Transmission Log - Orestes

Author: Navy

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Auto-generating preface...

A log by NAVY, the first in over two years.

He writes about feeling isolated.

This is indeed the case. His sleep-cycle is the reverse of the

other human-inhabitants, he rarely interacts with them.

He also addresses his past comrade 'Abagail'. Perhaps the message

could be forwarded to her at the Electra outpost if you see fit.

Regarding the previous suggestion about replacing PINK, I

understand your reasons for wanting to keep her in place, and

will revise my evaluation-database for her accordingly.

-END-OF-PREFACE-

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Greetings Arsinoe ...and Abagail, if you are still aboard...

I pray every morning. That is, I pray every time I wake. Mornings

shift. Their time moves. After 5 years on this planet, I am still

jet-lagged.

This planet is small, I know that, but its landscape still feels

so big. Towering rocks, brownish-red for the few moments the sun

actually hits them. Mostly we're in shade. Surrounded on

three-and-a-bit sides by mountains, we only feel the direct

sunlight for five hours a day. Even then, we only sense it

faintly through the thick glass on the westward porthole window.

I've taken to calling our little enclave the devil's armchair.

That's how it looks. A giant seat for a giant being.

I am thankful for it though. The temperature is low, but it is

shaded well from the dust storms that seem to plague us any time

we venture West through the opening.

It is rocky and dark, but it is a garden. And it has borne a

great fruit - the crystals.

The crystals are my only proof that God is a being of the

universe and not only of our own planet.

Yes, they healed me, saved me, but that does not mean that their

sole purpose is to be of service to the human species, as some of

my past comrades aboard the Arsinoe speculated. No, their purpose

is deeper. Their miraculous qualities are simply a small

testament to an even greater power.

We already know this from the fragmented testaments of the first

species to discover the crystals almost 5,000 years ago. We don't

know much about this species, but we know they recognised

something important about the crystals. I visit the rock where

their records are etched almost every day. I will have a full

translation of it ready soon.

I know that I don't talk to you often, but I've been feeling more

and more isolated here. PINK and GREEN bicker endlessly. They've

both grown so stubborn. I used to talk with GREEN about theology.

He explained Augustine's theory of time so beautifully to me.

Even though we had our differences when it came to questions of

belief, we could talk openly and warmly. Not anymore. I admit,

it's partly my fault. I find it difficult to think about God

these days without thinking about the crystals. And, whenever I

mention the crystals, GREEN closes off.

It's the same with PINK, but for different reasons. She never

trusted me, never believed what happened to me on the first

mission here. Why would I make it up, though? Both of them are so

new here compared to me. It's difficult to relate to them

sometimes. But, with PINK, we had our shared love of meditation.

It was such a pleasure to meditate with her, she had such a

peaceful inner core, she was so easy to be around. It's no longer

like that, she has grown strange, she has bad ideas about the

crystals. I can't talk to her anymore. She doesn't respect them.

So, I mostly just keep to myself. I meditate alone. I visit the

crystals every day. I no longer hope that they will repeat their

previous miracle. Hoping seems like a violence now. I am happy to

simply be among them.

I don't think of you often Abagail, but when I do, I think of you

fondly.

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Complied by the Werner H. Young Terminal Emulator

Info: Simple A.I., designed on-site for executing

systems maintenance tasks and exchanging messages between

the Orestes outpost and the Arsinoe.

Built by Werner Young (2113-2151).

Names of persons have been masked to protect their identity.

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