Video Log #1

A camera attached to the top of a computer turns on and a person in a lab coat comes on the screen. The lighting is dim and in the background there are tarps labeled ‘biohazard.’ The ground is cluttered with papers and notebooks.

The Researcher

“The year is 1976, and I believe that we now have concrete evidence that concludes that the Great Impact Theory is in fact, factual. The weird part is, is that that is not even the strangest and most absurd discovery, instead it’s something much bigger that can change the way that we think about the history of the Solar System itself. But first, let’s take this back to 1974. Hartmann and Davis proposed this theory. Although it was highly criticized, the tests came back from the moon samples from the Apollo mission. We have had the samples since 1972, however we have been preserving them to be researched in the future when we have more tools. Also remember that the Mariner 8 and 9 both launched and the Mariner 9 started orbiting mars in 1971. This will be the most prevalent part of the story. 

Either way, let’s start with the Apollo mission. The samples were shipped to the scientists and some of the tests are now concluded. What we have found is that a surprising amount of minerals from the moon are incredibly close to that of Earth, along with some foreign minerals as well. However the things that make the compositions between the Moon and the Earth similar are the most important. The hypothesis that Hartmann and Davis introduced was that Earth was struck by a small planet roughly the size of Mars that then formed the moon, that planet named Theia. Think about two water droplets being flown at each other, that is what the impact might have looked like from a very very VERY far bystander. This happened about 4.53 billion years ago, while the Earth was formed around 4.543 billion years ago. At that point, the Earth would have been just a flaming rock that was uninhabitable, and so would every other planet in our solar system, correct? Well, what we discovered on Mariner 9’s orbit are a few pictures taken of a journal just floating. However, it wasn’t just any journal, it seemed to be surrounded by some sort of transparent technological encasing. After we took a few photos of it, the journal somehow latched onto the Mariner 9 and sent its coded messages to us. 

This journal also emits radiation that proves that this was there since the creation of the moon, yet it was found in Mars’ orbit. Which itself, is insane because there is no perceivable way to know how the journal, and the technological encasing that surrounds it, is still in almost perfect condition. Only a select few people know about this because otherwise, well, let’s just say we want to take baby steps. Even though this journal is written in an undeciphered language, the technological casing of the journal that attached itself to NASA’s computer’s from the Mariner 9 was able to translate itself to its entirety. I was in the room when it happened, everyone’s computers all lit up like christmas. Numbers and letters unwrapped themselves to reveal the decoded message directly linked to the journal and the strange advanced technology. It appears to be a Diary log written a long time. A VERY long time ago. It is apparently written by a ‘Princess’ who resided on Theia during its time it fell out of orbit and collided with Proto-Earth. I will read it for you now.

Diary entry 1

Year Two-hundred fifty Thou

Fourteenth month, third day

These past few months have been quite somber, but this week is going by way too fast. I look down from my window to my people, they all look different. Not literally different, but everything just feels awkward. I will leave my people only with a few others to live comfortably among the stars. While the demon ball of fire slowly gets every nearer to my home. I guess it’s not its fault though, we are the ones crashing into it. She was our sister planet, although a ball of fiery mass, she looked promising. At least that is what the scholar said. Although space has a funny way of making things happen, we were flown outward away from our initial orbit. Can I still pray to our sister planet if she is now the one who will be taking my home away from me?

I look back down to my people celebrating the last of their days, and I don’t feel the same. 

Diary entry 2

My subordinates tell me the capsule is ready, and that we should leave precisely twelve hours before we strike the fiery planet. They say this will give time for me to remain as my people’s ruler before I will have to leave them as they erupt into anarchy. But as I look down from my crystal wall, I see my people celebrate in fairs and pay their respects to their gods. I do not see any anticipation for their leader to leave them, I do not see even a hint of chaos in their eyes, only reverence. 

Diary entry 3

It is finally time. Dead silence fills the streets up to the mountains and I can feel the gravity of the bigger planet. I did not speak for the whole day. I have spent my tired hours looking over my people. My pride and joys. My purpose. 

My subordinate comes in through my room. Her hair is loose and her dress monotonous, she seems tired until she looks up and speaks to me. 

“Madam, the capsule is ready. I have compiled all of your belongings and we will leave in a few minutes. Say your goodbyes.” 

Her smile, even if it is false, is contagious to me and I can’t help but brighten for a second too. I nod slightly and she bows before leaving. I look back around to my crystal wall and to my utter surprise, I see everyone. Down below, I see all the citizens, all the bakers, and even the librarians on their knees. They face towards me, like sunflowers to the sun. My mouth opens and my eyes widen to their fullest. My heart skips a beat and for a moment, I feel bright and warm like a star. 

“My lady, it is time to go.” 

I hesitate to turn around, wanting to paint this moment and hang it on a mantelpiece in my brain. Until I do eventually turn around, and walk outside the palace doors.

My path is through the crowd, and they all split like the red sea once they see me. I walk slowly through the crowd, smiling and teary eyed faces look up, along with some hands that reach out as well.  I embrace this feeling, and hold it dear. I continue to walk to the capsule on the edge of the farthest mountain as I greet every one of my subjects on this last day. I keep my hands held out and open, accepting all their embraces and hand shakes. Until the inevitable end. 

I walk up the stairs to the capsule and look back and everyone who I had just met, most for the first time, keeps on their knees and this time their heads down. The knight by my side hesitantly pushes me along, I could tell he also didn’t want to leave either. 

Diary entry 4

I am on the capsule and stand by the glass wall facing the waiting disaster. As I left, everyone who was on their knees stayed. The longest twelve hours of my life. I thought back to when I was walking to the capsule and everyone touched my hands and greeted me with a cheerful smile. I wish I could stay that way forever. 

Diary entry 5

My mother told me to come to the control room and look through the telescope. Why would she want me to watch what horrors are going to happen? But, she told me it is important and I should see this. 

I go to the control room and see her crying near the telescope. Her hair was undone and reached almost to her knees, I didn’t know her hair was even that long. She was also in her nightgown, I could tell she didn’t feel like saying anything but still gestured to the large telescope sitting in the middle of the large room. I looked through it and immediately my soul left my body. Everyone was still on their knees, their head down and faced the direction that our capsule left. Nothing felt real as I saw everyone getting closer and closer to the large planet. 

I didn’t want to watch as everything flew into flames. When you think of two large solid planets crashing into one another, maybe you think of a large, loud, and fast catastrophic event. Maybe that is because when you think of if that were to happen to you, that you think of it from the perspective of being on the planet. But when you are far away it is different. 

It is like two water balloons being thrown at each other in slow motion. It barely makes a sound, and when you think of the fact that most of a planet’s surface is liquid, either ocean or magma, it changes your view. 

Diary entry 6

I am told that we are heading to a similar planet that is habitable. We are not sure the exact conditions but we will orbit until we find it safe enough land. It will take about seven months and I have no idea what I will do until then, but I am sure I will figure something out. 

Video log #1

The Researcher

The contents that this journal has completely rewrites the history of our Solar System. It is presumed that the planet that the Princess fled to was Mars four billion years ago, during a time where it was habitable. This also proves that Theia was a habitable planet that formed into a technologically advanced civilization in only the span of a few hundred thousand years.  

Along with the fact that the DNA that came to form humans may have sprouted from the DNA of those from Theia. Which would mean that our origins as a species is actually from an alien planet. 

However, we still need to take many tests to verify the authenticity of this journal, but by the radiation and the incredible technology that we have no knowledge on, it is safe to say that this journal isn’t just some space junk that was thrown out. 

Either way, me and our pack of researchers will continue to learn and experiment more about the technology that encases this journal. Maybe when we are able to understand the forms of this technology, it could lead to a more advanced civilization of humans on this planet, well more than we already have. The possibilities will be endless, we could…

On the side of the screen, a door crashes open and a flood of people fitted in swat uniforms rush in. Grabbing at the one filming the video and pulling the researcher off screen.  Shouts and pleads from the researcher can be easily heard, until it slowly fades away. 

Suddenly, in the small moments of silence, a swat person’s face, covered in a black ski mask and black out goggles, pops in front of the camera. Pausing for a moment, then reaching to  turn the camera off.