ive had a hell of a time past couple of years ill tell ya. Lets see.
Last log entry I was in traction ..again.. but instead of bothering Doc Holiday or James or Hawk or pretty much anyone in my professional life I kinda retreated.
Canaria is sort of hard to get ahold of Cardamine... its real exspansive and buying it from anyone near here would taddle up and down.
When I got out of the hospidal i looked like a corpse, I felt like a corpse and tinny was abused ot he point of no repair. The wife who was still working my assets in Trafalgar told me that the hysteria about Gallia was reaching an all time high.
So I told her I was going to Visit Paul on Malta. And let me tell you... Culture shock wasent big enough of a word to justify the difference between "civilised" space and Malta.
I opened up a small practice for psychology and furthered my study of the clinical applications and changes Cardamine has on the body and mind.
Another thing... was the fact that while there are medical professionals, theres vary little government, its still vary much guilds, families, and organizations here. There is no.. single families your a patron of a larger group and many of these groups resent independant operators of any kind.
Thankfully I wasn't really a target. Seems that while many "familia" have their own holistic knowledge few have in depth scientific understanding.
Thats was until I encountered... well... The Church.
one of the members of the cult of sirius... the same group of wackos that put holes in me turned out to be not that bad... at least the group I met there. My spanish has not suffered over the years so working with various patients and patrons i learned that the "terrorist" group that the Oracles were billed as seemingly vanished.
To learn about how people regarded the Cult, turns out many of the old monasteries abandoned because of a lack of catholic tradition were being restored and maintained as "temples" and sanctuaries strictly for the working class.
The oracle compounds were gone, scooped from the ground and missing their "spirit" art and artifacts. Apparently the only one to survive is on planet Soledad and the temple on Seguro Refugio were the only ones that knew where it was.
Some treasure hunters have gone looking for it... Either not finding anything or completely disappeared. That alone left me not so curious... A rumored cult of infected maltese on soledad apparently didn't want to be bothered... on a world that has radiation so bad itll rip your bulkheads into rice cookies.
Not favorable, and not profitable.. The only hint of interest is that supposedly the Order Agent... my half brother that went to hunting down these Oracles went there never to be seen again.
So thats weighed on my mind for awhile... It would not be out of the realm of possibility that leonard went down there thinking he could handle anything... Got shot.. or worse.. converted... again..
Anyway. That was two years ago.
Time went on. Theres was a small civil war... and to pass the time I found the book of cataclysm. Having read the majority of Discordian dogma and literature I came to find the Old cults literature was more promises and prophecy then actual religion. But in the time since the Oracles have left or were banished a simple animus "new age" mentality has arisen.
They believe the the plentiful signs and diversity in the universe and their own situation as maltese gives an obligation to consider the divinity around them.
The nomads in maltas culture have risen and fallen with different groups... Finding that those who unquestioningly support them are spacefaring and a different aspect of maltas culture... and those groups directly affected to space faring smugglers and other captains win their faith too.
However... A few that seem to know better or have excessive scientific resource are more skeptical. I call into this category as well. and Despite this the Church has accepted me as an important member.
Around.. say three months ago... the elder fathers of the Church approached me with a project... The "books" of faith for the church were scattered and mutated from many years of misinterpretation. I was asked to assist in the bringing together of these texts and in biblical fashion create a Bible of the Sirius Dream.
I found the Book of Cataclysm to be short and to the point..and commented as such.. just... When a man in a suit entered..
He was in one of the older EVA suits.. the atmosphere within was green and murky.. and the men around me went white as sheets.. as he got closer I saw the telltale signs of infection, and that smell... the ozone smell of their psionics.
It stopped and looked at me a moment. "You are Balors brother" it said.
"His name was Leonard, hes my half brother." I replied.
"I am Thomas Aquinas... I and two others are the three remaining.. These followers refer to me as Three-winds." the electronic voice scratched.
The other men seemed fearful and vary much ill at ease. one of them managed to squeak out a greeting that I can't remember.
"Do not be afraid... this is the way of the new Epoch... its obvious many of my trusted have fallen to corruption... lack of guidance.. sloth and other sins... if this is what is left... and the half blood of our greatest enemy is welcome here... then this is the way things are." Thomas said.
"From what I hear many of the old membership went into hiding as directed by you years ago... i've only found a few of them here most seem to have emigrated to Soledad or have left for other families." I said.
"Not completely true... senior.. many had so much debt that the oracles kept collectors at bay... when they left many were bought. Many went to Contari and many died in the recent aggression." Father Castro said.
There was an uncomfortable silence... Three winds seemed to either be contemplating or in trance... but he broke the silence.
"I have seen the stream ahead... James McKenna will return to the system of Puerto Rico and will recive a grant to get back in bueiness from a college, shortly after he will be Deputy Arbiter... A position we can use." Thomas looked to me.
I laughed in his damn face! "Yeah and ill turn pink and shart pineapple sherbert." Couldn't help it.
"If I am wrong... Then you don't have to do it... but If I am right we require a Jump drive... and Slaves. We will sell the slaves for capital and to buy back our brethren. once this is done I will agree the Cult... should renovate and revamp. We will need the guidance of science... We will need you." he pointed directly at me.
"Dont get me wrong, i like the philosophy I like seeing divinity in what most people wouldn't but your infected your working for a subversive alien force that might have killed my dear brother. I would need assurances that i'm not paving myself a path pointing directly to hell!" I replied.
he looked at me.. I could almost make out his face.. a flood of images begain to peek into my mind.. a trickle at first.. but then.. ..so many.. words... feelings..
I was somewhat prepared for it i can only blame the cardamine..
The exchange was different... Thomas.. was telling me.. as best he could he no longer trusted or "revered" his "creators" ... and that he knew there was an older intellect out there. Seen vast grave yards filled with entire species.. Daam K'vosh grave yards.. and even dead Nomad hives.. Something happened long ago that he knows that makes the Nomads, thier creators, and us more in common with self destruction then any would admit.
I came out of it.. and he used these words to convince me..
"We are on the raggedy edge, life sentient life requires a faith in itself that needs no judgement and only promise of the light it holds. We cannot afford slaves, only fellow gods.." Thomas said.
" I dont know If Cardamine is the spiritual answer, but Ill help." I couldn't believe I just said that.
"Cardamine is the doorway the first steps back to innocence... The new bible will help the rest." Father Castro Remarked.
Three winds went to leave and one of the other men.. I don't remember asked where he was going..
"I will not vanish again... if I do then I have passed from this dimension.. But I go to the plantations... The owners of our fields must be... punished for selling the faithful." Thomas said and left.
Ill be god damned... if his prediction didn't happen.
