Aynsefian

I can hear the running water again. I turn to Arlyss and Cindlyss, smiling broadly at each. In the dim light I can’t see their faces but I can see a subtle sign of positivity in their gait. I know they hear the water too. Their hearing is more acute than mine. The wind, therefore, must have been sheer torture for them over the last two days.

We reach Salvation’s Creek. I want to kneel down immediately and have more water, but first I want to experience happiness at watching my companions drink. They remove their helmets. It’s good to see their faces again. They really do look exhausted.

They drink for what seems like minutes. It’s so great to watch. I can see their body language improving with each mouthful. Water is more important to their survival than it is to mine. They must have dreamed of this moment over and over during the last few days.

I have a lot more water too. It feels great. I wish I could eat, though, and to get some medical help. I’ll just have to tolerate it all, for now. We need to find a place to sleep. There’s a lot of moss, so anywhere is good really.

I’d love to have a wash too, but it’s just a bit too cold here. Later on I might brave it and wash in the creek. Sleep first, though.

Another thought strikes me. I remember as I was leaving to go and rescue them that I saw something weird at the fissure in the cave wall where the water for Salvation’s Creek was emanating from.

I motion to my companions. They begin to follow me over. Salvation stays put. I go back and turn him to “follow” mode. I never want him to leave my side again.

All four of us head over to the fissure. It’s about eighty metres from where we first encountered the creek. I note numerous good spots on the creek bank along the way where we can make our camp and sleep. However, as we come close to the cave wall and the entry point of the water into the cave the weirdness of the fissure becomes apparent. It’s a discovery that almost literally floors me.

The fissure in the cave wall has been constructed. The water is emerging from a square hole that forms part of a channel, which disappears into the other side of the cave wall. It’s as if it’s been purposefully directed to this point from a water source somewhere else inside this mountain. It’s not natural, and therefore someone built this creek. Salvation’s Creek. That leads to an obvious conclusion.

Someone with sophisticated technology and means lives here, inside this cave.

-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

From the IR84U Captain’s Log, found on the body of Capt. Zarasena Fen, in the wreckage of MGC Ship IR84U on Farrister (Endyst planet 3), MGC date 3041.87.2.21. Edited by Myronelli Tschadze of Wyrissa (Unbrindo planet 7), MGC investigator.

[Entries skipped due to non-relevance to the investigation]

Entry #:77

Date:3041.87.2.11

I’m heading back out now into other areas of the Far Reaches. Resuming my patrol. Bodies and ship ejected now, back into YP48197 and out of this galaxy. Back to whence they came. Space rubbish. We don’t need it here.

Should have dropped Anathusa off with them. I really should have. Problem is, I won’t be able to cover that up very easily. Damn it! I’d have to do tons of paperwork to explain why I executed her. Better to just tolerate her for now and then get a new navigator when I get back at the end of this tour. It’s too hard any other way.

It’s so annoying. Why can’t we just eliminate fools out of our lives forever? Why are we constantly beset by them? Everywhere I turn, there are idiots. It’s a curse being so intelligent and so sharp of mind at the same time.

Entry #:78

Date:3041.87.2.11

Wait! I’ve got an idea. I’ll get Lanemu to do it. I mean, I’ll put something in one of his cocktails before he takes it to her. She’s always having them, especially with Jinekali gone. She’ll never suspect! Problem solved.

All I need to do is work on the timing. Must keep it quiet.

I would otherwise be worried about writing such a thing here if I truly believed this was ever going to be read by anyone. It won’t be. No-one cares.

You see, my faithful and strangely supportive Captain’s Log: if I don’t take her out, she’s going to do it to me. It’s self-preservation. I have no choice! I refuse to feel guilt in that scenario. She was once my friend. Not anymore.

Time to neutralise her.

Entry #:78

Date:3041.87.2.11

I’m tired. I shouldn’t be this tired. I want to sleep when I normally wouldn’t want to sleep. It’s not right.

Anathusa has been giving me strange looks. My body language training should prevent her from detecting what I’m up to. I wonder how she knows. Or if she knows.

Has she taken things into her own hands? I asked 84U to examine me, privately. He says all my signs are normal. How is that so? I’m tired as hell.

I’m gonna stay away from Anathusa as much as I can. I think I’ll sleep it off and see how everything looks in the morning. I’m worried though.

If anything happens to me, I want the world to know that I did my absolute best at all times. I made the best of my life and my talents. I did what I set out to do. I made captain and was given command of an IR ship. I’m proud of myself.

I’d tell my parents I love them, but that’d be a stretch. I won’t say too much more about that. I hope their beautiful pristine careers are still intact. Ones they pursued at any cost, including forgetting about me and Sunzirani. Fuck them! Fuck them!!!

I love you, Sunzirani. I always will.

Now I sleep. SO tired.

Entry #:80

Date:3041.87.2.12

I. Wsthgj. I was

I hve beeeee ././.. Hlp m Hel

I bn drugd………... i

[Investigator note: this is the last entry in the Log by Captain Fen, in which she appears be indicating that she’s been drugged. The autopsy scan of both bodies, carried out at the crash site, found no foreign substance of any note in either Captain Fen’s or former Captain Xien’s bloodstream. This of course does not mean one was not administered.

After this message, on 87.2.12, there were no entries for a whole week, which is exceedingly unusual. During this absence, attempts were made to contact IR84U and were met with no response. Prior to this message, all communications with IR84U were routine and were at normal levels. No indications of crew disharmony or unrest.

Following protocol, MGC realised that the reconnaissance work of this ship and its crew was in peril. A ship from the Retrieval Line was dispatched to investigate the whereabouts of IR84U and its crew. Upon reaching the stated location, in the vicinity of planet Farrister, orbiting Endyst in the Outer Reaches, region sixteen, the IR84U evaded the approach of the Retrieval ship. Regretfully, the retrieval mission resulted in a chase, which ended in IR84U crashing into the surface of Farrister, with all lives lost.

The chase and pursuit of IR84U did not shed any further light on why they crashed into the Farrister jungle, as communications were unable to be established in time. Therefore, no other evidence is available as to whether or not there was any onboard dispute that precipitated their suicidal flight into the surface of the planet. It is not known whether the crew died before the crash – perhaps some onboard dispute or other subterfuge, as indicated in the log entries included in this report – or during it.

All deaths have been therefore ruled as unknown and have been attributed to the accidental crash resulting from their flight away from our retrieval ship. Of significant concern through all of this is why IR84U allowed any of it to happen. An IR line’s AI should prevent any sort of crew disharmony for starters, and then definitely should not allow itself to be piloted directly into the surface of a planet.

A separate examination of IR84U’s damaged and therefore incomplete diagnostics found nothing untoward. This whole scenario is exceedingly difficult to fathom. I have done my best, consulted widely, and have found no answers to explain all of the strange behaviour from ship and crew.

My recommendations, based on this analysis are to 1) tighten psychological screening, 2) monitor and review captains and crew more closely for unstable behaviour at more regular intervals, and 3) to verify proper functioning of all ship’s AIs with tighter diagnostics and more timely servicing.

Case closed.

Signed,

Myronelli Tschadze, MGC Accident Investigator, Class 3]