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Andrew reporting.
Nelson has been telling us about the Amphibians and their ships. It is unusual for
them to fight a battle in space with their ships. Their customary tactics involve the
use of Groove technology. Typically an Amphibian ship will land on a planet, attracting
as little attention as possible. A Groove Anchor point is set. Then, their fighters
pour through the anomaly, build up their numbers, and attack swiftly and suddenly. That is
why it's so important to watch the Groove Anchors closely and control them.
This is one of the few times an Amphibian ship has been detected before it lands,
before the Groove is opened. The Ipsolstai were terrified and angered, never
before have the Amphibians struck directly at the stronghold of the Endless Emperor.
The Ipsolstai forces must stop these invaders; the alternative is unthinkable.
Commander Perry's strategy was to strike first and destroy the enemy totally. His attack
did not go according to plan.
The battle has continued for a long time. Nelson says that two of the Amphibian
ships have been destroyed and that both of the Ipsolstai ships are still OK. We've
taken more damage, he says some of the other Ipsolstai on the ship are dead and more
die every time I feel the ship shake. It shakes too much. I don't like it. The show on
the screen was incredible. Little dots appearing out of no where and being destroyed.
I'm very scared. I can't run, I can't hide, poor Isaac is cowering in a corner. I can't
cheer him up for anything! He's terrified. Then the screen blanked and filled up with a
jumble of symbols. Nelson seemed upset and said something about a malfunction. Then
Daniel saw it and seemed pleased.
"The One learns."
"Soon."
"Communication."
The One is here.
It is learning.
Soon, it may speak.
To others.
I cannot describe the One.
I do not know how.
It is like nothing else.
I am sorry.
I'm down the first drop. Sojourner is with me. We are waiting. Elder Brother
is building a vehicle up there that should help us to overcome the barriers ahead.
I can see the yellow glow of their lasers. Looks like it will last a while.
I'm practicing how to control Sojourner. Elder Brother transmitted all of its
algorithms to us. It's easy, but time is passing that way.
"Yes, Zachary. I'll take care. Thanks for announcing it."
The vehicle is shifting slowly over the edge. Now it's stopped. I can see a winch
at its end. A cable with a hook is lowering down and is finding a grip at the foot of the drop. Then the cable becomes pulled tight.
I'm looking up. The vehicle started to move again. It's coming down. Oh, now I
understand how it's working. Cleverly done. It's fixed on a top cable too. It's slowly
creeping down like a caterpillar on its filament. I can count four units linked
to each other. No, that's wrong! The last unit is Zachary! He is riding on the upper
end of the vehicle. Oh, what's that? Isn't that Mao strapped on the central unit?
The vehicle stopped its units smoothly at the bottom of the shaft. Zachary stepped safely
from its far end and helped Mao out. Then the vehicle started to go back up again.
You should have seen Enoch looking at me when the vehicle went up again. He looked at
me as we all were deposited at the foot of the cliff by that vehicle.
"Don't worry Enoch. It's just going back to bring Gen down. Elder Brother suggested that we
take it with us. It will be our emergency bodyguard. Who knows what we are going to meet
down there?"
Looks like we are a well-equipped expedition. Sojourner as analyst probe, Mao as direct
relay to Elder Brother, Gen as our guard, and a proper vehicle with cables, lasers, bolts
and hooks to climb down steep places. EB did really outstanding work with that vehicle.
There, it's coming down again with Gen in it. Isn't that a nice sound the way its
treads are softly rattling?
"Let's move on, Enoch. I'm curious to learn what we will find down in
the basement of that Ipsolstai complex."
Thank you, thank you for the pretty rose, Orpheus. I always try to do my best. I will
keep the image forever. This is the only rose I have ever seen on Mars. I know roses from
the laboratory at Brace Emprises; people said they smelled nice. I am sorry I am not equipped
for olfactory analysis, but I will pretend that I can smell it.
I really didn't do much to save Burn's eggs, I just picked them up so they wouldn't get
hurt when Burn and Caleb were arguing.
Here we are moving through the tunnels again. This time we don't have to worry about
being chased by Caleb. Commandant Fitzgerald said that all probes are officially under
his protection now. Then he said to stop following him because I can't go with him.
So here I am.
"Enoch, wait for me. I'm coming to help you. And don't let Elder Brother make you go
anywhere you don't want to."
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