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"Chermera" by Mary Ruth Keller Part 35 of 45
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Mary Keller
Sep 9, 2020, 4:34:17 PM9/9/20
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=====o============================o=====
"Chermera" by Mary Ruth Keller Part 35 of 45
E-mail: mrke...@eclipse.net, mrkel...@gmail.com
PG-13 X-File: Myth-arc Disclaimed in Part I
Already sent to Gossamer
=====o============================o=====
Suola di Atene
Cambridge, England
Sunday, June 28, 1998
12:01 pm
The forty ebony chairs, in four rows of ten, were each, but one, entwined with corn poppies and daisies. The curtains over the windows of the Suola had been drawn back, so bright summer light flooded the paneled chamber. The seat of the Riata still bore its chalk banner, but broad fans of roses, lilies, thistles, daisies, corn poppies, heather, cornflowers, irises, among many others, lined the walls, one variety for each homeland of each group in the Forty.
A slight woman in a long white robe knelt on the top step of the platform, a crown of daisies and corn poppies in her greying hair. The Forty, in their black robes, were all standing. Between the vases, the Quaestores Parricidi, the Atrebates for the members of the Fellowship who used them, and the other secondary officials of the Ekklesia watched. Having concluded a ritual progression through the seven ages of man, this part of the ceremony, unlike the staging in the preceding, required the participation of only the Brothers and Sisters.
Deeply engrossed in the details, the Cymru was carrying a burning taper from sconce to sconce, lighting herb-scented candles that flickered with the motion in the Suola. The wall of honor was ablaze with lights, one for each of the recent members no longer visible. "We are many, we are One," he intoned as each flame sprang into life. The assembly echoed him. Once he had circled the space, he lit a large white candle on the lectern, then extinguished the taper.
The Pict stepped forward. "This is a joyous time for the Fellowship." He held out a hand toward the kneeling woman. "The Slav is with us once more!"
General applause erupted, bouncing off the oak walls.
The Suebi stepped to the edge of the dais, next to the lectern. "Come, Precious Sister, take the Oath." He unrolled the top of a scroll of parchment. "Before this Assembly, Seen and Unseen-" He paused, waiting for her echo. "-I pledge a sacred Vow that I, the Slav-" He fell silent through another pause and echo. "-will value and protect each human on the Earth, treating all as my beloved family, favoring none." The Suebi gestured for her to rise after her repeat. "As I take my place among the Ekklesia, I seek, not privilege, but duty." After her response, the Helvetti and the Danaan stepped off the platform. They held a long black brocade robe, the sleeves lined with velvet, behind the candidate, while she unbuttoned the white silk, letting it drop to the floor. When she was robed, the Suebi advanced the scroll. "This day, as I take on the vesta of the Fellowship, I take on the responsibilities of serving humanity with my whole heart, protecting our sheltering Earth, and keeping close my Sisters and Brothers in the Ekklesia." The Assembly waited in silence for her echo.
The Pict and the Mandarin took places on either side of the Suebi. Each extended a Sun brooch, the Pict's with wavy rays in bronze, the Mandarin's straight rays in silver. The Slav reached for the silver Sun, so the Mandarin pinned it to the right shoulder of the vesta.
The Helvetii and Danaan each took a hand to lead the Slav to her seat. "We are many, we are One!"
After the repeat of the Incantation, applause filled the air. The thirty-eight living members of the Forty lined up to greet their new Sister, each with a kiss on both cheeks and a ritual embrace.
When all were seated once more, the Cymru and the Pict stepped back up on the dais, then the man with the lion cane softly cleared his throat. "We bring great news."
"We have found the Riata!" The Cymru raised both arms. "On this Blessed Day, we bring news of her to you!" More applause filled the chamber, accompanied by excited whispers. The projector screen descended, then an image of a red-haired woman with green-blue eyes appeared.
The Pict pointed the Celtic lion toward the face. "Our new Sister, if she will have us."
The Mughal rose. "What are your proofs, Brother?"
ap Gwinn straightened. "She is descended from Óengus Mór mac Eirc; our records show it." The whispers grew in insistence. "She is a medical Doctor and Agent of Justice in the American Federal Bureau of Investigation." Scattered applause broke out. "She is an acclaimed leader of a growing group of Agents working to bring down the Shadow organizations formed at the end of the Second World War that oppose us, and that our Brother Suebi tracks with such diligence." Voiced affirmation erupted around the room. "Her Atrebates is the son of the Atrebates of the Slav no longer visible." The calls were accompanied by the stamping of feet. "I have met her, and she knew me, without a word being spoken, she knew me, knew who I am. These are my proofs. These are the witnesses of Time." The applause was sustained, some of the Fellowship standing.
The Aborigine strode forward to before the steps to the lectern. "Brothers and Sisters, you have heard the Proofs Novel, now let me give you the Proofs Ancient." After pointing to the Pict and the Cymru, he raised both arms. "These two Brothers and I have ridden the currents of Time. We met the Riata there, saw the line running from the past through Her into the future. Three shall there be, this one, the one who is to come, and one who is not yet visible. All shall lead us forward on the path of Light our Sister, no longer visible, laid out for us. We are many, we are one!" The entire Assembly was standing, clapping and embracing.
--o-0-o--
Along the back wall, Alex Krycek snarled, then pushed aside the scarlet hot-house tulip that had been brushing his grey cowl during the proceedings. {Not even the old men in Manhattan were this full of themselves.} He had formulated his plans, ones he hoped would bring down both organizations that would shunt him into lesser and demeaning roles, as well as casting discord among the FBI. So much for these garlands and celebrations. Let them rejoice now, suffer later. The Quaestor beside him turned, offering him a broad smile as he extended his hand. Krycek shook it, Roman style as the Suebi had shown him, then crossed his arms, while pretending the same delight he saw on all the faces around the room. {Soon enough, this would all be ash. Smoke and ash.}
--o-0-o--
Apartment 5 / Atlantis
Alexandria, VA / Athinos City
Tuesday, June 30, 1998 / Santorini, Greece
3:57 am / 9:57 am
At the cordless phone's first buzz, Dana Scully laid it on her ear. She had no doubt as to the caller. "Mulder? You there?"
He sent her a delighted chuckle. "Yeah, we are, Scully. You alone?" He stuck the tip of his tongue out between his teeth, enjoying the freedom to tweak his serious partner from two oceans away.
"Mulder? What did you think?" She frowned at the lilt in his voice.
{This is too easy.} "Oh, you wore Lars out, so he had to stagger home and recover?"
She sat up, letting herself relax into a prolonged stretch. {He feels good. Things must be going well.} "How did you guess, G-man? I told him to be back in two hours if he wanted his full payment."
He released a gleeful snort. "He charges a fee, Doctor? He should consider it a privilege, reserved for only a few men, equally handsome, mysterious, and skilled." He waggled his eyebrows at the air.
"Mulder!" She turned the pillows on end to lean against them. "So, how were the flights?"
He parted the blinds on the sliding glass door. His sister and his mother were side by side at one of the glass tables, Sandra walking Caroline through some of her research by clicking on images and pdf's on her laptop. He knew none of the details were being retained by the white-haired woman, who was wrapped in the joy of being able to sit with her arm around her long-lost daughter. Max had moved his chair behind the two to read intently over Sandra's shoulder. He sighed.
"Mulder?"
He dropped the curtain back in place. "Good. Sandra was absolutely gleeful that she had as much uninterrupted time as she did. I'm pretty sure she didn't sleep at all. She just wailed away at the texts of her papers. She's worse than you are, Doctor."
An alto chuckle escaped her. "That, if nothing else, should tell you she's really your sister, Mulder."
He snorted. "Sheah, right."
"How's Caroline?"
A lop-sided grin appeared. "She's floating on air, Scully. I feel a little sorry for Max. He's barely been able to get her attention since we arrived." Flopping on the quilted spread of the double bed in his room, he took juvenile pleasure in the resulting creaks.
"So, she's probably not going to take a look at your Dad's diaries until after you two leave?"
"That's what she said. Max was very understanding, but you can tell he's not thrilled about having those CD's lying around."
"You can't blame him for that, after what all of you were put through, Max included. You can spend some time with him, now, especially as Sandra will be working for most of it, and I doubt Caroline will be anywhere but beside her."
Mulder dangled a long leg off the mattress to scuff his heel on the wool carpet by the bed. "I know. I did break through the Professor's trance long enough to get her to agree to afternoons off. Otherwise she'd just work the days and nights away." He twisted to gaze out the small window over his head. Through the clear Mediterranean air, he could view the black and green mountains behind Atlantis. "How are things there?"
"You obviously haven't had the chance to check your E-mail, have you? Nichols sent word that Saito was seen landing on a flight from Tokyo the day before Tapping's death and leaving to return to Japan that evening."
He sighed. "Okay, it sounds like we should pack up the camera and send it and copies of the extracted video on to Pierce. If he pitches too much of a fit, tell him it was my idea. They'll expect that from Spooky Mulder, no regard for rules or protocol."
"I had already told the Gunmen to send it along, but I'm not letting you take the fall alone, Mulder. We both agreed to that course of action. In other news, Shiffeln is almost set, I think. He's running out of questions to ask, and is sketching more detailed timelines than he was before you left." She crossed her legs under the covers, rearranging them over herself. "I don't know what good they will do, but he sees it as trying out alternatives, so, Cynthia just keeps bringing him pads of paper and rolls of double-sided tape. What the Bureau requisitions will make of all that, we'll find out. He's covered the fronts of all the X-Files cabinets with his plans."
"Oh, so suddenly all my stacks of notes and slides don't seem so strange?" He grinned.
"Now, I wouldn't go that far." She smiled back, then sobered. "Hey, we can talk shop when you've had a couple of days to get over the jet lag, not that there's much to talk about. Why don't you hang up and go be with your Mom and your Sister, Mulder?"
He waved his hand at the air. "Ah, Scully, I'd need you here if I did that. Sandra will start in with, 'Now, the boundary layer urgle burgle rotational vorticity bing bing bleep,' and I wish I had that shape-shifter decoder tablet. Things might make more sense then." He arched his eyebrows as he nodded.
The diminutive agent found herself unable to stop laughing. "Oh, Mulder."
He began chuckling, then let out a breathy snort. "Yeah, okay. Mealtimes are a bit of a chore, actually. Max is in full lawyer mode, peppering Sandra with questions, and she's loving it. He'll ask in a sentence I can more or less follow, then she'll offer this paragraph that loses me, and they'll keep going back and forth like that for an hour. Mom just can't stop watching her. I sit there, feeling like a doof, not knowing how to get a word in that doesn't sound like moron-speak."
The auburn-haired woman wrapped her bandaged arm around her stomach. "Agent Mulder, I don't believe what I'm hearing. Are you actually complaining about your sister?" She was beaming as she issued the gentle tease. "See, this is what normal is like. Remember, I told you you'd get there, back in Bern, now, didn't I?"
He began unbuttoning his shirt. "Yeah, yeah, Doctor you did. I'm gonna go for a swim. That, at least, I can still do better than she does."
"Mulder, in a couple of weeks, you'll be the omniscient genius again, so fair is fair."
He began stepping out of his shoes. "Okay, message received. It's time I took my lumps, I suppose. Talk to you later, Scully."
She sobered. "Enjoy yourself, Mulder. You'll be floating on that pool, not worried at all about jostling starry-eyed tourists on the Metro on the way to work. Talk to you tomorrow." She terminated the conversation, then settled in under the covers. {He sounds so genuinely happy.}
--o-0-o--
Suola di Atene
Cambridge, England
Monday, July 6, 1998
10:37 am
Alex Krycek threw back the grey cowl. "Okay, this is why-" He rolled his dark eyes at the stern expressions on the faces of the men and woman seated in a line before him. "We are many, we are One." He crossed his arms as the words lofted back to him. "-I gathered you here today. I know this woman you want to bring in to the Fellowship." He found it hard to speak without a sneer. {Why do these ancients think they're so entitled?} "She won't come willingly. I tried to tell him that." The index finger was aimed at the Suebi, who was shaking his head.
"Tribuno, I have already explained to you, this ritual that so fascinates you is not part of the Way of this Age. In centuries past, when so little was known of the human psyche, it was used. But, then, not even the flow of blood or the ovum was understood properly." He stamped his foot twice.
The Aborigine had never even taken a seat. "I have not foreseen the course this will take. I, who prefer the Ways Ancient, cannot sanction it." His long, rolling gait carried him from the one end of the row of black chairs to the other. "It is as Brother Suebi has said. We know more and better ways, so we should use them. One who joins freely will be more closely bonded than one who is forced."
"I don't care!" Krycek was utterly out of patience. "You can sanction it, or not, but it's within the power of my office to require it." He glared at the Mandarin. "Am I right? Hum?"
The black silk shifted. "Sadly, yes, our laws give you this power. But, if you do this, I shall personally strip you of your station, Tribuno." He stroked the long white beard. "Our power and laws are to be used for good, not for evil. We are pledged to value all humanity, in case you were not paying attention." He nodded to the Helvetii, who sent him a soft smile in return.
The Cymru checked her face. "We don't know that this step will even be necessary. She and I will be meeting in a little over a week. I will present our case to her then. We can delay our decision until that time." The green eyes were aimed at the dark-haired man's. "You will wait to invoke the powers of your office until afterward, Tribuno."
Krycek threw up his arms. "But, you people want her to join, don't you? That will be for the good, yes? You don't know her! She won't do what you want! She never does! She was sent to spy on Mulder and immediately proceeded to take his side. She can't be trusted. Why the old men agreed to let her live is beyond me!"
"But, we *do* know her." The Pict rubbed the Celtic lion with his thumb. "We know her past, present, and future. She is standing at a crossroads as we speak. With persuasion, we can move her onto the path of the Enlightened. Your way, she will remain as she is: an adept and devoted advocate for those who have been unfairly deprived of life, but, not all she could be. You, too, are being offered a new way, Tribuno. Forego your revenge and walk in the Light. You will live to see your grandchildren if you do so. Otherwise, you will cease to be visible well before your time."
The Helvetii rose, leaning on the bear as she did. "We are at an impasse, Brothers and Sisters. The Ekklesia is not complete, so we must bring the matter before the Consejo de i Diexe. They will decide our path. If they call for Gradus Absoluta, we must comply. We will make our case before them, Tribuno, and so will you. All must be according to our laws, or we are nothing."
--o-0-o--
Atlantis
Athinos City
Santorini, Greece
Tuesday, July 14, 1998
10:03 am
Fox Mulder settled into the ornate desk chair of his stepfather's. Sandra had alerted him to this E-mail, so he could read it in here while she and Caroline were on their last short hike up a nearby mountain. Once he had taken his partner's advice to relax, the two weeks had gone by in what seemed like three heartbeats. Tomorrow they would be returning to America on the same flight to Dulles, then she would go on to San Diego. He moved the mouse to the mailbox icon, clicked, waiting through decryption for the message to pop up before leaning back to read.
"Mulder:
"It's 2:17 am as I start this, so please forgive me if it's not my most polished writing.
"I told you I gave the DNA sequences to Susan to check over, as long as she kept them confidential. She got back to me this morning with some questions that we'll need to discuss, once you're settled. Good questions, but, you know her.
"On a different note, Bill Stickle has been doing a great impression of a 'cherry new' agent, as you and Jerry liked to call them. I'm surprised. I thought this would be old hat for him, but he's dutifully reading our folders, taking copious notes, and peppering me with questions. I really think he'll work out, if the powers that be on the fifth floor of Hoover don't drag him upstairs first.
"Pendrell and Phillips are moonily happy, brown as berries. I stopped by this morning to see if they needed help packing up their labs, and they were all giggles. Perhaps we can make it safe for them to be a family, one day. That was the only time they were serious, when they told me they were planning on waiting at least three years before they considered children. Cynthia volunteered to work with them, so she'll be spending the rest of the week packing beakers and tissue samples.
"Shiffeln and Skinner staged a right proper row, for the pair of them, to kick Shiffeln's undercover work off. Director Skinner used more words in a few minutes than I've heard him use in some weeks. Rob resigned with a flourish that I heard was feeding the jabberers back at the Hoover Building, so I think he's covered his bases there. He's picked out the Earth First group he'll be joining, and I must tell you, he has much more patience for their insanity than I ever could. I also have to confess, before I met you, I might have been persuaded to their cause, but, after what we have learned together, I can't find the least bit of sympathy for their point of view. I know I've not always been willing to consider the possibility of alien life, but, once the proof is this strong, there's no burying one's head in the sand, as we tried to do in Africa. One should accept facts, and just adjust to the reality as it is.
"Sorry, I hope the foregoing hasn't left you flat on the floor howling with laughter, after all we've kicked this around over the years. Not that you wouldn't have earned it, of course. Sorry again. I miss our lunchtime conversations. Sometimes they're the best parts of Tuesday and Thursday, especially on days when the paperwork has piled up.
"I have my appointment at the British Embassy with Mister ap Gwinn tomorrow at ten am, which will leave me plenty of time to get to Dulles to pick you up at four. Perhaps I'll have the chance to say hello to Sandra before she jets away to San Diego, but, that all depends on traffic.
"With you being gone, work being so slow, and, *finally* having finished with the Cavalli-Sforza (stop hooting, already, again), I've had the time to knock a few books off my reading list. I know you like the Guido Brunetti novels, which is a high recommendation, especially for detective stories. You usually figure out the murderer after the first five pages for most of them. I've added the first two to my queue, even though I don't spend much time reading fiction, as you know. Before I dive into them, though, I need to get a little more in-depth Venetian history under my belt. It'll help the references and landmarks make sense, I hope. I had a generalized background from my Intro to European Civ classes, which taught me that Venice is different from the rest of Italy (which you already know, Mister Peabody, but give me credit for trying to catch up). I've picked up Norwich's history of the Most Serene Republic, and have worked my way through two-thirds of it. Interesting place, Venice. Tomorrow, on our way back from Dulles, I'd like to trade notes with you about some oddball facets of its history that might be worth a second look. I'll try not to hit anyone on the Dulles Access Road or 66 as we go. Promise.
"Just so it doesn't get forgotten, let me close by saying, again, how happy I am for you, Mulder. You had two weeks with your sister without any pressure or interruptions, just getting to know each other as adults. From our phone conversations and E-mails, it seems to have been time well spent. If only something like this would work on my brothers, but that's a lost cause. I'll stop there.
"Oh, before I forget, thanks for the attached photograph of you, Sandra, Max, Caroline, and your Uncle Isaac. I know how important it was for him to come see you two, after everything you have been through, even though travel for someone his age can be hard. I can tell which side of your family gave you and Sandra your good looks and brains.
"Safe travels, Omniscient Genius,
Scully"
He ran a thumb over her name before closing the missive, then paused before transferring the message to the archive folder. {Sometimes our lunch discussions are the best part of Tuesday and Thursday for me, too, Doctor. More than you can ever know.}
"Ah, Mulder, there you are. Might this old bachelor have your help with something?" Smiling gently, Max was standing in the doorway. His stepson had lingered over the E-mail, unaware of how long he had been watched, which told the white-haired man exactly who had written it.
A lop-sided grin. "Yeah, sure, Max. Be happy to." After logging out, he powered off the screen. {Tomorrow, Scully, tomorrow.}
--o-0-o--
Consejo de i Diexe
Cambridge, England
Tuesday, 11:59 am
Alex Krycek took a moment to scan the walls and ceilings of the side room off the Suola. Unlike the plain oak panels there, this room was an intricate recreation of a space he had never seen, the Hall of the Council of Ten in the Doge's Palace in Venice. He snorted with disgust. {The old man had described all this in detail, but, who cares?{ These people were always going on about doing good with their wealth, but, here they had squandered it on gilt and reproductions. Three of the walls had popes and men in armor on them, but, the bloated people painted there were dull, lifeless. {Why anyone thinks this stuff has meaning.} After shaking his head, he stared up at the rectangular painting above him. A naked man with feathers on his hat and his ankles, carrying a staff with wings, was looking down at a fully-clothed woman in armor, a helmet resting at her feet. {All this. Pointless.}
The Ten entered, single-file, all the men and women he had expected: Suebi, Pict, Danaan, Helvetii, Slav, Mandarin, Swahili, Brahmin, Mughal, and Aborigine. He waited until the Cymru entered. So, he would be the advocate for 'the Enlightenment.' {Nonsense. All nonsense.} Once the Ten were seated at the long, narrow, plain table opposite the desks of the advocates, Krycek stood. "You know why - "
"This is *not* the way!" The Cymru pounded the table.
"It certainly is not." The Suebi shifted on his seat. "Tribuno, if you had read more than snippets of our laws, you would know how this vote is to go. We have both your opinions in writing. We gave you extra time because of your inexperience, Tribuno. We have read your opinions, and we have deliberated. We are ready to render judgment." He tapped the end of a silver cylinder on a concave biotite-heavy granite platter. "So, how do the Ten vote? For persuasion?" Seven hands rose, including Suebi's long white fingers. Alex had skimmed enough to know there must be eight votes, one way or another, before the decision was taken, so, he had hope. "For Gradus Absoluta?" Two hands, the Helvetii’s and the Mandarin’s, raised, both of which surprised the dark-haired man.
"We must follow our laws, distasteful as that may be." The grey-haired woman explained for them both as the long white beard bobbed.
The Suebi turned to the Slav. "Precious Sister, we know you are but recently come to our ways, but your seat has always been one of the Ten. How may we assist you in making your choice? More time? More reading? Tell us, please."
The Slav was gazing at copy of Veronese's Juno dropping her gifts into the lap of Venetia. "This is all so much to take in." She turned to the Cymru. "My heart is with you. You have all taught me with gentleness and care. I cannot believe the same would not be true for the Riata, as she seems to already have some sense of who she is." She looked to Krycek. "On the other hand, the Tribuno Plebis is within the duties of his office to set the standards for admission. Additionally, he has knowledge of the Riata in her life outside. That, too, must be weighed. It is a matter of the heart versus the head, and, I must side with the head."
There were gasps around the room.
The Slav held up her hand. "But, I cannot support ruthlessness in the implementation of this decision, as the original Ten were famed to do. We are but a mere replica." She waved at the paintings around the chamber. "I require for my vote that Brother Cymru have the opportunity to take his case directly to the Riata. If she cannot be persuaded, she must be indoctrinated. The chalk banner must be lifted at last."
Alex Krycek was on his feet. "Finally!" He trotted, almost at a run, as he left the room. He had his opening. His plans for revenge would begin to unfold.
--o-0-o--
End – Chermera – Part 35 of 45
"Chermera" by Mary Ruth Keller Part 35 of 45
E-mail: mrke...@eclipse.net, mrkel...@gmail.com
PG-13 X-File: Myth-arc Disclaimed in Part I
Already sent to Gossamer
=====o============================o=====
Suola di Atene
Cambridge, England
Sunday, June 28, 1998
12:01 pm
The forty ebony chairs, in four rows of ten, were each, but one, entwined with corn poppies and daisies. The curtains over the windows of the Suola had been drawn back, so bright summer light flooded the paneled chamber. The seat of the Riata still bore its chalk banner, but broad fans of roses, lilies, thistles, daisies, corn poppies, heather, cornflowers, irises, among many others, lined the walls, one variety for each homeland of each group in the Forty.
A slight woman in a long white robe knelt on the top step of the platform, a crown of daisies and corn poppies in her greying hair. The Forty, in their black robes, were all standing. Between the vases, the Quaestores Parricidi, the Atrebates for the members of the Fellowship who used them, and the other secondary officials of the Ekklesia watched. Having concluded a ritual progression through the seven ages of man, this part of the ceremony, unlike the staging in the preceding, required the participation of only the Brothers and Sisters.
Deeply engrossed in the details, the Cymru was carrying a burning taper from sconce to sconce, lighting herb-scented candles that flickered with the motion in the Suola. The wall of honor was ablaze with lights, one for each of the recent members no longer visible. "We are many, we are One," he intoned as each flame sprang into life. The assembly echoed him. Once he had circled the space, he lit a large white candle on the lectern, then extinguished the taper.
The Pict stepped forward. "This is a joyous time for the Fellowship." He held out a hand toward the kneeling woman. "The Slav is with us once more!"
General applause erupted, bouncing off the oak walls.
The Suebi stepped to the edge of the dais, next to the lectern. "Come, Precious Sister, take the Oath." He unrolled the top of a scroll of parchment. "Before this Assembly, Seen and Unseen-" He paused, waiting for her echo. "-I pledge a sacred Vow that I, the Slav-" He fell silent through another pause and echo. "-will value and protect each human on the Earth, treating all as my beloved family, favoring none." The Suebi gestured for her to rise after her repeat. "As I take my place among the Ekklesia, I seek, not privilege, but duty." After her response, the Helvetti and the Danaan stepped off the platform. They held a long black brocade robe, the sleeves lined with velvet, behind the candidate, while she unbuttoned the white silk, letting it drop to the floor. When she was robed, the Suebi advanced the scroll. "This day, as I take on the vesta of the Fellowship, I take on the responsibilities of serving humanity with my whole heart, protecting our sheltering Earth, and keeping close my Sisters and Brothers in the Ekklesia." The Assembly waited in silence for her echo.
The Pict and the Mandarin took places on either side of the Suebi. Each extended a Sun brooch, the Pict's with wavy rays in bronze, the Mandarin's straight rays in silver. The Slav reached for the silver Sun, so the Mandarin pinned it to the right shoulder of the vesta.
The Helvetii and Danaan each took a hand to lead the Slav to her seat. "We are many, we are One!"
After the repeat of the Incantation, applause filled the air. The thirty-eight living members of the Forty lined up to greet their new Sister, each with a kiss on both cheeks and a ritual embrace.
When all were seated once more, the Cymru and the Pict stepped back up on the dais, then the man with the lion cane softly cleared his throat. "We bring great news."
"We have found the Riata!" The Cymru raised both arms. "On this Blessed Day, we bring news of her to you!" More applause filled the chamber, accompanied by excited whispers. The projector screen descended, then an image of a red-haired woman with green-blue eyes appeared.
The Pict pointed the Celtic lion toward the face. "Our new Sister, if she will have us."
The Mughal rose. "What are your proofs, Brother?"
ap Gwinn straightened. "She is descended from Óengus Mór mac Eirc; our records show it." The whispers grew in insistence. "She is a medical Doctor and Agent of Justice in the American Federal Bureau of Investigation." Scattered applause broke out. "She is an acclaimed leader of a growing group of Agents working to bring down the Shadow organizations formed at the end of the Second World War that oppose us, and that our Brother Suebi tracks with such diligence." Voiced affirmation erupted around the room. "Her Atrebates is the son of the Atrebates of the Slav no longer visible." The calls were accompanied by the stamping of feet. "I have met her, and she knew me, without a word being spoken, she knew me, knew who I am. These are my proofs. These are the witnesses of Time." The applause was sustained, some of the Fellowship standing.
The Aborigine strode forward to before the steps to the lectern. "Brothers and Sisters, you have heard the Proofs Novel, now let me give you the Proofs Ancient." After pointing to the Pict and the Cymru, he raised both arms. "These two Brothers and I have ridden the currents of Time. We met the Riata there, saw the line running from the past through Her into the future. Three shall there be, this one, the one who is to come, and one who is not yet visible. All shall lead us forward on the path of Light our Sister, no longer visible, laid out for us. We are many, we are one!" The entire Assembly was standing, clapping and embracing.
--o-0-o--
Along the back wall, Alex Krycek snarled, then pushed aside the scarlet hot-house tulip that had been brushing his grey cowl during the proceedings. {Not even the old men in Manhattan were this full of themselves.} He had formulated his plans, ones he hoped would bring down both organizations that would shunt him into lesser and demeaning roles, as well as casting discord among the FBI. So much for these garlands and celebrations. Let them rejoice now, suffer later. The Quaestor beside him turned, offering him a broad smile as he extended his hand. Krycek shook it, Roman style as the Suebi had shown him, then crossed his arms, while pretending the same delight he saw on all the faces around the room. {Soon enough, this would all be ash. Smoke and ash.}
--o-0-o--
Apartment 5 / Atlantis
Alexandria, VA / Athinos City
Tuesday, June 30, 1998 / Santorini, Greece
3:57 am / 9:57 am
At the cordless phone's first buzz, Dana Scully laid it on her ear. She had no doubt as to the caller. "Mulder? You there?"
He sent her a delighted chuckle. "Yeah, we are, Scully. You alone?" He stuck the tip of his tongue out between his teeth, enjoying the freedom to tweak his serious partner from two oceans away.
"Mulder? What did you think?" She frowned at the lilt in his voice.
{This is too easy.} "Oh, you wore Lars out, so he had to stagger home and recover?"
She sat up, letting herself relax into a prolonged stretch. {He feels good. Things must be going well.} "How did you guess, G-man? I told him to be back in two hours if he wanted his full payment."
He released a gleeful snort. "He charges a fee, Doctor? He should consider it a privilege, reserved for only a few men, equally handsome, mysterious, and skilled." He waggled his eyebrows at the air.
"Mulder!" She turned the pillows on end to lean against them. "So, how were the flights?"
He parted the blinds on the sliding glass door. His sister and his mother were side by side at one of the glass tables, Sandra walking Caroline through some of her research by clicking on images and pdf's on her laptop. He knew none of the details were being retained by the white-haired woman, who was wrapped in the joy of being able to sit with her arm around her long-lost daughter. Max had moved his chair behind the two to read intently over Sandra's shoulder. He sighed.
"Mulder?"
He dropped the curtain back in place. "Good. Sandra was absolutely gleeful that she had as much uninterrupted time as she did. I'm pretty sure she didn't sleep at all. She just wailed away at the texts of her papers. She's worse than you are, Doctor."
An alto chuckle escaped her. "That, if nothing else, should tell you she's really your sister, Mulder."
He snorted. "Sheah, right."
"How's Caroline?"
A lop-sided grin appeared. "She's floating on air, Scully. I feel a little sorry for Max. He's barely been able to get her attention since we arrived." Flopping on the quilted spread of the double bed in his room, he took juvenile pleasure in the resulting creaks.
"So, she's probably not going to take a look at your Dad's diaries until after you two leave?"
"That's what she said. Max was very understanding, but you can tell he's not thrilled about having those CD's lying around."
"You can't blame him for that, after what all of you were put through, Max included. You can spend some time with him, now, especially as Sandra will be working for most of it, and I doubt Caroline will be anywhere but beside her."
Mulder dangled a long leg off the mattress to scuff his heel on the wool carpet by the bed. "I know. I did break through the Professor's trance long enough to get her to agree to afternoons off. Otherwise she'd just work the days and nights away." He twisted to gaze out the small window over his head. Through the clear Mediterranean air, he could view the black and green mountains behind Atlantis. "How are things there?"
"You obviously haven't had the chance to check your E-mail, have you? Nichols sent word that Saito was seen landing on a flight from Tokyo the day before Tapping's death and leaving to return to Japan that evening."
He sighed. "Okay, it sounds like we should pack up the camera and send it and copies of the extracted video on to Pierce. If he pitches too much of a fit, tell him it was my idea. They'll expect that from Spooky Mulder, no regard for rules or protocol."
"I had already told the Gunmen to send it along, but I'm not letting you take the fall alone, Mulder. We both agreed to that course of action. In other news, Shiffeln is almost set, I think. He's running out of questions to ask, and is sketching more detailed timelines than he was before you left." She crossed her legs under the covers, rearranging them over herself. "I don't know what good they will do, but he sees it as trying out alternatives, so, Cynthia just keeps bringing him pads of paper and rolls of double-sided tape. What the Bureau requisitions will make of all that, we'll find out. He's covered the fronts of all the X-Files cabinets with his plans."
"Oh, so suddenly all my stacks of notes and slides don't seem so strange?" He grinned.
"Now, I wouldn't go that far." She smiled back, then sobered. "Hey, we can talk shop when you've had a couple of days to get over the jet lag, not that there's much to talk about. Why don't you hang up and go be with your Mom and your Sister, Mulder?"
He waved his hand at the air. "Ah, Scully, I'd need you here if I did that. Sandra will start in with, 'Now, the boundary layer urgle burgle rotational vorticity bing bing bleep,' and I wish I had that shape-shifter decoder tablet. Things might make more sense then." He arched his eyebrows as he nodded.
The diminutive agent found herself unable to stop laughing. "Oh, Mulder."
He began chuckling, then let out a breathy snort. "Yeah, okay. Mealtimes are a bit of a chore, actually. Max is in full lawyer mode, peppering Sandra with questions, and she's loving it. He'll ask in a sentence I can more or less follow, then she'll offer this paragraph that loses me, and they'll keep going back and forth like that for an hour. Mom just can't stop watching her. I sit there, feeling like a doof, not knowing how to get a word in that doesn't sound like moron-speak."
The auburn-haired woman wrapped her bandaged arm around her stomach. "Agent Mulder, I don't believe what I'm hearing. Are you actually complaining about your sister?" She was beaming as she issued the gentle tease. "See, this is what normal is like. Remember, I told you you'd get there, back in Bern, now, didn't I?"
He began unbuttoning his shirt. "Yeah, yeah, Doctor you did. I'm gonna go for a swim. That, at least, I can still do better than she does."
"Mulder, in a couple of weeks, you'll be the omniscient genius again, so fair is fair."
He began stepping out of his shoes. "Okay, message received. It's time I took my lumps, I suppose. Talk to you later, Scully."
She sobered. "Enjoy yourself, Mulder. You'll be floating on that pool, not worried at all about jostling starry-eyed tourists on the Metro on the way to work. Talk to you tomorrow." She terminated the conversation, then settled in under the covers. {He sounds so genuinely happy.}
--o-0-o--
Suola di Atene
Cambridge, England
Monday, July 6, 1998
10:37 am
Alex Krycek threw back the grey cowl. "Okay, this is why-" He rolled his dark eyes at the stern expressions on the faces of the men and woman seated in a line before him. "We are many, we are One." He crossed his arms as the words lofted back to him. "-I gathered you here today. I know this woman you want to bring in to the Fellowship." He found it hard to speak without a sneer. {Why do these ancients think they're so entitled?} "She won't come willingly. I tried to tell him that." The index finger was aimed at the Suebi, who was shaking his head.
"Tribuno, I have already explained to you, this ritual that so fascinates you is not part of the Way of this Age. In centuries past, when so little was known of the human psyche, it was used. But, then, not even the flow of blood or the ovum was understood properly." He stamped his foot twice.
The Aborigine had never even taken a seat. "I have not foreseen the course this will take. I, who prefer the Ways Ancient, cannot sanction it." His long, rolling gait carried him from the one end of the row of black chairs to the other. "It is as Brother Suebi has said. We know more and better ways, so we should use them. One who joins freely will be more closely bonded than one who is forced."
"I don't care!" Krycek was utterly out of patience. "You can sanction it, or not, but it's within the power of my office to require it." He glared at the Mandarin. "Am I right? Hum?"
The black silk shifted. "Sadly, yes, our laws give you this power. But, if you do this, I shall personally strip you of your station, Tribuno." He stroked the long white beard. "Our power and laws are to be used for good, not for evil. We are pledged to value all humanity, in case you were not paying attention." He nodded to the Helvetii, who sent him a soft smile in return.
The Cymru checked her face. "We don't know that this step will even be necessary. She and I will be meeting in a little over a week. I will present our case to her then. We can delay our decision until that time." The green eyes were aimed at the dark-haired man's. "You will wait to invoke the powers of your office until afterward, Tribuno."
Krycek threw up his arms. "But, you people want her to join, don't you? That will be for the good, yes? You don't know her! She won't do what you want! She never does! She was sent to spy on Mulder and immediately proceeded to take his side. She can't be trusted. Why the old men agreed to let her live is beyond me!"
"But, we *do* know her." The Pict rubbed the Celtic lion with his thumb. "We know her past, present, and future. She is standing at a crossroads as we speak. With persuasion, we can move her onto the path of the Enlightened. Your way, she will remain as she is: an adept and devoted advocate for those who have been unfairly deprived of life, but, not all she could be. You, too, are being offered a new way, Tribuno. Forego your revenge and walk in the Light. You will live to see your grandchildren if you do so. Otherwise, you will cease to be visible well before your time."
The Helvetii rose, leaning on the bear as she did. "We are at an impasse, Brothers and Sisters. The Ekklesia is not complete, so we must bring the matter before the Consejo de i Diexe. They will decide our path. If they call for Gradus Absoluta, we must comply. We will make our case before them, Tribuno, and so will you. All must be according to our laws, or we are nothing."
--o-0-o--
Atlantis
Athinos City
Santorini, Greece
Tuesday, July 14, 1998
10:03 am
Fox Mulder settled into the ornate desk chair of his stepfather's. Sandra had alerted him to this E-mail, so he could read it in here while she and Caroline were on their last short hike up a nearby mountain. Once he had taken his partner's advice to relax, the two weeks had gone by in what seemed like three heartbeats. Tomorrow they would be returning to America on the same flight to Dulles, then she would go on to San Diego. He moved the mouse to the mailbox icon, clicked, waiting through decryption for the message to pop up before leaning back to read.
"Mulder:
"It's 2:17 am as I start this, so please forgive me if it's not my most polished writing.
"I told you I gave the DNA sequences to Susan to check over, as long as she kept them confidential. She got back to me this morning with some questions that we'll need to discuss, once you're settled. Good questions, but, you know her.
"On a different note, Bill Stickle has been doing a great impression of a 'cherry new' agent, as you and Jerry liked to call them. I'm surprised. I thought this would be old hat for him, but he's dutifully reading our folders, taking copious notes, and peppering me with questions. I really think he'll work out, if the powers that be on the fifth floor of Hoover don't drag him upstairs first.
"Pendrell and Phillips are moonily happy, brown as berries. I stopped by this morning to see if they needed help packing up their labs, and they were all giggles. Perhaps we can make it safe for them to be a family, one day. That was the only time they were serious, when they told me they were planning on waiting at least three years before they considered children. Cynthia volunteered to work with them, so she'll be spending the rest of the week packing beakers and tissue samples.
"Shiffeln and Skinner staged a right proper row, for the pair of them, to kick Shiffeln's undercover work off. Director Skinner used more words in a few minutes than I've heard him use in some weeks. Rob resigned with a flourish that I heard was feeding the jabberers back at the Hoover Building, so I think he's covered his bases there. He's picked out the Earth First group he'll be joining, and I must tell you, he has much more patience for their insanity than I ever could. I also have to confess, before I met you, I might have been persuaded to their cause, but, after what we have learned together, I can't find the least bit of sympathy for their point of view. I know I've not always been willing to consider the possibility of alien life, but, once the proof is this strong, there's no burying one's head in the sand, as we tried to do in Africa. One should accept facts, and just adjust to the reality as it is.
"Sorry, I hope the foregoing hasn't left you flat on the floor howling with laughter, after all we've kicked this around over the years. Not that you wouldn't have earned it, of course. Sorry again. I miss our lunchtime conversations. Sometimes they're the best parts of Tuesday and Thursday, especially on days when the paperwork has piled up.
"I have my appointment at the British Embassy with Mister ap Gwinn tomorrow at ten am, which will leave me plenty of time to get to Dulles to pick you up at four. Perhaps I'll have the chance to say hello to Sandra before she jets away to San Diego, but, that all depends on traffic.
"With you being gone, work being so slow, and, *finally* having finished with the Cavalli-Sforza (stop hooting, already, again), I've had the time to knock a few books off my reading list. I know you like the Guido Brunetti novels, which is a high recommendation, especially for detective stories. You usually figure out the murderer after the first five pages for most of them. I've added the first two to my queue, even though I don't spend much time reading fiction, as you know. Before I dive into them, though, I need to get a little more in-depth Venetian history under my belt. It'll help the references and landmarks make sense, I hope. I had a generalized background from my Intro to European Civ classes, which taught me that Venice is different from the rest of Italy (which you already know, Mister Peabody, but give me credit for trying to catch up). I've picked up Norwich's history of the Most Serene Republic, and have worked my way through two-thirds of it. Interesting place, Venice. Tomorrow, on our way back from Dulles, I'd like to trade notes with you about some oddball facets of its history that might be worth a second look. I'll try not to hit anyone on the Dulles Access Road or 66 as we go. Promise.
"Just so it doesn't get forgotten, let me close by saying, again, how happy I am for you, Mulder. You had two weeks with your sister without any pressure or interruptions, just getting to know each other as adults. From our phone conversations and E-mails, it seems to have been time well spent. If only something like this would work on my brothers, but that's a lost cause. I'll stop there.
"Oh, before I forget, thanks for the attached photograph of you, Sandra, Max, Caroline, and your Uncle Isaac. I know how important it was for him to come see you two, after everything you have been through, even though travel for someone his age can be hard. I can tell which side of your family gave you and Sandra your good looks and brains.
"Safe travels, Omniscient Genius,
Scully"
He ran a thumb over her name before closing the missive, then paused before transferring the message to the archive folder. {Sometimes our lunch discussions are the best part of Tuesday and Thursday for me, too, Doctor. More than you can ever know.}
"Ah, Mulder, there you are. Might this old bachelor have your help with something?" Smiling gently, Max was standing in the doorway. His stepson had lingered over the E-mail, unaware of how long he had been watched, which told the white-haired man exactly who had written it.
A lop-sided grin. "Yeah, sure, Max. Be happy to." After logging out, he powered off the screen. {Tomorrow, Scully, tomorrow.}
--o-0-o--
Consejo de i Diexe
Cambridge, England
Tuesday, 11:59 am
Alex Krycek took a moment to scan the walls and ceilings of the side room off the Suola. Unlike the plain oak panels there, this room was an intricate recreation of a space he had never seen, the Hall of the Council of Ten in the Doge's Palace in Venice. He snorted with disgust. {The old man had described all this in detail, but, who cares?{ These people were always going on about doing good with their wealth, but, here they had squandered it on gilt and reproductions. Three of the walls had popes and men in armor on them, but, the bloated people painted there were dull, lifeless. {Why anyone thinks this stuff has meaning.} After shaking his head, he stared up at the rectangular painting above him. A naked man with feathers on his hat and his ankles, carrying a staff with wings, was looking down at a fully-clothed woman in armor, a helmet resting at her feet. {All this. Pointless.}
The Ten entered, single-file, all the men and women he had expected: Suebi, Pict, Danaan, Helvetii, Slav, Mandarin, Swahili, Brahmin, Mughal, and Aborigine. He waited until the Cymru entered. So, he would be the advocate for 'the Enlightenment.' {Nonsense. All nonsense.} Once the Ten were seated at the long, narrow, plain table opposite the desks of the advocates, Krycek stood. "You know why - "
"This is *not* the way!" The Cymru pounded the table.
"It certainly is not." The Suebi shifted on his seat. "Tribuno, if you had read more than snippets of our laws, you would know how this vote is to go. We have both your opinions in writing. We gave you extra time because of your inexperience, Tribuno. We have read your opinions, and we have deliberated. We are ready to render judgment." He tapped the end of a silver cylinder on a concave biotite-heavy granite platter. "So, how do the Ten vote? For persuasion?" Seven hands rose, including Suebi's long white fingers. Alex had skimmed enough to know there must be eight votes, one way or another, before the decision was taken, so, he had hope. "For Gradus Absoluta?" Two hands, the Helvetii’s and the Mandarin’s, raised, both of which surprised the dark-haired man.
"We must follow our laws, distasteful as that may be." The grey-haired woman explained for them both as the long white beard bobbed.
The Suebi turned to the Slav. "Precious Sister, we know you are but recently come to our ways, but your seat has always been one of the Ten. How may we assist you in making your choice? More time? More reading? Tell us, please."
The Slav was gazing at copy of Veronese's Juno dropping her gifts into the lap of Venetia. "This is all so much to take in." She turned to the Cymru. "My heart is with you. You have all taught me with gentleness and care. I cannot believe the same would not be true for the Riata, as she seems to already have some sense of who she is." She looked to Krycek. "On the other hand, the Tribuno Plebis is within the duties of his office to set the standards for admission. Additionally, he has knowledge of the Riata in her life outside. That, too, must be weighed. It is a matter of the heart versus the head, and, I must side with the head."
There were gasps around the room.
The Slav held up her hand. "But, I cannot support ruthlessness in the implementation of this decision, as the original Ten were famed to do. We are but a mere replica." She waved at the paintings around the chamber. "I require for my vote that Brother Cymru have the opportunity to take his case directly to the Riata. If she cannot be persuaded, she must be indoctrinated. The chalk banner must be lifted at last."
Alex Krycek was on his feet. "Finally!" He trotted, almost at a run, as he left the room. He had his opening. His plans for revenge would begin to unfold.
--o-0-o--
End – Chermera – Part 35 of 45
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