After breakfast you
and Carol exchanged Valentine's Cards with a kiss in the kitchen. Then, you
climbed upstairs to sit in the bedroom chair and she to finish reading the
paper at the dining room table.
0808 hours. We are quite compatible as
your description shows, Amorella. Today it is on to Pouch 12. I will have to
get acclimated. It is fun moving among four time periods. I like Grandma's
Stories best because I like Grandma.
Otherwise it is you and I who lay out the
stories. You are a bit concerned that the last one is based on legend.
True. Grandma usually doesn't mention
Queen Elizabeth II though. I should change 'throne' to 'chair', which is what
it was called in the original story.
By all means, do it now so you won't forget
it. - Amorella
It's done. I feel better. I wonder if
there is an image of the chair and stone online.
Online
Image of Stone of Scone
I
also read the account in Wikipedia but am struck by the commentary concerning
it from the 19th century.
**
**
Selected from Wikipedia - Stone of Scone
Doubts as to the present stone's
authenticity have however existed for a long time now. One example can be cited
to show that they date back at least a couple of hundred years.
A letter to the editor of the Morning
Chronicle of 2 January 1819 states that "On the 19th of November, as the
servants belonging to the West Mains of Dunsinane-house, were employed in
carrying away stones from the excavation made among the ruins that point out
the site of Macbeth's castle here, part of the ground they stood on suddenly
gave way, and sunk down about six feet, discovering a regularly built vault,
about six feet long and four wide. None of the men being injured, curiosity
induced them to clear out the subterranean recess, when they discovered among
the ruins a large stone, weighing about 500l. which is pronounced to be of the
meteoric or semi-metallic kind. This stone must have lain here during the long
series of ages since Macbeth's reign. Besides it were also found two round
tablets, of a composition resembling bronze. On one of these two lines are
engraved, which a gentleman has thus deciphered.— 'The sconce (or shadow) of
kingdom come, until Sylphs in air carry me again to Bethel.' These plates
exhibit the figures of targets for the arms. From time immemorial it has been
believed among us here, that unseen hands brought Jacob's pillow from Bethel,
and dropped it on the site where the palace of Scoon now stands. A strong
belief is also entertained by many in this part of the country, that it was
only a representation of this Jacob's pillow that Edward sent to Westminster,
the sacred stone not having been found by him. The curious here, aware of such
traditions, and who have viewed these venerable remains of antiquity, agree
that Macbeth may, or rather must, have deposited the stone in question at the
bottom of his Castle, on the hill of Dunsinane (from the trouble of the times),
where it has been found by the workmen.
This curious stone has
been shipped for London for the inspection of the scientific amateur, in order
to discover its real quality." [4]
Selected from:
Wikipedia - Stone of Scone
** **
Coronation
Chair - Westminster
0841
hours. I feel better with the display as a reminder to me. We did (secretly)
touch the chair when Carol, Kim and I visited Westminster back in the summer of
2001 when Kim had graduated from Miami (Oxford, Ohio). So much history at
Westminster, it was one of the greatest days of my life to be able to share the
walk through with daughter Kim whom I had had in my AP British literature class
in 1996-1997. My lectures had come to life (so to speak).
Indeed it was such a day orndorff, a very
fortunate circumstance in your life. - Amorella
I feel some 'connections' in this
universe are wondrous indeed. (Noted: not a very neo-classic statement,
but honest nevertheless.)
You completed your exercises and Carol is
drying her hair. You both decided lunch out at either Longhorn or Olive Garden,
neither of you care which. You are going to suggest splitting at Turtle Sundae
at Graeter's afterwards or later today. That's how the day's lined up.
1121 hours. That''s fine with me but
getting on the scales about an hour ago leads me to believe I ought to lose six
or seven pounds.
Took you long enough to hit the scales, boy.
- Amorella
Such is the way we weigh the world and
ourselves in it.
Works the same for the marsupial-humanoids
too, though none are obese because they are runners and built as such.
Such
a world it is where no one gets fat in the first place.
Speak for yourself, orndorff, lots of people
in the world would like enough food to eat. - Amorella
Tweaking the genes.
Sounds like Huxley's Brave New
World to me.
If
humans agree they are responsible for the environment and can think of good
ways to change it for the better for humankind's sake, then it stands to reason
that genetic structuring is a part of the physical environment too. - Amorella
Some
people would say this is immoral.
People say all kinds
of things. It is easy to do. Too easy perhaps but people have to live with it.
The logic is the same. How old are people supposed to live? Who is going to be
so proud and arrogant to give that a magic number? A better living all the way
around is not evil and it is not Huxley's Brave New World either. The
natural environment got the physical body to where it is; humans are built with
the ways and means of changing it for the better. Giving a late stage unborn a
heart surgery before birth is an example of what I am talking about here. Who
protested? People protest abortions but who is one individual to tell another
how to live her or his life? In here, these matters are absorbed in the manner
of living, which is basically the Golden Rule as far as adults are concerned.
This is how it is on ThreePlanets, boy. I find the whole concept quite
humorous. - Amorella
When it comes to the
Milky Way Galaxy, what comes around goes around. Tit for Tat, as some say.
Humans tell other humans how to live their lives mostly by demonstration. These
marsupial-humanoids aren't here to tell others how to live, but with their
older age and social experience and their grander technology, what's going to
happen? You tell me, boy, it's your name on the books. - Amorella
This sounds vindictive, Amorella.
Depends on whose foot is in the shoe. Sounds
like you want to defend the human race here. - Amorella
It's only natural.
1442 hours. We are at the far north
end of Pine Hill Lakes Park down in the valley shade of tall bare trees. We
first drove up to the lakes and saw a very cool hawk sitting at the top of a
small pine. I took a photo or two with the iPhone. Carol is beginning Steve
Berry's The Jefferson Key. We had an excellent lunch at Longhorn served
by our favorite, Jen.
Opening
the Pouch 12 document I forgot I have information on Asimov's Laws of Robotics
in reference to Ship and the comforts of the automobile analogous with how the
marsupials feel about Family [government].
You need another word for 'government'. The
Service might suffice. Check it out. - Amorella
I was going to say Catholic Service
but not in reference to the Church. It sounds funny to say in circumstance.
We can use that misuse. We'll have Hartolite
spontaneously bring it up. - Amorella
How about Shared Services?
Good, "Shared Services" it is.
Actually it would be Unified-Shared-Family-Services, one word. This will be
corrupted to Regionally-Shared-Family-Services once the marsupial-humanoids
become more accustom to the earthly ways. - Amorella
Why would they decide regions would be
better?
This is because they do not have the
diversity of cultures. These aspects have long been lost or forgotten. All
three planets are essentially alike except for weather. - Amorella
We have too many cultures as is.
Says you. You Earthlings focus on economics and
governments first, cultural regions are second or third down the list. Do you
disagree? - Amorella
No, but it should be governments and
economics not the other way around.
That's not the way I see it, boy. - Amorella
I see you are taking the aliens' part
here.
I am alien, boy, and thus a better judge of
what an alien 'humane' culture would be like some twenty thousand earth-related
years in the future. - Amorella
This is not what I expected. The
marsupial-humanoid culture has already been set up earlier in Braided Dreams.
This is an update. One of the reasons is
because the Dead of both planetary systems now share (after the Second
Rebellion). The Dead alter the Living just like 'The Place of the Dead' becomes
'HeavenOrHellBothOrNeither'. - Amorella
This is making me a bit uncomfortable.
I need time to consider these things.
So do the Earthlings in the story so you'll
fit right in. - Amorella
1534 hours. We are stopped at Kroger's
on Kings Mill Road for a few items before homeward bound.
What
if human beings don't actually want these aliens? I don't know that I want them
if I cannot control how they are.
You have a socialist sort of agenda in your
head. That's been done, boy; United Planets, that sort of thing. Star Trek
comes to mind. I told you that you would need to keep your mind free to write.
- Amorella
Amorella, you know I get into these
stories; that's half the fun of it. I feel like you are taking me to an
amusement park with the largest most terrifying roller coaster and you have
dropped me in front of the line.
You're a spunky
seventy year old, young fellow. You can handle it. And, you will enjoy it too.
If not, then we stop. This is Diplomatic Pouch only. The others, well, 'The
Brothers' and 'Grandma's Stories' keep their earthly settings. - Amorella
I think I've taken this experimental
writing with self-hypnotic trance and writing automaticity combination about as
far as I can go. (1549)
That may be, indeed, boy. You might as well
see what we can do with it. - Amorella
I agree. If aliens are going to land
and make themselves publically known I can understand that. I'm bound to learn
something from it even a failure would be better than not going ahead.
You're not going to fail, boy; you'll get
something beneficial out of the experience. Nothing like being in a book; then
you know that, all real readers know what that means. - Amorella
2059
hours. How should we begin Pouch 12?
You are in the annex. - Amorella
2133 hours. I have 308 words of
introduction of a first draft but I have no idea whether this is satisfactory
or not.
What color are the steps? - Amorella
A dark brown almost black, they feel
like metal steps through the shoes. Metal steps with bumps on them like one
might walk up or down on a ship. The annex from what I can tell is clean and
does look like a storage area. I thought they would show them to their quarters
first to make them feel more at ease. The earth and grass floor was a great
touch of welcome. Then when Hartolite called the annex a basement I thought, 'I
wouldn't want to be put in a basement to live or a storage area; that is for
the plane.'
Good. That is your assessment. It seems the
M-H have already made an error in judgment, as they do not know your thoughts,
orndorff. - Amorella
I really like the grass. It makes me
feel more at ease. I would guess these are Blake's thoughts?
Enough for tonight. Drop in what you have.
We will continue tomorrow. Think about what you expect to see while climbing
the steps. You are giving the three the benefit of the doubt for the moment.
Did you expect steps? - Amorella
No, I thought they would have an
elevator like on the Star Trek Enterprise.
***
Pouch 12, draft one intro
Blake glanced at his sister, wondering what she was thinking. This is
interesting, came to mind. A real circumstance or is this some Mission
Impossible trick? Better to play it as it lies for the moment. I need more
input.
Pyl
looked over at the plane. No apparent damage. No problems when they became
airborne when the wheels left the road. Where is that road now, only moments
later it seems, and the road, the county airport, Ohio, Lake Erie -- where are
they? All I have here are my husband, my brother, and Daddy's plane. All I have
is what I can see with my own eyes.
Justin
felt almost uncontrollably alone. We don't know where we are and until we do we
cannot hope to escape these people. Are they terrorists? Our plane is perhaps
more important than we are. Do they want our plane to use as a terrorist
weapon? Surely we are being duped. They are indeed foreigners, I am sure of
that. I have to protect Pyl and Blake both. They are my responsibility at this
point. I have to come up with a plan of escape or at least a plan to sabotage
the plane so it will be of no use to them in harming our country.
"Again,
we welcome you onboard our vessel," assured Friendly in both manner and
voice. "Ship also welcomes you. We wills show you one of our control rooms
and selections of our vessel. You can see where you are. I assure you, it is a
beautiful sight."
"Come
this way," directed Yermey. "We can climb the flight of stairs to the
main deck. Where we are is in the annex."
"What
you may call a basement," added Hartolite.
"Or
a storage area," said Friendly. "Follow Yermey. Yermey one step at a
time for our guests please." 308 words
***
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