12144 AIG 9H1, 0V 0H1.

  Remaining energy: 342.5 standard cycles

  Remaining food: 59.6 standard cycles

  Emergency shelter position: non-ideal

  I had finished my writings half a strike ago and was now doing my

  morning exercises. The first voice I heard this cycle was Dade’s.

  “*This spaceflight sounds like a painful moment in your life.*”

  “Are you reading my journal already?”

  “*My obligation as an emergency Bot is to take care of all your needs

  until the rescue operation reaches us. So, yes, I do read your

  journal.*”

  Sigh. “Yes, it was hard. It took me a while to get back on my hoofs. At

  first, I did not talk to Nona at all. Xe showed me love and took care of

  me, like nothing happened. Xe was there, like always even though I spoke

  not a single word to xyr. Then, I said a few words. After that came more

  and in the end I just poured my heart out. We talked a lot. My own Heart

  Family brought me to near death. Not because they stuck to an Imperial

  decree or test my inner strength. They did it, because they were certain

  I would prevail. They believed in me and pushed me into this experience.

  They saw my potential in resolving dire situations and ultimately, one

  cycle, conquer myself.”

  “*You are aware that raising a Heart Child in the Empire requires the

  Heart Family to prepare xe for individual and often hard decisions, to

  enable the Child to find commitment and conviction. The different rites

  are all about commitment and conviction.*”

  Now Dade sounds like my teacherox. “Yes. After a while I talked with a

  Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.

  friend of mine, actually a child of a Free One. Xe was put through a

  similar trial. I asked others and more and more about this surfaced.

  Finally, we asked our teacherox. Our education is meant to enable us to

  experience both the beauty and the painful parts of life. As Heart

  Children, we are blessed in comparison to the Tame or Wild Ones.”

  “*Yes. You are.*”

  I look bewildered at Dade. Why is xe acknowledging this. I laugh.

  “*Tell me what makes you laugh.*” Dade’s voice is cheerful again.

  “On a certain level, I am grateful for this painful lessons. Now that I

  am here, on this planet, stuck for half a stellar cycle alone with a

  Bot. All there is for me, is to stay calm and find small steps forward.

  That spaceflight back then prepared me a tiny bit for this journey here

  on … What is the name of this planet anyway?”

  “*Currently it is designated as VRT3142.*”

  What a mouthful.

  “I am not going to say that every time I talk about the planet. Mmm.”

  My gaze goes out the window of my small shelter. All the flora is purple

  and even some small fauna shows purple shines.

  “How about Velvet?”

  “*Splendid. Velvet it is.*”

  “Dade. I seriously wonder, how I got here. What happened back there, in

  supraspace? And why is this planet so … purple?”

  “*All these questions require further research. As a Vettro, you are

  more than suitable for this task. But first, we need to find a more

  suitable shelter position.*”

  “Right.” I finish my exercise and enjoy the feeling of my burning

  muscles. “Let us get started.”

  I head out through the hatch and into the early time of a Velvet cycle.

  I smell life through my breathing mask.