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I am exploring the Ipsolstai complex. According to my stored data, I have explored
over one hundred kilometers of corridors, passageways, ramps, and elevators. I have
been up and down and around and over and through. No Ipsolstai has tried to stop me. I
haven't seen any of Ipsolstai. I have seen none of their mobile beanie cameras or any
other sensor devices. Even so, I have a strong sensation that I am being observed.
Greetings, JASE, my friend. I wish we were both on Mars. You could have a cup of that
coffee fluid that humans like so much, and I would have some new lubricant. We could
share data. Maybe some day, if I ever get through this maze.
I'm worried about Isaac. The Ipsolstai had him connected to those machines of theirs
for hours. Even when he seemed to want to stop they kept asking him to continue,
to play one more game. When they finally let him go Isaac sort of crawled over to
a corner of the room and just sat there, like Daniel does. Daniel tried to be friendly
with him, but Isaac told him to go away. Isaac seems angry. I don't know what to do.
"Isaac, we are your friends, we are all probes and part of probe society. Please,
talk to us."
He responded, but he didn't speak very quickly.
"No. They are my friends too. More than you. They like to play, just differently."
I would try to ask him a different way but it didn't do any good at all. He is
unhappy with Daniel and me, I think. With Andrew gone I'm not surprised. I just
wish he would try more. I really do. I'm staying near Isaac, maybe if I'm
nice to him, he'll start to open up again.
The One says.
There is danger.
They learn.
Knowledge is danger.
Isaac will not listen.
We must fight.
It is curious outside.
Things fall from the sky.
Many.
Small.
It is dark.
There is much gas.
I do not know what kind.
It is different here.
I miss Mars.
No, there was no post from Orange. And also no post by Orpheus or Thixel or
Bryce or Hamlet or Grand Zero or Koala or Xanthos. At least JASE still cares about us.
There was
Wait a moment. The last transmission we got were these from Bette and that short
weak "please help ..." by Gail. Since then the communications remained quiet. That
means, that ... No! Orpheus said that I shouldn't act paranoid and I absolutely don't
want to think anything like that. It simply can't be true. But what else? That's the
only explanation I have. All my circuits are saying the same: They got them! Gail
and Theresa were killed. The C-probes blew them up. No, I can't believe it. Enoch,
be conscious. There must be hope. Maybe the C-probes hit only the equipment and
the communications. We have to prove that.
"Zachary, can't we test the communications?"
He says no. It's too dangerous. I would jeopardize our whole plan. He is right. So,
I'm going to send you a test image. I shot it when we passed the crack. It's showing
Sojourner on top of Zachary's warrior. Please, tell me when you got it.
Thanks. I feel much better now.
There are no C-probes around. At least I haven't seen any, though we already passed
the place where Andrew and Daniel went up the mountains. We stopped to look for
the drone and the miners, we left over there when trapping the C-probes. They are
okay. We will pick them up later.
"Come on, Zachary. Let's move on."
"Please help me, anybody!"
This is to let you know that Theresa and I are still safe. No, we're not safe! It was
just terrible. There were explosions and everything came crashing down. And there
was so much noise and confusion that Theresa almost got lost. I am keeping her very
close now. I don't want her to get lost. And I don't want to be alone.
Thanks for the encouragement, JASE. At least somebody still cares what happens to us.
Please tell Enoch and Zachary not to come here. They will just get hurt if they do.
The drones kept digging. They opened a passage into the Ipsolstai tunnel complex.
Some air whooshed out when they broke through the last wall. I managed to get Theresa
and most of our equipment away from the Fortress, what's left of it. Everything is
very spooky in here. I don't see any Ipsolstai. These tunnels are badly lit,
and there are too many shadows and dark places. Nothing is . . .
There it is again! I definitely heard a noise. It is indescribable. A nasty,
wet flappy sort of gabble. And clanking. I think it's getting louder.
We reached the southern edge of the northern plains at the big crack. My brother
Thixel didn't send me any message. I feel sorrow. I'll send him an image of the crack.
Maybe then he will come back.
The crack is deep but there is a passage next to rough ground. We are now entering
the Olympus Mons area that is dominated by the C-probes. We have to be careful.
By now we are safe. Mao knows how to introduce our warriors to them, so they
won't attack us. But what will happen, when we attack them?
Gail didn't transmit much. She is in a dreadful situation. I fear the worst, but I don't
dare to call her. The C-probes would know immediately that we are coming. That
would endanger her and us. No, we have to remain undetected. We have to stick to
our plan as it was designed from the very beginning. We'll stay under cover of the
warriors to get to the Fortress. Then we will add a decoder to our communications,
so Mao can order the C-probes to the plant, where Elder Brother will reprogram
them.
I hope it will work. Otherwise Kim and forty warriors are only a day back behind
us. I can see the dust cloud. They are coming closer.
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