It is a simple, ordinary container filled with simple, ordinary sand. What these two things represent however, is not quite so simple or ordinary. They are a reminder for me.

Each grain of sand represents a life that I have destroyed, directly and indirectly, as a consequence of my deliberate actions. How many lives is that? With the container of sand, unless extreme efforts are put forth, we can only speculate based on approximate grain size and volume of the container.

Such as it is with me.

You can take the last recorded populations of all the worlds that I have burned, the estimated crew and passenger complements of all the ships and stations that are now lifeless husks in the void of space,all those still living that no longer have their friends, loved ones, or livelihoods…

You can take all that, and arrive at an estimated number. Really, though, what does that number do? Does it matter if it’s off by one, ten, one hundred, one million? Are there different tiers of genocide where the number would matter?

Is there redemption?

I don’t know what form redemption for such acts would be, I don’t know how much the fact that I had been driven mad by deceit and torment might mitigate my actions.

We have much time and I suspect that you are curious about me, that you are interested in what drove me to my madness, how I broke free from it. That is all part of a larger picture, a larger story, and while my story started before theirs did,all will make more sense if I start with theirs...

facebook.com/hataraschronicles