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Date: 7 JAN 3008
Time: 0137hrs
Source: Transcript of Milton Lee’s personal Voice log
My place in history is guaranteed. If my previous achievements were not enough, then I’m certain my work here on Arkadia will ensure that my name is remembered for the rest of eternity. The discoveries I’ve made in just three weeks will forever alter the scientific landscape. My developments will define this colony and resonate through the ages.
Back on Earth I once believed that I had everything I needed, but that was before I came here. This place is amazing! On Earth I was working in a well-supplied lab, with sufficient grants that allowed me to concentrate on my research without any financial distractions. I was admired by some of the best scientific minds in the world; but all of this was like surviving on scraps compared to the feast that is Arkadia.
I’ve been working practically non-stop since I landed, studying a whole range of elements and technologies that humanity has never encountered before. I hardly ever sleep these days; there’s always another research project waiting for my attention. I can’t afford to waste my time doing all the menial analysis myself, so I’ve organised many of the other scientists into groups each with an assigned task. This will allow them to have a more focused approach, while I oversee the major projects and guide their direction.
My biggest discovery so far was one of the simplest to come by. An abundant energy matter I found in the rivers seems to have high potential as a new fuel source. A suitable secondary material is required to liberate this energy, but experiments I’ve conducted have been highly successful in producing the desired effect. The resulting Fuel Cell was as efficient as any energy source we currently use, without the downside of any residual pollution. The only problem with my experiment is that so far not all of the liberated energy is captured. I’ve set up a research group specifically to find a way to increase the energy retained so that existing handheld refiners may be used. Once that group is successful, the colony will be able to refine these cells on a large scale but it will require massive amounts of both materials. The large river system to the north appears to be a likely starting point to isolate at the simplest of these materials; I believe we will have to rely on miners to produce the other.
I have submitted a proposal to Commodore Harvir to establish a large dam, equipped with a hydroelectricity generation station, on the river system, with a function designed to isolate the energy matter required to manufacture the Fuel Cells. I’m quite confident the Commodore will accept my proposal, since the electricity generated will also be quite useful to the colony. For the Fuel Cells to be at their most efficient in vehicles we would need to design a completely different type of engine, so entirely new vehicles specific to the requirements on Arkadia will need to be designed. My creation will eventually allow us to fuel all vehicles constructed on this planet using local resources, with zero environmental impact and at a low cost.
I am expecting a big discovery soon from another team of scientists under my direction. They’ve been running tests on a sample of the ore I thought I recognised when I first arrived on the surface. Eventually it occurred to me to compare it to the metal compounds we collected from the wrecked ships orbiting the planet. After dozens of experiments conducted by the team, all the elements of this metal alloy have been identified. I have worked out the ratio of the different elements used to create the alloy; however, I haven’t as yet found a way to make it stable. Whoever made it must have had refinement or synthesising techniques superior to anything I know of. Tests on the samples indicate that it’s far stronger than anything we can currently produce and resistant to every form of corrosion, while remaining quite malleable. Unfortunately, we have not been able to gather much of the existing alloy yet; to date our only samples are those that have been scavenged from space. I’m sure that once it becomes more readily available we’ll be able to use it to manufacture our own vehicles and machinery. However, until I work out a technique to create it in a stable form we will have to rely on what we can find in orbit or, if we’re lucky, on the surface.
It seems obvious to me that any vehicles we produce in the future should be designed to utilise both the Fuel Cells and the alloy. Neither will be easy to mass produce early on, considering that the processes involved are still foreign to us, but eventually the colony should be able to create sufficient amounts to meet its needs. Having come to understand the technology, I think I can make some improvements in other aspects of any future designs of our vehicle as well, but at the moment I don’t have the time. The colony will definitely be able to stand on its own feet, independent of Earth, when we start producing our own power, vehicles and, eventually, space craft. And all of this is mostly due to my efforts.
I have to admit that I have a lot to thank Sundari for; she’s helped me greatly, especially when dealing with the Commodore. I understand that he’s a good tactician and his actions are for the good of the people who accompanied the fleet, but he and I just don’t see eye to eye on many issues. He’s much too cautious for my liking, especially when it comes to allowing us access to new areas to gather fresh research items. Sundari is the only person who seems to be able to make him see sense.
I wish that she was around the camp more, but she’s always off somewhere, exploring one ruin or another. Then, when she returns, she always seems to be so busy. I rarely get a chance to talk to her for more than a few minutes, even about things relating to my research. I’ve never met anyone with the kind of work ethic that she displays; she would put a worker bee to shame. It makes it even more amazing that she finds the time to talk to the Commodore on my behalf whenever she can. To thank her for her help, I have begun looking at a method to accurately date the ruins she has been investigating. Since none of our current techniques seem to work, I will need to isolate specific isotopes of native elements used in the construction of the ruins. From there it will be a simple matter of studying the results until I have a definitive date for her.
I heard recently that a new fleet, called Fleet Arkadia, has been launched from Earth and is heading our way. Apparently the Government has decided it is appropriate to allow colonists access to this planet. I’m not sure how many people are going to be with this new fleet, but it will certainly fill any leftover space in the main base. At the moment there are lots of empty buildings around. It almost feels like a ghost town sometimes. Well, a ghost town where the inhabitants enjoy using heavy machinery; there is always some sort of construction project going on. But if rumours about the size of the fleet heading toward us are true, the construction crews are going to need to start building cities. And there will be more people to get in my way.
Oh yes, one last thing; I was right about the local weapons. They are different from anything produced by humans, but no more advanced. It just doesn’t quite add up. When we consider the Arkadian technology that produced The Signal, it stands to reason that the hostiles that attack us cannot be Arkadians. But if they are Oratan, how could they wipe out a much more advanced civilisation using such comparatively basic technology? I think I’m going to need to find time to finish decrypting the rest of The Signal. Hopefully it will help shed some light on things.
I think I’ve spent enough time on this diary for the moment. It’s time to get back to my research. My fingers are starting to itch.
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