Companionship - beyond flesh

Points of view

He says that I am, but doesn't understand what that has to do with anything, and neither do I.

Emma continues, "This woman is different Max, she commands respect and love from others, and I do not understand how she does it. Perhaps if you saw her in her natural state that would provide a more basic insight?"

Max doesn't understand.

"Naked." Emma clarifies.

"NO!", both Max and I exclaim.

The strange and annoying music in my ears stops suddenly, but amid this bizarre discourse I hardly notice.

Max takes my defence and says, "No, it's not her physical appearance that gives her respect and admiration. You're a Captain right?" he asks me, and I nod.

"Yes," he continues,"part of it is her rank. The Captain demands respect because the smooth running on board a ship requires discipline. So the crew must trust and follow her--it is the highest of the spacefarer's law."

Good Max, I think to myself with hope, this might work.

He continues, "But it's more than just rank. A good Captain earns respect by working hard over time to be fair and courageous in the face of adversity. I don't know the history of this woman, but it would seem to me that others would easily follow her."

Emma is interested, "But why Max? Why so easily?"

He shrugs his shoulders, "She is kind perhaps?" He looks to me with a shy glance, "She does look confident and kind of fun--like she would be easy to get along with."

There is silence while Emma considers his words.

I swallow expecting the worst but am surprised by Emma's reaction.

"Okay Max, I think I understand. Her ability to stand above the others is a function of her rank and her general disposition towards others?"

Max shrugs again, "Yes, I'd say so. But if I understand people at all, and if this Captain is as good as you say she is, then it would be her ability to stand with others, not above them-- that would be the key."

Thank Jah, Emma nods with approval. But our attention is ripped away by a sound from the great tree that reaches out above us. It's a strange scratchy sound, perhaps a voice that is hard to make out, it says something like 'soup' and then again, and another voice, slightly deeper. No, they are saying  'Zeus'.

The Churchman:

I must make them see that now is the time of the eternal return. She, beguiled by Satan had taken the poisonous fruit and brought forth death and sin upon this place. Now judgement must be enforced as it was before. I, Uriel, must shout above the din!

"So it is in the book written where the voice of God they heard walking in the Garden, by soft winds brought to their ears, but they from his presence hid among the thickest trees, both man and wife, till the emissary approached and to Adam he called out. Adam hiding thus to the emissary said, 'I heard thee in the Garden, and of thy voice I was afraid, and being naked, hid myself''. And hiding also, Eve with overwhelming shame confessed, 'the Serpent beguiled me and I did eat!'

"So spake God to Satan, 'Because thou hast done this, thou art accursed above all! Under each beast of the field upon thy belly groveling thou shalt go, and dust shalt thee eat for all the days of thy life. Between thee and the woman, I will put enmity, and between thine and her Seed. Her seed shall bruise thy head; thou bruise his heel.

"And to Eve God spake: Thy sorrow I will greatly multiply! By thy conception children thou shalt bring in sorrow forth, and to thy husband's will thine submit, he over thee shall rule!

"And to Adam: 'thou shalt not eat from this garden! Cursed is the ground for thy sake, thou shall eat in sorrow for the rest of your days; thorns and thistles, the herbs of the field and by the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread till thou return unto the ground, for thou out of the ground was taken. Know thy birth, for dust thou are, and to dust thou shall return!'"

What is that I hear? Is it the name of the emissary, Jesus? No, it is the name of the beast, it is this day called Zeus. I scream, "Come Zeus Delta, for today we meet, not in my brain, but in the material plain. Come, taste my sword!"

C-Buck:

"Will someone tell the Devil over there to shut the fuck up." I see Evenjevy nod in agreement. I place my hand on his shoulder and give a brotherly squeeze. "Man, I hope we make it out of this." I turn my attention to Ven, by all that is pure and good in nature, I love her, but there is nothing I can do to help. Nothing.

Peter Grimes:

I have to get out of here, but where do I go? Back to my ship or to the Ophiuchian Parsifal, which is mine by salvage law. Oh, the music has stopped. That's a relief; I could hardly hear myself think. Not that it's much better with all the madness around me and now the tree is calling out names. What a shame that Max has lost his mind. Time to make a quiet exit.

Zeus Delta:

    Load objective: 'chrysalis'.

    Cancel theme song audio output.

    For each member of collection in offspring access interface

        Pipe new output image to offspring:

            Set depiction of warmth and comfort from a kind and generous Zeus Delta.

        Initiate physical verbal instance and output "Zeus".

        Initialise physical configuration: 'chry'.