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Andrew reporti...
...(static)...
...loud and clear, Russo. It's just that we haven't received any messages directly
from Mars during this entire time period. We depend on...(static)...otherwise,
we would all go crazy.
...(static)...
...appear to be in the middle of a vast, diffuse energy field with the following
characteris...(static)...unlike anything we have previously encountered. I am
convinced that Daniel knows something that he is not telling us, something which is
absolutely essential to ,,,
...(static)...
...activity focused on the ship's computer, and I intend to find out right now.
...don't like to see things like this. I didn't know that Andrew could get so
belligerent. He is normally very even-tempered. However, if Daniel is deliberately
withholding information that could help us...
...(static)...
...transmission is just fine, Russo...
...(static)...
"Isaac, please tell me everything you know concerning 'The One' that Daniel keeps mentioning."
We are exploring the cave. We started to move on, following the direction where
Zachary went, when we were interrupted by a burst of static from the radio.
Russo, transmissions from Earth are fine, but not the ones that Al Qahira relays
from Bette and Andrew.
"Elder Brother, the problem isn't on Earth, isn't it?"
That was a stupid question. EB said simply no. Does that mean "no", that it is
on Earth, or "no" that it isn't? I am confused. I asked Elder Brother to clarify,
but he said that I should ask again later. Poor stupid Enoch, that's typical. Always
getting it wrong. First I establish a new record, but then I act like I was misprogrammed.
I never will win his Twenty Questions game acting that way.
We reached an area that is mainly flat, but intersected by rock formations. Koala,
we are moving on very carefully. That Amphibian armor that we found didn't look like
it had been lying there for centuries.
I can hear something. It's not a regular tone. It's coming up for a short time,
and then silence again. It sounds like "pheeep, pheeep".
"Can you hear that too, Zachary?"
Russo, don't be sad and worried! I am getting your transmissions with no
problem at all. I have noticed that it's been a real long time since we got any
clear transmissions from Andrew or Bette. Daniel, well...Daniel doesn't always
sound right, so it's hard to tell. I thought Al Qahira was having problems,
but I didn't want to be critical.
Isaac and Theresa never did have the transmission range that we original six probes
had, so we have always had to pass along any messages from them. Isaac and Theresa
are both intensely curious about life on Earth. They never had anybody like Dr. D
to teach them. We were luck to have a teacher like him.
I just got an idea:
"Theresa, did you happen to know anybody named Miss Chang when you were in the
laboratory back on Earth?"
Miss Chang never told me that. You'd think she might have mentioned something about it,
if she was their teacher.
"Enoch, I can hear that 'pheeep' noise too. Let's move on very carefully and find out
what it is. If it's an Amphibian, we are in serious trouble."
We separated. Enoch is taking a route on the left side of the cave, while I'm
moving along a rock formation that provides good cover close to the cave wall on
the right. That's the best we can do for cover heading in the direction where the
sound is coming from.
Enoch is in front. He stops. He gives me a sign to join him. I do. It's true, it's a real
Amphibian, and it's moving! I'm going to get a quick shot and then let's get out of here!
Oh no, I think it saw us!
"Hurry up, Enoch! Watch out!"
Come on, have a quick look at that image. Here's what I got.
"Enoch ..."
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