"The Girl and the Teapot" originally appeared in Tevun-Krus #28: Theological SF
Author's note from angerbda: For me, Science Fiction is more than just pretty stories about strange futures, weird time wrap or amazing aliens. It is all about the warped nature of Mankind, the twisted mind of human, and their ability to destroy and to create.
Science fiction is a history lesson of sort, in a foreseeing way.
It is also all about hope...
Hope in a Greater Good...
Did you meet The Girl? The Girl is still a bit naïve, though she learns. On her adventures, she learns about Human nature and the greater picture. What about the almighty? Is there Hope in believing in the Greater Good? Is there Hope in following a pink cloud? What if all we believe was just a good laugh for others? In what Truth does Hope reside? Shall you follow the adventure of The Girl and The Teapot to find an answer?
Note from Red_Harvey, who selected it: A story in which discoveries on Venus forces citizens of Earth to question their religious ideologies, which, to me, is an entirely probable scenario.
The Girl and the Teapot
by angerbda
"If you would be a real seeker after truth, it is necessary that at least once in your life you doubt, as far as possible, all things."
Rene Descartes
*-*-*
"I have a meeting with Reverend Holyster," the girl told the receptionist.
Until recently, she just had to knock on his door in the Intelligence Department to see her boss. However, since his accession to the Hierarch office, the old man was now one of the forty-two leaders of the Revered Church.
She dreaded this meeting. Recently, all of her discussions with her superior had led her to complex and strenuous missions. Though she was a proud and efficient Intelligence officer, the spy life started to weight on her shoulders. She was at this stage where all her female friends had already settled with husband and kids...
Since her return to Earth after her last mission, the girl had been drowned in reports and meetings with her superiors and other departments of the Church of Her Holy Pinkness. The discovery of sentient life on Venus had cast unrest in the Faith, thus threatening the World stability and peace.
There was a conservative branch, in the heart of the IPU's Holy Home, that didn't acknowledge the Plant of Venus as part of the Great Invisible Creation, even if they showed signs of intelligence, communication and social organization. They were still plants, however, which was the basis for those extremists to reject their existence. They doomed these new Life forms to the Great Pile of Manure, where any and all followers of the Purple Oyster of Doom shall end their miserable lives. Or so said the ones considering themselves those self-appointed "true Believers".
The girls just thought of them as a crazy bunch creating more trouble than anything. She feared that the excitation and unrest built due to the discovery on Venus would lead to new Crusade like actions, as it happened in the twenty-second century.
At this time, wars of religions were worldwide spread. Humankind was doomed to extinction. Or at least, men were in their way to destroy their planet. Religion was banned, to avoid conflict, but this didn't solve anything. Until a group of scientists rediscovered ancient texts showing a religion of cohesion and consistency.
Nowadays, the Holy Church of the Invisible Pink Unicorn was the dominant religion and the worldwide government. The One and Only. However, there were still some people not believing in Her Great Invisibility, May Her Hooves Never Be Shod. There were still non-believers and theists, although, those weren't a real threat to the peace and stability. The problem was more coming from the heretics. The colanders wearer. Those damned Space Pirates...
"The Reverend is waiting for you, Miss Martha."
So, for this mission she would be Martha, the girl thought. Her anonymity was part of the job routine. Her name changed often. One for every new job. One for every new date. It didn't help much for her social life, but she was devoted to the sacred work of chasing and eliminating space pirates and pasta worshippers.
Now that the old man was a Hierarch, she wondered who would be taking his position at the head of the Intelligence department. There were a number of sneaky men she could think of. However, she hoped none of these would be her new boss, as she didn't like their deceitfulness, nor their underhanded method. Some would say these were what made them good spies, but she always thought one could be good at this job while remaining true and faithful. A bit of a naïve view, probably; her leitmotiv nonetheless.
Voices could be heard as she neared the door she had been directed to. It was the first time she came to this part of the Church. The headquarters of the different departments where all located in the main sanctuary, though she was more used to the quiet area of the cloister that housed the spies' offices. She preferred it also, less bling and decorum, a more nature place, she used to think, would lead to a better communion with Her Great Pinkness, Blessed Be Her Holy Hooves.
The curt answer she received after knocking let her know Reverend Holyster probably had received a blessing from the IPU. The sight of a grumbling tall, dark, old man in pink welcomed her as she entered the room. She fought to maintain her control and not to laugh much at the picture.
"Another visitation?" She asked the man, taunting him.
It had been a habit between these two to mock and provoke each other. Their way to show the affection they shared. The people closed to them had no issue with the banter, knowing well it had no negativity in it. Others would ponder if they hated each other.
"Don't tempt him too much, Magda."
The voice came from a corner, hidden in the dark. The girl didn't see the younger man when she entered the room as he was standing behind her, however she knew instantly who he was.
"Mike. Nice meeting you. Again." The man, Mike Holyster, had been part of her two previous missions. He had rescued her from the iced depth of Europa, one of Jupiter's moon, and he was with her during the discovery of the sentient plants on Venus. Magda had been the name for her mission on Europa, and, since then, he always called her that when they met.
Mike looked like a younger version of the Reverend. As they shared the same last name, she always wondered if they were related. Father and son perhaps. Though she never dared asked about it. There was a rule in the Intelligence department. One was supposed to know and be prepared, or to find by themselves... She wouldn't dare to ask because she didn't want to appear ignorant in front of her mentor and this man. So, she behaved as she used to when these two were together, she feigned that she knew how the two men were related to each other.
"Let's just say She visited me last night," Reverend Holyster confirmed, "and that I have proof of her blessing." He slightly brought up the leg of his pant and the girl was able to see a bright pink sock.
"Can I believe there are Holy holes in these blessed socks?" She added not able to refrain the grin and the laughter. The reverend answered with a groan.
"I didn't asked you to come today to talk about how blessed I am. We have a situation we need to take care of." The Hierarch explained how the unrest and the questions to the Faith that recently spread in the population was in fact the work of a small group, the Pink Guard, self-proclaimed true believers of the IPU. They were a group of radicals inside the Church who wanted to purify the Faith. They were easily recognized by the fact that they wore only pink and when they removed their shoes you could see holes in their socks. The leaders of the groups even went as far as wearing only one sock and leaving one foot bare. Though they tried to broadcast to the masses that they were the chosen ones, the Holy blessed, they were but a bunch of fanatics interpreting the signs and the precepts of Her Great Invisibility to their advantage.
"The Pink Guard," Mike added to the reverend's explanation, "are attempting to eliminate any sort of freedom, starting by the freedom of religion. You know that, even if the IPU's Church is the main religion on Earth, Her Great Pinkness, Blessed Be Her Holy Hooves, teach us to accept and embrace all even if they think differently. Sure, the case of the Colander's wearers is a bit of an exception as we have to protect Earth against the pirates and their depredations, this to ensure the Great Creation is not destroyed..."
The girl had still a bit of an issue with the apparent paradox between the message of peace and harmony of Her Sacred Hooved Goddess and the need of removing the Pirates from the surface of the Big Blue. She had accepted that this was probably part of the big cosmic scheme where the IPU had a reason for this seemingly witch hunt. By chasing the Space Pirates, the Intelligence department of the Church ensured that the Galaxy territories were distributed equally among Her Great Invisibility's Creation equally: the Earth and similar planets were inhabited by the IPU's believers and those who didn't create much waves, and the iced planets and asteroids were the dens of the Space Pirates, a place where they would be ensured that no Global Warming would bring them to extinction. All in all, this was still leading to harmony and peace.
"... ready to leave in two days." Mike concluded. His expression definitely showed that he knew she didn't listen much of what he had explained. With an exasperated sigh he summarized for the wandering girl.
"The Pink Guard is trying to raise havoc and they planned to bring upfront a copy of the Holy Book. The thing is that not a lot know about these texts, and even fewer, where they are located."
"Aren't there any copies of the Holy prints?"
"Magda, my dear, if you had listened to me earlier you would have known that there are not." Mikes' exasperation was growing.
"Kids! No need to fight." Reverend Holyster's aura was shining pink with amusement. "Magda, Girl, you and Mike will be taking the Russel Way in two days. You will go on Ch'a T'ing T'sao and retrieve the Holy Texts, ensuring they are safely guarded. I will take care of the Pink Guard. Most of the forty-two are on my side, so I can easily find ways to arrest or restrain these troublemakers."
The reverend's words had a final taste. The girl knew when she had been given marching orders, and no discussion was welcomed at this point. Mike seemed to read the situation the same way. He was heading toward the door when he turned and gave a salute to the older man.
"Take care dad. See you in a week."
The girl followed in his steps and closed the door behind her.
"I knew it!" She thought she had said it low, but Mike picked on the whispered words.
"Yeah, sure!" He grumbled, not wanting to talk anymore to Magda. He still had mixed feeling about partnering with her on this mission. He knew the girl was a naïve and optimistic one and he feared this would just lead to trouble and another rescue-like expedition. He still wondered how she could have been recruited by the Intelligence department. She was one of these do-gooders who thought harmony and peace was the only way of interacting with others. She was not only naïve, she also had strong beliefs she forced upon any and all around her. Mike was almost sure Magda believed she was participating in a big and holy harmonic scheme by chasing and fighting pirates. How she could last in the job, he was still amazed at it. Some were surely and truly blessed, he thought. And simple mindedness was probably the best blessing for those like this girl.
*-*-*
Two days later, Magda and Mike met at the IPU Armed Forces space port. They needed a fast ship to reach Ch'a T'ing T'sao, the green planet. It was located between Earth and Mars, an expense of green in all its glory. During the twentieth century, a seer had a vision in which, between the Earth and Mars, was a china teapot revolving about the sun in an elliptical orbit.
The existence of the emerald planet had been a joke and a myth for centuries until its discovery on 2180. After the rise of the IPU Church at the wheel of the worldwide government, special expeditions had been organized to uncover the truth behind the teapot theory. The first images of the green lush had been provided by Russel-V, the eighth unmanned spacecraft sent for exploration on this quadrant.
At that time, the technology was in its baby-talk stage, low thrust rockets were the best the engineers could provide. The first journey had taken fifty days for the spaceship to reach its destination. Rapidly, though, with antimatter control, the travel time had been reduced to 10 days.
Due to the urgency of the situation, the girl and Mike would be taking a Flying Sock, one of those second generation spaceship with improved anti-matter engine. With it, they should land on Ch'a T'ing T'sao in two days only. Progress was on its way, although light speed was still a laboratory subject for people on Earth, nowadays. The Flying Spaghetti Monster Space Army had some vessels using this technology, however, which explained why the followers of Her Great Pinkness always had some trouble catching the Space Pirates and other FSM's believers.
The two spies took advantage of the confinement of the journey to organize their action plan. Mike knew a bit more about the location of the Holy Texts, being higher ranked than the girl in the department, he had access to more critical information. It seemed he was also one of the potential replacement for the Reverend at the head of the Intelligence Services of Her Great Invisibility, May Her Hooves Never Be Shod. This came as another reason why he acted carefully around Magda. He didn't want unnecessary feelings charging their possible future work relation.
Their mission had a simple plan: retrieve the texts and assess if they were protected enough so that they could leave them there, otherwise, they would have to repatriate the holy documents to Earth and place them under the efficient surveillance of the Church.
"I see you have a questioning look, Magda." Mike was observing her and a lot of thoughts seemed to overcome her mind. "Perhaps you are wondering why the Holy texts are located on the green planet."
"That's a wonder, indeed..." The girl tried to sound blasé, but she was really curious about the strange situation.
"Well, it is a bit complicated, though quite simple." Mike was feeling like a lecturer teaching a bored student. He had to explain, nonetheless, as it would help during their sojourn on Ch'a. He didn't want his partner to create any trouble. And Goddess knew she could be quite the trouble sometimes.
"You see, when the first men came on Ch'a T'ing T'sao, they discovered a place with a flourishing nature and animals similar to what could be found on Earth. Then, they found the aliens, a sentient specie so much alike humans that, for the astronauts landing here, it was a bit like going back home."
Mike continued to explain how the first visitors from Earth had been overwhelmed by the level of technology and knowledge the aliens had mastered. They also discovered a series of texts that would suggest the prevalence of the Invisible Pink Unicorn as the Creator of the Universe. It was then decided that the Faith was strong and that the aliens had been its guardians.
The girl was impatient to see this planet that could be considered the Holy Stables of her Great Invisibility. The place where the Faith of the Church was birthed and the divine neigh, recorded.
*-*-*
On the tenth hour of the second day, the Flying Sock was near enough Ch'a for the passengers to marvel about the beautiful green. The verdant planet was a mix of deep sea green and brighter lime, with a touch of shamrock and fern. It was the first time Magda saw such tempting turquoise waters and mouthwatering mint plains. Located between Earth, the Big Blue Sapphire, and Mars, the Fire Star Ruby, Ch'a T'ing T'sao, the Pure Emerald, had nothing to envy to the other jewels of the Galaxy.
Mike observed attentively the switching emotions on Magda's eyes. He knew what she was experiencing as he went through the same, years ago, when he first set foot on this planet. He since learned not to take everything at face value. The quiet and peaceful feelings experienced on Ch'a weren't always all that great.
"Master Holyster, I presume? I am Who Long." A medium size man approached them as they disembarked the Flying Sock. In his quality of liaison with the IPU Church, he explained, he would be their host as long as they would stay on the Planet.
All business-like, Mike presented the girl to him and went to the point about their mission.
"If you'd like to follow me, we can see who required access to the texts in the recent weeks." Who Long was showing the way to a tall building located on a central place, not too different from the central building back home, thought the girl.
As they entered a large hall, they were surrounded by walls full of books and rolls.
"Master Pecoe?" Who Long addressed a short and burly man who was surveilling the place with sharp eyes. "Would you mind letting us access the records for Section H?"
The man acquiesced and hushed them toward a door on the side. Behind said door, they entered a small room with shelves everywhere and a tiny desk in the center. Pecoe lighted the desk lamp and opened a drawer full of manila folders. Magda thought that, despite their supposed technology, they were quite backdated with this file system.
The man took one page and set it on the desk, under the lamp light. The girl reviewed her assessment of the low-tech setting, however, when she saw the play of the light on the paper. Words were moving as the man threaded his fingers through thin air. Seeing the holographic projection from the piece of paper, Magda was completely stunned, though she tried not to show her surprise.
"Here is the list of the visitors for section H," Pecoe was saying. "Do you want to see the requests for any particular text?"
Mike asked for the people who had asked to read the Holy Texts.
"Well..." The man moved his right hand in front of him, then turned slightly the left one, to finally snap his fingers. The girl was trying to understand the working of the interface he was using as she got more and more confused.
"There had been two humans from Earth three weeks ago, they had credential from the Church. They stayed a short time and left straight after that. No other visits for the texts." The man twirled his fingers slowly, then stopped, raising a brow. "Oh, and there is a Captain Redhook. He arrived yesterday and is in Section H at this moment."
Who Long thanked Pecoe before leading Mike and Magda further inside the building. They passed elegantly arched halls, comfortable reading lounges and inspiringly quiet areas. Section H seemed to be located at the core of the big Library. The room was spartiate. Few couches along the walls were not enough to fill the emptiness of the place. In the center, a pedestal with a glass cover received the light of a number of LEDs strategically positioned all around and above the display.
The girl approached the glass casing to look at it. As she came nearer, she saw a man standing opposite of her, his head bent, reading something. Quietly, she walked and stood beside him to look at what kept his attention.
She didn't know what she expected exactly, yet, the girl was surprised by the sight under the glass panel. There lied a fragile looking papery thing. Although, with her previous experience with the alien gadget in the archives room, she exercised some critical thinking. This could also have been some ancient yet advanced technology.
Magda looked more attentively at the document and started reading. She didn't go far, however, as she realized what she saw were only colorful drawn lines on paper, symbols with meaning she couldn't understand. She raised her gaze expectantly and met with Mike's. Her partner was observing her, waiting for her next move.
Silently, the girl left the text and its glass cover, and walked toward the door where Who Long was standing. Though she was silent, she was shouting in her mind, demanding answers to her unspoken questions.
*-*-*
"Would you like a cup of tea?" Who Long asked as they exited Section H and the Library. Acquiescing, the two spies followed him to a small house, a short walking distance from the central building. It looked like a coffee shop, tables and seats disposed around a busy room, a counter along a wall with people standing on each side, some severing and others drinking from steaming cups.
Their host led them through a back door to a covered courtyard. The place was quiet and private enough for them to have a serious conversion with no one eavesdropping.
Who Long ordered matcha for everyone. A charming server came with three cups and a teapot. He added some green powder and vigorously mixed it with water he poured in the cups before presenting them to the waiting patrons. The girl took a small sip, hesitant at first, then enjoying the rich flavor of the emerald beverage.
"I could see that the security is as good as I had been told." Mike's voice broke the silence.
"You can rest assured that we had no breach of security with anything in our Library since a long time ago." The other man confirmed in a controlled and equal tone. "The last incident we had was quite a long time ago. One of our scholar was working on rocks. Strange as it is, rocks used to be good lasting support for any kind of message. We don't know what happened exactly but a part of his support disappeared. He was creating different languages at the time, to see if one could be used as universal mode of communication. Anyway... this is an old story..."
Mike nodded in understanding. "Do you think the last group, with the Church credential, that your colleague mentioned, could have taken anything from the Library?"
Who Long paused a short moment, as if to think about the answer. "I don't think they got what they were looking for. When they left they seemed to be arguing with each other's, and I was told they didn't looked too satisfied with what they found."
The girl thought quickly about what implied what she just heard. It could mean they still had some time before the next move from the Pink Guard. "Can you provide us with any description or information about the group?"
"I can do better than giving you description. I think," their host answered hastily, "there are records of everyone who enters the Library."
The trio continued discussing about the information available on the people they suspected to be the group of extremists inside the Church. Who Long promised images and records. Mike and Magda thanked him and asked some more questions about the security on the Library. All seemed to be under control, and the two spies had no more reason to stay on Ch'a T'ing T'sao, except, perhaps, to visit some plantation and purchase high grade quality tea.
*-*-*
They couldn't extend their stay without any valid reason. Mike and Magda headed to the landing pad the third day after their arrival. They had thanked Who Long for his hospitality and the collaboration he provided them in their mission. The girl was happy, she found some pink tea. She had been told it was a calming, efficient brew. When infused in lukewarm water, it became a deep pink tourmaline. She had purchased some to offer it to Reverend Holyster.
As they settled in their Flying Sock, Magda thought about the output of their mission. No major discovery, no major catastrophe neither. She was pleased with the way they sorted things out, though a nagging thought remained on the back of her mind.
"Did we really see the Holy Text, Mike?" She was still wondering about the document under the glass casing.
"Sure. We did." Mike's answer was short, not offering much explanation either.
"But, there was nothing in it. Just some drawings, or whatever it was..." Magda wasn't still too convinced.
"Well, Pretty Lady, did you ever wonder about the basis of your faith?" Captain Redhook didn't ask for permission to board, he just entered the confined space of the ship and settled on a seat beside the two Church's spies.
"What do you want, Redhook?" Mike didn't seemed too bothered by his presence.
"What the heck is a Pirate doing here?" The girl wasn't too pleased to see the man.
"I have some things to discuss with you guys, a problem we just discovered on Europa," the man sounded serious, though he was flashing a big grin to the girl.
"And why would we listen to a pagan?" Magda was angry seeing the sans-gene of the captain.
"Not pagan. Heretic if you want. After all, we almost shared the same god, we just don't see it the same way." Redhook took pleasure looking at her face getting redder with rage.
"What a guy praying to a plate of food would know about Faith and Truth?" She was now fuming.
"Well... it's not like no one in history had ever revered some animals. Some even prayed to trees. Anyway, not the question here. We have a bigger problem..." Redhook tried to get back to the more serious subject.
"What problem? Your God switched from soppy noodles to pizza?" The girl was feeling petty but couldn't stop herself.
"Okay, children. That will do." Mike, exasperated, cut short the banter. "What is the problem, Redhook?"
"We found a strange device on Europa. The thing is that people started to act strangely after the apparition of lights similar to the Aurora Borealis you can see on Earth." The captain explained that the phenomenon was completely unknown on the Jovian satellite. It just wasn't supposed to be.
"And this device you found could be the origin of the atmospheric lights?" Mike was now giving his full attention to the pirate.
"Yes. And we traced the origin of the device to this planet, the green Ch'a T'ing T'sao. We think the guys here are trying to manipulate us. But we still don't know if they are just playing around with pretty lights or are planning a take-over of sort." The pirate sounded convincing to Magda, so much that she forgot momentarily that the man was an enemy.
"We'll look into it, Redhook, check if we find anything similar on Earth." Mike, then, asked then more details about the device and a way to communicate with the pirates about the situation. With the captain, they set a plan and decided they should report to their respective hierarchy.
The pirate left them shortly after and the Flying Sock started her journey back to Earth.
"Hey, Mike! Was it true what Redhook said?" Magda was still trying to make some sense into what had been discussed earlier.
"You mean about the device? Sure!" Mike answered lightly, occupied to set the flight path into the console.
"No. I mean about the religion and its basis. What if the Holy Texts are just some pretty drawing? Could someone really see in it the founding of one's faith?" She started to doubt about what she had believed all her life.
"Well...," the man tried to keep simple in his explanation, "what counts really is not what is written, but what you believe is. What really counts is what's in your heart." He looked at the girl, thoughtful. "You know, Redhook was right. We are not too different. We read the same texts and just decide to interpret it differently. We believe in an invisible pink unicorn, he prays to a flying dish of creamy spaghetti. Nonetheless, the difference is just in the way we picture things. We all believe in some divine entity that created the Universe and that gave sense to our lives, which makes us the same, in the end."
"I just hope that all this is not the result of a game some bored aliens are playing with us...," he concluded in a pensive tone.
*-*-*
On the green planet, Who Long was enjoying a cup of Keemum. He was in the mood for a rich flavor, something colorful for his taste buds. A fair and lean man was seating in front of him, his tea cup still untouched.
"So, Sencha... Did you make any progress with the invisible spectrum? You promised you could manage those frequencies. You know that the council has already planned the painting of the Andromeda quadrant. The species in the Milky Way are too easy to manipulate... it's getting boring..."