Document: Fragments of a red diver’s journal found on planet Androa.
Year: Over 6000 year standard.
Author: Bayard Coleman.
I’ve been watching that sun set for years now, perhaps six already. I lost track at four. All that time and it's only gotten half the way down. I feel the temperatures slowly falling at its leisurely descent. Soon this place will be plunged in darkness transforming it into a frozen wasteland until the sun decides to shine on it again. But before then we'll have to move with it, following the heat wherever it goes at all costs, assuming we’re not dead by then.
Funny. I am penning my travels as if someone will eventually come and find me or these writings I have left. The Valcians have made sure that never happens. But a part of me still clings on to hope. We received a transmission a couple months after the betrayal that help was on the way. As of now that promise has yet to be fulfilled.
When they took too long to get here, my first thought was that the Valcians succeeded in killing off the other colonies. That was until we noticed that Adroa’s rotation slowed significantly. I’m no astrophysicist but my hope is that it was a sign that time for us has slowed and if we live long enough, help would come. The time we’ve spent waiting has made room for doubt, through all that hope though. The duality of the human heart I suppose.
As the scout for those of us left I got the chance to wander off ahead. With no one else around me to speak to I set to pondering all the while. And what I think about most is the attack by the Valcians. We were on such good terms for a while now. What happened? Was this a unified decision by them or was this the activity of one of their factions. Either way something must have happened.
This planet is also too valuable to give up even for the Valcians. It is thanks to the red dirt that we’ve lived this long without food or water. The powder of youth they called it. Sold at ridiculous prices to any who could afford it.
I came to this planet as a young upstart to work as a miner here. I said I'd only do it for about ten years and then retire early. A job like this made you a ridiculous amount and my Mom was opposed to me coming here. I told her only ten years and I’d be back. I thought I'd wished I had listened but if my worst fears are true then my mother is probably dead anyways.
For now it's just us this red dirt and the Naltis roaming about. The Valcian’s little “pets” are something else. Nearly got killed by one of them. I was lucky to walk away with just claw marks on my arm and chest. Their claws were another story too. They had some sort of chemical on them that when they scratched me they burned like hell. I still get shakes every time I remember them. For now I haven’t found any signs of them, so I'll head back to the rest.
