Kalniel's journal

[kalniel]

Journal Entry #1

'While we yet live, hope burns as the undying flames of sol.'

Somehow this saying seems appropriate to start my journal, as I sit here in my not-so-comfy seat of the mk1 shuttle that carries me along it's bidden journey. It is an eerie feeling - the calm and silence of space seeking to re-assure me that all is well and under the control of computers far more capable than any one terran could be. Yet I cannot relax. The glaring blackness that surrounds me mirrors the void within my head. So many black holes my memmory is a tattered lace of what it used to be, and fear threatens to leap out from nowhere. I am almost frightened to begin this journal, least I be rendered mad. But I must try.

[kalniel]

Journal entry #2

'When in doubt or dispair, retrace yourself to a point of solidity and build up from strong foundations'

It seems my memmory is gracious enough to allow me knowledge of my humble beginnings. Life as I knew it began on an expo-farm on Io. Quiet life, but all I knew about. My pre-teen years were blissfully unaware of the disruption that those years became known for. Even events on the same moon passed me by, let alone those of other moons or beyond. My parents? Ordinary folk. I think all I cared about in those days was getting out of doing chores and beating my brother to the haybarn swing.

During my teens I became more aware of 'uneasinesses' but life at the farm still carried on. Occasionally strange stars could be seen in the night sky I had come to know so well. Comets and shooting stars also became more frequent. In my late teens, one of these shooting stars would have a profound effect on my life...

[kalniel]

Journal entry #3

'Never be too sure of your path in life. The moment you take it for granted might be the last you know of it.'

I have no recollection what the date was when my quiet life took a turn into a new direction. It was in the twillight hours, when the skyscape of Io was it's usual beautiful wash of colours. The shooting stars had been getting more and more frequent but this night even the twillight sky was sparkling.

I remember sensing some change in the atmosphere moments before it happened - a bright light appeared on the horizon, forcing me to sheild my eyes from it. Amazingly it intensified, the glow spreading to fill my vision. The ground started trembling and a loud roar suddenly exploded into my ears. No longer able to see or think clearly, I could _feel_ the light getting nearer, at an incredible rate. Then I felt the heat. Terrible scorching heat. The light, the noise, the shaking and the heat all suddenly got more intense as whatever it was passed over head with such speed I thought my world had been turned inside out. I felt the impact a split second before my vision turned deep red. Moments later the sound and shock waves hit simultaniously. The former burst my eardrums, the latter picked me off my feet and flung me away. The red faded to black, the roar to a dwindling whistle and I never felt the impact of my body hitting the ground.

In a way my life ended there and then. I have no recollection of coming around, or of anything out of the ordinary. My new life not so much started, as carried on. As if it was all I had ever had. I woke up, reported to my superior and went for breakfast in the mess just as I had done as far as I could remember. It was to be another dull day patrolling near Frellis.

[ 08-30-2001: Message edited by: kalniel ]

[kalniel]

Journal entry #4

'Relaxing after work at sunset is a job only half-done when you have two suns'

As normal I went about my patrol, the light ship I was flying was as familiar to me as the back of my hand. The details need not be repeated in this journal. I don't know how many days this continued - I had no reason to even keep the days. Until during one patrol the communication klaxon went off.

Not that it was unusual for this to happen, but when I touched the recieve pad it continued. Only after a few diagnostic checks did I realise the signal was coming from my standard issue bracelet. Confused I pressed the generic 'function' button and instead of cycling through the different time cycles one must get familiar with to sync operations with no objective time measure, I got a coded message. It ordered me back to the cruiser asap to report to my superior's superior.

I didn't get a chance to punch in an affirmative when there was an exposion towards the back of the cockpit that threw the ship into a chaotic tumble. After regaining control I analysed the systems for damage - it showed only light damage to some comms systems. I radioed my squadron leader to report the damage and let him know I was heading back. Suprise suprise the radio had gone. I figured the superior who had contacted me would let the squad leader know, and I didn't fancy being in space without a working comms system so I headed back.

With no comms I headed for the spare launch bay, not wanting to collide with anyone coming out in a hurry. As I approached it seemed to be devoid of it's usual bustle of activity. Now I was getting suspicious and I began to wonder if the explosion had been deliberate. 'Why me?' I wondered.

[ 09-05-2001: Message edited by: kalniel ]

[kalniel]

Journal entry #5

'Some things are best left unknown. For everything else the knowledge has a price.'

Climbing out of the cockpit I was immediately 'greeted' by a pair of marines. Whether I was being protected, or being contained, I don't know and even less cared. Things were getting uneasy. When they took me to the cells I got even more worried, my questions may have as well been directed to a wall for all the response I got from my 'escort'. Eventually we reached one cell, outside which the superior who I was meant to meet waited patiently. As I started to ask what this was all about he simply put a finger to his lips and gravely motioned for me to enter the cell.

Inside my first shock was that instead of a bland cell, I was faced with a relatively furnished room. My second shock was that the official behind the desk wore a helmet. I could just about make out a pair of eyes peering through the visor, but no more.

"Welcome, Kalniel." The voice was going through a scrambler, but the way he said my callsign still impressed it's way through - cold and almost amused. That dispelled my hopes that somehow a mistake had been made, and I was being mistaken for someone else.

"I expect you are wondering what this is all about?" Too right I was. "Well then I trust you will co-operate fully."

My head was spinning. It was like something out of a film. Before I could say anything he pushed a button at his desk and I saw the forcefield go up accross the door of the cell. We were alone and wouldn't be heard. Beckoning me closer he wispered:

"We need you again. You won't remember but I promised we'd never use you again. We gave you the life you have, in more ways than one. And much though it pains me to do this, I've got to take it away again. Sorry John."

John...

I remember the word echoed round my head like nothing ever had before.

I was John.

[ 09-18-2001: Message edited by: kalniel ]