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