Llegada inesperada
El hombre caminaba erguido, en su porte y la manera de pararse se podía adivinar un pasado militar. Un gris blanquecino cubría la mayor parte de su barba y cabellera. En general se veía normal, saludable incluso, pero los que lo conocían podían adivinar que algo no iba bien. Sus ojos habían perdido el brillo que antes demostraban curiosidad y determinación.
Cuando entró a la gran casa hubo silencio y decenas de ojos se dirigieron a él inquisitivamente, no era común recibir forasteros en esa comunidad, en esa parte del continente en realidad. Todos le miraron con una mezcla de curiosidad y desconfianza. Todos menos Sven, su amigo de toda la vida a penas lo vió supo que algo no iba bien. Poniendose de pié de inmediato hizo su mejor esfuerzo por no demostrar su preocupación y caminó con decisión y genuina alegría hacia la puerta para dar la bienvenida a Ivar.
Habían pasado 30 años desde que se vieron por última vez, el tiempo había teñido de plata los cabellos de ambos, pero las experiencias de vida habían sido muy diferentes. Ambos habían sido lo suficientemente afortunados como para alcanzar sus sueños en la vida. Sven había logrado crear una comunidad agrícola en uno de los primeros planetas colonizados por el imperio y Ivar había dedicado su vida a la exploración del espacio.
A penas Sven se acercó, Ivar le espetó.
- Tienes un espacio para mí en tu colonia, he venido a quedarme si me lo permiten.
Sven sintió una disminución en el murmullo de la sala a sus espaldas. La relación de la colonia con el imperio había sido siempre tensa, el imperio crecía todo el tiempo y había amenazado con desplazarlos en más de una ocasión. Y Ivar no podía esconder su pasado militar.
Lo que no sabían la mayoría de ellos es que, si habían logrado sortear las relaciones con el imperio había sido en gran parte gracias al apoyo de Ivar. No lo sabían porque Ivar así lo había querido. Sven y Ivar se habían mantenido en contacto todo el tiempo y como héroe condecorado del imperio Ivar no había dudado nunca utilizar sus influencias para ayudar a Sven con su sueño. Pero esas influencias funcionaban siempre que no fueran públicas.
Sven le pidió, ven acompañame a un lugar más tranquilo, conversemos y me cuentas que ha pasado. Para él no había dudas, si su amigo necesitaba o quería quedarse, se quedaría. Y la comunidad tendría que aprender a confiar en él, tendría sus retos y Ivar tendría que aprender los códigos de la comunidad, pero sin duda alguna aprenderían al menos a tolerarse.
Afuera, Ivar se quedó mirando una pequeña flor del jardín, mientras su mente vagaba a sitios donde Sven no podía seguirle. Sven esperó pacientemente a que su amigo regresara a su lado. Sven no lo sabía, pero era algo que Ivar hacía con bastante frecuencia últimamente.
Finalmente la conciencia de Ivar regresó y Sven tomó la palabra.
- Cuéntame amigo mío, ¿qué te pasó y porqué decidiste venir a este lugar olvidado del universo?
- Lo dejo, respondió Ivar, no quiero regresar al espacio.
Para Sven aquello era una noticia completamente inesperada, y ademáas intuía en su interior que algo más pasaba, algo grave que Ivar no se sentía en condiciones de confiarle todavía. Intentó comprender por lo que estaba pasando su amigo y hermano de toda la vida, así que respondió.
- Claro que tendrás siempre un lugar entre nosotros, al principio no será sencillo, pero lo lograremos. Lo que no entiendo es porqué, la exploración del espacio siempre fue tu pasión y hasta hace unos meses cuando hablamos por última vez estabas igual de emocionado que aquella primera vez cuando te enteraste que la tecnología de expedición estaba lista.
¿Que pasó en estos dos meses?
- Ya lo pensé, mi desición es irrevocable ¡mira!
Ivar extendió un documento sellado por el comando estelar con su licencia efectiva y permanente del cuerpo. Lo solicité hace un mes cuando regresé de mi última expedición, solo estaba esperando que me la aprobaran para venir.
Ivar levantó la cabeza y miró a Sven con porte orgulloso como diciendo, eso es todo lo que voy a decir, ¿me aceptas o no en tu grupo?
Sven lo conocía lo suficiente para saber que no valía la pensa seguir hablando.
Ven le dijo, te invito a una cerveza.
Bunny
Bunny era la hija más pequeña de Sven, tenía 13 años y en realidad se llamaba Irina, pero era pequeña y muy inquieta y solía usar dos coletas a los lados de la cara. Así que la comunidad empezó a llamarla Bunny y desde entonces su nombre cayó en deshuso. Hasta sus padres le decían Bunny. Era una muchacha alegre y servicial, que se hacía querer por todos con mucha facilidad.
Cuando los dos amigos entraron a la casona, provenientes del jardín; Bunny, que recién había llegado, miró a la puerta y al ver a Ivar abrió los ojos como platos. Era la primera vez que lo veía en persona, pero a lo largo de los años habían interactuado mucho y se había creado un lazo especial entre ellos. Pasado el primer instantante de asombro, Bunny corrió hacia Ivar gritando ¡Tío Ivar! y saltó a sus brazos, fue un abrazo largo y cariñoso. Durante los segundos que duró Sven vió por primera vez brillo de alegría en los ojos de su amigo. Y cómo resultado inesperado, la comunidad reunida en la casa que unos segundos antes volvía a mirar a Ivar con desconfianza se relajó. Bunny logró con una acción lo que a Sven le hubiera tomado semanas. El problema de la aceptación estaba resuelto, lo podía sentir en el murmullo normal del salón. Cada grupo volvió a sus conversaciones habituales y ya no miraba con desconfianza y disimulo a los amigos.
Habría claro, que presentarlo, y estaba el tema del papel que Ivar iba a jugar en la comunidad, entre ellos todos estaban obligados a aportar. Pero eso ya era puro trámite, la situación estaba sanjada y era cuestión de tiempo que Ivar pasara a ser uno de ellos.
El error
Tres semanas habían pasado desde la llegada de Ivar, y su amigo se había integrado bien, ayudaba en lo que podía, desde la semana anterior habían empezado a construir una casa para Ivar entre todos y en los tiempos de descanso Ivar solía entretener a los mas jóvenes con historias de la exploración del espacio.
A Sven le preocupaba un poco que las historias de piratas espaciales, seres de energía y exploraciones de naves alienígenas terminara por llenarles la cabeza a los jóvenes de la comunidad de sueños y terminaran todos queriendo ser expedicionarios del imperio.
Esa tarde en particular, aprovechó la oportunidad para incentivar a su amigo a que contara la realidad de los exploradores y de paso molestarlo un poco. Así que, cuando su amigo terminaba la história de la recuperación de un contenedor de Materia Obscura desde una nave de puro cristal opaco Sven ripostó, pero cuéntales la verdad. Cuenta que el imperio considera tan poco valiosa la vida de sus exploradores que ni siquiera les asigna escolta. Y que los pobres que no logran escapar de los piratas están prácticamente condenados a morir porque el imperio los manda al confín del universo prácticamente indefensos. Cuenta que en la mayoría de los casos tus "aventuras" se reducen a mirar una pantalla de datos y regresar con las manos vacías.
Ivar bajó los ojos y ripostó, es cierto, pero lo peor no es cuando no se ve, ni se encuentra nada. Lo peor es que a veces si se ven cosas. Y acto seguido se levantó y se fue a terminar de pintar la pared del frente de su nueva casa.
Breakup
Ivar's reaction weighed heavily on Sven's mind. He felt that he had touched on a sensitive subject for his friend, so, staring at two small mushrooms growing near where he was sitting, he decided that he had to apologize and understand once and for all what was hurting his friend so much from his past.
That afternoon, he decided to return before it was time to meet at the mansion. He brought a bottle of good wine with him and invited his friend to sit down and talk over two well-filled glasses.
I want to start by apologizing to you. My comment this afternoon was insensitive and clearly hurt you, which was not my intention. But, my brother from another mother, there is clearly something about your expeditions that haunts you from your own memory. Something that has changed you profoundly and made you give up your dream. Something serious, but if you don't tell me, I can't do anything to help you.
- De todas maneras no hay nada que puedas hacer, ni tu ni nadie. Todo es completamente inutil, tu vida, la mía, la de todos ellos, el imperio, la alianza; es todo fútil.
- No entiendo, que puede haber pasado allá arriba que te hace decir algo como esto.
Ivar sacudió la cabeza y quizas por el efecto del vino, su resistencia se rompió y las palabras salieron atropelladas, como el agua de una presa que cede.
- Nos ví, allá arriba, como tu le dices, nos ví
- ¿A que te refieres, como que nos viste?
- Fue durante el reingreso al sector a través de un agujero negro. Es normal que en esos reingresos uno sufre lijeras pérdidas de memoria, la tripulación pasa unos segundos despiertos pero con pérdida de conciencia (es muy raro de explicar). El punto es que generalmente la bitácora de la nave recoge 5 a 7 segundos en blanco total y lo mismo nos pasa a los tripulantes en ese período. Pero está última vez no fue así, al menos no para mi.
Durante el último reingreso, compartí conciencia con otro yo y tu estabas ahí. Teníamos otro nombre, otro idioma y otra raza. Pero las ideas y los sentimientos eran los mismos que cuando tu y yo eramos recién desplazados del imperio, era yo. Y tu también eras diferente, pero igual. En esencia eramos nosotros mismos. Lo pude sentir, no fueron unos segundos. Algo raro pasó con el tiempo. En la otra conciencia estuve días. Y las condiciones eran las mismas. Los padres, los tuyos y los míos otra vez en las minas. Otra vez la amargura de no ser sufientes. Otra vez mis sueños con descubrir el espacio, los secretos que se esconden tras las estrellas. Otra vez el hangar, y tu en el lab, otra vez los analisis de manejo de energía en cristales, otra vez las órdenes de costsrucción y la frustración de regreso a la casa. Hasta la bandera imperial era la misma. Y de pronto estaba de regreso en este cuerpo, habían pasado 5 segundos, pero yo había vivido meses, y no olvidé, esta vez no olvidé.
Y todo eso me hizo preguntarme. ¿Vale la pena todo lo que hemos hecho, todo lo que hemos construido y sufrido. De que sirve nuestra vida si todo es un círculo infinito que se repite sin cesar?
Sven no supo que responder, abrazó a su amigo tiró la botella vacía al cesto de basura y se fue a dormir sin pasar por la gran casa, esperando que la vida sencilla del campo terminara por curar a su amigo de una fractura tan grave.
Hasta aquí la história de Ivar y Sven. Quizás, pero solo quizás más adelante conozcamos la historia Rodrigo y Antonio.
Si te gustó deja tu comentario y considera compartir la historia.
Disclaimers
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Traducido al Inglés con ayuda de Deepl.
Unexpected arrival
The man walked upright, and his bearing and manner of standing hinted at a military past. A whitish gray covered most of his beard and hair. In general, he looked normal, even healthy, but those who knew him could tell that something was wrong. His eyes had lost the sparkle that once showed curiosity and determination.
When he entered the large house, there was silence, and dozens of eyes turned to him inquiringly. It was not common to receive strangers in that community, or in that part of the continent for that matter. Everyone looked at him with a mixture of curiosity and distrust. Everyone except Sven, his lifelong friend, who knew something was wrong as soon as he saw him. Standing up immediately, he did his best not to show his concern and walked with determination and genuine joy toward the door to welcome Ivar.
It had been 30 years since they had last seen each other. Time had turned both their hair silver, but their life experiences had been very different. Both had been fortunate enough to achieve their dreams in life. Sven had managed to create an agricultural community on one of the first planets colonized by the empire, and Ivar had dedicated his life to space exploration.
As soon as Sven approached, Ivar snapped at him.
-You have a place for me in your colony. I've come to stay, if you'll have me.
Sven sensed a decrease in the murmuring in the room behind him. The colony's relationship with the empire had always been tense. The empire was growing all the time and had threatened to displace them on more than one occasion. And Ivar could not hide his military past.
What most of them did not know was that if they had managed to navigate their relationship with the empire, it was largely thanks to Ivar's support. They did not know this because Ivar had wanted it that way. Sven and Ivar had stayed in touch all along, and as a decorated hero of the empire, Ivar had never hesitated to use his influence to help Sven with his dream. But that influence only worked as long as it remained private.
Sven asked him, “Come with me to a quieter place, let's talk and you can tell me what happened.” For him, there was no doubt that if his friend needed or wanted to stay, he would stay. And the community would have to learn to trust him. It would be challenging, and Ivar would have to learn the community's codes, but without a doubt, they would at least learn to tolerate each other.
Outside, Ivar stared at a small flower in the garden, his mind wandering to places Sven couldn't follow him. Sven waited patiently for his friend to return to his side. Sven didn't know it, but it was something Ivar had been doing quite often lately.
Finally, Ivar's consciousness returned, and Sven spoke up.
- Tell me, my friend, what happened to you and why did you decide to come to this forgotten place in the universe?
- I'm quitting,” replied Ivar, “I don't want to go back into space.
For Sven, this was completely unexpected news, and he sensed that something else was going on, something serious that Ivar did not feel ready to confide in him yet. He tried to understand what his lifelong friend and brother was going through, so he replied.
- Of course you'll always have a place among us. It won't be easy at first, but we'll make it work. What I don't understand is why. Space exploration has always been your passion, and when we last spoke a few months ago, you were just as excited as you were the first time you found out that the expedition technology was ready.
- What happened in these two months?
- I've thought it through, my decision is irrevocable. Look!
Ivar held out a document stamped by Star Command with his effective and permanent license from the corps. “I applied for it a month ago when I returned from my last expedition. I was just waiting for it to be approved so I could come.”
Ivar raised his head and looked at Sven with pride, as if to say, that's all I'm going to say. Will you accept me into your group or not?
Sven knew him well enough to know that there was no point in continuing the conversation.
- Come on, he said, I'll buy you a beer.
Bunny
Bunny was Sven's youngest daughter. She was 13 years old and her real name was Irina, but she was small and very restless and used to wear two pigtails on either side of her face. So the community started calling her Bunny, and from then on her real name fell into disuse. Even her parents called her Bunny. She was a cheerful and helpful girl who was easily loved by everyone.
When the two friends entered the mansion from the garden, Bunny, who had just arrived, looked at the door and, upon seeing Ivar, her eyes widened. It was the first time she had seen him in person, but over the years they had interacted a lot and a special bond had formed between them. After the first moment of surprise, Bunny ran towards Ivar shouting, “Uncle Ivar!” and jumped into his arms. It was a long and affectionate hug. During those few seconds, Sven saw for the first time a sparkle of joy in his friend's eyes. And as an unexpected result, the community gathered in the house, which seconds before had been looking at Ivar with suspicion, relaxed. Bunny achieved in one action what would have taken Sven weeks. The problem of acceptance was solved; he could feel it in the normal murmur of the room. Each group returned to their usual conversations and no longer looked at their friends with suspicion and dissimulation.
Of course, there was the matter of introducing him, and there was the question of the role Ivar would play in the community, where everyone was required to contribute. But that was just a formality; the situation had been settled, and it was only a matter of time before Ivar became one of them.
The mistake
Three weeks had passed since Ivar's arrival, and his friend had settled in well, helping out wherever he could. The week before, they had all started building a house for Ivar, and during breaks, Ivar used to entertain the younger ones with stories of space exploration.
Sven was a little concerned that stories of space pirates, energy beings, and alien ship explorations would fill the young people's heads with dreams and make them all want to become imperial expeditionaries.
That particular afternoon, he took the opportunity to encourage his friend to tell the truth about explorers and, at the same time, tease him a little. So, when his friend finished the story of the recovery of a container of Dark Matter from a ship made of pure opaque crystal, Sven retorted, "But tell them the truth. Tell them that the empire considers the lives of its explorers so worthless that it doesn't even assign them an escort. And that the poor souls who fail to escape the pirates are practically doomed to die because the empire sends them to the edge of the universe practically defenseless. Tell them that in most cases your “adventures” boil down to looking at a data screen and coming back empty-handed.
Ivar lowered his eyes and replied, “It's true, but the worst thing isn't when you can't see anything or find anything. The worst thing is that sometimes you can see things.” And then he got up and went to finish painting the front wall of his new house.
Breakup
Ivar's reaction weighed heavily on Sven's mind. He felt that he had touched on a sensitive subject for his friend, so, staring at two small mushrooms growing near where he was sitting, he decided that he had to apologize and understand once and for all what was hurting his friend so much from his past.
That afternoon, he decided to return before it was time to meet at the mansion. He brought a bottle of good wine with him and invited his friend to sit down and talk over two well-filled glasses.
I want to start by apologizing to you. My comment this afternoon was insensitive and clearly hurt you, which was not my intention. But, my brother from another mother, there is clearly something about your expeditions that haunts you from your own memory. Something that has changed you profoundly and made you give up your dream. Something serious, but if you don't tell me, I can't do anything to help you.
- There's nothing you can do about it, anyway, neither you nor anyone else. Everything is completely useless, your life, mine, theirs, the empire, the alliance; it's all futile.
- I don't understand, what could have happened up there to make you say something like that?
Ivar shook his head and, perhaps due to the effect of the wine, his resistance broke and the words came pouring out, like water from a dam that has burst.
“I saw us, up there, as you say, I saw us.”
“What do you mean, you saw us?”
“It was during the re-entry into the sector through a black hole.” It's normal during those re-entries to suffer slight memory loss; the crew spends a few seconds awake but with loss of consciousness (it's very hard to explain). The point is that the ship's log usually records 5 to 7 seconds of total blankness, and the same thing happens to the crew during that period. But this last time it wasn't like that, at least not for me.
During my last re-entry, I shared consciousness with another me, and you were there. We had different names, spoke different languages, and belonged to different races. But our ideas and feelings were the same as when you and I were newly displaced from the empire. It was me. And you were different too, but the same. In essence, we were ourselves. I could feel it; it wasn't just for a few seconds. Something strange happened over time. I spent days in the other consciousness. And the conditions were the same. Our parents, yours and mine, were back in the mines. Once again, the bitterness of not being enough. Once again, my dreams of discovering space, the secrets hidden behind the stars. Again the hangar, and you in the lab, again the energy management analyses in crystals, again the construction orders and the frustration of returning home. Even the imperial flag was the same. And suddenly I was back in this body, five seconds had passed, but I had lived months, and I didn't forget, this time I didn't forget.
And all that made me wonder. Is everything we've done, everything we've built and suffered, worth it? What is the point of our lives if everything is an endless circle that repeats itself over and over again?
Sven didn't know how to respond. He hugged his friend, threw the empty bottle in the trash, and went to sleep without going through the big house, hoping that the simple country life would eventually heal his friend from such a serious fracture.
That's the end of the story of Ivar and Sven. Perhaps, but only perhaps, we'll hear the story of Rodrigo and Antonio later on.
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