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Inscription on a Monument to the Star Explorer

Ernesto Pavan was born on a holyday, and it couldn't have been any different, considering how much he loves vacation. Unfortunately, he never gets enough of that. When he's not putting his visions on electronic paper, he translates those of other authors; he loves it because it allows him to read and work at the same time. He lives in Italy with his chef girlfriend and a little dog.

To those who were called and replied "I'll go"
To those who filled the void between the stars with dreams of hope
To those who always gazed into another heaven
To those whose hearts beat in time with tomorrow
To those who never said "enough"
To those who laughed in the face of the void
To those who forsook their home to give us all home
To those who walked on alien worlds with Terra in their hearts
To those who fought nightmares so we could have dreams
To those who waged war so we could have peace
To those who built so we would find shelter
To those who finally rest in Mother Universe's womb
Humanity is thankful
--inscription archived under entry TE091945 in the Pangalactic archive. The original was destroyed in AY 67 due to its celebration of Terran colonial crimes.
The End
This story was first published on Thursday, November 27th, 2014


Author Comments

I always wondered about how a culture could celebrate what are effectively crimes, and how different points of view could clash so strongly. We have been educated according to a specific narration of past events, and more often than not we tend to forget there was another side. This story is an attempt to see with two different sets of eyes.

- Ernesto Pavan
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