Entry 5

Dark Side Diner

Entry 5: The Dark and the Glow

Back home, with a fresh perspective after my recent R&R, I felt the pull to get back to my roots - my love for Lunite. I’d covered most of the moon over the years, and finding new veins of Lunite was becoming rare. Almost like chasing after something that no longer existed. But one thought kept nagging at me: Shackleton Crater, over on the dark side. It was one of the last untouched places, shrouded in shadows most of the time. If there was any Lunite left to be found, it’d be there, hidden where no one dared to look.

So, I prepped Quicksilver, ensuring I had everything I needed. Before takeoff, I double-checked my supplies. I didn’t have room to carry everything, so I’d ask folks over on frequency X to help me decide. They were loud and clear - extra power cells were the way to go. I packed a heavy supply, figuring they’d come in handy in the cold and unpredictable shadows.

Soon enough, I was blasting off toward the dark side. As I neared Shackleton Crater, the world around me grew dim, like slipping into a twilight zone. Just when I thought I was completely alone out here, a neon glow pierced the darkness - a diner sign, of all things, blinking in pink and blue: Dark Side Diner. It was surreal, like something out of an old Earth movie.

I decided to stop in. After all, a warm drink and a bite before venturing into the abyss didn’t sound half bad.

The inside of the diner was just as strange as its location - like a time capsule from Earth. Round lights dangled overhead, casting a warm glow, while a jukebox sat in the corner playing old tunes, and the walls were covered in faded Earth maps and photos. Behind the counter was the owner, an old man with wild, silver hair sticking up like he’d been struck by lightning. His eyes held a mischievous gleam, as he wore a worn apron that looked older than the diner itself.

Moon Dog

“Welcome to the edge of nowhere!” he greeted, a wide grin spreading across his face. “Name’s Murphy McCrae, but folks call me ‘Moon Dog.’ So, what brings you to the shadows, stranger? Chasing dreams, or maybe… something you lost?”

I chuckled, unsure if he was just quirky or genuinely wise. “Neither, Moon Dog. Just exploring. Heard there might be something worth finding out here.”

He let out a raspy laugh, leaning forward with an amused look. “Ahh, a dreamer, huh? You’re lookin’ for the glow, aren’t ya? The spark in the dark?” His eyes sparkled as he sized me up. “People like you keep my business alive, even if they don’t stick around too long. The dark side has a way of getting under folks’ skin.”

“You see a lot of explorers pass through here?” I asked, intrigued.

“Oh, here and there,” he replied, waving a hand dismissively. “Some think they’re huntin’ rocks, others say they’re diggin’ for treasure. But me? I think they’re all just lookin’ for something they left behind, or maybe something that slipped through their fingers.” He narrowed his eyes at me, like he was searching for something. “You ever feel like that, kid? Like there’s somethin’ out there just callin’ your name?”

For a second, I wondered if he knew more than he was letting on. “Maybe. I guess I’ll know once I get down there.”

Moon Dog laughed again, shaking his head. “Ah, that’s what they all say. But remember, the moon has a way of keeping more than it gives. Down there in the shadows… things look back, you know.” He pointed toward the window, where Shackleton Crater loomed, dark and forbidding. “Once, I heard whispers comin’ from that crater. They say it’s got secrets. Maybe they just want some company.”

I raised an eyebrow, half-entertained, half-unnerved. “Whispers, huh?”

He leaned in close, his voice barely a whisper. “They say if you listen close enough, you might just hear the moon’s heartbeat.” Then, he straightened up, letting out a loud laugh and clapping his hands. “Or maybe I’m just an old coot, talkin’ about shadows and sounds. Don’t mind me.”

I ordered a coffee and a sandwich, paying with my digital ledger - a blockchain transaction, simple and secure, processed right from my wrist device. Moon Dog noticed the device and raised an eyebrow, smirking but keeping his thoughts to himself.

“Careful down there, kid,” he said as I turned to leave. “And if you hear anything that don’t sound like your own footsteps… well, maybe that’s just the moon sayin’ hello.”

With his words lingering in my head, I stepped back into the cold, powered up my ultra-cold spacesuit, and approached the edge of Shackleton Crater. As I gazed over the side I felt an eerie vibe. Darkness swallowed the light, and I could barely see beyond the small glow of my visor.

Step by step, I moved deeper into the crater. The descent took longer than expected. The cold seeped through my suit, and I noticed my power levels dropping faster than anticipated. Just as I began to shiver, I remembered the extra power cells I’d packed. I quickly swapped one in, feeling the warmth return to my suit as the power surged back up. It was just the boost I needed.

Then, in the dim glow of my visor, something caught my eye - a faint, neon glimmer half-buried in the dust. I knelt down, brushing it off, my heart racing. It was a chunk of Lunite, that unmistakable pink and blue glow. My journey had been worth it.

As I held the Lunite, a voice echoed softly, sending a chill down my spine and causing me to drop the rock. “We appreciate your love for Lunite.”

I turned, my heart pounding, and there, standing silently behind me, was… well, whatever I’d seen back at the space station Hira. They looked just as surreal as before, their figure barely visible in the shadowed depths of the crater, with eyes that reflected hints of neon, as if the entire galaxy was swirling just behind their gaze.

“What… what are you?” I managed to stammer, my voice barely audible in the dense silence around us.

They tilted their head ever so slightly, in a gesture that felt almost… curious. “We are Fractal,” they replied, their voice calm and steady, resonant in a way that seemed to echo off the walls of the crater. “The Lunite was placed here long ago. Every piece returns… in one form or another.”

“Placed here?” I repeated, my mind reeling. “What do you mean? By who? And… why?”

Fractal didn’t answer immediately. They simply looked at me, their gaze steady, as if measuring my readiness for the truth - or perhaps my ability to comprehend it. After a long pause, they spoke again, their words unfolding like a mystery wrapped in another mystery.

“Lunite is… energy made solid, bound by intention,” they said. “It was placed here to give life, to inspire discovery, to test the resolve of those who seek it. It is both a gift, and a burden, to see what one will do with such power.”

I tried to grasp the enormity of what they were saying. “So… all these years, I’ve been searching, collecting… and you’ve been watching?”

They gave a slight nod, as if this was also fascinating to them. “We observe. We listen. Lunite… resonates. When it is found, when it is used, it returns to us in fragments, whispers. Energy never truly vanishes - it only transforms. You are part of this cycle, as is all who dare seek the light within the dark.”

A chill ran down my spine. “So… you’re saying every time I burn Lunite, every time I turn it into a Moon Credit, you… feel it?”

“Yes,” Fractal said simply, their eyes glimmering, unreadable. “Every pulse, every spark… returns to the Void.”

I struggled to find words. “And what… what exactly is the Void?”

Fractal paused, their form flickering ever so slightly, as if considering whether to answer. Their gaze held mine, intense yet unreadable, their tone calm and resonant.

“The Void… is a story for another time.”

With that, Fractal’s form began to dissolve, their silhouette fading into the darkness of the crater. “Wait!” I called, reaching out as if to catch something I knew I couldn’t hold.

“I… I still don’t understand.”

Their final words lingered softly in the air, a whisper that seemed to echo off the silent walls around me. “In time, Rex. All things reveal themselves… in time.”

And just like that, they were gone, leaving me alone in the vast quiet of the crater. The silence felt heavy, almost alive, as if something ancient was listening. I bent over, picking up the Lunite from the ground, their words circling in my mind like a riddle wrapped in neon light.

Slowly, I began my climb back out of the crater, the faint hum of something - perhaps my own pulse, or perhaps something far older - resonating in the air around me. Fractal’s presence had vanished, but their words stayed with me, a mystery that would follow me back into the light.

Shaking off the surreal encounter, I returned to Quicksilver, Lunite safely in hand, and headed back home.

 Back in my workshop, I set the Lunite on the bench and powered up my new furnace. This model was faster and more efficient - a worthwhile investment, especially with Lunite becoming so scarce. Was it worth the 2,750,000 Credits I’d spent? Most Lunite was used in raw power form, which didn’t require a machine like this. But I wasn’t just converting energy - I was creating physical credits, turning them into something rare, almost lost, a kind of art in itself. When every piece mattered, efficiency was essential. So, to me, yes, it was worth every Credit.

The furnace roared to life, casting a soft blue glow that filled the room. As the Lunite heated, it began to liquefy, releasing bursts of neon blue and pink light. I fired the electromagnetic pulse, stabilizing the molten rock, and poured it carefully into my molds. Each token came out different; some pure silver, others with streaks of color that seemed to pulse with life. But the tradition held true that each moon credit would have a unique astronaut helmet as sort of a signature from the creator. That’s what was so fascinating about the process, one rock could yield many unique credits with a personality of their own.

I held one up, feeling its weight, knowing it was more than just a token - it was concentrated energy, small but powerful.

I added the new tokens to my collection, like trophies, keepsakes of the moon’s energy.

 As I looked over my collection, Moon Dog’s words echoed in my mind. “Whispers in the crater… things lookin’ back…”

The moon had secrets. And maybe, I just stumbled onto the edge of a big one.

Dark Side Diner cup of coffee & sandwich - 900 Moon Credits

A new furnace (faster and more efficient) - 2,750,000 Moon Credits