The Waiting Game

June 2

Eleven hours, thirty-five minutes later.

A communication from Captain Manda Westminister:

-- Encrypted Comms to Major Siamendes -- Arriving at Zenobia. Signals coming off the aleph. Signals are similar to  headchips. Report to follow. Contacting Dr. Qui for assist. CC to Colonel MacMoragh. -- End Comms --

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June 4

Fifty-eight hours from the start of the Process.

Manda called with an update.

"Audrey A.W. slipped into a coma with high neural activity - which is probably causing her dangerously high fever. We are working to keep the temperature down. We are taking measures to block any signals that might be affecting the alephs. My suspicions is that we may be too late; whatever information might already be in the aleph. We will proceed with precautionary measures, tests and monitoring."

She promised a detailed report soon. Her remarks were brief. I wonder if she has slept.

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June 5

Hovertext graffiti was found in the council chambers on Araxes. Local authorities sent out a request for help with a translation. They had a concern that the message was from the Ta Seti.




I knew otherwise. The text contained the word Muazii. This was the native word for "Jade." It had also appeared in the letter received by Delegate Undercroft sent by the Jade Revolution.

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June 6

There was a Laandsrat meeting this evening.

A translation of the graffiti was presented to the council by a member of the Magistrate's personal staff. The message read as follows:

Unholy Magistrate and Morloch Khalifa 

knew ARPharma killed desert born 

for abomination blood cure. 

The Land of Rats blasphemed 

and tried to silence our Great Messiah. 

Jade's Revolution will not be quelled. 

PRAISE JADE!

Lady Rashad of House Morloch decried the message. She rejected the idea that the followers of Jade might have drawn desert people into their ranks.

Meanwhile, Calina informed the council that she had been in further contact with the members of the movement, and that they were working on scriptures based on Jade's life and beliefs.

She also presented a new communication she had received, which Major Muircastle then forwarded to me. It clearly articulated the movement's demands and immediate goals.

-----

THE SOLEMN WORDS OF THE JADIST CONGREGATION
--We won't spill water so we won't spill blood ---

We deliver this message to the Laandsrat in the hope that the Time of Strife can be avoided. Too much blood has been spilt on this world and others like it. A time of great darkness approaches but that destiny can be avoided and a Time of Divinity can come upon us all.

We ask the following.

1. That the murderer of the Messiah Jade Moonkill be delivered to the Jadist Congregation. Their fate will be decided by the Council of Ghosts.

2. That the Laandsrat will immediately dissolve and hand over power to the Beit Dawla as the Messiah demanded.

3. That the Laandsrat will be replaced by the Church of Jade and we shall administer teachings of love and prayer to the people so that they may live in happiness.  Democracy through faith.

All who believe in the Messiah Jade Moonkill will live by her teachings. Only then will peace and tranquility spread throughout the galaxy.

These are the words delivered by the Jadist Congregation through the Messiah's Emissaries.

Do not choose a path that will spill the blood of the people. Choose the path of love and forgiveness.

Praise Jade and may she bless you all.

-----

June 7

Five days now from the beginning of the Process.

I was on board the UAP Watchtower.



Orbiting high above the surface of Araxes, the primary function of this station was to monitored traffic in and out of Highport and Splintered Rock, scan all public communication channels, and generally keep an eye on things in the Mu Draco zone.

The structure itself was build for functionality, not for comfort. There were no sleeping quarters. Instead, cryo tubes were suspended in the central hub which also housed operations. The aft observation deck doubled as a meeting room or, if needed, and emergency medical bay. There was a distinct lack of personal space. Given the purpose of the station, it seemed fitting.

The crew was close, friendly to a fault. Besides their professional expertise, the men and women that served here were selected by their ability to deal with the close quarters with tolerance and good humour. I had heard there was even a T-shirt bearing the slogan: "Monitor Division. Privacy is at a minimum."



I walked up the small ramp to the operations area. The walls were bright white accented with cheerful orange. The cryo tubes glowed cyan.

We had just detected a craft leaving the Navigator Terminus.

I examined the image and smiled.



It was Lily.

No surprised really. Lily has had a bond with Ardra for years now.  It made sense that she should be here at the end.

I paused for a moment contemplating the picture, then turned and headed to the airlock to ready my shuttle.