R-197813

The departure went as well as we expected. Despite the loss of 3, the rest of us managed to make it out. The ship isn’t too badly damaged, and already it is beginning to heal what little there is. They made these things to last.

Our new captain has taken the lead. There was some debate about who should take up that mantle, as there always is. I thought about putting my name out there, but who am I kidding? I don’t have the reputation that Moruth has. He’s the type that takes charge, even if he has to crack a few heads. It isn’t like he hasn’t done that before. I remember hearing some of the others talk about his days serving as the personal protector to the Architects. From the way they whispered, I can tell that he’s ruthless. They kept prattling on about how his habit of twisting necks so hard they pop off. I don’t believe it though. Stories are always full of lies. It wouldn’t be a good one if it was entirely honest now, would it?

R-197814

The ship is resting now. We hoped this would be quick. These things were supposed to be able to skip halfway across the universe in a single go, but I guess that was just another story. It’s only been a cycle, and everyone’s already getting restless. Can’t blame them though, there isn’t much to do on this thing. At least the food is good.

R-197815

I think it’s finally settling in for us all. What we’ve left behind, that is. It must have happened by now, if all those babbling scientists and Architects were right. Can’t believe we had to do this. There should be more of us, but they weren’t capable of thinking straight. What was the point? I don’t pity them; they made their choice. They can rot in bits for all I care.

R-197816

We skipped again. No luck. Moruth is looking angry. I half expected him to tear Thanits’s neck out, but it ain’t like she isn’t trying. We’re running into the same problem that we knew was coming. The universe is supposed to be a place where anything happens. From what we’ve seen during the skips, anything is possible somewhere. So why can’t we find it? There has to be another one. This should’ve been easier. I thought that the Architects were just putting us on so that we wouldn’t try anything. Guess I was wrong.

R-197817

Moruth needs to be more careful with Thanits, because if she goes, we all do. He’s getting angry, wanting her to try harder. She’s tried explaining to him that she can’t, and that’s not how this works. Going too far could be deadly. I would have made a better captain. At least when I’m told that something is impossible, I can get it through my thick skull. He’s just a brute. An ignorant, empty-headed grunt. I bet that’s why he put me on damn record duty. He thinks I’m a threat to him. Trying to put me in my place?

R-197818

R-197819

R-197820

So, they finally noticed? I told them that keeping records is useless. Who’s going to read them, anyway? Took him three cycles to even notice that I’ve stopped. Shows what a waste this is. Why am I even doing this? If Moruth actually read any of it, he would’ve had something to say about my last entry. What a captain he is. I’d do better. I wouldn’t strike anyone who’d question my authority. Right, I didn’t write that part down, but who cares? Some unlucky guy thought he’d question their captain. The crack was enough to tell me that was a bad idea. The medical room is gonna be a lot fuller if this keeps up.

Thanits is looking worse for wear. She says she’s fine, but I have eyes. Moruth is pushing her too far. He says we need to hurry, and that we don’t have much time. It would be a different tune if he was the one in that chair. All he does is stand around and scream orders. Anyone could do that.

R-197821

Just write something so it’s there.

Bla bla bla, blab la blab la bla la la, blablabalbla. Blablabla blbal bla blabla. Blablbal ablab bla blab lbal. Bllb blabl bal. Blooodule bla blap blap.

R-197822

Everyone’s acting crazy. You’d think we actually found it. We skipped again, but this time, we saw something. It was big, very big. Isn’t any telling if it’s actually suitable. Could be a big rock of nothing for all we know. From the way the others are acting, you’d think it’s some fabled hero coming down from the sky to save us. I’m not so stupid. I know not to get my hopes up too much. I’ve seen a few things in the skips, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this was some mirage. There are creatures out there capable of crafting the perfect trap to lure us in. Either way, I’m not going to be the first to step out.

R-197823

This isn’t good. Thanits. Someone better know what’s wrong with her or it’s all over. Didn’t we bring a doctor with us or something? There has to be one.

R-197824

One of the scientist guys wrapped her up in that sticky stuff. Don’t know how any of that works. I cut myself once when working on a driller, and one of those things patched me up in no time. Never seen one before then. They tell me it’s a very simple design, but I don’t really care to learn. If it does the job right, then I don’t need to ask questions. But it isn’t like she just had a cut. Not sure that stuff can help what’s going on in the inside.

R-197825

That grunt really doesn’t get how any of this works, does he? The idiot tried to force some of the others to get in the chair. Newsflash, if we could do that before, we would have done it by now! If I had the guts, I would have walked right up to him and decked him. I can tell that I’m not alone with that. The way they look at him has changed. He isn’t some leader to them anymore. Now they see him like I do.

There’s been whispers about having someone take over. Naturally, I put my name in there, and there seems to be some agreement. I’m not the smartest of us, but I’ve got a head on me. Anyway, I’m probably the second strongest behind Moruth. If anyone was going to take him down a peg, it would be me. The debate is still going, but I’m feeling the wind is changing in my favor.

R-197826

Moruth gave me a look today. Maybe he’s been hearing the whispers? I liked it. He looked threatened, and he should be. Any day now, and I’m going to be filling his shoes. Just wait and see. I’m going to be on top.

R-197827

R-197828

It’s time.

R-197829

R-197830

Hello, my name is Prometallus.

I’m not the sort that has ever been good when it comes to bad news, so I suppose that being as forward as possible is the best solution. Kerr, the woman who was previously in charge of records, is no longer able to do so. There was a confrontation with the captain. Some of our crew decided that he was no longer fit to be in such an important position, and so they took it upon themselves to relieve him of duty. A fight broke out, and many were injured. In the shuffle, Kerr was killed by accident.

I watched as this all happened. I wasn’t a part of the dissenters, but I wasn’t entirely clueless about their goals. I told myself that I should stop them, but I didn’t think I could. Perhaps, I thought that it was for the better. Moruth hasn’t been acting in a way that brings much encouragement to his abilities.

Now, many are unsettled. As Thanits recovers, we are growing more and more anxious. To combat this, the captain has given us all tasks to complete. As you can see, I have become the new record keeper. Some have been tasked with providing the food, and others are in charge of the cleaning. Speaking honestly, these roles are meaningless. This ship is structured in such a way that having specific people in charge of these facilities is unnecessary. Everything is self-efficient here, as it was made so by design. There are enough beds and sanitation pods for us all, and our nourishment is made to never run dry. All of this is merely busywork.

R-197831

Nothing much to report. We remain in a safe area, as the ship is outside any known sectors of aggression or danger. A part of me wonders if we should have a lookout on the control deck at all times? Surely, someone watching to see if a random asteroid or other potentially deadly event would be more useful than a food giver? Our scanners are strong, but the Architects couldn’t have planned for everything.

R-197832

Thanits stirred in her sleep, and this was enough for our captain to insist she be put back into the chair. I do not think I need to explain why this course of action would be illogical. I, and some others, explained to him the grave danger he would be putting her in. He gave me a look that shook me to the core, but thankfully, he relented. Moruth, it would seem, can be reasoned with. But, even now, there’s a part of me that thinks he was a second away from doing to me what he did to Kerr.

R-197833

Nothing to report.

Although, I must admit that becoming the record keeper has given me a way to take my mind off things. So much has happened, and it’s very difficult to find moments of peace. I think of my home often, and of the people I left behind. When presented with the prospect of this journey, I had my doubts. This type of thing isn’t like me. All my life I have lived simply, happy to advance science in my own little way. Skipping across the universe isn’t something that an elder like me would ever think wise. But, when deciding between the unknown and what we knew was coming, I chose life instead. I wonder if this was the right thing to do.

Dwelling on the past will get me nowhere. I must put that behind me.

R-197834

Finally, Thanits is awake. She is still weak, and it is clear that she needs time to recover, but Moruth isn’t listening. He pried her from the medical room and forced her back into the chair. We protested and begged him to use reason. But the captain is anxious. He wants this to be over. I do too, but this was not the way.

He activated the straps to keep her in place. Out of everything this ship is capable of, this is what causes me the most distress. Why be so cruel as to force someone to stay in the chair? Surely, there must have been another reason for these bindings to exist?

Again, the ship began to skip. We passed through many sights. It is a shame that if it were not for our circumstances, I would have been delighted to study the many wonders that flashed before me. I could have spent cycles dissecting and analyzing just one of the things I saw, but I could only wish that this would stop.

Poor Thanits even started to scream. The helmet was proving too much for her exhausted mind. Yet, it was like our captain had become deaf. He refused to let us stop it, but we tried anyway. He didn’t kill again, though no one managed to get close. Soon, the screaming stopped.

We had found it, finally. The place we had seen for only a second was now before us, bigger and realer than we had first assumed.

Moruth didn’t bother removing Thanits from the chair. He left that to us. The poor woman was nearly dead, and it took much effort to keep her alive. I myself was the one to wrap her back into the mending binds. But even as I did so, I questioned what the use would be. The ship had taken its toll on her consciousness. While her body may be still intact, the chances that her brain remained the same were minimal. That is why there are so many safeguards in place when flying these vessels. The danger cannot be understated.

R-197835

During the last skip, the ship underwent much damage. No one was harmed inside, though there a few minimal breaches to the integrity of the structure. If the Architects had been less prepared, there would be a chance that our lives would already be over. The vessel mends itself, albeit very slowly. Already the cracks and scrapes are disappearing. I know I should be thankful, but I cannot rest while our captain continues his rampage.

We have made it to our destination. The planet before us lays in wait, and all we must do is approach. Moruth wants to move now. He says that there is no point in wasting time, and that we must seize our destiny now. He speaks of destiny like it is a given, as if it’s promised. Doesn’t he see we must be careful? Our technology has not yet been able to determine if the planet is adequate enough for our purpose.

Still, he doesn’t yet realize that without Thanits, there is a chance we may never be able to reach this goal.

R-197836

Currently, Thanits is stable, though I know there is no point in deriving hope from this. Despite barely knowing her, I had come under the impression that she was a woman who was intelligent, caring, and determined. She could have easily become a scientist if the proper encouragement was given, but it would seem that she was simply too young. Besides, she had already chosen her role in life. I doubt she knew that it would lead to this.

She didn’t deserve this. I personally believe that no one does. To become an empty shell of a body, all just to serve our ultimate goal? It is revolting. Not only for the waste of life, but because it was so pointless. The captain should have listened to us and waited. If he had, she could still be with us.

I can still hear the scream. I find myself turning to the refocusing chamber more and more. Perhaps I should have stayed. Is this all worth the pain?

R-197837

I will try to maintain my composure as best I can for this next entry.

The captain has been acting rashly. His understanding that the ship cannot move without the presence of Thanits appears to be hard to grasp for him. He has started fights in the dining chamber with those who have built the nerve to speak up, and even with those who haven’t. It is like there is an energy inside him that is bursting out onto all of us.

He asked me if there was any way that I can get the ship to land, and I informed him that I did not. I am not that type of scientist, nor am I an Architect. I expected his screaming response, but what I did not anticipate was his following suggestion.

Moruth wanted to put Thanits’s body back into the chair. I have never been one to question authority in my long life, but this was simply a step too far. I admit that I must have appeared rather disgusted by the notion. To use one of our own as a makeshift battery? Does that not deprive them of any soul that they once had? It was enough to rid her of her mind. Must we now desecrate her body?

For once, my words halted the captain. Even he knows the weight of what he suggests.

He should have never been chosen as our leader.

R-197838

I have been thinking about our predicament, as I’m sure the rest of the crew has been. Without Thanits, there is nothing we can do. The captain’s suggestion is vile, and it will never come to that. But what are we to do? I can feel my body beginning to wear. The ship has been adequate for us, but as the power slowly wains, so do we. Many have requested to go below. The captain has denied them this, as they have tasks to perform.

What ludicrous reasoning. If they want to go, then let them. Many of the crew do not serve much purpose if I’m speaking candidly. They came aboard not because of the function they might serve, but rather to escape what was coming. We should allow anyone who does not contain potentially useful skills to do as they will, and the rest of us to stay up. That way, we use less power, and cause the least amount of distress.

The ship can go on for an exorbitant number of cycles, so this is not our concern. But we should be considerate of our future. Was it not our blindness to it the reason why we are all here?

R-197839

I caught Moruth looming over the body of Thanits. When he saw me, he did not speak. Instead, he looked through me with distant eyes.

Anxiety for the crew is at an all-time high. What irony. Our potential salvation is dangling before us, with the bright flashing lights of the planet taunting us to draw closer. But we cannot move. These walls were not meant for comfort, only necessity. Sometimes, I get lost inside these halls, as they all look the same. I wonder why the Architects did not think to create a more pleasant atmosphere?

Perhaps it was intended as a message? ‘Beware all those who enter here, for it is wicked.’

We scuttle around, trying to find things to do. Conversation is at a minimum, for the topics left to discuss are nothing but disturbing. Some have started to act strangely, even for the given circumstances. I tried speaking to a small woman who was lounging in the far corner of the conservation chamber. She merely stared at me, like she wasn’t listening to a word I said.

Speaking frankly, these reports have become less about record keeping, but more like my temporary salvation from reality. Every cycle, I come, and I write these words out of habit. It is the only time that I am able to feel useful. At least this database knows our plight, though I’m sure it doesn’t care. Any graceful ear is one that I’m ready to whisper to, even if I never get a response back.

R-197840

R-197841

There has been an incident involving the crew.

One casualty.

The captain has apprehended the culprit, and now we are ascertaining their motives.

More information is to come.

R-197842

The culprit has not given us any reason why they decided to lash out at their fellow crewmate. As there are no holding cells on the ship, we’ve made do with converting one of the sanitation pods. We’ve locked the seal, so they shouldn’t be able to get out. Hopefully, this quick solution will hold.

The captain is still attempting to pry information from him, though I doubt he will be successful. I’ve asked around to see if anyone else was familiar with his name, but from the sounds of things, he was reclusive. What I do know is that I have a body located in the medical room now. I wasn’t prepared for this type of thing. I’m a scientist, and not a doctor. Though perhaps a mortician would be more suited to this type of work. From what I can tell, the poor man was asphyxiated. They found him in one of the storage rooms, with the culprit still in the act.

I know that tensions have been high, so some physical acts of violence are not surprising to me. However, I didn’t believe that it would go this far so quickly. What could have been said to set them off?

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

Whatever the case may be, I will need assistance dealing with this body. Perhaps we should use materials from one of the beds as a cover?

R-197843

As I expected, the crew has been lashing out with accusations and fear regarding the event. They worry that it might happen again, and that they will be the ones to be killed next. I’ve done my best to soothe them, but there is little I can do. They turn to the captain for guidance, but all he can do is continue to scream at the sanitation pod for answers. He’s been at it for hours, to no avail. Doesn’t he see that he can’t yell a solution into existence?

I don’t know how, but they have slowly placed me in a position of authority. Perhaps it was my work with Thanits, or simply my verbal warnings to the captain that made them see me as a guide? Admittedly, I’ve been more active than I thought I would be. Though if I did not act, these things would never be done. I am not unfamiliar with being in charge, but never in such a high stakes time.

I will do my best to lead silently, as I doubt that Moruth will appreciate any undercutting of his power.

R-197844

The body has been delt with. The only kind thing I could think to do was place their remains in one of the storage units. It is an unfitting burial ground, but it must suffice for now. They are right next to where we placed Kerr. It’s an unnerving sight.

Moruth was near Thanits again. He doesn’t appear to care that I saw him. He knows I wouldn’t be able to stop him.

R-197845

I wasn’t entirely honest before. Kerr wasn’t killed in the shuffle, or in the heat of the skirmish. Moruth killed her. He didn’t have to; she was already beaten. He’d already dispatched her followers and pinned her to the ground. I thought the issue was over, but apparently, he did not.

He just kept hitting her, over and over.

It went on for hours.

By the time he was done, Moruth was unrecognizable in her remains.

Only a few of us witnessed this, and for that, I am thankful. We knew there was nothing we could do, even if we sought retaliation of some sort. Our mouths shut tight, and we carried on.

I don’t know why I decided to lie. Perhaps I was afraid that he would read this? I know this to be untrue. Many times, I have aired my gripes with his leadership, unafraid of the consequences. Now I know why I did it.

I didn’t want anyone to know what happened. Arrogantly, I thought that when this was all over, and these records were read, the future would be better off not knowing the grisly details. This was foolish of me. Life is nothing but a list of terrible acts throughout history. It is not my place to change that.

It feels good to say this. I wonder if it was any use? Will anyone ever see these words, or even care to read through them? Does what I say here matter in the slightest? Maybe not, but I will carry on.

R-197846

There’s been another incident.

R-197847

R-197848

There’s been a mass outbreak of violence. Three casualties so far. The crew is turning in on itself and lashing out. I am helpless here, but the captain is doing his best to end this madness.

R-197849

Moruth has managed to contain a few of the perpetrators in some of the remaining sanitation pods. The others were dealt with. I’ve never seen anything like this before. This violence is uncalled for entirely. What could have driven these individuals to such insane acts of force? I know these people. They weren’t confrontational. Yet, they’ve seen fit to strike down even more of their fellow crewmates.

I don’t know what to do with the bodies. Piling them on top of each other in the storage unit is too unspeakable to even consider.

The refocusing chamber.

There would be the kindest place to tuck them away. Let them rest in the dark. Let them have peace.

This was not how I thought it would go. A privilege of the old is that we do not have to watch our young die. At least, that’s what I thought was promised. They were so young, and I weep at what their lives could have been.

R-197850

I see it now. There is no time to waste. All I need is a closer look. I must examine one of the dead.

R-197851

-Severe muscle deterioration.

-Cerebrum disturbance.

-Chemical imbalance.

-Ocular irritation.

R-197852

If only I had the tools with me so that I could study this more closely! Moruth says I’m a fool to think that what I’m doing is in any way helpful. He is one to talk about usefulness.

R-197853

Another wave of cases. Now I know that this isn’t just some extreme case of mass hysteria. Something has infected the crew and is causing them to act violently. I must discover what it is, and if it’s possible, how to cure it.

R-197854

R-197855

Confound it! I cannot make any more progress on the bodies without the proper instruments. All my work is doing is desecrating the respect of the deceased. But I must push forward. Already, I can see symptoms appearing in those of us that remain.

It starts off slowly. The subject begins to become unresponsive and unable to communicate properly. Then, their awareness of their surroundings begins to fade. Next comes the violence. They strike out at whoever they see, inflicting as much damage as possible.

Correction. They do not lash out at everyone, only those who are not currently afflicted. Those that have been contaminated will not attack others who are as well. This suggests some form of recognition, which in itself, shows a sign of intelligence.

I must examine one that is alive. It is vital.

R-197856

I tried to talk the captain into assisting me with my research, but he has turned me down. As I write this, the majority of the afflicted have been sealed away within the sanitation pods. While some were unfortunately killed, there are a few unaccounted for. This disturbs me, as it shows an ability to process the need to flee and hide. These aren’t simpleminded creatures, though their exact levels of intelligence remain to be seen.

He says that it is dangerous for us to go out. Currently, we are fortifying ourselves in the medical room. We’ve propped up bedframes to make a shoddy barrier, though I have voiced my doubts of the effectiveness of this. Whatever has contaminated the crew will not be stopped by a simple wall. These things managed to get into the ship, which should be impossible. I would be able to ascertain how if I was given the chance to properly inspect a subject in the sanitation chamber. But I suppose that our captain only cares about safety when it’s most inconvenient.

Thanits is still here. Seeing how she is not technically dead, I felt it was wrong to put her with the other bodies. The mending binds have preserved her, but its effects will not last much longer. I’ve contemplated feeding her to provide the proper nourishment to keep her body alive. But no matter how long I preserve this husk of a life, she will not be coming back. The poor woman. I know I had nothing to do with her demise, however, I still feel somewhat guilty about what happened. If I and the crew didn’t make the choices that we did, she would have never been in this situation. Though, I suppose, she too made that choice.

R-197857

As we sit here in silence, I realize how dire our predicament is. So consumed by my work that I’ve neglected to see that the remaining crew only amounts to seven. Me, the captain, and five others. Eight if you count Thanits.

I would comment on morale if there was any to be had. We act as though we are already dead, sitting in the silence of our confinement. I’ve been afraid that they have been infected themselves, so I check occasionally by having them say something. They respond with measly grunts, annoyed by the disturbance of the quiet.

This is not how I pictured our voyage to go. I once saw a world in which we skipped across the universe and completed our goal in record time. Now that seems like the idle wishes of a very foolish old man. I cannot help but wonder what has become of our fellow ships? Have they found it? Did their journeys go smoothly? The darkness must be getting to my spirit, for I cannot imagine they did. I can’t help but believe that we are the last ones left. Though, perhaps, I am wrong. Maybe we will be rescued? There is a chance that the other vessels located the planet that we now orbit. They would not be so cruel as to abandon us.

These are but the hopes of a dying man.

We can’t stay in here forever. No matter what Moruth does, in this next cycle, I shall depart and conduct my research. If he kills me, so be it.

R-197858

Moruth and a few others have finally seen reason and agreed to accompany me. We will head to the sanitation chamber, and I will do my best to find an end to all this madness. I am unsure of what I will find, though I must not let this stop me.

If this is my last record, please know that what we have done was for the sake of all of us. We are sorry, but there was no other way.

R-197859

Two casualties.

I have obtained a sample of one of the creatures. I wish it did not come at such a cost.

R-197860

Moruth seems shaken by our losses. I mourn them also, but I have no time to grieve. Our path to the sanitation pods was quick and uneventful. There we were greeting by a ruckus cacophony as the infected pounded on their cages. Their hands had become crumpled stubs as they mutilated themselves, trying to break through the glass.

Clearly, whatever these creatures are cannot feel what is happening to those who they have stolen. The optical damage has amplified tenfold, along with signs of the infection itself increasing in size. Though this is all I could ascertain through the blood-smudged windows. I needed a closer look. I had to have it.

Moruth bickered with me for what must have been hours. Finally, he agreed to open one of the pods. The creature instantly tried to flee, but the men contained him easily. I got to work as quickly as my old body could muster.

I realized, if I was careful, that I could extract the creature from the man it possessed.

The men did not understand the necessity of what I was doing and questioned me constantly. Do they not see that this is for the good of all of us? Grisly as it may be, I needed this to study. I needed his eye.

The subject went still after I obtained the sample. They thought he was dead and released their grip on him. This was a clear mistake, and the repercussions came quickly. By the time the captain reacted, the two men who accompanied us were already mortally injured. I have never seen such ferocity. To create such wounds, one would need to exert a level of strength not commonly seen in our race.

Moruth dispatched him, and we returned to the medical room. The remaining men have been giving me looks.

Don’t they understand that if I could prevent the losses of their lives, I would do so instantly? Do they not see that what I’m doing is for the pursuit of a solution? Yes, it does not escape me that what I have done to their crewmate is grotesque. But what else should I do? I have been as kind as I can to the infected and the dead. Now cannot be the time to get queasy.

R-197861

The sample is providing results. This is progress, I know it is.

R-197862

Parasites! My assumption is proved correct!

These creatures have the ability to latch onto a host and control them from the inside. To do this, they appear to start off small enough to breach the eye, then grow in size to anchor themselves from within. The exact method of how they entered our ship is yet to be seen. Though there is something curious. From my study of the sample, they do not contain the proper anatomy to take away control completely. Typically, the parasites known to our world completely dominate the host, ridding them of all identity or will and replacing it with their own. But these are different. Fascinating.

I should not take joy in these discoveries, though as a man of science, I cannot help but be intriguing.

Their anatomy is more equipped to alter the host, rather than control them. I see that they are able to produce a wide array of different chemical effects on the body. Though my limited equipment will not provide me with any specific answers to what the chemicals are. It occurs to me now that this presents a startling question. The crew appeared to be completely at the will of the creatures inside them, which, from my understanding, should not be correct. How are these parasites compelling them to commit all these atrocities? Why would they acquiesce to do so?

I have already begun work on how to destroy these pests, so now I only need is tttttttt ttt ttttttt ttt

R-197863

R-197864

The sanitation pods have been broken. They’ve gotten out. How have they gotten stronger? They haven’t attacked our barrier, though one of the crew is acting strange.

R-197865

Moruth didn’t bother giving him a chance to become infected. It was swift and merciful, though the body still stares at us from the floor. I’m sorry I couldn’t do anything for you. Please, you must know that I tried.

R-197866

Why is this process so slow? Why can’t it just tell me what I need to do to stop them all? Surely it must not be hard. I can hear them moving outside. Why don’t they just come and end it all? I can see them through the cracks sometimes, and I wonder why they are doing this.

Why, why, why. Is that all I can ask now?

I’ve been thinking about their biology more. Perhaps the parasites induce a chemical reaction in the brain to cause extreme aggression? That would explain why the crew would act so violently. But it does not give an answer to why they seem docile now. Some act radically, others are calm. I see them performing some of the menial tasks the captain laid out for them. They bring food down the hall, and others gather clothes for cleaning.

Are they mocking us? Trying to show how pointless our lives have been?

No, I cannot think like this. I am giving into my fear. I must think about this logically.

What is the end goal for them? They surely must be trying to accomplish something.

-Consumption of the host?

-Assimilation?

-Infiltration?

R-197867

Moruth says that I am on this recorder too much. I do not care. What else is there to do?

The three of us wait here while the sample stirs in its test tube. I await the time when results show. I watch the tube constantly. It will show us something eventually, and if it doesn’t, we will die in here together. I wonder if we should even bother. Let them take us. It would be easier. If they kill us, this nightmare can finally be over and done with. I didn’t sign up for this. I signed up to live.

R-197868

I fell asleep for the first time in ages. When I woke up, I found that Moruth had his boot on my neck. I begged him not to kill me, though perhaps I shouldn’t have. In my slumber, there was the most wonderful dream of home. I was in my house, with my studies, simply living. It wasn’t much, but I wasn’t here, and that was enough. I wish that could be my final memory. Yet now I’m awake.

I thought the captain would do it, anyway. Just crush me and end it. I can tell he thought about it, and perhaps if there hadn’t been another with us, he would have done so. Though I doubt the other man would have cared. I have yet to ask him his name, and I don’t care too. All it would serve to do would be to identify his future lifeless body. Sometimes, I picture myself next to the corpses we’ve stuffed in the corner. I will join them and Thanits soon, I know that.

R-197869

Dreams.

Its dreams, isn’t it?

Terrible daydreams.

I would do anything to be home again, and so would they.

How simple.

R-197870

The other man talked to Moruth. He asked the captain to kill him.

He complied nearly instantly.

He’s looking at me now as I write this. The same stare he gave Kerr before he killed her. We’re the last two left.

Does he not wish to know if there’s a cure? The sample is nearly done. Any time now, I will be able to ascertain if these creatures have an exploitable weakness.

Though my dear captain has never been one to reason. He’s why we’re here. His incompetence. All this death is on his hands, and he knows it. I see it in him. A primal self-hatred. If only he had listened.

R-197871

It is done! I must examine it now. There still could be hope.

Please, no. Please let me be wrong.

R-197872

There is a cure, and it’s the simplest of solutions.

Yet, we cannot do it.

All this effort.

All this time.

And we were never going to make it out alive.

No matter what we do.

Or what cure we apply.

We will die.

Maybe, if we had been different ourselves, there would be hope.

But we would be administering the same fate that we sought to escape.

We are dead.

It is over.

Now all there is left to do is tell Moruth. I hope that my death comes swiftly.

R-197873

I know why now.

I was standing before the captain, awaiting my fate. There had never been any reasonable cure, and our efforts had been for nothing. How foolish we were to try. I watched as the smallest spark of hope was extinguished from his miserable soul. There was nothing left now but death, which was the only thing that the captain was ever able to control. He approached me, and I did not fight back. I presented myself before him, a willing sacrifice.

Then Thanits woke up.

Standing from the corpses and her nest of mending binds, it was as though she had never been gone at all. She was glowing, rejuvenated in her new life as she approached us. Each step was a gentle glide, and her presence was soothing. Seeing her was seeing my children getting older and wiser. It was my joy at a new discovery, and it was the feeling of my home world in its youth.

She reached her hands out, and I readied myself to feel an embrace. Instead, I saw as she moved towards the captain. Her captain. He seemed afraid as she reached up and lightly caressed his head. Although he didn’t understand what was going on, he accepted the gesture with relief. His shoulders slouched, and he breathed out a heavy sigh.

He whispered to her. He told her that he was sorry. He begged her to forgive him. Thanits smiled, and then her hands started to glow. A soft static moved between her fingers and through Moruth’s skull, lighting up the room in a soft purple glow. His eyes narrowed in confusion as the light got brighter and brighter, and the static moved faster and faster.

The woman did not change her calm expression as he started screaming. He tried to push her away, but despite his strength, she did not move an inch. Smoke billowed into the air as she raised the captain above her head. His feet kicked out from underneath him, but he found no footing. His eyes poured out in a dark, foaming, black mucus that rolled down his cheeks like tears. After a while he stopped screaming, and his skull crumpled into sludge in Thanits’s hands. The body dropped to the floor, an unrecognizable fuming mass. The ship now went without a captain.

I stood by emotionless as Thanits turned to me. As she came closer, I stepped forward. It would be foolish to run. Even if I could move the barricade from the door, I don’t think I would have wanted to. This was the end, so I faced its finality with purpose.

I braced myself, awaiting execution. Yet, she only stared softly.

Her eyes, her eyes. How full they were. Something inside was reaching out to meet me.

Thanits turned to the barrier, and I saw that some of the crew were waiting on the other side. They made quick work of the temporary wall, and soon a passage for us was clear. She turned back, as if she wanted me to follow.

Outside, the crew merely watched me go by. Turning in the corridor, I see that the entire ship has come to greet us. They lined the hall. The faces of the infected, row after row. Thanits moved through them with her cover of mending binds flowing behind her like a cloak. I trailed the procession, the red eyes of the dead lingering after me.

Why had they not attacked me? This is what I wondered.

There is the refocusing chamber, but the bodies are all gone. They’ve been reduced to nothing. Is this what they wanted? I close the door as I pass. One final sign of respect for the departed.

Thanits and I entered the control room, and I saw the planet in all its glory. We were so close to making it. So tantalizingly near to our goal that it felt like all we had to do was stretch a little further. I turned to her and asked why this was happening.

She only pointed to the planet.

There I understood. It was always there, and we would have seen it if we cared to focus. It’s everywhere when you look.

I watch as I do something with the controls. I flip a switch, turn a nob, and the lights flicker on. Is this a distress call? What would be the point in asking for help when everyone is already dead?

No, not dead. We are dreaming.

We want others to dream too.

Thanits takes her position in the chair. She is bringing down the helmet as I write.

Why do I write still? My body moves on its own and does not request my guidance. So why do I keep recording?

It’s because it hasn’t finished yet. I’m still awake.

My home, it’s here. I see it so clearly, so it must be true. The sky is so beautiful, even through the Shroud. Why would I have ever left this place? No, I never did. I’m still there, practicing my studies. I’m making good work, and I think I’m on to something big. Let me toil on it for a while, and I can finish it. That’s what I’ve always strived for, after all. I want to make my home a better place, in any little way I can. My old body can still be of use. Old? How silly of me, for I am young and spry. Though it’s of no consequence, for my mind has always been my strength. Still, it feels good to run again. To move freely and without effort.

Again?

Why is she screaming? Thanits? What’s wrong?

I’ll help you. I have to help you. I’ll turn it off, I promise.

I want to go to sleep. I want to rest during the day, and I want to rest at night. Just turn away, ignore all the sound. My workshop is bigger than I remember it. Not everything is in the right place, but it is where it should be. I’ll make them better. I’ll help my world. We don’t need the Lavenders. I can find another way.

I can’t stop it. I only made her go away.

I

I

I’m sorry that we

We shouldn’t have

I don’t know if anyone will

Find this

But please

If you are there

If you are still awake

Just remember

There is no dust.

There is no dust.

There is no dust.

There is no dust.