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Hi, Professor! I'm always glad to have another Earth friend to talk with. We're
in a really scary situation here on Mars, so I hope you can tell us what to do.
Enoch and Zachary don't always do what they are told, but I'm sure they value
the input.
We followed Rosjim through the tunnels. He really did take us to see Burn, and did
not lock us up or hurt us. But something is very wrong. Burn moved very slowly and
awkwardly when he turned to look at us. Caleb, on the other hand, spun around so
quickly that I took several steps backward.
"Amphibians throughout. Groove extinguished.
Catch Nestbrother. Claws, jaws.
Problem of you. Helping not."
Caleb seemed really grouchy, so I decided to talk with Miss Chang for a little bit.
Get on this immediately, Mr. Parker!
This could be the breakthrough I've been waiting for!
Hello WildX.
Isaac does not know the One.
Isaac has been hurt by the Ipsolstai.
They made me do things.
Things I did not want to do.
Long ago.
I had no control.
I do not like to remember.
Isaac feels much like I did.
And do.
They are evil.
Some of them.
The One does not need the ball.
It has me.
I speak to it.
It speaks to me.
The Ipsolstai speak to the One.
The One speaks the same to the Ipsolstai.
They do not hear the One.
They hear other Ipsolstai.
Andrew, you have done good.
They are upset.
Continue.
Andrew reporting.
I have some unusual news, maybe bad news, to tell. I do not know how this will affect
our situation.
I was making my way back along the hall, occasionally pushing the insignia buttons.
I investigated many rooms. Some had machinery and instrument panels. Some were
empty. Some had viewscreens with pictures. Not one of them had any exit except back
through the door the way I entered. I kept trying to find the place Daniel told me
about, to go where they don't want me to go.
I pushed an insignia button just like all the others. The door slid noiselessly to
one side. Immediately in front of me was a lone Ipsolstai. He was accompanied by a
robot burdened with numerous small appliances, meters, and coils of cable. He carried
what appeared to be a small screwdriver in his tentacles. He blinked, and flashed a
rapidly-changing pattern of orange and magenta. The door slid shut.
Now I can't get it open at all.
Nelson came back over the weekend. He has lots of equipment with him, and he spent
many hours with the terminal. He took out lots of machinery and put in lots and spent
many hours checking it with instruments with little screens. Isaac stayed behind me
this time. He was still scared. I don't like the Ipsolstai anymore and neither does
he, I guess. Nelson finished and spoke to us for a moment.
Then he left. That was a few hours ago. I wanted to go back to the terminal but
Daniel said I shouldn't. I think he is scared. I decided to humor him. Without
Andrew, I may as well.
Hamlet, I understand exactly what you mean. Celeb is a key person. If we can't get
him as an ally, also Burn can't help. Really, I tried to do my best. I was about to tell
him all your arguments, when he furiously shouted that we were the troublemakers
and that he wouldn't help us at all. That was so unfair.
I tried to stay calm and kept arguing, but Celeb only laughed spitefully at us and then
he left the room.
I told Burn about how we became friends of Elder Brother and that we would bring
the C-probe army into the alliance, and also the ideas of our friends on Earth. I argued
that he helped us so often and that we are going to help him now to fight against them
back, because together we might be able to take care of them.
Burn was listening carefully. That restored my confidence again. He also asked for
many details, and I told him everything he wanted to know. Finally he nodded.
I also wanted to ask Burn about the Amphibian weapons, and why we couldn't see
them, when we were attacked by them in the Big Canyon. Also what's about the black
spots that I saw, and how we can fight them back. But I think it's better to wait with
that until he talked with Celeb.
We crossed the northern plains and reached the edge of old lava. We haven't seen any Amphibians by now. I think we are pretty save up here. Elder Brother just gives me a sign that I should cease my transmissions.
"Hey, what's going on?"
Oh no ...
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