EA-Wayfarer MK4
1st Lt. Darrell Stephens, PsyD
Entry #79
I cannot adequately describe the simple exhaustion I feel. It is bone deep, and relentless. It’s as if there is simply too much life to experience, and I’ve not the fortitude to relish in its opportunities. Every day there is a new challenge, a new fight, or a new obstacle to rend my way through. I do not complain, as I very much enjoy persevering beyond these travails.
Well, the long space flight here was rather inconsequential. Waking from deep space sleep particularly after a few warpgates can be very unsettling, but otherwise standard. Its the arrival at the famed Next Island that has been so very interesting! I’ve dreamed for years of meeting some of the First Wave colonists and seeing what they have discovered, but I never could have imagined the trials they’ve gone through, or how those trials would shape these brave settlers into such diverse and complicated groups! With the funding that dropped out of the Elysian Alliance space program, these poor souls have been left essentially stranded and closed off for a long, long time, marooned on a distant world like the water travelers of old Earth. I can only imagine how terrifying this stretch of time has been for them.
I must say, they’ve done well, despite many setbacks. The planet itself seems to be in some sort of upheaval, with consistent tectonic shifting. This results in quakes, storms, avalanches, volcanoes, and a variety of natural disasters. Luckily, as the majority of the planet is still not developed, loss of structure has been minimal, but sadly, some lives have been taken by this vengeful paradise. The vicious drakes to the northeast have caused some concerns, particularly to hunting and scientific parties, but once prepared, these parties typically can fend off such nuisances.
Legends such as Dr. Shepherd and Miranda have stayed with the original mission, and are now technically the only loyal First Wavers. Over the years, many First Wave scientists, soldiers and citizens split off and disappeared into the planet, fearing that the mission was lost and that they have been abandoned. I cannot in truth say I do not understand this mindset. This place sometimes feels as if it has been abandoned by time itself. We plan to continue to bring supplies, resources and tech into this beautiful planet, and restore the faith of these loyalists that their dedication will be rewarded with what all scientists want; progress.
Economically, it would seem many of those First Wavers have survived, and even prospered, albeit not always in the most peaceful ways. Most of the hardened soldiers traveled north and settled in the mountain ranges among the winged drakes and snowy peaks. I can only guess that their solitude in that time of abandonment was some sort of coping mechanism. Sadly, many of the top military scientists went with them, depriving the remaining loyalists of a vast amount of knowledge and resources with which to carry out the mission. No one is completely sure what they are doing up there, but on occasion terrible clouds of black smoke come pouring down the valleys and bursting into the atmosphere far above!
Some of the First Wavers, the Stel, moved out to the west, far into the desert and tundra climes. After a time it would seem some settled into a somewhat farmer-like lifestyle, although with a constant eye towards potential aggression from another group of First Wavers who call themselves the Resa. The Resa are always on the move, raiding and pillaging anyone they find, even each other’s camps. The warring nature and general aggressive stance of these former colonists is yet another sign of the far reaching Demra corruption. Without a doubt, the constant skirmishes and altercations with them are a compounding factor of my exhaustion.
A small contingent of First Wave settlers silently and unobtrusively vanished one night deep into the forests, reappearing on occasion to assist the loyalists with building some structure, or to deliver some local supplies. They seem quieter…wiser. They possess some kind of advanced science or tech, and they seem to be able to communicate with the most secretive and mysterious of local inhabitants, the Haruspex. Buried deep in remote forests and tucked away in boggy jungles, the Haruspex are rumored to be ancient beyond belief, travelers from another time or dimension. They, and the First Wavers they seem to have accepted into their fold, remain the most peaceful and potentially even friendly of the factions inhabiting Next Island.
All in all, we endure. This is our new home, and we relish the challenges inherent in colonization. Duty and passion drives us forward, and there is nothing stronger in life than the desire to create a future for your race, a home for your people, and a new start for your family.