MENTAL ESSENCE
PAGE 124
   "There are the remains of whoever they were," said Trent looking at the debris from the transport that had been attacked.
   "Pass, but If there are beings in that transport headed our way, they're in real trouble if they look even remotely eatable," Pace declared.
   "Now I have that flapping around in my head.  How far out are they?" Trent asked OM.
   "Six minutes.  Perhaps they are just curious why an asteroid of this size came to a complete stop," OM replied.
   "They have increased velocity.  Ship, as the approaching transport nears, stay on the opposite side of the asteroid.  Pace, deploy a monitor," Trent ordered.
   "Right.  How do I deploy a monitor?" asked Pace.
   "You ask me to deploy a monitor," replied OM.
   "OM, deploy a monitor," commanded Pace.
   "Monitor deployed," returned OM.
   "Handy, can you make a monitor?" asked Pace.
   "Yes, if you provide me with the parts, but I cannot shape raw materials as can Ship.  I am restricted to carving, scraping, drilling, wielding, bending, compressing, sowing, stretching, molecular manipulation, cutting, melting and grinding," Handy answered.
   "Perk up!  Here we go," said Trent.
   "Perk up?  Where are the weapons?" Pace asked.
   "There are no weapons on the cargo ship.  You should record as much of this encounter as possible for future reference, tactics and weaponry specifically," Trent stated.
   "I do not believe they are aware of our presents.  There are no life signs.  There are two robotic designs operating the transport.  There are several weapon systems, and a small patch of gravitirium on the nose tip.  They are scanning the asteroid with a crude and barely functional sensing device.  Their propulsion system is similar to that of the warship, and is leaking radiation at high levels and they are transmitting," reported OM.
   After ten minutes the craft and its occupants left.
   "Have breakdown on their weapons?" asked Pace.
   "Two forward lasers with one functional, two rear lasers.  One forward projectile weapon and two rear projectile weapons," stated OM.
   "They don't seem to be in a hurry to get back," Pace said watching a monitor. 
   "Recall the probe and send it in the direction of the brown dwarf.  Have it transmitted on spite frequencies just in case they pick up its activities," ordered Trent.
   "I believe this is an accurate translation from one portion of a log belonging to the mariners in the destroyed transport, considerations notwithstanding, firm decisions with no further…" said OM.
   "Diplomats, or salesmen," interrupted  Pace.
   "The investigative team is now stationary.  I am guessing they simply sit until ordered to move, or they detect something to investigate," OM suggested.
   "I do not feel like sitting here.  Interfere with there communications.  Maybe they will return to base," said Trent.
   A few minutes later the craft was headed toward the red dwarf.
   "Can you mimic their signature?" asked Pace.
   "Yes.  However, each craft will most likely have its own code," OM stated.
   "How about absorbing all their energy, and taking their place," Pace stated.
   "Now that's a good idea.  OM, can we do that?" Trent exclaimed.
   "Yes.  Probably.  We can try," OM returned.
   "Good enough for me, initiate," Ordered Trent.
   Ship disengaged from the cargo ship, engulfed the robotic craft in its shielding and drained the energy.  Ship the began transmitting the robotic ships identification signal and then reattached to the cargo ship.
   "At their transmission rates we can be at the brown dwarf before it ends from this location.  Then when they suddenly pick it up at the brown dwarf, they may think it is a glitch.  Then they will try to communicate.  Therefore. I hope to be able to do just that," OM stated.
   "You hope.  Well, if discovered we simply tell them of our envoy status from the planet Ree.  If they become unpleasant, we leave.  Then we try something else.  By the way, have you perfected an implant for Pace?" Trent asked.
   "No," blurted Pace.
   "Yes," said OM.
   "I don't feel like having unnecessary burrowing into my head.  Not meaning offence Handy," Pace spouted.
   "Understandable," said Handy.
   "It may be necessary.  Verbal communications my not be possible at times," OM said.
   "The device is five millimeters in diameter and three millimeters thick.  Handy can insert it without pain.  Plus, you can turn it off and on with a thought," OM stated.
   "Fine.  Let's get it over with," Pace offered.
   Ten minutes later Pace had her implant.
   "Did you feel anything?" OM thought.
   "Yes.  Oh, you thought that," Pace thought.
   "You thought that," OM, Handy and Trent replied.
   "This is interesting.  How do you designate who you wish to exchange thoughts with?" ask Pace.
   "You think the beings name, then send your thought.  You may also think 'all' if you would like your thoughts to be shared with all those on your list which you create by thinking the beings name then save," thought OM.
   "Ship, as soon as Pace is jelled, take us to the outer edge of what appears to be a traffic course," ordered Trent.
   "Understood," thought Ship.
   "How often can you do that with side effects?" asked Trent.
   "We tested it one hundred times in short intervals," Pace said, then repeated the same by thought.
   Five minutes later they were on their way.
   "That is a lot of transports," Trent stated looking at thousands of transports passing at quite high velocities.
   "I'm still hungry," Pace said climbing out of her transport.
   "They seem not to notice us.  No life signs.  The probe has not detected life signs as of yet.  There is a lot of activity around the redish planet.  There is also an electronic screen around it that is preventing usable scans.  I am certain that is where their main activity is centered.  The other planets have very little activity," thought OM.
   "Ship, switching to manual," Trent thought.
   "Complying," Ship responded.
   "Here we go," thought Trent as he maneuvered into the cloud layer covering the planet.
   "Another mile of cloud.  There transmission field is increasing in density.  We should soon be able to single out individual signals," OM stated.