Excerpts from the journal of Dr. Rory Zlatko   Day 1 Their ethereal forms drifted in and out of the clouds, limbs indistinguishable from the cumulus floating around them. Sometimes only a speck of azure or lilac betrayed their locations. We would never see forms like this on Earth, and we never expected to find them here.   Planet 282B47, Soiphus, or as it has become informally known: Earth 2.0, is our last chance at survival. After using up Earth, we had to launch several pilgrimages into space towards potentially inhabitable planets. Forty-seven ships left earth, each with about two thousand people on board. The lucky voyagers were determined via random lottery in various categories based on education and specialty, skills and age. Still, we try not to think of the people we left behind to die.   That was hundreds of years ago. I do not dwell on my wife and daughter, now long dead.   We have tried to reach out to the other ships, but they are so far-flung that we cannot even hope to track their movements. If they even survived. For all intents and purposes, we are what remain of the human race.   And we are not alone on Soiphus.         Day 8 Up until now we weren’t certain if we could communicate with the local cloud-race. We reached out but received no response.   Seeing as they didn’t mean us harm, we began constructing homes. Demolishing parts of the ship and combining that with tree-like plants found on the surface, we have started building houses for all our citizens.   The Cumulites, as we called them, didn’t seem to mind us at all. As we began hewing trees, though, the clouds turned dark blue. Hail stones the size of grapefruits clashed against our newly constructed buildings and have been for the past three days. Construction has ceased, and our elected leaders are putting a group together to reach out to the Cumulites.   For now, we managed to get some of our vehicles brought along up and running. They run on a combination of biofuel and whatever fuel remained in our ship.         Day 11 Hailing still. Thanks to the ship material, the damage is minimal. Hail stones larger than before.   The urgency to talk with the Cumulites is increasing daily. We’ve constructed a few umbrellas made from ship parts. They’re too heavy to carry, so our engineers have attached them to trollies we can roll around.   It’s absurd.   We go to make contact with the Cumulites tomorrow.         Day 13 Hail stopped. We met with the Cumulites, and it was everything I could have hoped for and more. These astounding beings looked human-sized in the air, but it was an illusion supported by their distance. When their leader came down, it stood three times taller than me; I’ve never felt so insignificant in my life.   What must have been closer to fifty feet in the air became about twelve feet tall as it reached us on the surface. My neck hurts from craning to look up at it. When it came down, the air was freezing. I had to force my teeth to stop chattering long enough to communicate. We also learned they could speak. I use the phrase loosely because it felt like their words were the wind itself. We asked it how it learned to speak our language. It’s answer (“Observation.”) was underwhelming.   Our meeting was recorded for our records on Soiphus. I’m copying a part of it below.   People of note in transcript: Dr. R.Z. – Myself (Dr. Rory Zlatko) C – Cumulite emissary (Shhah’tha – the closest phonetic transcription of their name) J.S. – Jaxon Smythe (one of our elected leaders) Dr. I.N. – Dr. Isabelle Núñez (an anthropologist)   J.S.: We want you to know who we are. Why we’re here.   C: We know who you are. We know your kind.   Dr. I.N.: There have been other humans here before? We are not the first? —       The possibility that another of our ships arrived here before us is exciting. —   C: No.   J.S.: Then how do you know us? We have been here only a fortnight.   C: Destructors. You are destructors. You have ruined your planet, and now you seek to pollute ours. We will not allow our home to be taken.   J.S.: It isn’t our goal to destroy the planet.   C: Then why have you?   Dr. R.Z.: You mean the trees? -a nod from C- You mean the vehicles? -another nod from C-   J.S.: Those are necessities! We need homes. We need a way to travel.   C: Your travel is destroying our home.   Dr. R.Z.: Is that your home? -I point to the sky. Another nod from C-   J.S.: Well, this planet is our home now too. We will transform it to be comfortable for us.   The Cumulite did not look impressed when they left our rendezvous. Dr. Núñez and I pled with the council to make better choices, to heed the Cumulite. They didn’t listen to us. I fear they are leading us to the extinction of humans with the recklessness that our ancestors did on Earth.         Day 20 Hail finally ceased. All clouds have cleared and with them, the Cumulites. At first people were grateful to be able to walk around freely. Development of larger buildings proceeded – more cutting of trees – more pollution.   Dr. Núñez and I tried to find the Cumulites, but we were unsuccessful. They may have moved to another part of the planet, but I don’t think they are that placid.   The sun cycle here is nothing like on Earth. Day cycles are longer – about thirty-seven hours. Of these, only six are dark, as two suns dance across the sky, extending daylight hours.   It wasn’t until they disappeared, we realized how much reprieve the clouds and Cumulites provided. Without a barrier from the suns, the daylight hours began to grow unbearably hot. No precipitation in sight. Occasionally, there is a glimmer of a cloud far off on the horizon, but it never moves closer. It’s a torment.         Day 24 We cannot survive without rain.   Some people have taken to worshipping the Cumulites. They call themselves the Cumulonox. Other people call them Cumulo_nuts_. They are entirely harmless; their practices include going outside and uttering some nonsense prayers. About twenty went off on pilgrimages to seek out the Cumulites. None have returned.   No fewer than 100 workers have collapsed due to heat stroke. We cannot run our vehicles because it is too hot. And we have our first reported fatalities. All three dead due to the heat and lack of drinking water.   Our water is now rationed.       Day 29 I met with the leadership council today regarding the rations placed against us. Food and water both have been strictly rationed for almost a week and the results are devastating.   11 more dead due to heat, exhaustion, and dehydration, 48 more at risk due to the same factors, 295 more joined the Cumulonox, 64 more left on pilgrimages, 0 have returned.   Outside, the lush fertile land is barren and cracked. It is impossible for us to get anything to seed, and the local plant life has begun dying as well. Our rations are starting to dwindle.   I encouraged our leaders to consider moving to another part on the planet. Dr. Nuñez urged us to seek out the Cumulites and make nice.   The council will vote tomorrow.       Day 30 STUPID. WORTHLESS. USELESS. COUNCIL. The vote results were released immediately following the vote: 

No action is to be taken at this time. Rations will be restricted further.       Day 31 Following yesterday’s news, the Cumulonox attempted a coup today. It failed.   72 added to the list of the deceased due to inclement weather and subsequent restrictions. 25 dead due to the failed uprising. 472 Cumulonox exiled for worshipping the Cumulites.   Cumulonox as a religion is banned.   Over a quarter of our population is already gone. The council will have another revolt on their hands if they are not careful. We cannot sustain like this.       Day 39 The dead are too numerous to count. We cannot dig in the sandy ground to bury them. We dare not build a pyre, lest everything go up in smoke. We’ve hauled them as far away from our settlement as possible to allow them to return to the planet naturally. When the wind blows the wrong way, their putrid decay lingers not only in your nostrils but also on your tongue. We are below half our starting number.       Day 42 RAIN! Blessed, life-giving, wonderful, beautiful rain! The clouds and their wardens have returned! We reached out to the Cumulites, but none answered us. The council assumes that one of the pilgrims managed to find them and persuade them to return. It does not matter why, but we have a hope at survival now.   Planting resumed immediately.       Day 45 Torrential rain washed away all our seedlings. The rain will not cease. Once again, we reached out to the Cumulites; Dr. Nuñez and I insisted on joining the party. Still, they refuse to talk to us.   The only answer we received was the flash of dark purple amongst the roiling navy sky. There will be no answers from them.   People have gorged themselves on water. The results have been horrifying to say the least. Many people have been throwing up or complaining of cramps. Several more have had seizures and a few rest in comas. We must make peace with the Cumulites.   The river we build our settlement near swells higher and higher. I fear we need to abandon our new home and find another one on this planet.       Day 50 A week of endless rain. A week of blackness blanketing our homes.   I reached out again to the Cumulites. I was surprised to find that Shhah’tha was willing to talk to me again. Below is an excerpt of our conversation.   People of note in transcript: Dr. R.Z. – Myself (Dr. Rory Zlatko) C – Cumulite emissary (Shhah’tha – the closest phonetic transcription of their name)   Dr. R.Z.: Please, allow us the opportunity to try again.   C: This was your chance… (no anger. Sadness?)   Dr. R.Z.: It wasn’t the majority. It was our leaders. We can try again with new leaders.   C: You are all the same… Destructors.   Dr. R.Z.: What about me? I am not a destructor! I can lead our people forward with you in mind.   C: Humans had their chance. Here and elsewhere. Humans cannot learn.   Dr. R.Z.: Please! Allow us another chance! I can prove that we can do better.   C: Farewell, humans.   We thought we were wise, brave, fierce, strong, and intelligent. Humans are none of those. We have succumbed to a greater power than ourselves here. The Cumulites are right.   I hope humans did better elsewhere.