Sighting of large cruiser-class ship
Vessel ID: Pirate
Vessel IFF: Rogue
Vessel Transponder: [N]Ganagati
Vessel entered system from Tau 29.
Vessel proceeded at normal speed in direction of Coronado JH.
No hostile actions. No comms.
Scan of vessel indicated cargo of organisms,
Classificaton: Scrubby
Vessel did not locate nor approach boundaries of Scrubby preserve.
A chime sounded on the bridge of the TAZ-Mal. Malaclypse walked to the Nav display and saw the signature of a large pirate vessel near the Coronado jumphole. In a few seconds, the vessel's ID was confirmed, and Mal pressed a button which squirted his own ID and coordinates to the ship.
"Well, Shaman, it is time you learned how to cure your people. You would have discovered the truth eventually, but your tribe has suffered this indignity long enough. Here it ends."
Malaclypse took the lift to the lowest deck, where his crew was preparing a connection to a long flexible passageway which extended from the small planetoid below them. The tube was just being pressurized when a red light on another airlock indicated that it was being cycled from the exterior of the ship.
Mal walked to the airlock, and waited as the pressure inside equalized. When the indicator flashed green, he activated the inner door, and prepared to greet his guest.
A tall man emerged from the airlock. His vacsuit was emblazoned with sigils and designs in bright colors, reminiscent of petrographs from old Terra. The young man removed his helmet, revealing a dark, chiseled face. The Shaman's hair was long, with braids interspersed with beads which appeared to be made of turquoise and bone.
Mal extended his hand in greeting. The Shaman did not take it in the regular fashion; instead gripping Mal's forearm from the inside. Mal hurriedly duplicated the grip, and the Shaman smiled and nodded.
"You anticipated my arrival." said the Nayehiya medicine man. "I am Ganagati. Thank you for the gift of small fish. They must come from a very magickal place, sir."
Malaclypse smiled in return. "Indeed they do, Shaman. And we will waste no time. You will not require your helmet for this short journey. The answer you seek is located just below us, inside what appears to be a small moon. He led the way to a small hatch in the floor of the ship. "This is the enjoyable part. The moon's weak gravity pull will take us downward to the interior of the moon. Be prepared for an amazing sight."
The two men stepped into the hatchway, and began their descent. Slowly at first, but increasing slightly in speed as they reached the surface of the body, and then continued to drop several hundred meters more through the "crust" of the moonlet.
Ganagati's eyes opened wide in amazement as they finally dropped into the vast hollow interior of the body. The two men continued to descend slowly towards the center of the moonlet. To all sides, the interior of the chamber was completely covered with immense crystalline spires.
"I discovered this incredible place almost six months ago, Shaman. I have been fascinated with the Baffin system ever since I discovered the "Scrubbies" which live in the nearby Ellsmere Ice field. Those creatures have the unique ability to consume inorganic, sometimes toxic and radioactive materials, and to transform them into gases and organic substances which sustain human life. In essence, they are self-contained "terraforming" machines."
"So I have discovered." nodded the Shaman. "But that does not account for their miraculous ability to ease suffering and alleviate the symptoms of disease, Malaclypse. How do you explain that?"
"Let me digress once more. When I first began to study these "Scrubbies", I noticed that they frequented this place thru a small fissure in the surface of the moonlet. I spent weeks excavating a larger passage to follow them. That is how I discovered what we now call the "Goddess' Geode".
"We have no idea how this place was formed.. perhaps in some ancient stellar event of the nearby yellow dwarf sun. This chamber is some five kilometers wide. Once I had widened an opening into it, the Scrubbies started to come here in droves from the nearby ice cloud; so I moved my studies inside as well. As more and more Scrubbies frequented the interior, the atmosphere became breatheable."
By this time, the two men were approaching the center of the chamber. Below them they could see dozens of men working on a smaller sphere, perhaps 50 meters in diameter. Surprisingly, the sphere was constructed completely of wood. No metal or synthetic materials could be seen.
Malaclypse continued, "I spent several weeks here studying the Scrubbies. During that time, I began to notice some physical changes in my body. In the past, I was troubled with mild arthritis, some prostate problems, and complications from a rather severe knee injury. These problems have completely disappeared."
Malaclypse noticed that the Shaman had closed his eyes, and seemed to be in an almost trance-like state. Eventually he spoke. "There is.. magick here. I can feel great positive forces at work. There is a connection here to "All That Is". I do not know how better to describe it."
"Yes," agreed Malaclypse. "Somehow, these great quartzine crystals function as an amplifier. Ancient mystics on earth posited the presence of cosmic energies.. "Orgone", "Chi", "Kundalini", "Serpent Power".. it was known by many names. We think that the crystals serve to focus this energy here at the exact center of the geode."
"So. The 'scrubbies' absorb a part of this energy, acting as a sort of 'battery' to store the energy," said Ganagati. "But they are not the source. I see now why they are not the final answer for our plague sufferers."
"That is correct, Shaman. You must bring your afflicted people here. All of them who suffer. This central facility will be completed in a matter of days. They will stay here for several weeks. We believe that the 'Chi' focused here will cure them completely of the virus that causes the plague.
"The TAZ now owns Baffin System, and all it contains. We offer our hospitality and resources to the Nayehiya people, who were once the sole human inhabitants of this Sector. You deserve no less."
Tears streamed from the eyes of Ganagati. He clumsily 'swam' to Malaclypse, and hugged him fiercely to his breast. "I do not know how to repay your generosity, Malaclypse. I will contact my Principal Chief immediately, and we will begin plans to transfer our afflicted from Montezuma. Thank you!"
Embarrased, Malaclypse continued, "There is more, Shaman. Do you know what 'DNA' is? Well, those of us who have spent a prolonged time in the Geode have also experienced another physical change. Instead of the normal 12 DNA pairs humans have had since our inception, we seem to be developing extra strands. If you are willing, I would have you visit here often. You have proven your intelligence, and your connection to the "Spirits", if you will. I invite you to partake of this 'mutation'.. to help us study its course and effect on humanity.
"This aspect of the Geode's power must be kept a secret for now, even from your own Leaders and people, until it can be investigated and understood. Agreed?"
Ganagati hesitated a long moment, but his training as a healer and scientist finally prevailed. "Agreed, sir. I will visit whenever I can. I will join you in this quest for knowledge."
"Excellent! Well, we both have much work to do then!" Mal handed the Shaman a harness. "We must attach to that cable yonder for the journey out. It will take ten minutes or so; but I never tire of the view. Shall we?"
The two men began their ascent to the surface, and to a new future.
((ooc: My thanks to Ophiuchi for his collaboration. Mal.))
Message to:
Alice Spire
Elizabeth Tate
Leroy Fenning
Tannik Seldon
Tarlkor Mori
Admiral Hiltraud
Admiral Alpha
Admiral DBoy
Juan Montoya
Lord Darkstar
Jay Simon
Folk,
I believe it's time we got together to "chew the fat".
I also believe you know which "fat" I'm referring to.
I believe we all have pieces of the puzzle, bits of intel, that need to be brought to light and shared.
I am proposing we leave our blasters at the door for this tete a tete. Larger issues loom than our personal grievances.
Once the Zoner Council has adjourned on Canaria, we should have a few days of "breathing room", where we can put our heads together.
Jay, I am including you, much to your chagrin, because there is nothing in Sirius that escapes your attention. No kidnappings, I promise you.
Shasta Outpost is operational. I will have rooms prepared for all of you. Drop by, take a brief tour of the Goddess' Geode, swim with the scrubbies, and let's figure out just what is in our collective interests, "fat-wise".
Please RSVP here. A holo-presence would be acceptable, but you'll be missing some spectacular scenery.
Regards,
Mal
((Ooc: this meeting need not be "cold". And, it need not be "public" if you would prefer. Skype or Teamspeak will serve as well. M.))
The one thing the "Primi" did not take into account is the presence of a telepathic race who could be contacted by the Eater of Souls. The Ancient Adversary has obviously detected this race, and plans to use them to effect its release.
Good Goddess, Reggie, this might even be a worst-case scenario! The ancient Lovecraftian tales from old Terra may have missed the point entirely. Are the Shoggoths somehow related to the Dom Kavosh and their minions, the Nomads? It chills the blood, old friend.
If the other Four are too stupid to see the potential ramifications of this development, then I may have to break cover, Reggie. Even the much-daunted power of the AISB will play Thud standing against a combined threat of these new "Keepers" and the Cthulhu Mob. Sirius may have to be warned and mobilized!
For now, I'm ordering a standup of all TAZ. Protocol "Neblod Zin" is in effect immediately.
Further, the Fnordettes should continue their attempts at contact with the Keepers. If they're not aware of what's "calling" them, then an attempt needs to be made to inform them of the dangers. Unless they're distand relatives or bosom buddies, an escape from Sunderland could be just as bad for them as to humanity!
I'll be paying a visit to New London immediately. She is in charge of keeping that damn field intact and secure. If she's snoozing on the job, I may have to shake her throne a bit.
Keep your Pineal pure and your powder dry, old friend. If we have to use the ancient Rite to call up a 30-metre ally, you'll need all the faith you possess.
Planets circumnavigate their primaries in lockstep.
This is the Cosmic Dance of Shiva.
On ancient Terra, this solar circumnavigation was heralded by a New Year. In drunken and well-meaning stupors, the domesticated primates of Terra would attempt to appease their Gods by offering up promises of change and improvement. These were known as resolutions. Few if any of these lofty promises were kept. After the New Year, the primates would return to doing the same nasty, selfish, unimaginative things they did the year before, as much in lockstep as the planet they inhabited.
History and human nature were also locked in cycles. These cycles were chronicled by our Ancient Illuminated Brethren. Such a change now confronts us once again.
Welcome to:
Unordnung
Every society actually passes through the five stages of Verwirrung, or chaos; Zweitracht, or discord; Unordnung, or confusion; Beamtenherrschaft, or bureaucracy; and Grummet, or aftermath. Sometimes, to make comparison with the exoteric Hegel-Marx system more pointed, the esoteric Illuminati system is defined as: Thesis, Antithesis, Synthesis, Parenthesis, and Paralysis. The public Hegel-Marx triad is also called the tricycle, and the arcane latter two stages are called the bicycle; one of the first secrets revealed to every illuminatus Minore is "After the tricycle it comes always the bicycle." (The Illuminati are rather prone toward literal translations from Weishaupt's German.)
The third stage, Unordnung or confusion, occurs when an attempt is made to restore balance or arrive at the Hegelian Synthesis. This correlates with Loki, the Devil, Mercury (god of thieves), Thoth in his role of Trickster, Coyote, and other spirits of illusion or deception; with hexagram 4 in the I Ching, Meng, youthful folly or standing on the brink of the abyss; with the number 11, signifying sin, penance, and revelation; with the 21st trump in the Tarot, the Fool who walks over the abyss; and with the planet or sign of Mercury. It represents that attempt to restore the state of nature by unnatural means, an annihilation of the biogram by the logogram. On the Zodiac: Cancer.
UNORDNUNG
Humanity has been transformed during a Zweitracht age, by placing logogram in governing authority over biogram. Unordnung is an attempt to restore balance by revolutionizing the logogram; there is no thought about the biogram, because contact with this somatic component of personality has been lost. (This loss of contact has been variously described by pre-Celinean observers: It is "the veil of Maya" in Buddhism, the "censor band" or "repression" in psychoanalysis, the "character armoring" and "muscular armoring" in Reichian psychology, etc.)
The I Ching hexagram for this stage is Meng, or Youthful Folly. The yang line at the top indicates the continued supremacy of logogram, even though some biogram elements (the yin lines) begin to reassert themselves. The traditional reading is "mountain above water"; that is, the rigid logogram still repressing the Aquarian element as it seeks to liberate itself. The usual Chinese interpretation of this hexagram is "The young fool needs discipline," and the leaders of all rebellions at this stage always heartily agree with that and demand unquestioning obedience from their followers. This is a time of turmoils, troubles, and tyrannies that appear and disappear rapidly.
The mystical number is 11, which means "a new start" in Kabalism and "error and repentence" in most other systems of numerology.
Tarot trump 21, The Fool, symbolizes this age as a dreamy-eyed youth unknowingly walking over an abyss. The Hitlerjugend, and the disciples of various other fuehrers and messiahs, immediately come to mind. That this card is disputed by various Tarot experts, and is given a numerical value of 0 rather than 21 by the wisest, indicates the confusion in all Unordnung periods. The dog who barks to warn the Young Fool, like the yin lines in the hexagram, represents the desperate attempts of the biogram to break through the repression or censor-band and make itself heard.
Typical Cancerians who exemplified Unordnung are Julius Caesar, Mary Baker Eddy (whose philosophy was an explicit denial of the biogram), Albert Parsons, Emma Goldman, Benjamin Peret, Vladimir Mayakofski, Henry David Thoreau, Durrutti, P-J Proudhon, Brooks Adams, General Kitchener, Luigi Pirandello (the literary master of ambiguity), Erich Ambler (the literary master of conspiracy), Calvin Coolidge (who issued the classically muddled Cancerian statement "Be as revolutionary as science and as conservative as the multiplication table"), Andrei Gromyko, Nelson Rockefeller, John Calvin, Estes Kefauver, and Rexford Tugwell.
An Unordnung period has always been thought of (even before Hegel provided the words) as a synthesis between the thesis of Verwirrung and the antithesis Zweitracht; since it is a false synthesis on the logogrammic level only, it always gives birth to the fourth stage, the Parenthesis.
Malaclypse sat alone in his austere office on Shasta Outpost.
Events were moving rapidly.. too rapidly. It would be all he and his Goddess could do to keep up with them, and to try to keep the Chao in balance.
All the reports he had received indicated one very strange and troubling conclusion. Gabrielle DeLavancy was not connected in any way to the current "I-5", the Illuminati Primi who exterted incredible control over the daily life of Sirians without their slightest knowledge.
This revelation had been as troubling to the other "Primi" as it had been to him. His reports to them had caused an incredible furor. There were accusations thrown back and forth inferring collusion of one or another with this new element which claimed to be connected to the mysterious "Omnioculus", allegedly still orbiting Terra. During many periods in history, there had been competing organizations who each claimed to be the "true" Illuminati. Now, history seemed to be repeating itself with the arrival of the DeLavancy vessel in Sirius.
The ensueing furor had resulted in one surprising and fortuitous decision. For the first time in a decade, the leaders of the Illuminati had insisted on meeting in person to discuss this new threat to their supremacy. Minister Tebayai had been the most vocal, and had suggested the location for the meeting. Mal had still not received confirmation from the other three Primi, but he had no doubt they would attend.
Malaclypse did not hesitate to put his own plans in motion. He had been almost certain that Reggie would protest, or even refuse to carry out the mission that he had been tasked with; but the response from the Oro.de.Veranda had been a single, terse, word.. "Understood!"
Reggie would have to hurry in order to complete both objectives of his mission, but Mal had no doubts that his old friend would be ready in time. No matter how distasteful the task, Reggie would remain loyal, and would act in the best interests of Sirius, and his Faith.
There remained only one task before Mal left for the meeting with the Four. He finished the quintuple encryption of one last transmission, which would be delivered directly to the processing "cortex" of his Avenging Angel, F-23 Shamus O'Shaunessy. He would transmit the remaining assignments once he had boarded his flagship, and was underway to Sigma 19.
Malaclypse rose, and looked around his office as if seeing it for the first time. He glanced out and down through his panoramic viewport at the Goddess Geode below the Outpost, marvelling again at its discovery and incredible powers. He offerred a brief prayer of thanks, and beseeching, to Eris, and strode purposefully out of the office towards the docking bay.
Eris was having a ball. But, Malaclypse was not amused.
Reggie's schedule had been delayed. First, by the Kentigearna women, who had apparently chosen this time to jump ship from the Gaians and look Reggie up on Canaria. Then, by two complete and utter strangers who felt they could wander about the Veranda without an invitation. FoFu the first... The saving grace was that Moira Kentigearna would accompany Reggie to Newcastle, and would probably do her utmost to keep him alive. Hope, and love, spring eternal.
Several of Shamus' assigned escorts had not reported in yet. John Matrix and Riley MacKenzie had not been heard from. Cid, Linus, and Blivet were on station in Baffin; but Shamus was just leaving Canaria to join them. This was only mildly troubling, as FoFu the second had knocked everything off schedule.
Deputy Defense Minister Ashi Tebayai had been attacked in Honshu by those idiot Mandalorians while enroute to Sigma 19. The destroyer he had requisitioned for the journey had been damaged and diverted to Yukawa shipyards for repair. Tebayai himself was in the Naval Hospital on Honshu. Mal's discreet inquiries had born fruit. Tebayai was recovering nicely, and would be released within a few days.
The most troubling of all was the lack of communication from the other Secret Chiefs. Sources on the Hawaii could provide nothing. Either the other three had been scared away by the attack on Tebayai, or they were planning their own responses to the DeLavancy problem. If there was no word from them by the time Tebayai was released, Mal would be forced to contact them directly.
In one way, the delayed arrival of the Four Primi on the Hawaii might be a blessing in disguise. it would allow both Shamus and Reggie to make up for lost time, and to be in position for their own roles in the plan. He would just have to remain in Kusari until Tebayai himself had the opportunity to put the meeting on track again.
Malaclypse was reminded of an old taunt from ancient Terra.. "You'd be late for your own funeral!" He just hoped that his Apple-tossing Goddess would get a sore arm soon. Apparently doing the will of a crazy Deity wasn't always fun and games. A guy could get killed..
Reggie closed down his comms unit with a very bemused look on his weathered face.
The troubling news regarding increased tensions between Bretonia and the Colonial Remnant had thrown a monkey wrench into his plans. Actually, it had been wrenches, wrenches, wrenches, all the way. Hail Bloody Eris!
Michael Gideon had promised him a couple of "specialists". They were to join him in Newcastle to complete the finishing touches on a very large surprise. "Shoggoth Stew", as he had just described it to a cryptic individual over his comms. Recent developments had virtually destroyed the chances of his getting the specialists from Tau 44. Reggie had been just about to call Gideon to verify this, when he received an incoming squawk from the Dublin system.. an independent Junker ship.
How the Captain of that ship knew of Reggie's dilemma was a mystery; but "Billy" had seemed to know exactly what his needs were, and alluded to "friends out east" who could help, for a price.
Timing was critical. The meeting on the Hawaii had just begun. Mal could drag it out for several days, but not longer. Reggie's mission had to be completed before the participants left the meeting. They did not dare risk interference from the influential people there. Shamus would be moving within the day towards his objective. The Mollies were within hours of completing their task. They were even now delivering the last of the charges to the shield generators which surrounded the artifact.
So, all that remained was to wait for word from Billy's "friends". The materials and delivery system were ready. Reggie just needed experts who could combine and shape the materials without taking out half a solar system in the process.
Well, not quite all. There was one item yet to be addressed.. Moira Kentigearna. The woman had been the recipient of a small loan some time ago, and apparently the Gaian woman had taken quite a shine to him. She had helped him destroy the Veranda Incognita, and now was willing to risk her life along with his for a cause she hardly understood. Reggie owed her something. A short trip to Belfast was in order.
There were many more stops the Botany Bay had to make before returning to Ouray. But even with that stretch far ahead of him, Billy began planning his sales pitch. His comment earlier about cash walking...and the bit about Colorado poverty had sounded great in his own ears. But now thinking of his partners at Ouray he had some careful planning to do. Still the opportunity was too rich to pass up. Just a quick hop to NewCastle with one of the 'Boom Artists,' a little work under the lamp and they'd be home in time for happy hour. He would make the boys understand...somehow.
Stall a bit longer, old friend. I'm still waiting patiently for word from the Botany Bay on those ordnance "specialists". All I'm getting on South Shields are arguments between the Lanzarote techies and the IMG hard-rock miners. None of them have undertaken a project of this scope before, and I'm afraid "Billy" is our only hole card at the moment.
I haven't been wasting time, though. This morning I held the last meeting with the Molly Chieftan from Mull Base. He flew in to our LLC/LGB holdings on Belfast, with half a dozen ugly bodyguards in tow. Moira Kentigearna has proven not only beautiful, but invaluable in communicating with the Molly leader. At first, he was suspicious of a Gaian woman, but before long they were chattering in Gaelic as if they were long lost siblings. Lucky for me, as this bugger has a brogue so thick you need a cleaver to cut it. Moira's translations helped a great deal.
All the shield station charges are in place and ready. The Chieftan gave me the remote detonater, and the last of his payment was made in plutonium and Kallisti Gold. As it turns out, the Mollies are a superstitious lot. The Chieftan reported that several times while his men were placing charges on the shield generators, they hear sounds of buzzing, almost as if swarms of flies had learned some obscure language. Perhaps old Yoggie was aware of their presence, and was trying to dissuade them, eh?
Once the Mollies had departed Belfast, I showed Moira around Hope's. She was fascinated by the wooden doors, bar, and intricate corniches and carvings. She is definitely a nature sprite, Mal. I have decided to give her the deed. With the war continuing, the Mollies and Gaians may need a neutral place where they can meet and plan against their common enemy. If that cannot or does not happen, at least Moira has been grudgingly accepted by the local tribes, and will have a Haven of her own if needed.
I've also been making myself familiar to the Brets around the target, under the guise of seeking contracts with Sunderland and the Grimsby. I think Her Majesty would be a bit surprised and shocked at how fond her researchers are of our Kallisti Gold, though. I think the BAF pilots also sneak over to Sunderland to get stoned. They are certainly jovial enough when they see me my little freighter inbound. I'll have no trouble whatsover delivering the package when the time comes.
Shamus is waiting for a few more TAZ escorts to report in, but all should be in readiness by tomorrow evening latest. That crazy resurrected Irish globe would go in alone flying a broomstick if necessary.
It all depends on the arrival of Billy's "eastern" connection for the go-ahead signal now, Mal. As soon as they've worked their magic, we can begin the countdown. Let's get this damn Chao spinnin' smoothly again, partner.. the sooner the better.
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