Nest Among The Stars

Nest Among The Stars Video - Alone?

"All is vanity, emptiness, falsity, and vainglory. One generation goes and another generation comes but the empty universe remains forever. All things are weary with toil and all words are feeble; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor the ear with hearing. The thing that has been – it is what will be again, and that which is done is that which will be done again; and there is nothing new in the universe. Is there a thing of which it may be said, 'See this is new'? It has already been, in the vast ages of time which were before us. We have seen all of our works and all we have done within the universe, and behold, all is vanity, a striving after and a feeding on wind. All of our efforts are madness and folly, for in much of humanities wisdom is ever so much more vexation, and we who increase our knowledge only increase our sorrows".

Quoted from the 'Debates on Human Purpose' following the official acknowledgement of a 'lifeless' universe apart from Earth. [It is of note that the presenter was later found guilty of possessing restricted religious texts and sentenced accordingly]

It is believed that among the infinite number of snowflakes formed, no two have ever been exactly alike. They fall from the heavens, crystalline objects of fragile complexity commencing a transitory existence.

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The last shuttle rose parallel to the ground, momentarily holding place in mid-air before its nose slowly began to lift. Then with a short high-pitched burst it lanced upwards, becoming a quickly diminishing speck in the gray sky. A solitary person stood watching as it vanished.

"That's the last one, Gabe. Verify I am the only person left on Earth." After an insignificant pause the voice inside Michael's head answered back, confirming that he was indeed alone.

"Good. Now let's hope I don't go crazy."

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There remains a residual resonance in the celestial sphere, an echo left from the moment everything that 'is' came into existence. Known of, but unheard and unperceived, it is ignored. The control center mimicked in microcosm this by-product from the beginning of time. Sounds emitted within the darkness of the room, never rising to the level of human hearing. An artificial intelligence possessed the black and vastly empty surroundings. No other life was present.

Multiple levels rising one tier above the other climbed around the circumference of the domed structure, the largest ever created by human hands. Yet it was only one room, its size possibly dictated by its purpose as the repository of all human knowledge, or possibly by its function as the central overseeing mind for the planet. Neither possibility held the truth.

Most of the cavernous interior was simply resulting emptiness brought about by the intentional act of designing to impress and awe all who were witness to it. Even with the ground level interior lighting activated — the only illumination now required — the top of the dome towering many hundreds of meters overhead remained unseen, a starless firmament for the empty and sterile world it covered. The control room was without color or aesthetic enhancements. It served a utilitarian purpose — to attest to the greatness of those who were its builders.

Michael entered through one of the many ground floor doors ringing the interior perimeter. He walked a straight path defined narrowly by lighting embedded in the floor. Moving with steady strides but an uncertain purpose, he crossed towards a low platform in the center of the room.