'May I suggest Colonel sir Richie', says Henri, 'let's take the just landed ATV 57m from us, take that Flash ATV and pick up the other one 8 km away. In one ATV we could easily take 4 of Healani's enhanced warriors, leaving Healani and 2 of her best n smartest warriors in our Safe Teleport Dome with all its Crimsonite technology, and the Felix, our Cyber Guardian Angel/s boost. I confess to ignorance, but.... ? I'll go with the flow in what seems like such poingnant times. I'm sure we'll discover more things we've not expected. I've been going through all the ship Lara's interface, with the help of Felix and Tempus, my smart ass watch. Lara basically ignored Mars initially focussing so intently on our Earth, the Gem in the Crown. Now, we're all back together, in the decaying era of Mars, What remnants and what Ghosts of past eons mighr we find?
If this is the case then Mars must not have offered a militaristic people such as the Crimsonites much to occupy. Whereas Earth has a whole civilization to interest their nefarious intentions. Meaning Mars is likely to be rather primitive compared to our planet... Very well Captain Henri.. I am promoting you my French friend.. let us find the wayward Flash ATV and inspect its power unit for any damage caused by the magnetic force we witnessed...
Captain Henri proudly took the controls of Flash 1 in the new uniform he had replicated. Cap and Lapels even for his battlefield commission. The light gravity of Mars took a while to get used to. Colonel Richard navigated and had the sensors all going full bore. Then they got a bit fuzzy as we went. "The moon's gravity is even lighter " said the Colonel. Closing in on Flash 2, Flash 1 started getting some issues with its own electronics, but nothing too serious. Colonel Richie fiddled the electronics shutting down lots but the basics. Soon we had stopped next to F2 and all got out. Good practice for our 4 Suvan warriors too. They took defensive positions. Colonel Richie was right about the battery system and it took us hours to fix F2 and we even had to replicate some vital circuit boards, that had somehow fried. Healani got the Dome to do the big stuff and sent that to us by simple flying worker drones. She also sent us a small spy drone carrying six donuts. The strong magnetic fields from Mount Olympus seems to be the chief suspect as Richie told me from behind the big monitor on F1. He said we shouldn't get too close with any powered electronics, ...maybe that small disposable spy drone Healani sent? F1 has a small replicator and I need a "COFFEE, thanks".
Hey Cononel Rich, I think I remember some astronauts dying around here ten or more years ago, relative to my 2053 time. I forget the details? Even my AI watch Tempus just confuses me with all the conspiracy theories he'd downloaded. He gives the Geological Alien theory his most probable vote. He's as fallable as me as our 52/48 ratio score shows. I'm the 52! I've got Lara making this ATV for us. Mount Olympus of Mars is a strange thing indeed, and the largest mountain in our Solar system. I think one theory even suggests it's Sentient. That's a long bow to draw imho.
We were within viewing distance of Mount Olympus when a figure appeared 200 metres in front of our motionless ATV. He looked like nothing my ancestors saw in cheesy 1950 sci fi films on Earth. This is what he appeared to us as, reptilian with a huge elongated head. Suddenly from his mouth came a clicking sound then a ear piercing screech..at which point he was joined by at least 20 more creatures which surrounded us in a menacing manner.....
That thing looks really dangerous. Let's get back to the Flash ATVs as quick as possible. Suvan warriors, cover our retreat and only use your weapons if they attack. Quick now, I have a bad feeling about those creatures, they really don't look friendly. Running like mad towards the Flash ATVs the creatures started bounding at us. We only just made it and slammed the doors shut and started the engines.
The Flash's hypersonic speed had us a safe distance away from the creatures (lets call them Ishant) in seconds. Felix said the grasslands were south so let us head in that direction......
Yes Colonel, south it is. I'll send up a fast spy drone to aid our navigation. What were those things? They looked fearsome.
I don't' want to tangle with them, whatever they are. As we approach the grasslands, we see something that resemble humanoids. They don't look threatening. Should we get out and try to communicate with them?
Yes this is one of the females of the Martian Inci species. Their large blue eyes are striking while the males have dark eyes. Who wants to be our official spokesperson?..........
Best you speak to them Inci's Colonel, not me, I still feel shaky after being chased by those Reptillian demons. What are they called? Colonel, were you aware of these Species when you were in the Space Corps?? Healani is still onboard and in charge of our caputured Crimsonite Star Ship renamed 'Lara' with it semi-sentient AI mind and her two best Suvan warriors. They're in low atmosphere hovering over the land party of two Flash ATV, with wheeled and high hovering ability, at even hypersonic speeds. I'll understand if you don't wish to discuss it what with Secrecy Acts and the like, however, might our presence 'here and this now' change History? And the regulations pertaining to you after??,.. and now before your tenure of service as a Colonel??? Sorry to go on so Sir but my mind is racing about all the implications of what's happening, with us as a focal point rewriting history with each action we take. J'ai tres mal. Also, I'm suffering bad temporal anxiety so reckons my watch AI Tempus. He says lots of things that make me worried. Think I'll replicate myself a cup of green tea, and a 2014 Penfold's Cabernet Sauvignon C'est bon. I'm downloading a basic officer's military grade Logistics Package which includes your own lecture Colonel. It was excellent Sir. I'm teaching my two Suvan warriors Alha and Biejong all the tech I can too, and Alha is currently driving with Biejong on practising on the weapons systems in a simulated mode. They're learning fast Colonel and Princess Healani. May I recommend you both do similar, with respect. Despite the inherent paradox of changing the future, it may transpire that we ourselves never came to exist, and therefore not be here and now. Might we disappear in a puff of logic? Maybe soon says Tempus? ......
The fact that we are here now means that we were born. If we go back to Earth in the past, I'm going to make damn sure I don't kill my Grandpa. The Martian female is incredibly beautiful. I will use my built in translator to speak to her. Women have a universal language, anyway. She says that her name is Imurir. Her people, the Inci, welcome us and ask us to visit her city.
Having Princess Healani as our spokesperson makes perfect sense as one female conversing with another will put Imur at greater ease. I see no cities where are they and where are the rest of the Inci?
Apologies about my Temporal Panic Healani. Don't even ever meet your grandfather! Stay 20 km above us ready to close if needed. I've toned down my watchful AI Tempus and am now more focussed on this here and now. Hmmn? Anyway, Well said Colonel Richard and Princess Healani. Happy to follow orders. I'm toning down my mind chip slaved to my Tempus Watch Watcher and his volume. It often gets too noisy, and nosey.. imho. Am I just a Puppet? Back brain says best to negotiate...Colonel Richard, I understand your reluctance to not respond to my paradoxical temporal queeries. It's there despite our thinking tho, I think...... ' At this point Henri collapses in his Flash ATV 2 driven by his smart Suvan warrior Alha, with his older brother Biejong on Comms. 'He seems to be ok now and slowly recovering' says Biejong on Comms, 'I'm attending and also putting him into our vehichle's Med Bed. Nothing serious Colonel and Princess' he says. 'Just a shock upon a vulnerable mind. Resting drugs and a bit of induced coma to shake out his soul of some Temporal nonsense,' he said amazing Healani and Richard, 'That's just what the Med Bay says', said Biejong, 'I'm just pushing buttons with the aid of the universal translator aspects of our high tech mind chips. Henri seems to have fallen into some sort of metaphysical whirlpool, and I'm no expert. That's what it says, not me. Whatever your orders, Colonel and Princess, my brother Alha and I Biejong will serve you in this Wonderland. We pray for Henri. His AI watch Tempus has created a solid hologram now is making him a cup of Green Tea and whistling some old tune. Danny Boy?