cosmic-backup/gopher/Trobairitz/parting-the-veil-01.txt

The Saggites of Dron, the summer star—Schedar in the Cassiopeia
constellation of old Earth—have a story to tell. I am Dinah
Musafa Trobairitz, and it is my duty and pleasure to tell it.

A brief introduction must come before we begin. I am the first of
the Trobairitz to touch the Quantum Entanglement Communicator, so
many of you will not know us. We are storytellers and travelers
missioned to share the tales of the universe with its people. We
are not journalists. We are not interested in fact or avoiding
bias, of arguing philosophy and passing judgements. We share the
stories.

This story begins in the 855th year since the founding of Beroun,
when a young woman named Sinda began her first holiday. She was
leaving that industrious city behind for respite in the
picturesque town of Ausix. More importantly, she was going to see
and old friend.

The late morning air was warm despite the spray of salt water. The
ferry inched along toward the harbor against a determined wind,
forcing her to squint at the wooden homes peeking through the
trees. Their colorful roofs, a signature of Ausix, dotted the
hillside in its gentle arc toward the Ausentia mountains in the
distance. Beyond them and as far as the eye could see were the
tall sentinels with their perfectly perpendicular trunks and
prickly needle boughs. Together they formed an endless blanket of
green growing softer and hazier as the kilometers stretch on.
Directly ahead, approaching at a snails pace, were three great
wooden platforms painted in white that made up the small harbor.
Boats were arrayed with their masts jutting into sky and lines
wrapped amongst themselves like some nautical spider's fantasy.
Everything smelled of fish and salt and dirty engines. And peace,
thought Sinda.

When finally the boat reached its destination she was the first
away, her silk-weave pack hanging loosely over one shoulder. With
a graceful hop she was ashore and striding confidently along the
pier. Waves of sound lapped at her from ahead bearing hints of
a festival and the laughing of children. Then directly ahead were
the tiny faces painted in colors and patterns like flowers and
animals mimicking those creatures in their play. A young one of
perhaps eight or nine darted around her from behind and shot off
in a weave through the crowd entering their holiday like buzzing
bees. The girl, or perhaps a boy, leapt long to avoid a puddle
where the pier met the solid ground and continued onward up the
cobblestones to a majestic fountain of dark stone and brilliant
blue water. There they boy, for his voice gave him away, chortled
a string of insults to turn the sailor's heads, and a rush of
children started after him in chase. The screams of delight
followed the mob into the distance, through a painted gate with
ornate masks hanging en masse before their cries were lost in the
sound of music, shouting, and the ringing chimes of games.

Sinda felt the smile breaking across her face and shook her head
with relief. A festival was in full bloom and she was just in time
to see it all. A moment later she had reached the fountain herself
and peered up into the shining sun with a squint to see the
towering stone figure of the sea god wrestling with a tentacled
beast. Poseidon, perhaps? A bird perched atop the mythic statue,
pecking lightly at his crown, then taking flight in a great swoop
down toward the water and then immediately back up into the air.
Sinda watch as creature twirled in play and slid into the
distance.

What a magical place, she thought, just like the posters and
salesmen had said.

The crowd from the ferry was moving as a unit toward the festival
gates and the city proper so she let herself be pulled along.
Great arches extended upward from either side of the street
reaching their zenith above the closest rooftops before sweeping
back down to a central pillar dividing the road in half. Around
this center column were concentric rings of flowers in brilliant
hues to match the tiled roofs. A makeshift garden sprang up around
the flower beds which must have once held a manicured lawn, but
which was being trampled over by the swells of people coming and
going, laughing in glee.

In the lane ahead, a wide street that could easily hold twenty or
more abreast, the street vendors had carved out their positions in
hectic fashion, some choosing the edges of the throng and leaning
their tents against a building while others built outposts in the
midst of traffic with tables and banners. From the nearest tent
wafted smells of meat and sharp sauces on a grill that set her
mouth watering. Before Sinda could begin to shift toward the food
the press had her moving beyond. A tiny cry came from a child
nearby who had dropped a frozen pastry onto the dirty cobbles.

Next to her a burly man in a multi-layered vest shouted something
in Arabic and flashed a golden tooth her way and opening a great
pink parasol overhead. Other similar coverings were opening around
the crowd as well now that she looked for them. More pinks here,
and yellows and soft blues: all pastel. It must be something to do
with the festival, but she had no idea what it could mean.

Beyond the entrance the crowds began to thin and spread out as the
parade of people stopped to shop or made their ways down side
streets. To Sinda's left a crowd had formed around a pair of
street musicians dueling with long stringed instruments across the
alley from one another. The children danced in spinning circles
like old dervishes and an old man clapped and sang along quite out
of tune, but with such enthusiasm that it didn't seem to matter.

Just ahead a low wooden beam jutted out more than a man's height
into the street, its purpose unknown, but highly decorated for the
occasion. A pair of girls sat on top as if to ride it like an
animal, one with a parasol of her own in yellow and the other
holding frozen cream in a paper mug. Their heads leaned together
in conspiracy and shot looks further into the crowd at something
Sinda couldn't see.

Just beyond the girls a group of men sat at a high make-shift bar
on stools stapled together from wooden boxes. The sign above the
bar in at least three languages announced its purpose. Can't have
a party without a huff-bar, she thought. Sinda slid up to the end,
dropped a coin--larger than she'd expected, but this was
a holiday--and did a quick line before continuing on.

This was the life. It was a carnival in full swing. Perhaps she'd
have time with Borzin to explore the tents before they set out,
but probably not. A holiday in the wilderness is what she signed
up for and that's what she was going to get.


***

- Event: Sinda arrives in Ausix and is overwhelmed and nervous.
- Function: Introduces Sinda & the town. Reveals her background as
  a parts designer for an engineering consultancy. Demonstrates the
  town as a peaceful place of relaxation and harmony. Sets up the
  impact for its later destruction.
- Beginning: Ferry comes into town, carnival atmosphere
- Middle: Con game / test your luck. A loss, but friendly and with
  directions to follow. Lesson in illusions.
- End: Guide to the cottage.
- Pulse: Excitement and freedom at being on her own

Looks for a ride, finds a square gig pulled by a long nosed animal
the driver calls "bajingan". Slowly travels through the town on
the way up the hill.

The driver and Sinda talk about the Ausentia mountains and the
elves of the hills. Points out a large rock with a building built
halfway round. An old church? She heard the contractor got greedy.

Children run past, use their movement to describe the town. Kites,
drying hooks out windows, animals for transport. A rare sight of
a Leva, vintage model, probably for a collector.

Stops at a café and eats a pocket of something hot on the steps
outside. Sees the gaming and wanders over. She's drawn into the
coin game, bets and loses her money. Shocked from her relaxation
and given a moment of panic and fear. Scene Turn.

The coin main watches her cry and offers to take her where she's
going. The sting comes out of the con and he talks about illusion.
Leads her up the road into the hills and says goodbye at the
cottage road.

***



***

- Event: Sinda finds Borzin in the cottage and friendship is
  rekindled.
- Function: Introduces Borzin and his "cheater" mentality.
  Establishes the long friendship is still strong.
- Beginning: Finds Borzin already at the cottage.
- Middle:
- End: Talking late into the night.
- Pulse: A nervous anticipation. Will they still be friends?

Arrives at the cottage, a tiny affair, where Borzin has already
arrived. He took the attic bunk and left her the wall-bed.

Dialogue!!! What do they sound like? Talk about Sinda's job, and
Borzin's mom and his dog. Fade-out into narration...

***


***

- Event:
- Function:
- Beginning:
- Middle:
- End:
- Pulse:

They set out on their hike the next morning with dawn and sing
a rhyming song from school (will we write one verse?).

They make their way into the mountains, try to navigate a famously
tricky pass, but each time they find their way blocked and have to
double back. Eventually Borzin gets frustrated and uses some sort
of tech to bypass a challenge. Sinda calls him a cheater and they
move into the saddle between two peaks.

The sound changes in the hidden valley and their voices echo back
at them from all sides. The distant sound of gulls has vanished,
only noticed with its absence.

The trees change from sentinels to unfamiliar twisting types
neither of them recognize. The low entwining branches created big
networks across the animal trails. Borzin wants to turn back but
Sinda says they already cheated, so they might as well see it
through. They crawl under the brambles and get snagged. Sinda is
ahead and can't turn around to help Borzin. Pushes through, says
she'll come back the other way.

Great crackling of ozone and a peel of thunder (lightning storm in
the middle of the day? it was clear). Sinda comes out the other
side and the pass is transformed.

***



***

- Event:
- Function:
- Beginning:
- Middle:
- End:
- Pulse:

The mountains on either side are pyramids, grandiose and of pure
alabaster. Moreover, great shimmering fields project from turrets
around the sides and Sinda can feel their vibrations like a slow
heartbeat against hers. It's uncomfortable and makes her want to
go away.

Somehow they decide to go further and explore

The pyramids have more than 4 sides, but all sides square.

Space distorts as they approach and the structure expands to
a tower with many faces and then to a long hallway as the
dimensionality shifts. Have fun with it.

***



***

- Event:
- Function:
- Beginning:
- Middle:
- End:
- Pulse:

Eventually the Jinn burn Ausix to keep their location secret.
Sinda and Borzin witness everything from atop the elvish citadel.
They see the fires and the ships taking to the skies. The citadel
itself begins to break apart and segments take off. They see and
are seen by a Jinn woman, but she is in a hurry and they escape.

***