Probes fly, and birds do too.

[Zaphod_the_spacebum 0]

Zaphod sat at the engineer station on the bridge with a cup of coffee. He secretly reached in his pocket and pulled out the small package of catnip (a habit he'd had since he was a teen). He had been introduced to the intoxicating substance as a joke. But, he grew to like the energy, vigor and sense of well being it gave. He was running low. There was a half pound in his duffel along with some clothes, and his personal belongings, along with his weapons. He had found some on the colony Diklit established. Well, it wasn't true catnip. But, it was close enough for his tastes. He dropped about half a teaspoon in and stirred the mix, then put the envelope back in his pocket. Taking a long sip, he tapped the console.

 

----> Assistant Engineers Log <----------

 

The second probe was a marginal success. Alex and I made the final preparations on the probe, then went to ME to monitor the launch and flight. Will was there and helped monitor the flight. I kept a close eye on the trajectory, and Alex made some modifications in flight with Selek and Troy upstairs. The sensor beams on the planet detected the probe and converged on it. But, the towers didn't fire. Maybe the modifications with the holo-emitters were working. Captain Manning called me to the bridge to investigate the weapons systems on the planet. I studied the tactical readouts on the probe. The lasers had a one kilometer range. But, with so many towers, the range was increased. As the probe flew over the continent near site 5, more towers popped up. And, several probe like objects appeared from trap doors in the desert floor. I uploaded as much information from our probe as I could before it could be destroyed. But, the turrets didn't fire, and the objects just flew around the probe. I think that the probe is masked, but Captain Manning wants to wait to see for sure. He ordered me to gather as much information as I could. He called Byblos to launch another probe, this one using speed as a weapon against the sensors. I think that maybe with more speed, and masking, it might make it. The idea was put out to outfit a shuttle to make runs on the planet for close sensor sweeps. I've run a few simulations. I believe if we fit the shuttle with as many holo-emitters as possible, we could fool the planets sensors like the probe did. If the sensors think that the shuttle is just a flying snake or bird, it may make it. We would have to mask the exhaust, and have several backup power systems for the emitters, but it might work. I don't know who will be in the shuttle, maybe we could recruit some of Vertisbule's scientists. I certainly don't want to go. But, I would if ordered. Fixing to run some simulations with the new data from the probe. More later.

 

----> End Log <------

 

Zaphod sat back and sipped his spiked coffee. He missed his stuff, especially his weapons. He'd have to send the Security Chief Pher an interdepartmental memo to ask for his stuff. She seemed like a nice woman. He'd always liked Orions. Friendly species.

He finished his coffee and sat up. Back to work. He started running more simulations.