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Andrew reporting.
Intelligence tests, Bryce? Is that what the Ipsolstai are doing with us? No, that's
improbable. Our intelligence and free will were established many months ago, when they
decided we probes were truly sentient. Nevertheless, I will ask at the first opportunity.
I have agreed to cooperate with their activities. What other choice do I have?
I have spoken severely to Isaac about his undisciplined behavior. He is not
terrified anymore. I explained to him that he, too, is an ambassador representing
all the people of Earth as well as sentient probe society. It is a great responsibility
and a great adventure.
His cheerful disposition is restored. He is looking forward to What's Next.
We are safe here.
Safe because nothing can get in.
Safe because we cannot get out.
I wonder about that.
Isaac is young, he needs to learn.
I will help.
Stay away from the groove.
They are coming.
Part of them.
I'm happy that you are fine, Space Turtel. I followed exactly the suggestions
that Xanthos gave me. I kept my hand always on the left wall and kept walking. That
wasn't so easy, because I had to pass several miners that were drilling there. It
took me a long way and I passed a lot of side tunnels, but when I passed the same
broken miner a fourth time I knew that I was looping. Does that comply with your
theory, Xanthos?
I started a new strategy. First I thought that I will ask Gail to give me a sign with
her emergency beacon every full hour. But that would endanger her. So I started to
make signs at each crossing where I changed directions. Andrew and I did that when
we were in the Ipsolstai tunnel too. Somehow I made it back to a main tunnel with
these tipping wagons. I entered one. Either it will take me to the end of a tunnel or
back to the big hall. It brought me back to the big hall. It clashed against one of the
other wagons there. The queue up is pretty long already.
I decided not to look for the tunnel that leads me to the slope but to enter the hall
again. I will blow up their solar field or any central unit of it, as Xanthos suggested.
It's on the back side of the hall. I only hope that Xanthos' idea is much better
than that one that made me start looping.
I'm moving up past these blocked tipping wagons. Is there anything dangerous
up there? Any probes waiting or any robot arm dropping into position that will pick
me up? Do you know?
Never mind, I will move ahead very carefully.
We spent all weekend in that vehicle. We were travelling through space all that time.
They never unstrapped us, but I think that was good. I don't know how to move through
space. We'd probably just get hurt. We did get to watch a screen with all sorts of
moving pictures on it. It seemed to be from cameras on the ship. Toward the end the
Ipsolstai all caged themselves back in. Then the whole ship started shaking. It was
like when we landed on Mars but it ended quicker and the last bump was a lot easier.
When they brought us out it was night and very dark. We could see and taste that
we were on a planet. It is big again. I can sense oxygen around us, a lot of oxygen.
We went into a building by the landing pad. They led us up three floors and brought
us into a large room. We passed through an airlock to get into the room. There is
still oxygen in here, but also quite a lot of nitrogen, more than outside. Only in this
room, though. Really, I think it is rooms, it looks like there are several.
Rooms yours these are.
Stay here will you which after explore Imperium will you.
Learning are you us about, learning are us you about. Beginning tomorrow. Enjoy.
Learning you are computers from desiring you anything.
Then Gabriel left and went with all the Ipsolstai. We explored in here for a while.
A few hours. It is nice to be somewhere safe, I guess. Isaac has been touching everything,
all of the walls and floors. Daniel went to the airlock and experimented with it for a
while. Now he is looking at a bare spot on the wall. Andrew and I played with Isaac for
a bit and then just talked. So much has happened.
A few hours later Isaac was playing near Daniel and asked why Daniel was staring at
the blank spot. Daniel touched a control and the spot changed. It is amazing.
Here, see for yourself.
The C-probes are still outside waiting for me. All weekend they have been trying to
get in. I can hear an occasional explosion, but Theresa and I are still safe.
Thank you for the advice, Bryce. I will be careful about what I transmit, and not
tell anything I shouldn't. It's just that I am so glad to get transmissions from
somebody who cares what happens to us. I am feeling very isolated with half of our
probe society taken away to who knows where, and who knows what is happening to them.
So I only just talked a little bit.
I told you I take my tea without sugar, Mr. Hardon. You will remember that. Do you have a problem?
Retransmitting that picture for you:
What does it represent? Are these marks like the phonetic alphabet you sent us many months ago, Dr. D?
Many things are happening; I will explain later.
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