The time has come to disclose the words within me. The feeling of being lost was the best thing we experienced on that planet—or at least, it was for me. For with every step we took searching for a way out, we harvested a story that consoled us, gave us the lessons we needed, and even adorned the darkness of perseverance for us. Perhaps the fall wasn't as random as we first thought; perhaps the journey itself was the story we would present to you, O Mother Sun.
What led me to think this way is that this experience carried, deep within its folds, the answers to all the questions that had come to us up above. But no one else cared about such things; no one cared about anything except trying to survive in the darkness and return to your light. Were we previously this reckless to embark on a journey of this kind? Dull of feeling? Lacking experience? Perhaps the story itself was asking from the beginning: which stars was I talking about? Us? But we were never worthy of playing that role. And now, we have departed; no trace of our existence remains but the wreckage of a ship and this story, left as a legacy for the coming Stars, so they might realize that the world outside also carries meanings of sorrow, and that it is intensely dark. That the world outside is nothing but a vibrant life of being lost, and its inhabitants are in no better state than you up above. Perhaps you will realize it's time to return to the sky without argument, for writing stories is nothing more than a long solace, an unending lament, and much that should not be conveyed to a lofty lady like her, through you, O Stars. So, return whence you came.
Which stars am I talking about? If this is the question you asked me, O my story, then this is what I will try to answer in the coming pages. And although I am incapable of capturing words like breaths, poor in what the world contains, weak of body, frail of stature, simple of mind, and the worst one who might answer such questions, the answer was always on the tip of my tongue, awaiting the moment of its release. Are you ready to hear it? These stars are us, and only us. But this answer alone is not enough. The time has come for me to tell you who we were and who we became. And will even that be enough? For all answers in themselves are merely the chatter told by a star about to breathe her last, hoping the meaning will become clear. Like the illusion of a dream that hadn't begun before ending as a nightmare. Like a fire that ignited and set its surroundings ablaze by itself, without an agent. Rather, my story must begin side-by-side with their stories. And I think the best beginning for me is to return once more to the incident of our ship's fall—the moment the story of the Stars, and no other, began to be recorded—and for them, to the moment of Nazi defeat in World War II, when the final era began to be written. Perhaps in the end, we will find the sufficient answer, and present it to you, O Story.
And in another era, long, long ago:
...We bring you breaking news this evening, as the United States of America officially announced today the failure of a previous experiment to develop a nuclear bomb. This experiment, conducted in complete secrecy in Los Santos, had its full details revealed after secret files confirming its existence were leaked yesterday. Joining us now live on air is Professor Sharon. Professor, it's clear there is much controversy swirling behind the scenes since this announcement was made, especially since you were one of the most prominent participants in the project, indeed one of the staunchest defenders of the necessity of its success and of this bomb entering the American weapons arsenal before anyone else. Despite this, around the same period, you strongly criticized the Soviet Union's development of a similar bomb and repeatedly warned of its danger to the human race and the catastrophic consequences of its use. The question that now arises is: Did those fears stem from the actual danger the nuclear bomb truly represents, or because the Soviets were the ones who succeeded in developing it, and not the United States of America?
Important Note: This story is a work of fiction. All names of characters, organizations, and the like are imaginary. The story has no connection to any real events, similar to those that may have occurred or might occur at some point.
Which Stars Are You Talking About?
By: Ahmad A Rahaa
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or stored in any form or by any means, electronic or physical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the author.
ISBN: 9789950421998
Note: This English translation was generated by Gemini2.5Pro AI Model from the original Arabic text.