Video Logs of Jacob Fade: Nomad Encounters

[Stefan]

A great cloud of white smoke raised as Jacob exhaled, the cigarrete on his hand litting up, as the oxygen collided with it's end. Aside from the ocasional lighter and the computer screen, the room was dark and empty. Nothing but a bunker bed, a singular table, chair, trash compactor and the droning sound of the air purifying equipment.

His hair was a mess.
His eyes, filled with a deep stare, indicated he hadn't a good eight hour sleep for quite a while.

*Puff*

Another one.

Okay... What harm is there in trying, right?

...

Right. Okay. Here goes nothing.
Audio log one, April eighth.
Monday.

He stood there, trying to find words to start.

How do I start this...

Hum. My name is Jacob Fade and I am... a Gaian.
Son of a rich Bretonian scumbag, runaway, idiot, idealist. I enjoy music, loud nebulas, flying and the company of certain... individuals. *Puff* I am on my... thirties... Although I rather say I'm on my second twenties... Bah, this whole thing is pointless.

The small moment of silence is only broken by the crushing of a cigarrete and the sound of another being lit.

I think I' will jump right to the reason that made me record this.

Have you ever wondered if we, humans, are alone out here? I mean, eight hundred years after Sol, besides still being under petty wars and all this crap, we still struggle to answer this question. *Puff* It's funny how opinions change in a moments notice.

About a month ago, while having a pretty boring sunday on a pretty dull week, I ran across something... Different. I was on the Taus, that day, a few hours before the ion storms daily hit. Maybe it was just me, but the green giant of the system was exceptionally bright that morning. So bright that the green hue hid whatever rested on front of me until I almost collided with it. An almost... Transparent thing... Rested amidst asteroids. At plain sight one could almost see right through it. It was obviously solid, but not made of anything I know... Ignoring the two IMG scouts who had been poking it for quite a while, I sat down and watched, in awe, how that blue bubble seemed to be alive on it's own. Floating, right there, a few dozen meters away from my ship.

*Puff*

When I came to realize I had been watching the scene for quite a while, I... I tried... I tried scanning it... It was the scariest thing I ever did.

Jacob gives a weak laugh.

Damn, if Ann sees this log she's so gonna kick my ass.

He drags once again, then looks at the white pencil shaped figure on his fingers.

I don't even smoke.

...

Well... I scanned it alright. Before I had any chance of understanding what I was seeing, the... Bubble... Started speaking. Well, not exactly speech you know, like you and me. It was like... Thoughts... Feelings... Damn, how do I say this... You know when someone tells you not to think about something and you can't? Like if I told you not to think about Queen Carina dancing the hokey pokey, would you be able to block the image? You wouldn't, right? So... that's how it was. Well, except for the spoken part, of course. The thoughts just reached me, like that. Bam. Over and over and over. Wave after wave.

He drags once again.

On the beggining, it was as if I was thinking about ores, mineral, rocks... I imagine it was it's reaction to the IMG fellas. Questions about keeping and storing ores - a complete confusing mess. Then it turned to me.

At first I felt... Curiosity. And I tried speaking to it... Well, through the comms, like a nerd. Honestly, though, how the hell do you talk with something you're not even sure is a ship? So I thought about it. Thought really hard about it. And did something stupid.

*Puff*

Reaching for the panel, I deactivated my shields. Yes, to 0%. On an asteroid field. Away from home. Completely. I didn't even consider the possibility of an Outcast coming to ruin the party, I just did.

Then I thought to myself "May I come closer?" while speaking those same words.

I don't know which way worked but it felt like I could. So I did. Side by side, I looked into it. Nothing but colors. A deep feeling of misteriousness overcame me as I stared into... It. The shades of blue, mixed by the green sun's radiance, shining on many ways and shapes I didn't knew existed. It was like the inside was filled with water, neon, lights... It felt like it was... Alive... Like it was...

Like it was... Someone.

*Puff*

Then the thoughts of whom I was reached me. Not alone, mind you, not so simple and objective... It fet... Inquisitive... like... Hmm. You know what? It felt like staring on the freaking face of mother nature and be inquired of my life purposes. Can you think of anything scarier than that?

He takes a pause, sided by a long sigh. He draws on the cigarrete again and keeps talking.

So I spoke. Of course, I tried at least. I thought deeply of what we, the Gaians, are, our purposes, goals... Our pledge to save wildlife, stop terraforming... I tried... Speaking too, and that thinking deeply business.

And it answered! God, it answered. It understood me, exactly what I meant! It felt like being sucked int oa dream, leaving the husk of my Claymore behind... I could see animals from everywhere, plants, trees, insects, even humans, connected, stringed together on the miasma of what life trully is and living on a planet, being hunted, abused, sold, explored... I felt sadness, despair overcoming me, as tears washed over...

...

"Do you protect the little ones?"

"Do you fight for the keeping of the universe?"

Then the lights came.

Descending from the skies, large, bright tendrils downed onto the earth, caressing, touching every living being... They were so many. As if an army of blue fireflies carried everyone upwards, they took them upwards... towards the lights... Away from harm. And I felt...

I felt happy.

He takes another pause, this time having to rest his head on his left hand. The smoke being put down.

That's enough for now. My head is killing me.