Sender: unknown
Origin: unknown
Received: 20 October, Tuesday
Decrypted message reads:
My dear Mother and Father,
It has been too long since we have last spoken. I am glad you are in good spirits, and that Father’s health has been improving. I look forward to the day when I can invite you out here to live with me in Minneapolis, my newly adopted home. This city has much to recommend it, and I am certain you will find it as pleasant as I do.
Unfortunately, I do think it will be a while yet before I can officially welcome you. For one thing, I do not currently have a permanent residence. I have been looking for a suitable place, both to live and to set up the new ReginaPro offices, but it is slow going. Faced with the choice of living in the home of my recently departed wife or moving long-term into a hotel, I have chosen the hotel. I find that I sleep more soundly when not surrounded by somewhat oppressive memories of her.
The complications with the insurance company are close to being fully resolved. My attorneys are confident that I will receive the full settlement, since the inspectors have blamed the building explosion on a gas leak. The state of Minnesota is actually changing its inspection policies to ensure that such a disaster does not occur again. Once the financial end is complete, I will begin searching in earnest for an appropriate new property.
I shall now switch to news of a more delicate nature. I have finalized my meeting plans with the two former Waking Guardians, the mentors of the girls who suffered in the crossfire of my altercation with my wife. They have agreed to meet me, alone but in a public space, four days hence.
I have given long thought to what I wish to say and to ask them about the history of their organization in the millennia since you and your generation went into its deep sleep. I will ask them some of the questions you suggested, but not all. I hesitate to say this, but I believe that some of the questions you would like the Waking Guardians to answer would be appropriate to their forebears but not to them. Remember, although you were there at the time of the appointing of the original Waking Guard, hundreds of generations have passed in the interim since. Even as the world has changed, so too I expect that the Waking Guard is very little like what you remember it to be.
I remain very busy here, but it is good to be in command of my own destiny and able to make choices about the direction of my life. I will try to find time to call at a reasonable hour, soon.
Stay safe, and find strength in my love for you.
Your only one,
Da’ashalenne
(Continue to Brook's outbox.)
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Thursday, October 15, 2009
Encrypted message
Sender: unknown
Origin: unknown
Received: 15 October, Thursday
Decrypted message reads:
My dear Mother and Father,
I am sorry I could only speak briefly when you called earlier. Although I am happily in good health and mainly good spirits, I am heavily overextended at present. I look forward to speaking at length when time permits.
You have surely read both my account and Ms. Haupenstaat’s version of the events of this past Monday. I am writing to you now in strict confidence to tell you of the one element of the story in which she and I both lied to the conclave. I would not burden you with this knowledge except that I anticipate needing your advice in the near future. Destroy this message after you have read it.
The Waking Guardians whom Darcy had captured were not killed in the building collapse. Brook and I were able to free them from their bonds and bring them into the protective shield with us. I have omitted this fact from my retelling for a variety of reasons.
First of all (and this is a development that the human bard would have described and an “improbable fiction”), one of the girls was, much to both my and Brook’s amazement, Brook’s own younger sister. I learned in the course of events that Brook’s sister—Chelsea Haupenstaat—had been acting strangely and secretively for the past two months, but Brook had misinterpreted the cause of her conduct.
Apparently, with so many thousands of their descendants populating the world, the Waking Guard long ago ceased passing their responsibilities parent to child in preference for seeking out worthy individuals who showed particular strength. Chelsea and her classmate Deena Markowitz (both sixteen years old) were chosen by an ageing pair of guardians—a married couple who teach biology and Russian at their high school. After judging the girls worthy, the two guardians awakened the latent powers within their young protégées. The girls were of course inexperienced and untried, but when the threat from Darcy’s power play became evident it was they who held the scepters of guardianship. Thus, they considered it their duty to stop her. I do not know what the Waking Guard believes its precise role to be in this strange new world order, but I am convinced that their intentions are at least benevolent.
These two girls were reluctant to speak to me about the Waking Guard (understandable, after their reception from my fiancé), but I negotiated a meeting in the near future with one of their mentors—on the condition that I not alert “the rest of my kind” of their presence. I agreed. If news of my indiscretion comes to light I dearly hope that the conclave considers this deception a necessary step in the useful enterprise of learning the truth about our erstwhile protectors.
As you know, the conclave decided this morning to confer upon me the title of head of household. How very strange it seems, to be indirectly responsible for the demise of my… my wife, since we had spoken vows before she died… of my wife and my in-laws, and yet to nonetheless inherit their lofty position. Obviously, the evidence that the three of us have collected, plus Brook’s testimony, have made it very clear to the conclave that my actions most likely saved them their own positions of power.
I am most relieved to be alive, and no longer subject to the whims of that woman. However, I am surprised by how complicated and potentially dangerous my position remains. I will come to you for advice at my first opportunity. For now there is much to do as I rebuild my holdings.
I remain only yours,
Da’ashalenne
(Continue to Brook's blog.)
Origin: unknown
Received: 15 October, Thursday
Decrypted message reads:
My dear Mother and Father,
I am sorry I could only speak briefly when you called earlier. Although I am happily in good health and mainly good spirits, I am heavily overextended at present. I look forward to speaking at length when time permits.
You have surely read both my account and Ms. Haupenstaat’s version of the events of this past Monday. I am writing to you now in strict confidence to tell you of the one element of the story in which she and I both lied to the conclave. I would not burden you with this knowledge except that I anticipate needing your advice in the near future. Destroy this message after you have read it.
The Waking Guardians whom Darcy had captured were not killed in the building collapse. Brook and I were able to free them from their bonds and bring them into the protective shield with us. I have omitted this fact from my retelling for a variety of reasons.
First of all (and this is a development that the human bard would have described and an “improbable fiction”), one of the girls was, much to both my and Brook’s amazement, Brook’s own younger sister. I learned in the course of events that Brook’s sister—Chelsea Haupenstaat—had been acting strangely and secretively for the past two months, but Brook had misinterpreted the cause of her conduct.
Apparently, with so many thousands of their descendants populating the world, the Waking Guard long ago ceased passing their responsibilities parent to child in preference for seeking out worthy individuals who showed particular strength. Chelsea and her classmate Deena Markowitz (both sixteen years old) were chosen by an ageing pair of guardians—a married couple who teach biology and Russian at their high school. After judging the girls worthy, the two guardians awakened the latent powers within their young protégées. The girls were of course inexperienced and untried, but when the threat from Darcy’s power play became evident it was they who held the scepters of guardianship. Thus, they considered it their duty to stop her. I do not know what the Waking Guard believes its precise role to be in this strange new world order, but I am convinced that their intentions are at least benevolent.
These two girls were reluctant to speak to me about the Waking Guard (understandable, after their reception from my fiancé), but I negotiated a meeting in the near future with one of their mentors—on the condition that I not alert “the rest of my kind” of their presence. I agreed. If news of my indiscretion comes to light I dearly hope that the conclave considers this deception a necessary step in the useful enterprise of learning the truth about our erstwhile protectors.
As you know, the conclave decided this morning to confer upon me the title of head of household. How very strange it seems, to be indirectly responsible for the demise of my… my wife, since we had spoken vows before she died… of my wife and my in-laws, and yet to nonetheless inherit their lofty position. Obviously, the evidence that the three of us have collected, plus Brook’s testimony, have made it very clear to the conclave that my actions most likely saved them their own positions of power.
I am most relieved to be alive, and no longer subject to the whims of that woman. However, I am surprised by how complicated and potentially dangerous my position remains. I will come to you for advice at my first opportunity. For now there is much to do as I rebuild my holdings.
I remain only yours,
Da’ashalenne
(Continue to Brook's blog.)
Monday, October 12, 2009
Encrypted message
Sender: Senior VP’s office
Origin: ReginaPro satellite office
Received: 12 October, Monday
To the lords and ladies of the Conclave,
You will be hearing some very disturbing reports about the ReginaPro building here in Minneapolis over the next few days. I must first of all urge you not to panic; I have everything under control here, and I will make certain that the humans have no reason to suspect that they are not the only intelligent race upon this planet. I swear on my family’s honor that I will keep our secret safe. Please trust me enough to allow me the freedom to control the flow of information here so long as the media are investigating the destruction of the ReginaPro building. Outside interference will most likely make my deception of the humans all the more complicated.
Secondly, I understand that you must have many questions and suspicions of your own about this disaster. I will answer all of your questions to the best of my abilities in the days and weeks to come. My parents know some of it, and I am sending them a message as well asking them to cooperate with your investigation and to convey all of the private suspicions and fears I have harbored in recent months.
The lord and lady of the city, as well as their heir apparent, are dead. I am sorry to tell you this, and I wish it were not so. I wish that I could have saved them, but I was ultimately forced to choose between allowing them to die or witnessing the destruction of millions of human lives. Again, as soon as it is possible I will submit to questioning. I have also commanded the only other survivor to send you a thorough and complete telling of the event as she remembers it.
I know that I am asking much of you. I promise that within a week—two at most—I will prove myself entirely worthy of the trust for which I plead.
I remain ever loyal to your will,
Da’ashalenne
(Continue to Brook's response to Ira.)
Origin: ReginaPro satellite office
Received: 12 October, Monday
To the lords and ladies of the Conclave,
You will be hearing some very disturbing reports about the ReginaPro building here in Minneapolis over the next few days. I must first of all urge you not to panic; I have everything under control here, and I will make certain that the humans have no reason to suspect that they are not the only intelligent race upon this planet. I swear on my family’s honor that I will keep our secret safe. Please trust me enough to allow me the freedom to control the flow of information here so long as the media are investigating the destruction of the ReginaPro building. Outside interference will most likely make my deception of the humans all the more complicated.
Secondly, I understand that you must have many questions and suspicions of your own about this disaster. I will answer all of your questions to the best of my abilities in the days and weeks to come. My parents know some of it, and I am sending them a message as well asking them to cooperate with your investigation and to convey all of the private suspicions and fears I have harbored in recent months.
The lord and lady of the city, as well as their heir apparent, are dead. I am sorry to tell you this, and I wish it were not so. I wish that I could have saved them, but I was ultimately forced to choose between allowing them to die or witnessing the destruction of millions of human lives. Again, as soon as it is possible I will submit to questioning. I have also commanded the only other survivor to send you a thorough and complete telling of the event as she remembers it.
I know that I am asking much of you. I promise that within a week—two at most—I will prove myself entirely worthy of the trust for which I plead.
I remain ever loyal to your will,
Da’ashalenne
(Continue to Brook's response to Ira.)
Friday, October 9, 2009
Encrypted message
Sender: unknown
Origin: unknown
Received: 9 October, Friday
Decrypted message reads:
Dear Mother and Father,
Please call soon. Even with everything going on here, I will find time to speak with you. I need to know the truth of Father’s condition—I understand your desire to protect me, but not knowing the extent of his illness puts me in terrible doubt. Is it the same weakness that plagues all of your generation, or is he truly ill? I beg you to let me know.
I hope this will be the last message that I must send you in secret. Once the wedding has occurred I am certain that, for good or ill, all will be resolved and I will be keeping no secrets from my fiancé. For now though things seem to be growing more dangerous with every passing day. Yesterday I believe I came within a hairsbreadth of my fiancé discovering the truth of how I am molding the human assistant for my own ends in the coming struggle. The girl came into the office at an inopportune time, while the two of us were arguing about the implications of the changed wedding date. I have placed a great burden onto the girl’s unknowing shoulders.
I am glad she is ignorant of her role, for even uninformed she is in such grave danger. Things will be bad for her in the coming weeks; I cannot imagine how much worse they would be if she had any inkling of how I plan to use her.
However, I have also decided (after a long period of contemplation) that I must take the risk of contacting the Waking Guard to seek their help. If they ignore my entreaty and then later my attempt to contact them comes to light, the repercussions can be no worse than what I already expect to face if my plan fails. They are potential allies though, and I believe it is worth the risk to seek their help. I sent a message two days ago in the ancient codes, asking them to meet with me. I am certain they will find the message. The only question is whether or not they will believe that I write in good faith.
Time speeds forward. By the end of this month all will be resolved.
But in the meantime, Mother and Father, care for yourselves. Knowing that you are safe and comfortable will put me greatly at ease and free my attention for what I need to do.
With love,
Da’ashalenne
(Continue to status updates.)
Origin: unknown
Received: 9 October, Friday
Decrypted message reads:
Dear Mother and Father,
Please call soon. Even with everything going on here, I will find time to speak with you. I need to know the truth of Father’s condition—I understand your desire to protect me, but not knowing the extent of his illness puts me in terrible doubt. Is it the same weakness that plagues all of your generation, or is he truly ill? I beg you to let me know.
I hope this will be the last message that I must send you in secret. Once the wedding has occurred I am certain that, for good or ill, all will be resolved and I will be keeping no secrets from my fiancé. For now though things seem to be growing more dangerous with every passing day. Yesterday I believe I came within a hairsbreadth of my fiancé discovering the truth of how I am molding the human assistant for my own ends in the coming struggle. The girl came into the office at an inopportune time, while the two of us were arguing about the implications of the changed wedding date. I have placed a great burden onto the girl’s unknowing shoulders.
I am glad she is ignorant of her role, for even uninformed she is in such grave danger. Things will be bad for her in the coming weeks; I cannot imagine how much worse they would be if she had any inkling of how I plan to use her.
However, I have also decided (after a long period of contemplation) that I must take the risk of contacting the Waking Guard to seek their help. If they ignore my entreaty and then later my attempt to contact them comes to light, the repercussions can be no worse than what I already expect to face if my plan fails. They are potential allies though, and I believe it is worth the risk to seek their help. I sent a message two days ago in the ancient codes, asking them to meet with me. I am certain they will find the message. The only question is whether or not they will believe that I write in good faith.
Time speeds forward. By the end of this month all will be resolved.
But in the meantime, Mother and Father, care for yourselves. Knowing that you are safe and comfortable will put me greatly at ease and free my attention for what I need to do.
With love,
Da’ashalenne
(Continue to status updates.)
Friday, October 2, 2009
Encrypted message
Sender: unknown
Origin: unknown
Received: 2 October, Friday
Decrypted message reads:
Dear Mother and Father,
I do not know how much information the conclave has decided to pass along to the families, but I am sure you have at least heard on the human news that lightning struck our building three times—and it is believed to be the work of “rogue supers.”
The facilities under the building were unaffected by the attack, but given their concentration on our building and the nature of the attack, all of us are confident that these so-called rogues are in fact members of the Waking Guard.
I do not know how I feel about this development, but of course I must pretend to be outraged and worried about how it will affect “our” plans. Truly though, I do not think I am pleased. There were already too many variables in play before this.
I remind myself that the Waking Guard was loyal to their oath to protect us all when we still slept beneath the ice, even though they did not wake us at the appointed time or in the millennia that followed. This attack seems to provide proof that their order still exists, but in what form? Would they even be like us, ore are the “super” humans living in every corner of the world lingering proof that they have interbred and now see themselves as more similar to the humans than to their proud ancestors?
I realize that we have all speculated endlessly on these and similar questions. But with this new development, the situation takes on a new urgency. I suspect that these attackers want the same thing that you and I do—to put an end to the insanity and to depose the reigning family before they destroy the whole city. I wish there were some way to contact these new players.
In the meantime, I must appear to echo the sentiments of the others around me. It won’t be difficult—I do still have grave doubts about the attackers, and this does complicate matters. And I fear that I have grown adept at lying in recent months.
So many elements in play.
So many possibilities for a fatal misstep.
Whatever happens, I will do all in my power to make you proud.
(Continue to status updates.)
Origin: unknown
Received: 2 October, Friday
Decrypted message reads:
Dear Mother and Father,
I do not know how much information the conclave has decided to pass along to the families, but I am sure you have at least heard on the human news that lightning struck our building three times—and it is believed to be the work of “rogue supers.”
The facilities under the building were unaffected by the attack, but given their concentration on our building and the nature of the attack, all of us are confident that these so-called rogues are in fact members of the Waking Guard.
I do not know how I feel about this development, but of course I must pretend to be outraged and worried about how it will affect “our” plans. Truly though, I do not think I am pleased. There were already too many variables in play before this.
I remind myself that the Waking Guard was loyal to their oath to protect us all when we still slept beneath the ice, even though they did not wake us at the appointed time or in the millennia that followed. This attack seems to provide proof that their order still exists, but in what form? Would they even be like us, ore are the “super” humans living in every corner of the world lingering proof that they have interbred and now see themselves as more similar to the humans than to their proud ancestors?
I realize that we have all speculated endlessly on these and similar questions. But with this new development, the situation takes on a new urgency. I suspect that these attackers want the same thing that you and I do—to put an end to the insanity and to depose the reigning family before they destroy the whole city. I wish there were some way to contact these new players.
In the meantime, I must appear to echo the sentiments of the others around me. It won’t be difficult—I do still have grave doubts about the attackers, and this does complicate matters. And I fear that I have grown adept at lying in recent months.
So many elements in play.
So many possibilities for a fatal misstep.
Whatever happens, I will do all in my power to make you proud.
(Continue to status updates.)
Thursday, October 1, 2009
Outbox: Next steps
To: RP-all staff
From: Darcy Ages
Subject: Next steps
Dear friends,
From the preliminary information I’ve gathered from you all and from the police, it doesn’t seem that anyone is seriously injured. I am so relieved that you are all safe, but if you or anyone around you starts to exhibit symptoms of trauma, please seek aid ASAP. We will have an onsite doctor in room 907 for the next week—walk-ins welcome.
Thank you all for your hard work since the attack earlier today. Yes, I used the word “attack.” Many bystanders, I’m sure you know, noticed suspicious activity just before the freak storm, and the police do not believe that the three bolts of lightning that struck the building were natural occurrences. They are investigating the possibility of rogue supers.
Rogue supers. If those words send a chill down your spine, you aren’t the only one. Even the youngest employees here are ReginaPro are old enough to clearly remember the Firestorm Siege, and some of you were already adults in the days jut after the Great Awakening, when it was almost commonplace for supers with newly discovered powers to break laws and endanger those around them for their own selfish benefit. I for one am very grateful for the work of the National Super Coalition, which has successfully prevented such attacks for many years, and I look forward to cooperating with them in every way possible as they investigate this dangerous behavior.
The police still have no idea why any rogue supers would attack us, though. W may just be the random victims of a deranged mind. However, if anyone can think of a possible motive (or, even better, suspects for this crime) email me directly and I will be in immediate contact.
Until we know more we will be continuing with business as usual. However, our chief of security will be implementing emergency protocols and regular drills in the next two weeks. We will all do our best to cooperate with his plans.
Again, I thank you for your loyalty. I know we can get past this together.
Darcy Ages
(Continue to Brook's blog.)
From: Darcy Ages
Subject: Next steps
Dear friends,
From the preliminary information I’ve gathered from you all and from the police, it doesn’t seem that anyone is seriously injured. I am so relieved that you are all safe, but if you or anyone around you starts to exhibit symptoms of trauma, please seek aid ASAP. We will have an onsite doctor in room 907 for the next week—walk-ins welcome.
Thank you all for your hard work since the attack earlier today. Yes, I used the word “attack.” Many bystanders, I’m sure you know, noticed suspicious activity just before the freak storm, and the police do not believe that the three bolts of lightning that struck the building were natural occurrences. They are investigating the possibility of rogue supers.
Rogue supers. If those words send a chill down your spine, you aren’t the only one. Even the youngest employees here are ReginaPro are old enough to clearly remember the Firestorm Siege, and some of you were already adults in the days jut after the Great Awakening, when it was almost commonplace for supers with newly discovered powers to break laws and endanger those around them for their own selfish benefit. I for one am very grateful for the work of the National Super Coalition, which has successfully prevented such attacks for many years, and I look forward to cooperating with them in every way possible as they investigate this dangerous behavior.
The police still have no idea why any rogue supers would attack us, though. W may just be the random victims of a deranged mind. However, if anyone can think of a possible motive (or, even better, suspects for this crime) email me directly and I will be in immediate contact.
Until we know more we will be continuing with business as usual. However, our chief of security will be implementing emergency protocols and regular drills in the next two weeks. We will all do our best to cooperate with his plans.
Again, I thank you for your loyalty. I know we can get past this together.
Darcy Ages
(Continue to Brook's blog.)
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