S1E5 - Remember Green, Remember

[AUDIO) We begin on a space station, hearing the hum of the slow turning engine. The room is large and nearly empty.

ARCHIVIST: Welcome to the Archives. Our record for review today will be from section 27: Historical Worlds. Today’s sample is from Tiroh, then a rich farming world. Please note that any opinions expressed in these samples belong solely to the speaker on record and do not reflect the views of this station, the archival union, or the Collected Archives itself. If anything in this review causes listener distress or confusion please report to the nearest attendant for assistance. Potential sources of distress include mild cursing. Please also note there will be time for questions and observations once the sample has concluded.

[AUDIO] [At the sound of an electronic swoop, the sounds of the space station fade away. They are replaced by a rushing stream. There’s a little wind.

LAS: Well I… I guess I’ve turned it on, though I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.

[AUDIO] small, mechanical noises followed by the long sound of a line being cast out into the water. The sound of the line being played out continues as Las speaks.

LAS: It’s um… It’s… It’s sunrise, or just about. The stream’s a bit high and fast from last night’s rain. I guess that’ll be good for the green too.

The launch isn’t until almost dark, so I have most of the day. I figured to spend the morning here. Otherwise it’s just too long a goodbye.

Ah!

[AUDIO] A splash the fishing line being reeled in

LAS: Heh, eh, ah! Hah! Almost had ya!

You can see the farm from here, you know. It looks just fine. Plenty of green, neat rows of it just like always. You’d never think, just looking…

[AUDIO] the line being cast again

LAS: [with a slight laugh] I think this recorder’s scaring all the birds off. Usually I’ve company when I fish. Then again, the fish are scarce too.

Glad it’s clear out. If I got to pick a day to hold onto, take with me it’d be one like this.

[AUDIO] the soft ticking of the line playing out, then being slowly reeled in as Las speaks

LAS: I think the thing I’ll… I’ll miss most, besides all of you of course, is this quiet. Up there everything will be tied to generators and computers and engines, even the air. I expect you get used to the drone of it after a while but… eh.

Funny that we’re leaving in spring. You’d expect it to be later.

[AUDIO] A few clicks as he fiddles with the reel, then the sound of the line being cast again

LAS: Remember that song, the one about the seasons?

[LAS - singing]: IF SPRING’S A BRIGHT YOUNG MORNING THE PROMISE OF A DAY THEN AUTUMN’S SOFT SURRENDER HELPS TO SLEEP THE COLD AWAY

[AUDIO] the sound of the line being reeled back in slowly

LAS: I keep thinking about it. About how Tiroh’s like a year, and the year before was the Andoli moon, and the next year will be some new place, except all the seasons are generations long.

You’d never know it without putting your hands in the ground or counting the crops, that we’re almost to Tiroh’s winter. I hope once we get there there’ll be enough left to keep things green for you, at least for long enough.

[sings again] TILL WE RETURN TO SPRINGTIME LET ME DREAM, LET ME REST AND REMEMBER SUN, REMEMBER GREEN, REMEMBER

I just wish it were earlier, that we still had some summer left, here.

[AUDIO] faster clicking as the line is pulled in

LAS: You all hope once we’re on the orbitals I’ll move on, find a partner, have some children and go looking for our next spring. Maybe I will, but I’m not there yet.

[AUDIO] reeling the line in quickly followed by a small splash

LAS: Damnit, lost the hook.

[AUDIO] a co