113th Entry

March 21^st, 2037

0948

Dear Space Diary.

Wait, YOU have something to tell ME about the pit?

“Yeah. I do. Why, do you have something to tell me?”

Er, maybe. Possibly. But you first.

“No, no, after you.”

I insist.

“I insist harder.”

Ladies first.

“I ain’t no lady.”

I’m not saying anything until you do.

“I saved your life, you owe me.”

I offered you a future, you owe me.

“We appear to be at a stalemate.”

Yes.

“And there’s only one way this can be resolved.”

Agreed.

0955

Best of three?

1001

Best of –?

“No. Face it. You lost.”

Fine. Do I really have to tell you?

“Oh yes. Hang on I’ll just sit down. Ah, that’s better. Ok, go.”

…Well –

“Too slow.”

Hey! You can’t rush these things.

“I can.”

You’re enjoying this, aren’t you.

“Immeasurably. Anyway, I’ll be good now, I promise. Pray, proceed.”

…Well. While you were sleeping the other day, I went back to check out the pit. I wanted to see what the lightdogs were building, and I knew I couldn’t just ignore it. I was worried it might be something that could get in the way of our attempts to return home. And I knew NASA was up to something. I didn’t necessarily think it was anything evil, but I had to know. Someone at NASA has been sending me messages. Ones he didn’t want NASA to know he was sending. That’s how I found out about the clone project. About the city.

“I see. And so did you find out?”

I did. I went into the pit and I found… a facility. I never saw the place you were in, but I imagine it’s fairly similar. They’ve rebuilt it, Mary. The cloning is happening again. Only this time they’re not using you. They’re using the other Mary. The one I found. She survived her fall, and they’re regrowing her as they grow the other clones.

“She’s… she’s alive? The facility is working?”

It is. I know this must come as terrible news to you. To know that the thing you destroyed is running once again. And I promise you, I will stop it. That’s why I wanted to come back out here. My messenger asked me to stop the cloning. But I can’t kill them. I won’t murder to stop it. I want to find a way to shut down the facility without killing the clones. They’re alive now. I think they’ve earned a shot at proving they deserve it.

“I… I can respect that. I’m just amazed. I had no idea the facility was working. I thought, after I escaped, after the other Mary… I thought that was it. Nothing left but to go home.”

I know it must come to a shock to you. And I’m sorry I lied to you Mary.

“It’s ok. Really. I know you had your reasons.”

…So, what did you have to tell me?

“Oh that’s easy. It’s not NASA’s facility. It’s mine.”