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Diplomacy
-- Chapter 8
1.
"All of the avatars are on-line," Jana reported. "I hate these
extractions," Edlin sighed. "Yeah, but it's our bread and
butter," Brody added. Edlin had pontificated the
ramifications of interferring with intelligent species so much that
everyone knew his lines by heart. His consistency was comforting
in this case.
2. In the real world, the three of them could
see each other in their avatar bodies, Universally recognized as the
mysterious grey aliens. In reality, "The Greys" were biological
robots invented by Theos for genetic extraction since terraforming was
a Theotian signature export. Even the Cacci Dai deferred to
Theite expertise on the subject of genetics and biology.
3. Jana, Edlin and Brody were operating their avatars from
a larger Cacci Dai designed ship in high
orbit; evidence of a long standing trade agreement.
4. "This place seems a bit more developed than usual," Jana
commented, "there's a lot of debris in orbit." "This was probably
Theos a thousand years ago," Edlin added. "I'm getting an
advisory on the H-band," Brody said. Brody piloted the saucer
to a forest on the orbs northern hemisphere. The saucer
automatically synchronized with the sphere's polarity and refrenced
indigenous navigation systems and signals. "Their grain weighs
about the same as
ours;" Edlin noted, "the circumference is within 1,000 miles; gravity
is the same..." Jana injected, "... radically
displaced continents -- it could almost pass for Theos. I like
the
color," she added, "very soothing."
5. "The natives call it Earth," Brody said, "Here's the advisory;
in the alpha bands... right there on that rooftop, thinking about
us."
"Evidently, they're not psionic here," Jana observed. "Doesn't
look like it -- no indicators," Edlin answered. Brody
piloted the ship down the sloping terrain and glided over the treetops
toward the subject. "We might as
well use that one," Jana said. "It sees us. This is
remote enough," Edlin
checked an instrument panel, "Think we'll scare it?" There was a
mutually supressed
chuckle like hunters stalking game on safari.
6. The subject started to jump off of the roof, "Gotcha," Brody
said. "Guess that answers that," Edlin injected. The
subject
was suspended in mid air. "Bring it up," Jana ordered. For
two
hours, they examined its synaptic
pathways, tweaked a few things here and there and tagged it because
they
were required too. They also blessed it with a few untraceable
cardiovascular repairs. Nothing terribly serious, but the
creature would likely live longer now.
7. "Two hours of missing time on theirs, is about 20 minutes
to us," Brody calculated, "Just one, big, giant mystery."
"Superstitious,"
Edlin suggested. "Or worse," Jana snickered. Every
world transposes the larger Universe into their native time, weights
and measures.
8. "Did you get what you needed?" Edlin asked. "Yeah --
that's enough from this one," Jana confirmed, looking up the next item
on the list. "I have a couple
more advisories," Brody said. "I like the easy ones," Jana
commented. She enlarged Brody's H-band on her own console to see
what he was observing. "Check out the light bands," Edlin also
enlarged his. 'H' was for 'Harmonic' which included a repertoire
of exosensory information. The robotic eyes of their avatars were
designed
to pick up expanded bandwidths without technological assistance, much
like natural Jolvian eyes. 'H' information was useful for
filling in missing pieces but was otherwise considered cumbersome and
generally ignored.
9. Jana replayed the H-band recorder to account for the last
30 minutes. "Guards!" she sighed, feeling like an idiot, "Light
machines!
They're everywhere!" "Here?" Edlin asked.
"Should we leave?" Brody didn't know if this cause
for alarm or not. "They
haven't done anything to us," Jana observed, and it's a good
thing." "They probably know we're avatars," Brody suggested, "and
the subject is
real." "But look," Jana added, "They were messing with the
subject
at the same time we
were." Jana ran the checklist through her mind again, "We pulled
the file on this place... didn't we?" Of course they did -- that
was item number one on the checklist.
10. "Light machines... the Light Race," Edlin clarified, "Like
the Jolvians believe. We don't interact with this type of
photo-mass." "True," Brody analyzed, "this stuff is reduced,
graduated and polarized."
It was obvious he had never seen this kind of photo-mass before, "I
don't know if we have names for everything it shows, the database..."
Brody changed his approach, "I'm going to try something
else."
11. "It shows intelligent design," Jana
observed. "They're evil," Brody commented. "Evil?" Edlin
questioned incredulously. "I think you're right, Brody," Jana
agreed,
"those are gravitons -- these are anti-being probably banished here...
check
to see if were in the right place." Brody punched up a list of
10-planet systems and discovered a minor discrepancy.
"Quarantined," Brody read for him. "By who?" Jana
asked. "There's a footnote?" Brody pointed out. "And that
symbol?" Edlin added. It was a holographic clock with 6
hands pointing in 3 dimensions.
12. Jana's heart sank. "Truly,' she exhaled despondantly,
"a footnote
indeed." She chuckled sardonically and shook her head, "that
symbol means they don't
exist." "Who?" Edlin and Brody asked in unison. "Corlos,"
she replied. "So the fictitious police of the Universe
quarantined this place?" Edlin asked. "Yeah, what he said,"
Brody perked up. "Probably not just Corlos," Jana answered, "see
the
one next to theirs?" Edlin and Brody looked. "That's the
Ellipsis," Jana identified. The Ellipsis seal was a literal
hologram
projected from a two-dimensional panel of electrons.
It looked perfectly normal until one realizes that pixelation
technology doesn't naturally project from a non-holographic
panel. "I think we're
in deep, now," she said, flicking her finger through the tiny
holographic seal.
IN A DIMENSION OVERLAYING THEIRS
13.
"So high and mighty they think they are," the anti-being scoffed,
"toying with Elohim's... precious little creatures." The
sarcasm was so thick that those around him heard what he really meant,
"Jehova's contemptuous little dung bags." His mood swings
were far reaching and calloused.
14. He evesdropped over their shoulders unnoticed by the robotic
grey aliens examining their Human subject, "I was there when your
homeworld was terraformed. I remember when your species was more
primitive than this one. And now here you are, interfering where
you don't belong." The anti-being drifted to a different
observation point, "Didn't you see the 'no trespassing' sign?" he asked
in their own native language. His contempt was obvious.
15. The aliens were tweaking with this Human's mind. "Don't
mess up... your little advisory," he said facetiously. His voice
was hypnotic and sensuous with forced calculation. His power was
vested in the past, in a temporal struggle to reverse the fabric of
time; praying to avert the inevitable. Evil is an icy vacuum.
16. This particular anti-being had the ability to make itself
visible, but being passively unembodied was it's greatest tactical
advantage. It's greatest strategic advantage was knowing
everything that mortals had voluntarily forgotton.
17. A much more beautiful being appeared; one
that could adjust its radience and density as required. There was
a polar difference between the two.
The anti-being could not withstand the radiance of the Angel and fled,
while the robotic avatars did not observe any unusual photonic
activity at all. Not initially.
18. The Angel permitted the avatars to finish their genetic extraction,
since the Angel was only a light machine, programed by God to serve
God; Who embues His Angels with distinction and personality as an
extension of Himself.
19. "Should I interfere," the Angel asked, knowing that Earth had
been placed off limits to foreigners; 'observe, but don't touch.'
Foreigners too, have their agency to ignore the commands of
God -- knowing that all choices have expansive and contractive
consequences.
20. "No," the Archangel instructed, "the boy made this
choice. He attracted it. He's not in any
danger. The Theites are just doing what Theites do."
THE "JOLVIAN
DENIAL" EPISODE
21. "Static line, umbilical and collar connected," station
keeping reported. "The port authority is expediting the
emissary's... cancel... Vicar Miles will be escorting the
emissary," personnel reported. "That simplifies things," the
captain commented. "I hope you have a successful expedition," the
captain said warmly to the emissary, "the Vicar will be here any moment
-- a first class reception."
22. The Jolvian was clearly impressed since Vicars rarely met
foreigners unless there was a security issue. The purpose of this
trip was to discuss expedition clearances for new trainees among items
of unilateral interest. The trainees, of course, did not
know that their expeditions were managed at a higher level.
23. "I'm sure the prolitariat vice-chair will appreciate the
special gift," the captain said warmly. Two hours earlier, he had
entertained the emissary for lunch at his
table. Jol 2 considered this a classified mission, so the
emissary was asked to minimize socializing. He did, however, let
it slip that the 'special imbibement' would make even a shellan change
colors. That was cryptic for Jolvian Mead.
24. "And I wish you well with Madam D' An' Dolla," the Captain
cheerfully complimented him. The emissary was suddenly
sullen. He spoke in Jolvian to his comm link, "We've got to
get out of here. Leave immediately!" Madam D' An' Dolla was
Jol 2's
Secretary of State. Captain Zell stood in disbelief and wondered
if reality had suddenly changed channels in his brain.
25. The vessle suddenly pulled forward without properly releasing
any of the disconnects. Most of them released
automatically, but some were designed to anchor the ship
to port. The docking collar ripped off and dragged aside the
Vejhonian cruiser until it was jettisoned in the approach buffer.
All of this happened before Captain Zell had any time to contemplate,
much less respond.
26. "I haven't time to explain," J-2 said to his stunned host,
"You've
been tremendously gracious and this is certainly not a reflection of
your hospitality, but my relationship with the Madam is a closely
guarded secret." The captain shook his head,
dumbfounded. His crew had been instructed to implicitly comply
with all wishes of the emissary, so the helm responded as ordered,
without batting an eye. "I'll
rendezvous with a Jolvian ship and release this one back to you with my
thanks."
27. "I'm not sure the vice-chair will understand," Captain Zell
replied. J-2 patted the captain on the shoulder, "Don't worry,
the special gift will remain aboard." Captain Zell nodded as if
the 'special gift' would make their unorthodox departure
disappear. J-2 courteously nodded and exited the Captain's Mess.
28. "My command?" the captain asked to no one. He knew that
a departure like this would be inexcusable; even diplomats did not have
immunity from docking protocols. "Virtually in front of a
Vicar?" he mumbled under his breath. "This is going down into
pilot hell!" It made no difference who was driving -- he was in
charge so he was responsible.
29. Since a Vicar was meeting the ship, the details would be
sealed until released by the Vicar. That meant the Vicar could
discretionally omit certain aspects or amend how the episode actually
went down.
30. "So now you know where the expression 'Jolvian Denial' comes
from," Mrs. Jetson said to Bonnie. Bonnie was looking at her
tablet in the dictionary: "Jolvian Denial - verb. Spontaneous
embarkation without undocking." "My Mom's a pilot!" Bonnie said
happily, "I'm gonna fly B'lines!"
31.
To this day, port safety
courses still use the cliché' for an excuse to tell the
story. "What happened to Captain Zell?" Bonnie asked.
"Well,
let's scroll down a little," Mrs. Jetson suggested, "...and read here."
32. A few months after Captain Zell was relieved of duty for,
"...instigating, without criminal intent, the destruction of orbital
property and canceling an unofficial State visit without
authorization..." he was elected to the proletariat and received a
generous raise. "You mean I can fly stupid like that and get more
money?" Bonnie asked. "That's not how it's supposed to work,"
Mrs.
Jetson said, "but in this case, the media made him famous and his fame
won him a seat in the Proletariat."
33. In footnote 2 on the following page: When Zell found
his seat in the Proletariat, he discovered a bottle of mead with
a hand-written note: "Lose any more collars
lately? You can still fly recreationally. This one's
on me." It
was signed, "Dm d' Vaht," the Proletariat Chair.
34. "There's always a caveat behind the
agenda," Mrs. Jetson sighed. Zell had published his memoirs many
years later, "and who knows what else?"
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