What the Eye Can See

July 20 - Spinwheel City, Paquin

"People who talk about revolution and class struggle without referring explicitly to everyday life, without understanding what is subversive about love and what is positive in the refusal of constraints, such people have a corpse in their mouth." - Raoul Vaneigem

-----

I do love art galleries. The use of empty space, the lighting, the peace and quiet. The range of human experience on display on every wall for all to taste.

The Pleasure Principle Art Gallery in Spinwheel City was having an exhibition of poster art from the student revolt and civil unrest that rippled across France in May 1968. Though a relatively small group at that time - their membership had been steadily declining over the years - it was the Situationist Movement that provided the ideological foundation for the revolt.

I found it useful to examine the art of propaganda and persuasion, especially now with the Jade Revolution operating in Araxes. By studying past political discourse, one can gain fresh insights into the struggles and conflicts of our own time.

So, what might the Situationists say of the union of the political systems of Sihnon and Londinium? Would they see that we have managed, at last, to balance individual freedoms with collective responsibility?

"Too many corpses strew the paths of individualism and collectivism. Under two apparently contradictory rationalities has raged an identical gangsterism, an identical oppression of the isolated man."



And what of the billions of human beings who now enjoyed a standard of living that our ancestors could never have imagined?

"The millions of human beings who were shot, tortured, starved, treated like animals and made the object of a conspiracy of ridicule, can sleep in peace in their communal graves, for at least the struggle in which they died has enabled their descendants, isolated in their air-conditioned apartments, to believe, on the strength of their daily dose of television, that they are happy and free."

I made my way upstairs.

The Situationist movement had its roots in Surrealism. Art from this period could be found in the upper gallery. It may have been part of the permanent collection.



My favorite piece was Lee Miller's Eye by Man Ray, 1932. I was drawn to the work not because it was a surrealist image but because of what this eye would one day see.

Fashion model turned photographer, years after this picture was taken, Lee Miller became one of the first women war correspondents. It was Lee who reported on the first wartime use of napalm. It was Lee who reported on the liberated Nazi concentration camps of Buchenwald and Dachau.

Here was a woman who bore witness to some of the greatest crimes of her time and she told the world. With that, in my opinion, she became an instrument of justice.

And, there was also an amusing photograph taken of her bathing in Hitler's bathtub in his abandoned apartment on April 30, 1945, the day the dictator commited suicide.

Take that Adolph.



My communicator came to life. An encodded transmission from _______.

From a private condominium in downtown Albion City, he was employed in an plains clothes capacity to monitor traffic in the downtown core of the Zenobian capital city. He was located a short distance from the hospital that had treated the clone of Audrey Aurotharius.

Our survellience in Albion City was not widely known. It would surprise some to learn that a member of my team was conducting operations in the capital. However, it was important to have trusted people in key places. It was important to have eyes on the ground.

"Good evening Trooper," I said, leaving the gallery.

He got straight to the point, "We had some visitors the other day."

"And were they behaving themselves?" I asked.

"Well," he replied, "they seemed like they didn't want to be noticed. Ran for the outskirts of town when I arrived. Must have had a ship out of bounds."

"Perhaps they didn't have travel permits," I said.

He transmitted a physical description of the two visitors.

"They were wearing the insignia of the 405th," I observed, "These sound like Nova's people."

"We've been a busy little port from my sensor records," he added, "Seventy-five visitors."

"Good to know," I remarked, approaching the government buildings.



"Also did an inspection of Korolev station," he continued.

Korolev Station was an old mining station deep in the Halo. It was also the current location of Svetlana Pleides, survivor of the bombardment of Shadow, and one of our witnesses against the war criminal, William Faith.

"And what did you find on Korolev?"

"Nothing to worry about," he said, "A little lax about safety. They seem to be trusting force fields way too much. one failure and the whole place suffers catastrophic decompression."

I did not like the sound of that. It would mean the loss of an important witness.

"It was an old mining station, correct?" I asked. Jade had been a miner.

"An old mine," he confirmed. "Apparently, they cored out the asteriod. I'm guessing prisoner labor."

"Any idea who was the original mining company?"

"Nope," he replied, "Current methods obliterate the whole rock."

-----

File copy.

Jade Revolution posters.

Location: Al Raqis city, Araxes. June and July.

Recovery

July 12 - Spinwheel City, Paquin

"Let them cudgel their conscience and say whether, on the contrary, the titles, the offices, and the hustle and bustle of the world are not sought out to gain private profit from the public. The evil means men use in our day to push themselves show clearly that the end is not worth much. Let us reply to ambition that it is she herself that gives us a  taste for solitude." - Montaigne

-----

"Are your wounds healing well?"

"Yes, thank you," I replied.

The warm afternoon sun streamed through the window. I was sitting on my bed with my legs crossed, toes tucked under the blanket. A cup of green tea with honey melon and lemon grass rested on the nightstand. An extra pair of woolen socks on my feet and fresh bandages under my sweater.

It was good to be out of the desert.



I was in remote communication with Major Aodhfionn Muircastle, UAP Monitor stationed on Araxes. It was the Major that was responsible for my extraction.

"Given the wounds," he said, "we decided to ship you off en-tubed without debrief. I don't know if you've ever debriefed someone with a morphine button."

"I can follow up some leads from here," I said.

"We had a small break with the Jades," he continued.

"I am receiving the file now," I acknowledged.

-----

It was July 11. The scene was the Laandsrat Council Chambers.

The members of the Laandsrat were busy debating a proposal put forward by the elected chamber, the Beit Dawla. They did so with their usual disdain...

- File Begins -

Time stamp: [19:37]

"... I think the Dalwa wished to tie all of our hands in the future," remarked the Magistrate, Joan al Jofar.

Taharqa Pryxis of the Myrmidon Order replied ominously, "Then let me as a representative deal with their request, diplomatically of course... as diplomatic as ... we ... of the Order... can."

Lady Reiko, the Khaliifa of House Morloch passed her own judgement, "They seek absolute power... just another grab for Empire by unseating the Empire which is already here."

Kia Marrah of the Blue Sun Corporation pursed her lips, "Then one must keep a hidden edge with which to cut such... red tape."

Suddenly, the proceedings were interrupted by a new voice.

"Tie the hands of the Laandsrat! What a wonderful idea Magistrate!"

In the center of the chambers, a column of green light appeared. Within the light stood a figure of a woman, her face concealed behind a mask of a rabbit.



It caught everyone's attention. Most looked puzzled or concerned. Only LilyBell looked pleased. "Is it time for church?" she smiled.

"What is this?" asked the Magistrate as she looked out into the gallery.

It was, in fact, a hologram. And the figure was that of Jasmine, also known as the Adherent, the leader of the Jade Revolution.

"I see the Land of Rats is in order... how wonderful," mocked the Adherent. "The Messiah once spoke of you in such glowing terms."

"What is the meaning of this?" demanded the Magistrate.

The Adherent continued, "What was is she said now....."

People were no longer staring. Major Muircastle, Colonel Aubin of the SSFS, and Ambassador John Sheppard-Criton of the Asgard began tapping their respective devices.

"...arrest the Laandsrat for treason and human rights abuses wasn't it?" asked the Adherent.

"Someone turn that hologram off!" cried the Magistrate.

LilyBell tried to be helpful. "It mean that you can't touch it," she said, "It live in the TV, Miss. Come out and get you. BOO!" She grinned wildly.

"We were already arrested and cleared," Calina replied to the Adherent.

Kia Marrah reached into a pocket to free her small scanning device which she then turned on the hologram.

The Myrmidon, Taharqa Pryxis, merely looked at the image and shook his head.

"Silence and cleared?!" asked the Adherent, "Very easy to do when the person throwing the accusations around is dead!"

"So, is that why she is dead?" asked Lady Reiko, "She was throwing accusations around?"

"And where is the physical proof of the accusations?" added Kia Marrah.

Colonel Aubin shared the results of his scan, "Signal seems weak. It'll be a bit tough to get enough packets of data to get an accurate location of the source."



Major Muircastle took a different approach. "Adherent," he asked, "will you answer our questions under oath?"

The Adherent responded, "Your questions? Who are you? I do not recognise your authority or the authority of anyone in this room."

This did not go over well with LilyBell who poked at the hologram. "HEY," she objected, "You not the boss of me little Miss." Kia Marrah tried to calm her down.

Standing now, Major Muircastle pressed on, "Do you have information regarding the murder of Jade Moonkill so that we can bring her murderer to justice?"

Taharqa Pryxis began to tap his data link. Colonel Aubin and Ambassador Sheppard-Criton did the same.

"The Messiah," said the Adherent, "in her eternal wisdom, placed the Beit Dawla in charge of this planet... and the people did rejoice!!!"

By this time, Major Muircastle was standing near the hologram. He passed his hand through the light.

"This Council is illegitimate," continued the Adherent, "and you will pay for the crimes you have so heinously carried out."

The Magistrate finally responded, her voice was the coldest thing on that hot, dry desert world. "Look at what your precious Dawla is offering. Insipid legislation designed to generate more paperwork and support the bureaucracy. Is that what your Messiah wants? paperwork?"

Lily scampered from the room.

The Magistrate continued, "And you speak of crimes. I see no crimes. Everything this Laandsrat has done is completely legal under the law."

The Adherent closed her eyes, as if meditating.

"Does your messiah want to do away with all law?" pressed the Magistrate, "Replace it with a law of her own?"

Colonel Aubin let out a groan of frustration, "It's got a scrambler..."

Ambassador Sheppard-Criton spoke up, "This is outrageous, the way you are telling the Laandsrat...."

Major Muircastle activated his communicator, "Watchtower, signal."

The Adherent answered with religious rhetoric, "The Messiah wanted peace and justice for all. What she got was the 'blood cure' and her ascendance to heaven. There is no law but the Messiah's law."

"Peace is something you have to work for," countered Lady Reiko, "It is never handed to you."

"Blue Sun didn't use any blood products," objected Kia Marrah, "in their production of the cure."



But it did not matter what they said. It might as well have been in a different language. The Adherent continued unabated. "I won't spill water so I won't spill blood."

Lady Reiko sneered.

The Magistrate reacted hotly, "Theocracies quickly turn into tyranny and despotism. Your Messiah was power hungry. The assassin did us all a favor."

"BLASPHEMY!" shouted the Adherent.

The Magistrate stopped as if rethinking her response, "I mean, the assassin was a criminal that will be brought to justice." She straightened her skirt and took her seat. "Someone shut off that device!" she cried.

The hologram flickered as the signal started to weaken.

Calina Tereshchenko looked aghast at the Magistrate. She swore in Chinese then said, "How DARE you! Speaking ill of the dead... of the elected representative of the people of Araxes. Of my dear friend who was actually acting on her beliefs! ...which is more than I can say for the Laandsrat, and possibly even the Dawla in its current state!"

In the gallery, John Red Duplin rubbed his forehead, "This is turning into chaos," he said. It may have been his first Laandsrat meeting.

Major Muircastle spoke into his communicator, "Watchtower, send out a beacon."

"I am sorry, Lady Calina," said the Magistrate, "I simply misspoke."

"No, you didn't," challenged Calina. "You said exactly what you felt!"

The Magistrate leaned away from Calina. "I simply misspoke," she repeated. She looked at the hologram and hollered, "Someone shut that device off!"

-----

- File Insert -

Watchtower Communication Log

July 11

[19:52] Major Aodhfionn Muircastle: "Watchtower, signal."

[19:52] Lieutenant Blaze Burner, Watchtower Duty Officer: "Watchtower confirmed."



[19:53] Lieutenant Burner: "Triangulating signal."

[19:54] Major Muircastle: "Get any characteristics of signal pattern, encryption, origin."

[19:54] Lieutenant Burner: "Acknowledged."

[19:56] Major Muircastle: "At least be able to send a signal back, so we can create a channel of communications."

[19:56] Lieutenant Burner: "Scanning for frequency."

[19:56] - SIGNAL LOSS IMMINENT -

[19:57] Lieutenant Burner: "We are losing it..."

[19:57] Major Muircastle: "Watchtower, send out a beacon."

[19:57] Lieutenant Burner: "Beacon away. confirmed."

[19:57] - BEACON SIGNAL: UAP only want to find Jade's Murderer -

Three minutes later.

[20:00] Lieutenant Burner: "Hologram signal terminated."

-----

Seventeen minutes later, a second hologram appeared in the gallery of the council chamber. It was Jade.

She appeared, rocking on her heels. Her teddy bear perched on top of her helmet. Her pale white skin was washed green by the light of the hologram. It greatly upset Calina and caused a flurry of comments from the members of the chamber.



The image froze as if a recording was placed on pause for a moment, then it came to life.

She spoke, "I don't think the people of the Laandsrat are evil. They are good people but they are to busy trying to keep power to see what they are doing. They are like a blind bull charging at the wall. They are sure if they run ahead blindly hard enough they can break their way out of the problems they are in."

Jade sighed and rocked on her heels "The Laandsrat has to go to protect the people, No matter if I have to die or if others have to give their lives... I understand now. You don't have to spill blood to win a war. You just have to be willing to let yours be spilled. And there is not one person on the Laandsrat that would die for their cause. That is why the people will win. They are already dieing. They have nothing to lose by fighting."

She looked off to the side as if listening to someone then she spoke again, "I am not saying any of them need to die. I don't want to see anyone hurt. But if they cannot be convinced to step down then then... then the people must fight for their freedom."

She nodded to someone else unseen, "The Emperor will not care who is leading the planet so long as he has the people's loyalty and the spice flows. A free Al Raqis governed by the people can do that for him."

Jade looked down at her hands then up, blood red tears now falling from her face. "I know I will die, too many have already threatened me. Please my friends, don't let the people of Al Raqis die under the boot of the Laandsrat any more. Rise up and take the fight to them. Free yourselves. Let my death mean something. More than any life of a moonbaby could ever be worth. Better one moonbaby than a single human. Better ....."

The image froze then disappeared.

-----

"Moonbabies......" muttered The Magistrate, "I was right. They are behind this rebellion."

The experience was almost too much for Calina. She leaned back, gasping, "I can't breathe... I can't breathe.... Jade..."

"You recognized that, Companion?" asked Lady Reiko.

"Lady Calina," said the Magistrate, "It is just a recording, a trick. It's all trickery. All of it."

Major Muircastle looked over at the Companion sympathetically.

Back in the chamber at this point, Lily looked at Calina and bowed her head slightly. "Recording," she repeated.

But Calina was still traumatized. "Jade..." she said.

The members of the Laandsrat tried to make sense of what they saw, and sharing what little information they had on the origins of the signal. Lily again bounced out of the room.

Finally the Magistrate, addressed the chamber. "I think we have had enough interruptions for one night," she said. "This Jadist business must be stopped. "

Major Muircastle twitched at the remark.

"We have important business of state to attend to," continued the Magistrate. "Mr. Muircastle. Do you have that amendment to the Dawla bill, or shall we table the discussion and talk more about lunatic ghosts?"

Time stamp: [20:31]

- End of File -

-----


I looked out of the window and considered the contents of the file. Below, in the streets of Spinwheel, office workers began their commute home, young families headed to the park.



I was still in communication with Major Muircastle. I listened as he filled in the details.

"The watchtower officer was able to narrow down a range of frequencies of a hologram transmission emanating from the Southern Hemisphere. It uses frequency jumping. But we have enough information that we should be able to create a back channel for communications. Beamed narrow enough that we don't have to broadcast to the entire planet."

"That is fortunate," I remarked.

"They want to be heard," he added, "we want a dialogue."

Something nagged at me. A turn of phrase... 

"At the Laandsrat," I began, "the Magistrate speaks of the assassin as doing them a favour. She then corrects herself."

"It provoked a response from Ms. Tereshchenko," replied the Major.

"A faux pas certainly," I admitted, "but these don't seem to be the words of someone who may have arranged the murder. One would not say 'doing us all a favour'."

"Conspiracies can be unintentional," said the Major. "Tell him to handle it, just get it done."

"It is an interesting slip of the tongue nevertheless," I said. I lived by such observations.

Major Muircastle continued, "You might not have intended for the person to kill, but you are a co-conspirator regardless, even through misunderstanding."

"It speaks to intent," I conceded.

He elaborated, "I could easily see the Magistrate or Khaliifa telling the Pryxis chap to silence the girl meaning fear and intimidation underestimated their lack of nuance and understanding of metaphor."

"We have an abundance of suspects," I admitted.

"Reverend Mother Ariadne has still not delivered her alleged evidence. Has someone encouraged her to be coy?" he suggested.

"It is also possible that someone from one of the militaries acted to incur favour with the Magistrate," I replied. "We have too many people with motive and an absence of solid evidence."

"There is also the skunk chap who used murderous means as his first resort," added the Major.

The Major referred to an independent security contractor who, according to reports, maintained the appearance of a large two-legged man-skunk, Last year, this individual had tried to burn down the medical centre and half of the Zenobian embassy in an attempt to detain someone carrying the black pox. The story was so outrageous that it was still a topic of discussion around the office water cooler.

"I need to track down the guard that found the body and start from there," I said.

"The act does not match the modus operandi of the Myrmidons," said the Major.

"Agreed," I said, "nor the Morloch who lean towards blades and formal duels."

Major Muircastle added, "The guard is also a likely suspect. There were no bullet fragments or shells found at the scene. No security footage."

"Convenient," I remarked.

"This does point back to the Magistrate," he said, "or merely a senior executive or board member of ARPharma."

"They remain the ones with the most to gain," I said.

The Major continued, "While the guard is a likely trigger man, he is unlikely to be the source of the conspiracy."

"And the question is," I added, "is he still alive?"

Farewell Araxes

I feel cold.



I found myself floating high above the farm where I grew up.  Fields thick with grain, surging in the breeze. Cows in the pasture.

My home.

I came to rest near the old train engine where my brother Hector and I used to play. How it got in this field I will never know.


This was our spaceship. Hector was the captain and I was his crew.

No matter how pink and frilly the dresses my mother put me in, it was here that she would find me, laughing and climbing after my big brother.

Persephone Siamendes! You get down from there right this instant!

I walked to the edge of the field. There was a table and a radio set like my eldest brother Demetrios used to have.  I dare not touch it. Demetrios would be very cross with me.



Demetrios left home when I was still young.  After mother and Hector died, and father took ill, he returned to the family farm and that set me free to join the service.

Demetrios gave me the stars.



The radio came alive. I could hear a voice I recognized. I leaned forward straining to make sense of what I heard.  I frowned.  It was the voice of Major Aodhfionn Muircastle, the nephew of my commanding officer. But what he said made no sense.

The scene changed and I was sitting at our dining room table.  There was the cabinet with my mother’s best China. There was music playing. Vivaldi. The third movement of “L'inverno.”  Violin Concerto No. 4 in F Minor.

Oh that's why I felt so cold before.
 

Before me was an open book containing pencil drawings. There was a drawing of a girl’s face. She looked so familiar.
 

Audrey?



Then we should get you home.

-----

July 5



“Sergeant,” asked Major Muircastle, “is there any paperwork that says we’re supposed to fix up Major Siamendes here or ship her off as is?”



“We are still waiting to hear from the Colonel, sir,” replied a woman.

A Handful of Dust

July 3 – Araxes, Southern Regions

I poured a little more sand into the small metal bowl, and with the tips of my fingers scoured out the remains of my breakfast. The wind had shifted, and soon I would return to Azaadi.

On this trip, I would drift into town, purchase a few supplies, and generally make myself visible. Instead of asking questions, this time I would start the process of establishing myself as a presence in the area. I would wait and see what information came to me.

I now had two reports that members of the Jade Revolution had passed through the village.  I also had one description of the masks that they wore. I knew I was in the right place.

Suddenly, my thoughts were interrupted by a scream, the long, loud howl of a tortured, hungry soul.

I froze.

REAVERS!

I turned and ran, sprinting away from the sound, my metal bowl dropping to the rock with a clatter.

Around the gully, my feet pounding the dirt, I turned left towards the rocks at the edge of the wadi.  I would be swarmed here in the low ditch. I had to get to higher ground.

I pounced on the embankment and scrambled up the slope.

How did reavers get here? How many were there?

Keep moving.

At the top of the ridge, I glanced behind me.

Far below a thin, solitary figure began its ascent. Ungainly, uncoordinated.

Only one.

I had a chance.

I climbed the next spike of rock and slid down the opposite side. I climbed again, a larger rock, then through a space and up. I doubled back.



The creature had now reached the top of the ridge.

With a fluid motion, I drew my knife.



I paused, measuring the distance, and then dropped to the figure below.

Still airborne, I began to slash. My blade tugged and tore at flesh and cloth, but to no effect.

It had a gun.

The air suddenly filled with the sound of thunder. Hammers slammed into my vest. Ribs cracked one by one.

It fired wildly. That is what saved me.

I threw myself backward, tumbling down the slope, wincing and choking in a shower of sand and dust.

Maybe the knife wasn't such a good idea.

Coming out of my fall, I kept moving. I circled right, to maintain some cover, and climbed.

In due course, I arrived at the apex. The top of the rock was slightly sunken offering some shelter.

The creature lurked below. It had my scent. Bullets zinged by. Chips of stone stung my cheek, missing my eye.

I dropped my knife and plunged my hand into my pack.

Where is it? Where is it?

My fingers touched something cool, metal, then the hand grip. I pulled out my pistol and for a fraction of a second felt comfort wash over me.

I can't stay here.

I hopped over the far side of the rock column and made a controlled descent this time. Pebbles and stones followed me down. I came to rest on the eastern slope, with the spire now between us.

I took a breath. The land beneath me offered no safety.  There was nothing in this part of the wadi to offer protection. And to the immediate south, the ground dropped to the hot sands of the Southern desert pan. The creature lingered on a small rock shelf close to the ridge to my west.



There was nowhere to go but through.

I charged forward to build up my momentum. I grasped the spire and shifted my weight. I swung around the rock, high over the bled. My cloak snapped in the breeze.

He turned. His gun erupted.

Ignore the hits. Focus.

I emptied the whole clip in a tight pattern into his chest, before throwing myself back and down once again.

Coming to rest behind the spire, I was hurting now. I clutched at my side and my hand came away red. I wasn’t sure I would survive another clash. Cautiously, I climbed the rock to the small outcropping where my opponent had been standing.

Is it over?

His body lay face down, sprawled across the small flat rock, his chest leaking into the dry, parched land.

I crouched down and began a quick inspection of the remains. This was no reaver. This was something new.



His face was concealed behind a respirator mask. It had been worn so long that the straps had bitten into his flesh. The wounds looked infected.

The lenses of the mask were scratched by the wind and the sand. It likely obscured his vision and, to my benefit, spoiled his aim.

The filters were clogged with raw desert spice and would no longer have been able to provide protection from the substance’s effects.

His head was nearly bald. Only traces of hair were left.

His skin was burned raw from constant exposure to the twin suns. It was loose in places where the fat had wasted away and the muscles had begun to atrophy.

His clothes were little more than rags. A sliver of plastic was only just visible jutting out from what may have once been a pocket.

Carefully, I drew the object out from the cloth.

It was a miner’s identification card. A photo. The name worn away.

Once, he had a handsome face. A thick, shock of hair and a determined look. Lips that smiled and clear eyes that looked out upon the world.

And now, his name was gone…

What wretched nights had he sat weeping, his boney fingers rubbing his name, desperately clinging to the last traces of his identity as the madness and the desert stole his mind?

I may have just killed him, but he died long ago.

I stood up, and immediately felt faint. My pant leg was now red. 

The truth of my situation sank in as I stumbled back towards my campsite. These wounds can't be ignored. I touched my communicator and broken radio silence with a single tone, signaling for extraction.

Azaadi Watch had come to an end.