gail, who cleverly rescued Andrew and Daniel.
JASE, don't worry about the rope, it's long enough. Look at that! Andrew and Daniel found
a new technique to come along that ridge. Andrew is hanging down one side of the ridge and
Daniel on the other side. They are holding each other at
their hands. So they don't fall
down. It looks funny, but that way they can walk sideways toward the rope. What clever
probes they are. I will send you an image.
They have only few meters left and all their suffering will be over. Weren't they good
about playing possum when the missiles nearly shook them
out of that crevice? Weren't they good how they remained there without ...
Something is happening! A section of the cliff face has opened inward right beside
the area where we saw the glyphs. Something is moving, coming out. I can't quite
tell.....It's a flying craft. I think the Ipsolstai pilot is Burn, it must be him,
with that white patchy scar. Oh! Andrew and Daniel are getting into the craft.
What's that? They vanish. They are leaving me behind!
Well. Here I am all by myself with a loose foot on top of a cliff out in the middle of
nowhere holding a rope. Some people just don't appreciate what you do for them.
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