Year: MG 1520
Malin Galaxy Hypernet Archives
Datalogs found on Havelius’ moon Ellington II
Reliance Corp Holo-Tablet
USER LOG DATABASE
Entry001:
It’s hot down here. I swing my laser axe all day, got to be careful of my range. That’s when mistakes happen. A cycle ago, I wasn’t careful. I swung wide. 7Q lost his arm. Q wasn’t mad—just—what’s the word? Disappointed. That’s right. That’s what Big Man says when we don’t make our numbers.
It wasn’t Q’s dominant hand and 7B built him a grip during sleeping hours that night. The wound was clean. Our laser axes are so hot they keep wounds from bleeding, if they’re the right kind. Some wounds bleed, no matter what.
I’m from below. I’ve never seen what the off worlders call, the blue, or the black. It’s a term they use to describe the sky. Seems like a big deal out of nothing. My parents did what I do, and as soon as I was old enough to hold an axe, I went to work. They are on another level than me. We are not allowed to see each other. They say it’s company policy. No exceptions.
10U took pity on me when he joined our row. He taught me to read and write a few cycles ago. I wish he had not done that. I used to be focused on making my numbers to keep Big Man happy. Now I have all these ideas, these thoughts. I didn’t wonder about stuff before. The worst thing about ideas is that they keep you up at night.
Entry002:
10U was from somewhere really far. He said he went from star system to star system before, but he had a love of the game. I don’t know what the game is, but it meant a lot to 10U. He lost a lot of credits and ended up here. I’ve never had credits. Big man says we don’t need them here. Here we’re lucky. Can’t get sent here, if you’re already here. That’s what I always say. I don’t really say that, but if I did have sayings like 10U, that’s something I would have.
The heat is bad down here. Since we dropped levels last cycle, the bottoms of my boots melt after a shift. They have us turn them in and give us new ones, but I think they’re thinner every time. You also can’t walk around without your boots. The foodbot comes to our burrows and brings us packets of Nutri-bars. We sit on our mats, eat our bars, and sleep for a little bit.
Entry003:
Big Man saw 10U teaching me words and numbers. Big Man got big mad and filled 10U with so many holes from his plinker, he ran out of bullets. 10U was taken away. You don’t recover from that. Those wounds bleed.
10U gave me this thing. He called it a holo-tab. I promised him I would keep practicing my letters and reading. He was already dead when I made that promise, but I made it still the same.
10U was the only person who was ever nice to everyone. He said it wasn’t our fault, we knew nothing. I’m sure if Big Man finds this holo-tab, I’ll be seeing 10U again. That’s what they say down here when we die. That we finally see our friends again. Maybe death isn’t so bad. I think of 10U a lot.
Entry004:
Friends are important. They are hard to make here. They shift our rows around regularly. We don’t get to know each other, and Big Man doesn’t like it when we talk. People from other places are the most nice. People from here like me, we’re not so nice. I’m still growing. I hope I get to be big as Big Man someday. Maybe if I keep making my numbers I can be him. 7B said I was stupid when I said it out loud. 7B said only people from other stars get to be Big Man. I never wanted to be Big Man until I started learning letters and reading. I guess that’s why they don’t want us doing it.
Big Man says we’re getting important stuff to build colonies, whatever those are. Once a foolish man blew up a planet, and it was the last place in the galaxy where a special rock could be found. I read about it on this holo-tab. The entire galaxy got big mad, because he didn’t get in trouble. I get into trouble for looking in the wrong direction. He must be bigger than Big Man to not get in trouble. Since the planet was destroyed, there’s been many problems.
Half a cycle ago, I heard Big Man say there’s a planet where they found the same special rock. They took half our people and went there. They did not pick me to go. My other friend 28Y went. I hope he’s having a good time there. They promised two bars a day on the job there. That’s good living. I wish I had two bars.
I don’t even get to keep my full bar. 6R takes half my bar. He takes everyone’s halves. I refused once, and he took my little finger and ate it right in front of me. I was pretty small then. I remember it hurting a lot. Sometimes I still feel that finger. 7B asked me if I want a replacement, but I said no. It’s been a lot of cycles since I had it. I’m used to it being gone now.
When 10U was here, 6R wasn’t in our row. Those were good cycles. I just wanted to write that there were good cycles. No one likes a complainer.
Entry005:
Today was Wash Day. They let us jump into a water pit with our suits on and that’s when everyone smells better for a few hours. The next day it’s back to normal, but everyone is nice on Wash Day. It’s my favorite day.
More good news, 6R mouthed off, which you’re not supposed to do, and Big Man used his plinker. Big Man was in a bad mood and the bots came down and drug 6R to the levels of the liquid red rocks. Tonight I got to keep my full bar, all of my row did. 5H started to sing, but Big Man told him to stop. 5H has a nice voice and once in a while Big Man lets him sing. Those are the best days.
Entry006:
I’m not sure how to write about what happened today. Big Man pushed 7B into the liquid red rocks and he died. There wasn’t a reason. 7B always makes his numbers. I must be more careful.
Entry007:
6G started taking people’s bars like 6R used to. I’m so hungry. I didn’t even get a bite. I wish I was bigger. Big Man does nothing.
Entry008:
Big Man said there are problems on the surface, so no bars today. Not for anyone. They aren’t letting anyone down here. We’re running low on water too. 6G killed 7Q. My row is getting thin.
Entry009:
I learned what it was like to be scared today. Our camp was filled with a poison gas when someone hit the wrong area, somewhere the bots didn’t instruct. Big Man said we lost half our people. Things don’t look good. Still no food. I wish I wasn’t this empty. It’s hard to make my numbers. Big Man looks tired.
Entry010:
I miss 10U. I miss having a friend. I’m too hungry to think of food. I can’t stop thinking about the world outside. Why did they seal us in? Why does no one ask questions? I’ve been reading to pass the hours. I’m too empty to sleep.
Entry011:
Today is the best day of my life.
Soldiers, like the pictures in my holo-tab, in black and gold, came down into our hole. They killed Big Man, and everyone who was ranking like him.
They gathered us together and brought us up a few levels to a room. They handed us bottles of water and nutrition bars. I cried. I wish 10U could’ve been here to see it.
On top of this big rock stood a man. He didn’t look like any man I had seen before. Just looking at him, you knew this guy has a lot of ideas. He gave a speech, said that we deserve better, deserve real food and shelter. Big Man would’ve been so mad. They called him the Exalted Soldier. He set us free and promises to take us to the stars.