
Transmission Log - Orestes
Author: Navy

---------------------------------------------------------------
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-
---------------------------------------------------------------

  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.


----------------------------------------------------------------
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.
----------------------------------------------------------------

