"The planetship no longer speaks to us."
"Is that so? Have we totally abandoned the vessel?" Hakkuna inquired.
"We have no idea Chief Magistrate." Sufoni said "After the rest of the Havok wing left the ship for planetfall, only a handful of our soldiers and their families stayed behind."
"I see. And how about the Altair wing? What do our sources tell?"
"Most of them too have left the orbiter. They find the planet a good place to lose themselves and do some soul searching."
"Wandering tree hugger losers! Hah!"
"But a few of them have returned to the vessel just recently."
"And do you know the reason why?"
"Apparently, they cannot let go of the stars, like the dreamwalkers who still reside within the ship."
"Aren't they tired of exploring? We have always longed for a soft ground to walk our feet and build our first real cities! Why do they insist of leaving to sail the great endlessness?"
"Perhaps it is in their nature sir." Sufoni explained while looking at the silhouette of the planetship rising outside the chamber-sized window. "Our books tell that it was the dreamwalkers who built the ship and left the old planet."
"Do you still remember why we left the old planet Sufoni?"
"I still remember, like the dreamwalkers do."
"Then tell me why?"
"Widespread famine has left millions of our people dead. The old world was becoming hot and dry. The star riders, the dreamwalkers and the true inhabitants of the planet were searching for ways to cool it down, but our ancestors, the rebellious black suns held secret meetings with some dreamwalkers to obtain knowledge on how to make run for the stars."
"Go on... I'm listening." The chief magistrate was looking at some maps drawn recently by the state cartographers.
"Constructing a large vessel would alarm the original inhabitants so they built a small craft - the precursor of our planetship whose purpose was to make jumps in outer space. The true dwellers didn't know we are already warp capable at the time our people were being neglected while tilling the rest of their land."
"Why can't I remember?"
"Because all we did was to plot the downfall of the union. That is why I am telling you what the book has written."
"Tell me more Sufoni. All I remember were the planets.
"Ahh the planets, the worlds that refused us! The worlds we learned not to trust no matter how promising they were!"
"Anyway, one night, a bomb detonated at the heart of the planetary capital. It sparked global condemnation. Scores of those who died were the originals. Fingers pointed at the star riders - for plotting such genocide. We don't know what really happened, but the carnage left the originals too stunned to diffuse the growing conflict. Overnight, riots broke out in every city between their people and ours. Sadly, hunger and frustration also lead our people to turn against one another."
"That was breathtaking, but you have to finish your story. I am getting sleepy..."
"To continue, the tiny craft which could house hundreds of souls was nearing completion. FTL drives were just installed and the habitation modules were yet to be tested. The minds behind the vessel thought a delay would ruin the project. From their secret hideaway far from the cities, the black suns involved in the construction, the dreamwalkers and some star riders sympathetic to the cause blasted off from the planet."
"Really?"
"Yes sir. Until now, it is taboo to make contact with the old planet. We don't know the fate of those left behind."
"Isn't it sad that we have never forgotten our tragedy up to now?"
"But what can we do? Even when we embraced planets, our spirits have always thought of the stars?
"I'm sure you know the reasons why... But you have to keep your words to yourself. Such expressions maybe against the collective desires of our people."
"I understand. Magistrate..."
"Well you have to leave now. Its getting late and the ministry would still have to debate its plans to expand our borders tomorrow." Hakkuna stretched his arms and yawned as Sufoni walked out of the room.
"It seems we are meant to be the only civilization on this planet."
A terrestrial message was sent later that night. It was a brief correspondence. A relayed frustration from one enlightened spark to another.
"The Havok wing will stay behind. Only a few hundred of us will join the jump."
"We tried our best Sufoni. You know the code. Our agents will spirit you out of your base."
"Make it quick. Dissenters like me are being tracked down."
Sufoni never left. Several days after making contact, his quarters burned down and the authorities blamed electrical failure for the fire. He was sleeping together with his four wives and two children when they were incinerated. No Havok wing dissenter has escaped the planet as far as everyone knows.
Not on official records of course.
It was also the last time the orbiter directly spoke to any world.
Images from Homeworld
