"They arrive tomorrow. Around nine hours, Guardian says. I wonder what they'll be like. Perhaps they won't like Isis, and they'll go back to Earth. Apparently, that's not what happened."said Veronica, as she kept reading from the pages of the diary. "Guardian is so fussy. On the tapes I was sending to the Captain of the Pegasus, it kept on emphasizing about the low oxygen content of the atmosphere, and the high ultraviolet radiation. He wants the settlers to stay in the valley, and use a UVO suit and oxygen mask to climb the mountains. I feel sorry for them. To have to wear a stupid suit, and carry oxygen to climb the mountains. Oh, well, maybe they'll get used to Isis later on."
"What's a UVO suit?"asked Moira.
"Oh, that's a special suit. It was used before force fields to protect from UV rays. It was pretty thick. It was designed to help keep as much moisture in or something. You know, so the rays wouldn't harm you, and to protect from dehydration."Veronica explained.
"Oh."
"But she must have had to wear one, at least once in her life. It must seem normal to her. I mean, back then there were no force fields, and if she lived on the heights…"
"It must have been some kind of magic."said David. "If she lived with the Guardian…"
"Oh, phuey!"Veronica cut him off. "Stupidity is what that is, David. Anyway…next page…I got to see them. The spaceship landed in the middle of the grassland, and I saw it from the mesa top. I only saw the captain. Guardian wouldn't let me near them. He said I would be exposed to germs, and that I should wear a protective suit. I hope he makes it soon. I want to meet he captain. Captain Jonas Tryon. It sounds like a very magnificent name. His face is the color of the rock on Isis, and he looks a little like the side of the mesa itself. I wonder what we'll talk about. What if they don't like me? Guardian says I don't have anything to worry about, that they are all my friends.
Guardian has my suit ready. It has a new face and everything. And we went down to the settlement. None of the settlers wants to see upper Isis. They say they are fine in the valley, but I've found a friend. Mark London. He wants me to take him to the mesa top, and show him my Isis. He's not like the other…Wait a minute, Mark London? Isn't that that psychotic freak?"asked Veronica. "That tyrant?"
"President London? Breaking the taboos?"exclaimed David.
"Don't tell me the Keeper knew that…retard?"
"I suppose so."said Moira.
"Oh, my1"
"But President London would never have broken the taboos!"said David.
"David, the mountains are not taboo…"Veronica gave up, and kept reading. "I took Mark to the terrace. He couldn't climb all the way to the top. We will go to the top another day. I wish Gaurdian would let me see him without the stupid mask and suit. I want him to see me. But Guardian said that Mark has bacteria, so I couldn't take it off.
Today, we did make it to the top. Mark wanted me to meet Doctor MacDonald. He doesn't think that Guardian is right, and that the settlers have no germs that could hurt me. He's going to make cultures of my blood, and prove to Guardian that I don't have to wear that mask and suit.
Something dreadful happened today. Guardian still won't let me meet the settler without the mask and suit. I told him that Doctor MacDonald disagreed with him, and he went to try and stop him from making the cultures. I went to the mesa top, and Mark followed me. I didn't know he was there. When I turned around, he took a step backwards, and fell down the mesa. He only went halfway, and Guardian took him back to the village. He wouldn't let me come. But he says that Mark will be all right."
"One of the stories the elders used to tell was that the Guardian rescued Mark London."said David.
"This must be when."
"They said that he tried to climb the mesa, but that he fell, and instead of falling to his death, the Guardian saved him."
"…Those horrible settlers killed Hobbit. It was all my fault. I'd been neglecting him, thinking about Mark. He went into the grassland to look for me. The settlers came and shot him. I hate them. They're spoiling Isis. They should go back to Earth where they all belong! Guardian told me that I am different from the settlers. He said that was the reason he didn't want me to have a mirror before. That was why the people were afraid of me. Why Guardian wanted me to wear that stupid suit and mask, and why Mark fell from the mesa when he saw me. He was disgusted by me. They were all disgusted by me. He said he changed me because he wanted me to be free. Free on Isis. The captain and the doctor are angry at him because they think it was wrong…
"Change? I don't understand."said Moira.
"Neither do I, really. But let's see, it must have been something about her appearance, if they were afraid of her. Though, I guess it must make some sense, if she never wore a suit and lived on the heights."
"How can you change a person?"asked David.
"I'm not sure what kind of changes she is talking about, but let's see…I'm just not sure."said Vero. "Maybe…some kind of genetic manipulation?"she suggested.
"No!"exclaimed Moira.
"It seems like the only logical explanation. You say the Keeper is buried beside the pool?"
"Yes."
"There's only one way to get to the bottom of this."Veronica crossed herself. "Oh, Lord! Please forgive me for what I'm about to do!"