 |
|
Two Ipsolstai came in today. They tried to get Isaac to play but he wouldn't, he just hid
behind me. They left and then Gabriel came in. He was darker than normal.
I just couldn't help myself, I just started to scream at him. I told him to go away
and stop hurting us, to bring back Andrew and take us back to Mars, and that we didn't
want to be a part of his games anymore. Daniel came and stood with me. He kept his
arms up in front, as if he was trying to block Gabriel from coming any closer. I'm scared.
Gabriel left but he told us we were being bad.
Daniel says things will be OK, but I do not know. What is happening to us?
"Gail, it's great that you and Theresa are okay. Do you have that translation device
with you? Please, call Burn and tell him to bring my weapons to the Hidden
Gate. I need them urgently."
I only hope that Gail can reach Burn. It's a totally unsafe situation to fly around
in that unarmed I-Flyer when the Amphibians are around.
"Oh, no! Theresa! Here, let me see if I can pull you back up. You need to help me,
not just kick your legs."
Theresa opened the hatch. She is so inquisitive. The next thing I knew, she was
balancing on the rim, trying to see what was at the bottom. It is a long drop for a
probe, even in the low Mars gravity. Think, Gail. Enoch and Bette helped each other
make their way safely down a shaft just like this one. It turned out to be a kind of
elevator. The platform must be at the bottom. Why isn't it working?
I scanned with my sensors and located a small patch of metal/not metal low against
the wall. It must be the controller, but I can't reach it unless I let go of Theresa!
I moved sideways along the rim of the shaft and kicked at it wildly as Theresa and I slid
helplessly into the shaft.
We fell only a few feet as the elevator platform rose to meet us. It carried us
back to the top of the shaft. Before we could get off, it started to descend again.
Theresa thinks this is all very exciting. I guess you all know what I think of it.
Hamlet, Orpheus, I relayed your messages to Miss Chang:
Drat! Mr. Naughton, what is the meaning of this?
You were retained to prepare a confidential report for Brunel-Brauer.
Not only has it been circulated among that clandestine group,
but they have the nerve to threaten ME!
"Tell your friend Hamlet that I accept his invitation to San Francisco, and I sincerely
expect that we will enjoy a mutually satisfactory conference."
Cancel your plans for Ibiza, Mr. Parker. You're going to San Francisco."
We sent the twelfth warrior to check on the thirteenth warrior that is unresponsive.
We kept contact, but its transmission also failed suddenly. We cautiously went along the
security string to its abrupt end. Whenever we reached the next outpost warrior, Elder
Brother equipped it with the laser weapons. We built a diamond formation again,
and we sent vanguards ahead of us to the end of the string. Each warrior is observing
its own sector, ready to shoot at the slightest provocation.
Nothing special to remark or to perceive at all. The area around us is totally calm.
So, we moved quietly on, and finally we reached the edge of the old lava flow. All our
fear met its validation.
"Oh, no! Elder Brother, look at that."
We carefully turned our sensors around. The terrain seems to be safe, at least as
far as our sensors range. I carefully checked the destroyed warriors. All of them
show the same particular signs, spherical holes all over. We lost six of them. No
doubt, it was an Amphibian attack. I looked at Elder Brother. He also is
quite remorseful.
"It's all my fault. I unfortunately neglected to change their program. Their current
tactic was that whenever a warrior sends a distress signal, the one next to it will
come to its aid. So, one warrior after the other went to the plain. The disaster was
only limited by the range of their emergency beacon."
A serious mistake indeed. If we don't want to run out of warriors, we must be
watchful.
Andrew reporting.
I feel a sense of urgency. The closer I get to Bette and Daniel and Isaac's location,
the more I am convinced that we must escape from Ipsolstai custody, instead of serving
as their unwitting allies for an unknown agenda.
I eventually found elevators at the far end of the large room at the lowest level.
One took me up nonstop to a level higher than I had been before. I was determined
to reach the proper coordinates designated in my memory storage, so I returned and chose
another. I have now reached the correct level. I have still seen no sign of our
Ipsolstai hosts.
This door must be the correct one. As I open it, Bette hurriedly moves in front of
Isaac. Daniel is looking out of the window.
"Hi, I'm back."
 |
|