December 3, 2023
Dr. Johnson said I should start journaling to keep track of my feelings and all that. Said I could look back on this a few years from now and see how much better I would’ve gotten. Sure, whatever. So if you’re me reading this 10 years from now, I hope you get a kick out of this, because my life pretty much sucks dick right about right now.
Where to begin? Idk maybe just word vomit like I’m texting a friend? Dr. Johnson did say I could write whatever works for me.
First off, my advisor definitely hates me. I’ve emailed her dozens of times to ask about the NASA internship for next summer, but she hasn’t gotten back to me in a week. I guess I can probably figure that part myself. Dr. Johnson would agree I think. Btw I finally aced my astronomy exam in PHYS 1103 class! It was pretty ez lol. Not hard to memorize a bunch of equations and facts about space when your dad’s an astronaut AND your [sic] part Asian.
Anyway, caught Tyler making out with some [EXPLETIVE] at Jordan’s party. I kept telling myself that I was gonna be okay but something in me just snapped. I really wanted to smack both of them but then I remembered what Dr. Johnson said about controlling my anger issues, which she says can be destructive at times. So I walked right up to him and smacked only him and splashed some water on him in front of everybody. Popped off for like 5 minutes before I dumped his ass.
Not the most peaceful resolution, I admit, but it wasn’t the girl’s fault my now ex boyfriend decided to cheat on me. Cried on my drive home and called my mom. Then i ate a full tub of cookies and cream and binged B99 until I fell asleep. Very cliched and not very dignifying tbh but it did make me feel a little better. Probably a reason why cliches exist.
Got another exam tomorrow. Will journal after that. Then it’s winter break and I can finally go home and see Mom and Dad.
December 5, 2023
This morning Tyler tried to beg me to get back with him. [EXPLETIVE] that. I told him where he could shove it and slammed the door in his face. Poor idiot stood there whining like a wounded puppy when I left.
Finally home. Mom fixed me up some of that good [EXPLETIVE]. Jambalaya with sausage and shrimp. And she made me a vanilla pound cake with lemon icing. Just writing about it again makes my mouth water.
Luci was waiting for me at home. Dumb cat probably doesn’t know he’d starve to death without me and he still glares at me like he’s plotting my murder. But this time he knew what was wrong and cuddled up to me while I mindlessly scrolled on TikTok. We’ve only had him for a few weeks (thanks, Dad), but if anything ever happened to him, I would kill everybody within a mile radius around me and then myself.
Went out to the backyard. Dad had the telescope set up on a dolly for me before his left. Thing weighs almost as much as a grown person. Mom helped me wheel it out and we got it prepped and calibrated.
When Dad first got it, Mom nearly had a heart attack when he told her how much it costed, but when she saw how giddy we both were when we first set it up, she stopped staring daggers at him. He’s such a giant nerd. Anyway, noting down observations below.
Around 10 degrees celsius. Clear skies; great visibility. ISS came up the skyline at 20:09 as predicted and eclipsed the moon. (Hi dad) I wondered what kinds of experiments he’s doing up there with his team. I miss him a lot. Mom does too. It’s been a month since his team’s launched, and a few more days before he comes back. I can’t wait to hear about what he’s found.
Managed to see a few celestial bodies: Mercury, Jupiter. Thanks to excellent visibility, Sirius is pretty bright tonight too.
Found something else. Had to zoom in several degrees to see it clearly. A white sphere with translucent lines on its sides. A second moon? Probably debris but can’t really tell. Too spherical to be an asteroid. Looks next to Mars but can’t gauge distance. Database doesn’t say anything. Not sure. Will observe more later.
January 23, 2024
Dad’s back! He told me about a lot of stuff, like [DATA LOST]
…
Observed the white object again, made some calculations. It’s too slow to be a meteor and too big to be debris. In fact it’s actually decelerating, and it looks like it’ll be within our orbit in a couple of years. I wonder if anybody else sees it? Let’s hope I’m just tripping and it’s actually nothing serious.
…
May 17, 2024
I finally got in the NASA internship! And I got an award for discovering the Nomad. Creative name, I know, but it fits. I actually did some extra digging, and turns out it was wandering the solar system many years ago, but astronomers for some reason dismissed it as debris or an insignificant satellite. Since the guy who first saw it is probably long dead, folks in the community have decided to give me the credit.
I’ll be working under Dr. Michael Rosenberg and his team, and he tells me he’s interested in my discovery of the Nomad. I don’t think I would’ve gotten the internship if it weren’t for this crazy coincidence. Turns out the government isn’t all too worried about it just yet, and if my calculations about its rate of deceleration are correct, it’s not going to cause any damage when it touches down in our atmosphere.
…
The scientific community is going crazy over me and I’m still trying to adjust to my newfound fame. I’m being bombarded with offers from Ivy League schools and even jobs and internships. Still can’t believe this is actually happening. Dad’s proud of me and [DATA CORRUPTED] … says I start work next week.
…
May 30, 2024
Dr. Rosenberg and my team observed that the Nomad is approaching the moon. Through spectral analysis, we found out that it radiates a strange energy never before seen, and is made out of an unknown material. Possibly a new element? Dad says world governments might nuke it if gets too close. Not sure if that’s a good idea.
…
The eggheads (including me) want to study it when it gets here. Is it aliens? If so are they friendly? Hostile? Hoping they’re here to invite us to join some intergalactic alliance. That would be pretty cool.
May 3, 2025
Graduated from [REDACTED]! Got in [REDACTED] for grad school too, courtesy of Dr. Rosenberg and Dr. Borovsky’s recommendation letters. Dr Borovsky also happens to be my advisor, and she tells me she’s excited to work with me for my thesis about the Nomad. Maybe one day I’ll head a team to study it. For now, I’m just happy I’m part of this historical discovery.
It got closer again today. We just made public about its proximity to the moon and is approaching our orbit ever so slightly. People are getting anxious. The news has been crediting me and my name’s been appearing on headlines. Just got a call from ABC to reassure the masses. I don’t know how to feel about my newfound fame.
…
Oh and something new about the Nomad: there’s a crack on its surface and we can’t tell what’s in it. Again, aliens? Let’s hope it’s not like the movie District 19. Or Independence Day. (Let’s give Will Smith a break this time)
August 23, 2025
After almost two years, The Nomad is now in our atmosphere. It hangs tens of thousands of feet above us and it’s been there for a week already and nothing’s happened yet. When there’s an unknown extraterrestrial object looking in the sky, there’s bound to be fear and awe and angst. It landed just above New York and already people are flocking to it like it’s Mecca. There’s already a cult called the Children of the Dawn. Their leader says that it “spoke” to him, and that it’s arrival is a “presage to nonbelievers in the New Dawn.” Crazy stuff.
But despite the cult’s propaganda, I can’t blame the crazies for worshipping the thing. There’s a certain majesty to its egg shell color and how it casts a shadow on a city that never sleeps. It emits a dim light even during the night, and we still haven’t even scratched the surface.
…
The government’s planning on sending people up there. Dad’s gonna be one of them. Shame I can’t join him. He promises he’ll bring me and Mom a souvenir. Says he hopes to find cheese. Har-har.
August 25, 2025
Just got a letter from the White House???? Wtf??? Says my expertise in the Nomad is needed and I’m summoned to join the expedition??? Holy shit. My fingers are shaking as I’m typing this. And I’m trying not to drop my phone. HOLY SHIT!
I need to breathe.
Ok just breathed. Dad was in the house when I got the letter. He heard my scream and came in with a broom. Probably thought I was being murdered. We shared a very long hug when I told him the news. Never would have thought of seeing my Asian dad showing actual vulnerability.
Got a call from Dr. Rosenberg. He says he and Dr. Borovsky have also been selected for the expedition, and we would be joined by a few other experts.
Dad and I got a call from NASA. They said the military expects the worst, and, despite his protests, has “volunteered” a squad of Space Force guys for our “safety”. Dad said he doesn’t like the idea, that any life forms on the Nomad (if at all) might perceive our show of force as hostility. But it’s not like we can politely ask the military not to to that. Here’s to hoping it goes smoothly. Fingers crossed.
…
September 6, 2025
Today’s the day. Me, Dad, my mentors, and 5 other scientists and 6 Space Force Guardians (who named them???) are launching to observe and study the Nomad up close. Dad and I arrived at O’Hare and got on some kind of military VTOL. Space Force guys came in. Don’t know what their CO briefed them, but they look tense. Since we’ll be thousands of feet above ground, we were made to wear special gear and breathing apparati. It’s a bit uncomfortable, but I think I’ll get used to it soon enough. I’ll keep updating but I’ll have to try to switch to voice recording.
[THE FOLLOWING EXCERPTS ARE FROM A VOICE RECORDING TRANSCRIPT. TRANSCRIPTION DONE BY MR. ZOSEF PRANDOSE]
—... shut up guys I’m recording this for posterity. (clears throat) My name is Jennifer Liu. My team and I had just touched down at the interior of the extraterrestrial anomaly known as the Nomad, via a natural breach that formed on the equator of the object. (Sounds of vehicle touching down) The purpose of our expedition is to understand the true nature of this object. I am joined by Drs Edward Liu, Michael Rosenberg, and Anna Borovsky…[DATA CORRUPTED]
…Though the exterior of the Nomad suggests an empty husk, it is far from the case. We touched down on what seems to be a platform that jutted out perpendicular to the crust of the object, and already are we met an inner wall that resembles a calcium shell. The object seems to have protective layers, and we intend to venture through.
LIU-PETERSON: The first layer seems to be nothing but the outermost shell. A preliminary analysis suggests that it is composed of a tough mineral that radiates the same energy I mentioned in my notes. The energy is a blue light that pulses through the material. We’ve saved a sample for further analysis. This could either be a power source, or something akin to an energy byproduct.
LIU-PETERSON: This radiation does not register on any of our equipment, but rather something that we physically feel. Fortunately, there seems to be no adverse effects, other than a calming sensation within two hours of touchdown. Other than that, nothing seems out of the ordinary.
LIU-PETERSON: We have ventured on deeper into the Nomad, leaving the pilot and a Guardian behind to secure the landing zone. There is a 50m gap between the first and second layers of the object, and they seem to be connected by a system of what appear to be bridges. (Distant incoherent speech from Dr. Liu) Yeah, Dad? Um, I mean, Dr. Liu? … The same blue energy flows from the deeper parts of the object to the shell. What is the source? What kind of power is this?
LIU-PETERSON: Dr. Rosenberg believes that the object emits a powerful electromagnetic barrier that protects it from any kinetic force, powerful enough to be detected without the use of sophisticated equipment. He believes that that power can be harnessed, and… [DATA CORRUPTED]
LIU-PETERSON: We reached the second layer, and while there are no breaches, there is a gap between the walls that can fit one person at a time. Guardian Gonzales suggests that we form a line, alternating between civilian and soldier in order. Personally, I still think it’s a bad idea to bring weapons to an unknown entity.
LIU-PETERSON: We begin our entry into the second layer. The walls are much thicker, and the gap is difficult to traverse with our gear. My claustrophobia’s kicking in a bit…
LIU-PETERSON: It’s been ten minutes, and we’re nowhere near the end of the tunnel, and-- (LIU-PETERSON IS INTERRUPTED BY A DISTANT RUMBLING) What was that? (MURMURS AND SOUNDS OF FIREARMS BEING READIED) Wait, everybody! I think I hear something. You hear that? Sounds like whispers, overlapping over each other (AUDIO ANALYSIS SUGGESTS NO SOUNDS WERE EMITTED FROM ANY SOURCE) … As if to welcome us home.
ROSENBERG: Jen, are you sure you’re not hearing things? Other than us, it’s dead silent here.
LIU-PETERSON: I swear! It’s almost like the Nomad is speaking to me, like--(LIU-PETERSON SCREAMS AND IS CUT OFF AS HER RECORDING DEVICE STOPS WORKING)
[VOICE RECORDINGS END HERE. THE FOLLOWING IS A TYPED CONTINUATION]
September 6?
I dont know what happened. One moment im walking through a tunnel with my team, the next some rmbling and then everything went black. i think i fell into a hole or something because my left left is broken. it doesnt hurt actually in fact it feels pleasant.
im in a large dome with hexagonal panels on the walls and in the center is a smaller bright sphere. my gear is wrecked from my fall. i need to take it off.
without the insulation from my suit m exposed to the elements. its cold here, and the light coming from it is warm. inviting. it says [DATA LOST] and the light calls to me. im walking up to it and it gets warmer and warmer and itstartinf to feel nice. theres another rumbling from somewhere ourside and i can hear muffled pops like popcorn or fireworks i cant tell. im going into the light. it beckons me.
its vibrating and humming and i can hear the [REDACTED] again and they tell me to enter. a door just opened and its nothing but a bright light inside its flooding out and my god it is beautiful it tells me of the new dawn and it will c̴͍̲͍̉͊̓̂̽l̴̨̢̦̲̦͋͆ȅ̵̝͒̾̍ā̴̗̳̹̪̩̦̂͘ņ̶̡͎̦̹̤͒̔̇̃̀s̶̯̳̔ë̷͙̭̥͈̻ ̷̭̹̇e̸̡̪̟͉̜̞͂͝v̶̨̜̖͛̎͝e̶̳̯͙͗̋̈́͂̓͊r̶͉̝̬̎̈͌̓̉̓y̷̛̓̒̀͘͝ͅt̸̙̦̿͒̽̒h̸͙͝i̶̧̭͔̯͒͊̀̈́
[LEGIBLE TEXT ENDS HERE. DUE TO IMMENSE DATA CORRUPTION AND ILLEGIBILITY IN SUBSEQUENT ENTRIES, FURTHER EXTRACTION IS IMPOSSIBLE.]
DATA PROPERTY OF CRYPTO-ARCHEOLOGICAL DATABASE OF THE NEW DAWN GOVERNMENT OF NEO-TERRA
EXTRACTED BY: DR. MODLIN LOSAK, ARCHIVIST
EXTRACTION SOURCE: MOBILE CELLULAR DEVICE
SOURCE ORIGIN: JENNIFER LIU-PETERSON, DAUGHTER OF EDWARD LIU AND YASMEEN PETERSON
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: THE ARTEFACT WAS FOUND IN THE INNER SANCTUM ALONG WITH LIU-PETERSON’S EQUIPMENT. LIU-PETERSON’S REMAINS WERE NOT LOCATED.
ACCESSED BY: DR. SOMI FEIN (APPROVED)
DATE OF ACCESS: DECEMBER 21, 3023
COMMENTS
Fein (12/22/3023): Despite countless literature that dates back to millennia ago, there still seems to be no clear indication of the reasons behind the Nomad’s cleansing of Terra. However, this provides a much different narrative compared to the ancient historical records provided by the Old Nations, who claim that the Nomad ushered in a Golden Age for humanity for the next 500 years. Perhaps good paradise is not without its sacrifices. Dr. Losak, were you able to extract anymore entries?
Losak (12/23/3023): Regrettably, the telemetry of the artefact that was found within the Inner Sanctum was severely corrupted. Despite my best efforts, this is all I could scrounge up. Hopefully further study may elucidate on the Nomad’s reasoning for uplifting Humanity. Our survival depends on it.
Fein (12/25/3023): Apologies for the delayed reply, but I agree. I wish I was there to witness the Golden Age before its collapse. Now we must focus on learning more about the Nomad so we can assist on fighting against its enemy. Our soldiers may fight valiantly on the frontlines, but we must also pull our weight. May the New Dawn guide us.
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