Forty-Sixth Entry

March 10^th, 2037

1825

Dear Space Diary.

I have now eaten, washed, changed my clothes, and been to the bathroom. Feel immeasurably improved. Pretty damn tired, though.

Also, Lightdog has been watching me change clothes. I don’t know if that’s not as bad or far worse than it sounds.

I’ve been thinking, though, I’m not sure they can see at all, although they certainly act like it. Creepily, too. It seems more that they home in on things, for whatever reason, and then just wait for their surroundings to change, and then react. So what is it? Magnetism? Changes in air pressure? Telepathy? Some form of alien Feng Shui?

So it probably didn’t notice or didn’t care that I was temporarily unclothed before I found the space suit. But I sure as hell care. Freaks.

1835

Taken a brief look outside. Air recycler in the suit works like a charm, but didn’t feel like staying out too long anyway. Far more comfortable inside, and anyway the helmet’s a bit claustrophobic.

The tubes are gone. The lightdogs returned and have been busy in my absence. There were about 10 of them out there, patrolling the now much smaller (but still bloody massive) pile of rubble and other assorted rubbish. The remains of the tube I blew up has been cut up and stacked neatly in the corner. One of the lightdogs was busy cutting up another piece with a laser emitting from itself.

Overall it all looks much neater out there than before the tubes arrive. I’m beginning to suspect that the lightdogs are less dogs and more clean-up crew. I think that’s why they through me down here, they thought I was rubbish.

I resent that.

What that doesn’t explain is why the place was so messy before the tubes began taking the rocks away. Hmm.

It’d be easier to think if I didn’t have this headache from that beeping noise that just keeps droning on. I wonder what’s causing that any… Oh blast. NASA! I completely forgot about their message. They’ll be closed now too, so they won’t get any reply until the morning.

1837

Yep, it’s a message from NASA. Marked “Urgent,” too.  Whoops.

<INCOMING TRANSMISSION>

__

LOST SIGNAL TO TEST FTL CRAFT.

UNABLE TO TRACK LOCATION ON PLANET WITHOUT SIGNAL.

RESCUE CRAFT CANNOT RETRIEVE YOU.

RESTORE SIGNAL ASAP, OR RESCUE CRAFT WILL HAVE TO ABANDON MISSION.

YOU BETTER NOT BE JUST LYING AROUND. WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SIGNAL?
__

<END TRANSMISSION>

1840

Oh hell. I hadn’t even considered that. Sure, they can find the planet, but it’s a rather large planet. Without it, it could take months, maybe – ugh – years to find me. I’m not sure I have that long. This ship is 20 years old, who knows when the warranty expires?

I’m guessing the Zubrin doesn’t have a tracking beacon; either that or it broke down a long time ago.

BANG

Something just hit the side of the ship. Investigating.

1845

What the?

It’s Mr Rock.