A few hours later the small group arrived at the Equinox. The crew was still busy transporting the ice to one of the labs of the ship.
Alexander and the professor accompanied the captain to the bridge.
They started to analyze the radar profile, and the pictures they took in the caves, which were now on the main monitor.
-We need to gather some of that water too, captain! We need to examine that too! - the professor was a bit enthusiastic about the whole research.
-Indeed captain, that could help us a lot. - nodded Alexander.
-But we don't have the necessary equipment to reach more than 20 kilometers depth! Believe me, I would be already out there gathering you that water if I could do it! We can't go in there with any type of vehicle, as the tunnel is so small. - Roy was a bit angry for this two men as they wanted him to accomplish the impossible.
-Okay, than it's time to make it bigger. - said Alexander with ease.
-No way, we can't destroy those miracles! - reacted the professor.
-Let's try to figure out what we can with the stuff we already gathered, and think about this question later, okay? Let's get to the labs.
The two others nodded and followed the captain down to the laboratory, where the scientists of the Equinox and Sebastian have already started to examine the gathered materials.
Ãgnes Nagy, material scientist of the Equinox already started to analyze the yellowish material which can be found almost everywhere on the planet.
-Anything interesting Ãgnes? -asked her the captain, as they entered.
-Not yet. Still working on it, but my guess is quiet simple. I think it's no more than simple sulfur. Just like in the atmosphere. But I'll be able to give you a detailed report in an hour or so.
-Okay, send it to the professor, as fast as you get it. We can't stay too long on the planet. Sebastian, have you found anything?
Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.
-Nothing captain. Nothing, just normal H<span style="font-size:8pt;line-height:100%]2O, and loads of other materials, like SO2, S2O2 and various others. But no idea what can be the possible reason to congeal like this... Get sample from that water. It may help.
-Please, can't you believe there's no possibilities for us to reach that water?
-Send down the AICD -answered simply Sebastian.
-It can't fit in there... Anyway, I'll try to do my best. Alex, please follow me.
They went down to the docking bays, and entered the one where the AICD was. They activated the personality core of the vessel, and it powered up. The captain updated the it with the newest information about the mission, and told it about the problem.
Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.
Once the AICD gained all the info on what has been discovered so far it started calculating.
After a few seconds it started sending data to the Equinox's main computer.
"The AICD is too large to fit into the tunnel. I sent the construction plans of a smaller artificial drone device to the ships computer.
Some of the required parts will be hard to get but it's sucession possibility is 97.8%. It will in no way damage it's surroundings
if not absolutely neccessary and it's multiple small cargo holds will allow it to collect samples from different depths.
However it will require about 2.6 petaquad hard disk capacity.
Please take care of the construction while I adjust the AICD to create an OS for the drone."
After half a minute of silence the vessel's personality core shut down and the AICD remained calm,
writing a new program for the upcomming mission.
Captain Roy Khan, and Alexander headed up to the ship's bridge, and on the main screen of the ship, there was the blueprint, what the AICD sent.
<span style="font-family:Lucida Console"><span style="color:#33CC00">*personality core activated*</span>
Science consists of stating the obvious and linking the facts. </span>
The captain and Alexander took one of the X-shuttles to visit several of the industries to buy the necessary materials and equipment. Although there were some, which couldn't be bought on the planet.
The captain opened a communication channel between the shuttle and the AICD.
-Xaror, this is Captain Roy Khan, do you read me?
-Positive.
-Good, we need a few materials, which are not accesible on the planet, however we received the co-ordinates, where it can be found. We need you to go there, and gather the necessary amount. Can you do that?
-Positive. Waiting for the co-ordinates.
-Transferring them now. Roy over and out.
The captain looked at Alexander.
-I hope it will make it. Let's go back to the last factory and buy those things. After that we can start building that machine.
Alexander nodded, and both of them exited the shuttle and headed to the factory's administration section.
Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.
[font=Palatino Linotype]"Wait, what had you just said..."
At that moment the burning indignation on the face of that young woman in bib and brace, walking in rounds in the waiting room under the local transport nodal point the composition of this industrial district was crowned with, well, that burning indignation was expresed in the list of most degradatory definitions of professorial stuff of the institute that wasn't mentioned, that institute itself, the management of the corporation, the name of which was replaced by several names of reproductive organs of invertebrates.
In nutshell, that five minutes speech that Alexander and captain had to listen to under protest but with no choice, included the disapproval of actions of some organisations that recalled the grant on some kind of research into biology. Unfortunately, the precise title of research was replaced by swearing along with scientific terms once again. Now that young lady was left here with the delay in payment of quarterly instalments for the flying laboratory stationed in the docks above and was generally depressed. And also they now knew that her surname is Moore.
Miss Moore, or Vanessa, or Vii, as she preferred to be called, was one of the people who day after day ran into all the seven circles of scientific hell with commercialisation of the research programs, not related to legal drugs or military equipment and that way not occupied by Cryer and associates or the governmental agencies.
Eventually, that day was not the best one for Philosophiæ Doctor Vii until for some reason Alexander found it a good idea to come closer and help her to calm down - most probably to avoid another cultural shock.
As the woman sat down on one of the sofas of the waiting room manifestly a bit enraged Alexander went closer to her.
-Uhm... Hy! Let me introduce myself, I'm Alexander Giles from the Cambridge Stellar Research. I heard you have some problems with the authorities. We're an independent research group, with reliable financial background. Currently we have a task at planet Leeds, about the ice crystals, but we are willing to go any unmapped system, if we think there might be something interesting there. And we are always looking for talented, smart, capable and beautiful scientists, just like you. - Alexander hoped, that his compliment will cheer up a bit the lady, and he really saw a potential in her, just he didn't know why exactly.
Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.
[font=Palatino Linotype]Vii snuffled and asked to repeat if Alexander got a professional interest in her - aside from her subtle bodily constitution. After an affirmative answer, she continued to ask about the Stellar Research and the vacant place for a specialist in chemistry and biology there. Eventually, there was a need of a kind - for the inhabited worlds the biologicst could come handy; in any other situation someone who was good in the chemical laboratory could do the trick.
They agreed on a kind of interview after Alexander finishes the work here and headed into different directions; he, full of thoughts - deeper into bureaucratic citadel, she, in a remarkably good mood - to the landing pads, urging the poor transport droid and keying in the message to someone she stormed in a talk to just some minutes ago.
Alexander and the captain headed back to the X-shuttle where the bought equipment was already being loaded.
-What do you think about that woman captain?
-I don't know. She was really pissed off, but she was quite convincing. I think she indeed has potential.
-I will contact her when I have a few free hours. How's the loading going?
-About ten minutes and we can go.
Actually it took more than 40 minutes when they finally docked with the Equinox, orbiting the planet. They immediately started the construction of the hull and the main computer. Fortunately the Equinox was equipped with several machines capable of producing various things. This was one of the vessels advantages, the captain fully equipped it, however the ship itself was so old, that despite the continuous repairs it barely held together. Roy knew, that they have to buy another ship, which can take over the Equinox's role. But he really loved that piece of scrap metal.
Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.
A few hours later the Xaror appeared on the scanners. It was able to get all the remaining materials, eventually from other systems and with the help of a zoner trader. The trader was contacted by Roy, one of his old friends.
The Xaror docked with the Equinox, and the people started to unload and transport the cargo. The blueprint made by the AICD was very useful. It showed every small details. Actually the production went very good. The ship left the orbit of Leeds and went towards Waterford. The machine would be ready when they land on the planet, the captain was sure about it. But how long it would take for the Xaror to write and transfer the new program remained unknown.
Research is to see what everybody else has seen, and to think what nobody else has thought.