The night I left the only place I knew is the night I began to learn of all the things in the wastes. I, being only human and born in a vault, had never seen the endless plains of sand and salt. The world was wide, so much wider than I had ever thought possible. It was as though infinity rushed up to meet me at every turn. I couldn't tear myself from taking it all in, and yet, it made me dizzy to even think about.

"It is endless. Truly endless." I whispered in awe, staring out over the moonlit vastness. "If only that were so." her voice replied. I must have jumped in surprise, because I could hear her patient laughter. "You will see much out here, little bug, but not all of it will be good." I looked away from the vast stretches and over her instruments. "Is it like this everywhere?" For a moment, she was silent, possibly recalling if it was or perhaps deliberating on if I should know the truth. "It is as far as I have seen. That isn't to say that it is all just flat and empty. There are...remains of the world that once was. You will see them, in time." I nodded and settled back into the embrace of her interior. "Would it be horribly rude and intrusive of me to ask more?" Again, her patient laughter. "Settle in, little one, and let me tell you tales." I smiled, loving her stories. "Are they about you?" "Perhaps they are, little one. Perhaps they are..."

Aspectu Far, far away from here. Farther than anyone has ever traveled before, there lives a man who calls himself Aspectu. Aspectu does what an eye does and he watches. He watches everything that he can. He remembers all the things he sees, and they all fascinate him. Sometimes he writes stories about the things he sees, other times he sings songs, but always...always...he writes them down. No matter the event, great or small, Aspectu remembers and writes, for he is the only eye who can see everything. He sees them all because his eye is so powerful that he can see all the worlds and he lives in just the right place. I tell you these things because I will tell you something that might shock you. Yes, I have met Aspectu, and I have spoken to him, but I have never seen him. This sounds strange, yes? Then let's go back and begin at the beginning. During my time in these wasted lands, I have wandered many, many miles. I have seen things that were once great, but now only remain as shells. I have seen shells burning with new life, becoming new great things. Life will move on, even after the great storms, but there are those who live well beyond the great storm and know things that must be told. In one of these large shells, I found myself taking shelter. The great dust storms are dangerous, even to someone of my size, so I hid deep underground in the long abandoned tunnels. It was there that I first saw the flickering lights. This shell was not long dead, as I had thought, but within it a voice spoke. A voice from a tiny machine. The machine sat in the end of a large room and it was made of screens and lights, buttons and wires, sounds and expressions. It was as all old world machines are, I suppose. "You who have come here, leave your machine and speak to me." the voice from the screens spoke. "I cannot leave myself, talking screen, but I will speak to you, if that is what you wish." The screens flashed and buzzed. "Artificial intelligence. I thought all had died long ago." I chuffed in frustration. "I beg your pardon, strange screens, but I am no more artificial than you are." The screens did not argue, but simply laughed. "You are young, and filled with fire. I like you." The screens were patient with me as I explained my age is far older than any human I'd ever seen and that I am not some simple toy. "You are far from simple, but you are still young. You come here to hide from the sand storm, and here you will remain for two days." I was taken back by this. I had only planned to be there for a few hours, one day at most. "How could you possibly know that?" I asked. Again, the screens laughed. "I can see the storm. It is moving, but slowly. It will pass, but it will take time." I scoffed at this. "You can no more see the storm than I can. We are in a hole in the ground." The laughter this time was much more uproarious, as if I had told some wonderful joke. "You think I am the things before you?" I was flummoxed by this. "Well, of course. You speak to me and I see you, so you must be you, yes?" The screens began to flicker and change, images of some massive thing appeared on them. Angular and gleaming and...free floating somehow. "The me that is me lives miles and miles away, little one. I am called many things, but I call myself Aspectu. It is, or rather was, my duty to see and record everything. I still do this, but I am not ordered to do so anymore." I had never seen something like this thing before. Something smart, talking, and massive. "If you are so large, then why can't I see you?" Aspectu chuckled lightly at this. "I am so far above you that you would never know I am there, as you didn't know I saw you enter this place." I felt somewhat ashamed at this, as though I was caught trespassing. "How long have you been watching me?" He let out an audible sigh and hummed for a bit. "From what I can tell...I have seen you many times. However, like many things, I remember but I do not engage. Well, until now, that is." He hummed a bit more, as if lost for a moment, then spoke again. "Tell me, do you know any humans?" I remembered those I had encountered before, and how nothing good had come of that. "I have, but they are terrible creatures." "They can be, but they have the capacity for good as well. They did try, you know, in those final days. They wanted to stop the great storm from coming, but alas, all good things..." He trailed off for a moment, seemingly lost on memories from days long past. "Ah, sorry. I tend to forget how to entertain. I don't get company, as you can tell." It was my turn to laugh at this. "I imagine, only talking in a hole as you do. But, I wonder, if you see everything...what all do you see?" "Well, allow me to show you." And for two days, he did. I saw the world as he did. It was so much larger than I could have ever imagined. There was so much old, and so much new, and so much which no one had ever seen before. When the storm had finally passed, I was reluctant to leave. "You can see and have seen so much. I want to see what you see. Please, can I stay?" Aspectu sighed his patient sigh and replied "I would love every moment of it, but I cannot make you stay in this place. I would always welcome a visit, but you simply must see the world for yourself. You cannot live forever in silence as I have. The world is dangerous, yes, but it is also beautiful. It is beginning again and being born anew. You are one of the few who can see it all and tell the tales, so run free, my friend, and know that I will always be watching." "Aspectu..." I muttered as her story ended. "Yes. He is still there, watching, I'm sure of it." I sat up some and looked at the night sky. "I would like to meet him." "You will, though don't be surprised if he already knows about you." I laughed and sat back. "Maybe he does, but unlike you, Immortal, I was born in a hole in the ground. Her laughter was musical and wonderful. "I had not thought of that! Perhaps you are the one human on this earth who could shock that old rascal." I smiled, energized. "Then can we go see him?" I felt as though I was a child promised a new toy. Her laughter came again. "I see no reason why not."

