*The feed starts, all white at first but soon adapting to the light


    conditions. An old Mardukox is straight ahead, glancing sideways at a


    screen, moving away from the camera and then seating xyrself. Xe


    obviously fidgets with its paws, showing distress and uncertainty. The


    surroundings show a small room with metal walls. Objects indicate an


    flat or more probably a shelter, due to the amount of things lying


    around, in different states of repair or brokenness. A purplish colour


    shines in from the windows. The Mardukox nods, stares at the camera,


    pauses shortly and begins.*


    Call me Ur. I have been stranded on Velvet ten AIG ago – that is stellar


    cycles Among Imperial Galaxies. Chances are good, you do not know what


    that means, I will come to it later.


    First, congratulations on you deciphering my base 16 mathematics and


    from that, the structure of my language. This video is your starting


    point while diving deeper into all the data Dade and I have accumulated.


    You are in the root directory. In the respective folders you can find my


    *research*, more about Marduk culture in the *glossary* as well as all


    *raw data* we acquired. Under *cycle log* you can find my journal, of


    course chronologically. Under *automatic logs* Dade placed xyrs reports.


    You can find your way around from *Map of Content Velvet*, next to the


    introduction you are seeing now.


    Dade suggested, that I assemble a *report*, summarizing both my daily


    log, the research we did here on Velvet and the most relevant parts of


    Marduk culture related to my life here. I am a Vettro, a scientist, not


    an expert novelist. So please, consider that while reading. This report


    is for convenience, not your joy. To me, as a Marduk, it is part


    cultural legacy and part therapy.


    Nobody rescued me. Nobody found me. Nobody knows I am still alive. But,


    I have found the remains of the original inhabitants of Velvet. We call


    them Lilans, because of the colour of this planet. One of theirs left


    behind notes similar to this report. You can find what we deciphered


    under *Lilan report*.


    Personally, I got here by accident, while travelling through supraspace


    in an intra-universal journey. I was among the first of Mardukox to do


    so. Marduk is the name of my species. It is not noteworthy, that I got


    stranded here. What is noteworthy is the breakthrough research those


    Lilans did here. I do not know what their name for themselves was, we


    never found that word.


    So, again, just for future’s sake: I am Ur Of Nonric, Vettro under


    This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.Emperox Ishbierra in 12146 AIG. I have found the civilization of the


    Lilans here, that killed themselves in 350984 BIG, that is Before


    Imperial Galaxies. A long time ago.


    *Xe shakes itself, shortly lost in thought.*


    Travelling the Galactic Cluster is simply breathtaking. But here, on


    this forsaken rock on the rim of some spiral galaxy these Lilans came up


    with a solution so exciting I could not sleep. And then I cried for many


    cycles, since no one will ever find out about their research. This


    planet has been wiped clean by fire and turned into a biological


    miracle.


    *A short tremble goes through xyrs body, before xe continues.*


    This part of the galaxy is dead of sentient life, and I am in the centre


    of it.


    Nevertheless, I have Dade. Dade means well, as is xyrs programming. Dade


    is my Bot. Still, this is my story. It is spoken in my own words, with


    my own opinion and my own fallacies. Before the accident, I was a Heart


    Child, a Heart Parent, citizen of the Imperial Galactic Cluster, Leading


    Matter Scientist, Partner of Rite, hobby botanist. After the accident I


    was a survivor, a farmer, an archaeologist, and an undertaker.


    This, this report about myself, it scares me. It …


    *Again, xyrs body trembles.*


    It feels like closing, like ending something I do not want to end.


    *Xyrs optical receptors are glinting in the purple light, seemingly full


    of liquid.*


    Dade helps me, giving me topics to talk about, hinting parts I should


    rephrase. If you see something like this:


    “*Emotional spike detected. Please do a somersault and smile.*”


    That is Dade. Say Hi to Dade. I decided to include xyrs messages in this


    report. Xe gives me useful metrics and required tasks at hand, as the


    Lilans say. There is a screen on my underarm showing them. It looks like


    this.


    *Xe holds his front arm into the camera.*


    12146AIG12H1, 11.6V


    capture report


    Capture Report


    CAPTURE REPORT


    I included them to help you, dear Watcher. Dade said, I should give you


    some help to make my report easier to watch. As if anybody will ever


    watch it.


    *Xe stops for a moment, again searching for words.*


    I would love to erase my memory like Dade could. So much to forget. So


    much I never want to forget. Zyra, Leto and Lope, the Imperial Galactic


    Cluster, Ulric, home, Nona, food. I hate thinking about xem. I hate


    vlogging about xem. I hate being alone on this planet. I hate not having


    anybody for a hug. I hate it so much.


    *There are definitely tears flowing from xyrs optical receptors. Xe


    wipes them away and steadies xyrself again.*


    In Marduk, we have a concept of Duty and Privilege. I had the privilege


    to survive, to do incredible research, both at home and here on Velvet.


    I have done and seen so much for the first time in Marduk history, it is


    simply breathtaking. And so my duty is to endure the loneliness. The


    Rite of Sorrow and my Heart Family have prepared me for this. Let us get


    started.


    Call me Ur.