Letter from afar - © 2005 Einar Petersen
It's raining today, not that it comes as a surprise. On Theilax it's always raining. 340 days a year, rain!
Not that it's the same kind of rain all the time. Theilaxan rains comes in many different forms.
There are times when it only trickles and the sun actually peers through the clouds and you think that this time it will happen, this time the rain is actually going to halt, only to find out that once the planet turns dark the clouds thicken and it starts pouring like all sins are about to be washed from the face of the planet.
On days like that you wonder what the hell we're doing here, what made this piece of real estate so goddamn important that we had to settle.
When you find yourself in such a state more often than not the birds remind you, they're not birds as such, but resemble Terran life enough to be named Rainbirds.
They gather in huge packs as the rain thickens and once they are together the shelter formed by their formations are usually enough to keep you dry if you're standing close enough.
Rainbirds… should' av called em drying birds.
On a night like that it's nice to pull out a tube, light it and take a puff. The aroma is so much better when you're out in the open and the hot humid intensity in the air is spellbinding.
As the birds circle around the glow begins, it's very subtle at first. Sort of an eerie green tint that begins to form up in the dark mass.
As the singing commences the color brightens until each bird is patterned in a way that would make every earthly peacock bow their heads in shame.
Once the song has reached an intensity that is almost unbearable a total silence fills the air. The duration of the silence is very different, the only thing that moves is a gentle breeze. Then abruptly as if out of nowhere a screech fills your ears so shattering that your bones vibrate and your head feels like it is going to explode, and that very moment the pack dissolves and cascades of rain fall upon the nearly dried out ground below.
It's moments like that you understand what attracted the first people to stay.
It's different today though, not many people noticing the spectacle. They're more concerned with the continental war.
Ever since we lost contact with earth it's been like that, rain and war. The jump gate closed as a result of the grazing and wouldn't come back on line I have pondered upon the fate of the Prometheous many a time.
Sometimes I wonder if it ever will, perhaps it would be best if it didn't, then we could fight until there wasn't a single human being left on the planet, till there was no more quarreling about petty land and resources.
I can't but help wondering if anyone will ever hear these transmissions, if you do, don't feel sorry for us. All this is our own fault. It is down to petty greed and incompetence. Plenty of room here and plenty of resources only problem is those managing them.
Maybe we'll grow up some day, maybe we won't - I just hope that peace comes in my lifetime.
You know what's odd - I have a beautiful girlfriend, and yet I can't imagine ever having children. I've been in the service for 14 years now. Joined when I was fifteen and a half, lied to the draftsman. Don't even think I would really have had to do that, they were short on hands those days. Not like now, not after the raid.
My girlfriend was one of those that we brought back. Before we released the phage. Never laid a hand on her though. Not like most of my comrades. I think that's why she wanted to become my mate, I treated her like… well decently for a prisoner, that is. Thirteen years have passed since then and our numbers are doubled time upon time. All that while they've been dwindling. It was a horrible thing to do. A breach of all conventions. Against every doctrine about excluding civilians from engagements. No wonder they hate us so much. So much that they've been working to get us for all that time, patiently, methodically. Inching closer bit by bit. That's why our leaders are arming.
I know they have something big planned. I'm not sure what it is, but even the young boys have been kittet up now. There is talk of the final battle. I fear a massacre. The boys know nothing but the propaganda lies they've been fed. There is a ferocious killing machine waiting for them. Only thing that's been keeping the status quo has been our air raids and mining parties, but they're up against a more cunning enemy now.
One that has analyzed and learned every aspect of our thinking, or at least of our fighting capabilities and strategic mindset. I doubt the miners will keep them away for much longer and the air strikes are more or less useless now that they have managed to become nearly invisible to us.
So I am sending you this message, a message to let you know that yet another beautiful place is being torn. Torn by the petty men that once so proudly settled this place. God willing the end is near, in one form or another. This can't keep on like this. Somebody has to put an end to our misery.
Lt. Comdr. Haynes, Theilaxan Inner Guard #345-5643.
