The Beaded Tapestry

Geo- Train – Sub Continent

Dear Analis,

I am making my way across the continent, heading for my new home. It is a four day journey by train and I am enjoying the opportunity to relish the various terrains the planet has to offer. The Equine seems to follow along in the sky above as we speed across the landscape and it gives me an added sense of unfamiliar protection and purpose. As you know, I have always been intrigued by the EM process of transport, so I opted to travel by Geo train for the last leg of my trip. It allows me a good view of the surrounding area and also a chance to experience a fascinating new way of transport. Although there has been various electromagnetic forms of transport on Earth over the centuries, the process on New London has been developed to near perfection by a new element only found here. It is similar to graphene on a molecular level, as it is highly stable, but cavorite (as it has been designated) also has the property of being resistant to gravitational waves. It is named after the material mentioned in H.G. Wells’ historic science fiction novel about the first trip to the moon. A highly fantastic story, but strangely plausible if Wells had only written his story from New London. When cavorite is combined with helium, the resulting material blocks eighty-five percent of the gravitational force exerted by the planet! Cavorite is highly rare and only found on New London so the material is used almost exclusively for the transport industry here. The combination of the cavorite based shell of the train and the use of geomagnetic waves for propulsion has made this type of transport ideal for the environmentally conservative New Londoners. There is no need for tracks or fuel and from what I have noted, geo- trains are the exclusive means of human transport for long distance here. They still use more conventional forms of carriers for cargo, but I am amazed how pristine the countryside remains after two hundred years of occupation. I have traveled for hours without witnessing any evidence of human presence as I watched the scenes pass outside my window. It gives me a slight thrill knowing I will be one of the few pioneers in my portion of New London.

I have booked passage back to Delphi in six months by the same train as there is still unfinished business left to be completed. I received word last night from Addison that a portion of the meteorology equipment needed for my atmospheric testing had not arrived with the rest of the equipment from the Derringer. After several lines of inquiry I found it had been damaged in transport from the space carrier and was being held for inspection. I had to make a late night trip to the cargo quarantine area before I could obtain further information. After examination of the equipment I can happily report that it is repairable. First thing this morning I arranged for it to be picked up by a local repair company. They have assured me the equipment will be operational within four months if my reported repairs were the extent of the damages. I feel more secure in escorting the items in person and it will also allow me to meet with the Flynn representative in person once more during my return trip. My contact from the foundation will be returning to Delphi during that period and I have arranged to meet him. I believe it will ease both our security concerns if we do not share information electronically and I should already have findings to share with him by that time. Since I will not be taking atmospheric reading until the studio is fully operational it will not cause any issue or delay with my work. I only panicked briefly before I was able to make my initial examination. The units are near impossible to obtain on New London and I arranged for only a limited supply of spares to be included in the shipment. A lapse in judgment on my part in retrospect, but luckily the damaged parts are among those available. I wish now I had been more thorough in my selections but there is nothing to be done about it now. I am puzzled by the lack of communication from the transport company and wonder why we had to bring this issue to their attention. I will have to dig a little deeper into this once I have settled as the transport officer offered no explanation when I confronted him. If this had been the only event I would not feel inclined to probe further, but I had an equally strange experience earlier this week.  When I contacted the meteorology department in Delphi they informed me that all solar activity reports were confidential and I did not have adequate clearance for access to them. I explained that I wanted to verify the strange readings our equipment detected on the Phycodurus-8 during the solar flares a few weeks ago.  I was hoping they could supply independent data from New London and assist with predicting any new solar flares in the near future. The person asked me to wait then left the office.  She returned with another woman who explained that they were unable to help me as all solar activity was inaccessible to the general public and I would have to apply for additional clearance.  I filled out the forms she presented but it will take several months to process my request. I left the office very frustrated with the bureaucracy of the whole process.  I knew then that I could set up our own equipment as soon as the site is ready and there would be no need for the clearance other than for the historical data.  This is now impossible due to the damaged equipment. It is a bit too coincidental for me.

We will be making only one stop during the trip where I will be able to disembark from the train for a few hours. Newton is not as large as Delphi but well worth a look according to my fellow travelers. It is located near the halfway point of my final destination so it will be a welcome opportunity for a bit of exercise after two days on the train. One of my fellow travelers directed me to visit a café called Newton’s Orb. We were discussing the cuisine on the train (or the lack thereof) and the subject turned to the availability of coffee here on New London. The café is rumored to have the finest coffee and tea selection this side of the planet and I am looking forward to testing that testimony. There is also a small shop attached to the café that offers their products for purchase and I hope to pick up some coffee to add to my dwindling supply from the Derringer. It was much depleted by my stay on the Phycodurus and I do not want to arrive empty handed at the studio site. I also was told they have a beautiful offering of coffee services created by artists from the local area. Reluctantly I could not bring my antique service grandmother gave me, so I will need something to replace it. It was too delicate for the journey and I left it with mother for safekeeping. I only hope the shop is open during my short time in Newton as I will be sorely disappointed if I have to leave empty handed.

I will write tomorrow with a full description of Newton and hopefully a sparkling review of the café.

Love always,

Victoria

Delphi, New London

Dear Analis,

I find my desire to immerse myself in the serenity of my art overwhelming at this time.  I have spent the last few days in the disagreeable task of arranging our business affairs with the many agencies located here in Delphi. Thru history there has always been a bureaucratic entity present in all major population centers and New London is no exception. I realize that what I have been doing here over the last few weeks is paramount to the success of our project but I find I am losing patience quickly with the amount of paperwork needed to establish myself and our dream here.  I have finally reached the end of this clerical nightmare and the final documents were signed today at the land registration office.  We are now the proud custodians of forty acres of desert mountain property and the permits to build.  I will have to thank the contractor as he completed quite a bit of the preliminary work before I arrived.  It was still a large undertaking and I am glad to be heading to the build site first thing tomorrow.  I have missed father’s keen clerical sense more than ever over the past few days and I yearned more than once to be able to channel his abilities across time and space.  

The scientific community has won out over the artisan in the designation of the Anomaly.  The official name has been announced by the committee as Glauert’s Eques Mass Spectrum Array.   There are still hints of compromise with the artisan community in their choice as Glauert was the historic anthropologist from Australia who was responsible for categorizing many of the sea denizens there back in the 19th century.  There is a certain romanticism in the choice of names and I have heard the Equine being used as a popular alternative to the scientific designation.  I am ecstatic that some reference to the small sea creature it resembles remains and as I tire of calling it the Anomaly I will also adopt this more than appropriate epithet.

My trip up the coast was a magnificent experience and I have filled my artistic mind with the unobscured vision the countryside had to offer of the Equine. Nicolas was equally enchanted and he seemed to gain added momentum for his endeavors if that could at all be possible. He has now been gone over two weeks to his new home and I find myself missing him already. I know this is mainly caused by my work being on hold until I am established and I hope once I am immersed in my studies that the infrequent visit with him will be adequate to sustain our rapport.  A relationship at this point is not ideal for either of us but I would not rule it out in the future.

From what I have observed the turmoil in Delphi has slackened while I have been here.  Although there is a feeling of tension on the streets that is almost palpable between certain groups, there has been no signs of actual violence.  The Cultavist leader was able to curb most of the activities caused by his lost flock members, but there is still conflict between the security forces and the various activist group present in Delphi.  Near the admin complex a small demonstration was evident when I was there to meet the planet registrar. The small group of people were a mix of Cultavist and eco-scholars protesting the use of the Equine for profit. The flash boards carried by the Eco-scholars displayed pictures of construction sites all over New London and the supposed destruction of the natural resources in the name of progress.  The boards carried by the Cultavist displayed logos representing  the many artificial research facilities located near the Equine including the pictogram for the Phycodurus-8. The message was the same under all the photos.  Stop the abuse!! It is strange how these types of images never change over the centuries. Even for a planet that has been focused on the natural preservation from the beginning of its colonization,  it is still not enough to satisfy all the people. At least this demonstration was peaceful and I only heard a few demonstrators  screaming obscenities at the outside of the building. I was not able to determine who this was directed  against  but there was definitely hostile words toward the security force blocking the building entrance.  I will be happy when I am well away from the center of civilization and busy with the ecological destruction of my own special piece of New London.    

I have found time in the last few days to contact the Flynn foundation headquarters here.  I had a stroke of luck in that respect as one of their top researchers is in Delphi for business. He has agreed to share certain  information with us on an informal basis as long as we agree to use this knowledge in confidence. This will relieve any threat of breaking our security agreements with our respective employers and maybe we can assist each other in our goals.  I realize this is a bit of a gentlemen’s agreement, but as we both have the same risks of disclosure I am trusting our arrangement. Dr. Falton was very interested in our observations about the growth of the Equine and also about your theory of its intelligents.  As these two items have not been included in our research for the Louvre as yet I felt comfortable giving up this knowledge as a sign of trust. He shared an overview with me about the construction parameters they used for their complex and also what type of conditions they are focused on treating.   A very noble cause if I am any judge and it seems logical that the Equine would be interested in giving them preferential treatment. I have agreed to stay in contact with him on our combined progress as long as neither of us breaks our confidential agreements.  I hope you are agreeable to this as it is impossible to ask your opinion at this time.  

I have begun to count the days till you arrive and we can discuss these types of things before I act.  I am not confident in making all these types of decisions on my own but as we discussed the impact of the Equine on the Flynn foundation before we left Earth I have set the ball in motion.

I remain your trusted partner.

Love Victoria

Delphi, New London

Dear Analis,

It is with great joy that I announce my arrival on New London and that I have taken up temporary residence in the city of Delphi. It is everything I imagined and much more.  The mixture of old world character and new world technology combines to produce a fascinating atmosphere. The spaceport is well outside the populated areas and we were shuttled into the center  by hydro taxi. Delphi is fashioned after a supposed 18th century model of Amsterdam  and the use of waterways for transport is almost exclusive.  With the ready supply of water from the Salsburg Ocean Delphi is built on, it seems the logical solution to traffic congestion and environmental conformity.  The small streets are filled with mainly pedestrians but there is also many animal  drawn vehicles. From what I see they use  some type of modified equestrian stock similar to Earth horses but more suited to the higher gravity. They are stockier and possess thicker limbs than their terrene cousins. I have created a few sketches of the roanian’s as they are called and I will include them with this letter.  As the taxi made its way to my new apartments,  I found myself staring equally  at the Cyber-mechs and Cultavists mixed in among the other pedestrians. The mechanical alterations I have observed so far  are similar to those seen on Earth with one exception.  The Cyber-mechs all include a symbol on their embellishments that represent the Anomaly. Similar to a mix between  the ancient druid symbol for the letter E and Z  but with added floridity.  I saw this symbol everywhere as we entered the city and it seems to be also a representative for the artisan community that use cybernetics to enhance themselves and the effects of the Anomaly.  The Cyber-mechs here call themselves the Equestrian wayfarers. They are so similar in appearance to the so called  Mech youths of London that I can imagine myself back once again on the street of London.  The long black coats lined with silver mesh would not  seem out of place in our old home and there are hundreds walking around in this uniform in the streets of Delphi. Most of the cybernetics I saw on this populous were facial enhancement for vision but there were also many artificial limbs that hint at specialty crafts and abilities. I wonder how Nicolas feels about these additions as he has them by no choice of his own.  

My temporary accommodations are small but adequate for my short stay here and ideally located within walking distance to  the vast social service establishments I must visit during the next few weeks.  The bulk of my belongings and most of my work has already been sent ahead to the studio site by special courier so the lack of space is not a burden. I am happy my rooms are above street level as the buzz of civilization is reduced.  Compared to the near silence of my quarters on the Derringer and Phycodurus, the sounds of the city are deafening.

Unfortunately we arrived at the spaceport during the daylight hours and I was not able to view the Anomaly in its full glory before we entered the city. The use of modified gas lamps within the city allow for adequate viewing of the Anomaly during the night  but the true splendor of the Anomaly is best seen in the darkest hours from well outside the city.  Even during the daylight hours the power of the anomaly is evident.  The moment I disembarked from the shuttle and  stood in the unobstructed atmosphere on the planet surface I was inundated by my first experience of the  full sensory array emanating  from the Anomaly.  Analis, the feeling is so indescribable I was left speechless. If we are able to follow through with our ideas for the Louvre to capture this experience, it is beyond imagination the lives we will change on Earth.  I find it hard to believe there could be any type of ill will or violence in the presence of such overpowering feelings of positivity and focus I experience here.  I am beginning to solidify my suspicions that the Anomaly does not affect everyone the same.  I realize this plays into your intelligence theory, but I believe you are closer to the truth than the scientist who believe it is only an astronomical body.  As we discussed before, the growth towards the Flynn satellite was very profound in our time view from Earth and now the added observation of how different groups respond to the Anomaly point toward a guiding force involved here.  If this is true I hope the Anomaly finds us worthy in our endeavors.  We must remain confident of the good our work will bring to mankind and hope the Anomaly shares our ambitions.  There is no evidence at this point in time of added growth toward the Flynn satellite, but I will focus a portion of my research to follow that particular phenomenon during the next year as I did with your equipment.  This will allow us to closely monitor the changes first hand as was not possible on Earth.

I must sign off now.  I have an appointment with the Louvre representative in an hour and I have a few things to prepare. I have made plans tomorrow for a short trip along the sea coast with NIcolas before he continues on to his new establishment.   I will write upon my return and give you a description of the Anomaly from outside the city.  We are hiring one of the  roanian carriages to make the journey.  The fuel based vehicles here are used almost exclusively for cargo transport  between the population centers so there are many creature drawn vehicles used locally for short trips.

I remain your dedicated sister.

Victoria

Derringer-8

Dearest sister,

The planet nears every day and I now have the first view of my new home.  I am amazed how different New London appears from space than Earth and I find myself sketching my final destination, attempting to grasp the reality of what I see. The photos available on Earth of the planet are no comparison to the actual site.  We are three days out from our landing window and the entire ship is buzzing with activity and anticipation.  I have given up trying to work on the observation deck as the influx of people makes it impossible to concentrate.  This has become an advantage as the view of the Anomaly is partially obscured by our destination and has now become an incomplete study for my work.  I had forgotten after the calm discipline on the Phycodurus-8 what it was like to be in a civilian community.  Even during my life in London I rarely had interaction with young lives working mainly in my studio or the museum basement. There are families everywhere on the ship now and many excited children feeling the pull from their new world.  It makes for interesting study of the human condition but not for artistic endeavors.

I have heard from the contractor Addison that his team has begun work on the foundations for the studio.  The near desert conditions for the site are giving him some difficulties as the ground is more sand than dirt but he still reports progress.  I question myself if I will be able to adapt to the drier conditions as we have lived most of our lives in England, however the low atmospheric moisture in this region of New London are favorable for viewing the Anomaly  so I believe it will be the idyllic location to continue my work. There is also the added benefit of ready access to the supplies I will need to produce my finished masterpiece. I will have to complete the final testing on the local materials myself for this to be certain, but the initial test results given to me by Addison are favorable for our goals. I have also received an updated map of the area as the survey I possessed previously is twenty years out of date. The new map shows that  it is still a very remote site and I will be several hours travel away from the next settlement, but I was shocked at the increase in population in the region.  Nicolas has also given me information on the location of his establishment.  Since the treatment there is not as dependent on the visual aspects of the Anomaly but on the waves emanating from it, they have situated the wellness center in the tropical mountains.  The high altitude increases the healing effects of the Anomaly and the environment around the facility also produces most of the needed supplies for their treatments.  As I have said before, as soon as I have established my studio I will take a short trip to see him.  The cost for even a short stay are astonishing but Nicolas has assured me he will arrange something.  It will also be an ideal time for me to study the other processes being used from the benefits of the Anomaly. It might add some insight into what we are attempting.

I am not sure if I will be able to write again before our landing due to the incredible chaos onboard at this time.  I am now at full gravity in my training so I am as ready as I can be for the next phase.

Hopefully my next letter will be composed to you by a denizen of New London.

My love always

Victoria

My sweet sister,

Derringer-8

I have returned to the Derringer and find the routine onboard calming compared to the fast paced preparation that was required to complete the setup of the lab. Although the view from the ship is not as intense as from the Phycodurus, I am still able to continue my work uninterrupted. I have lost the meditative effect experienced in your lab but in spite of that absence I have completed a second full color rendition during my five days back on board the ship.  I hope once I renew my work on the planet surface that this response to the Anomaly will return. It has greatly enhanced my work as can be seen when I compare this last completed portrayal to the ones done on the space station. This last piece is lacking the clarity of outline and inner workings I observed on the phycodurus. It is still a piece worth saving for research as it adds verification to our theory of the Anomaly’s influence under different environmental conditions. The chance that the full meditative influence of the Anomaly will return once I am planetside are auspicious as there have been several papers written by researchers stationed on New London describing very similar experiences. Therefore I am determined to foster  my relationship with the Anomaly once I am settled in my studio.

Nicolas seems to have returned to his healthy self after the stasis and we have resumed our nightly meals together.  He is full of plans for his molecular gastronomy, and our conversations focus mainly on what New London holds for his future establishment. It is difficult to speak to him about our work, as most of the information is either classified or so steeped in scientific jargon that most of my explanations fall short of keeping his interest. I tend to revert back to an explanation of my previous art and technical experience and that has been helpful in keeping the conversation two sided.  He seems perfectly happy to primarily discuss his plans, so there has been no great issue there.  

I have resumed my physical activities in the exercise area of the Derringer.  Since I have been living and working under low gravity conditions for the past few weeks, I am concentrating on increasing my endurance before we reach the planet.  The gravity on New London is slightly higher than Earth, so the medical staff has issued a recommended regimen of exercises to smooth the transition from half g to a little over one g planetside.  I admit I have not followed this schedule exactly, but I am making progress.  I was able to complete the program yesterday for the first time with the added ankle weights so I am quite pleased with myself.  By the end of our journey I should be ready to handle the full gravity of New London with little to no effect.  Since I will need my full energy when I arrive, it is essential that I follow the medical advice to the letter as far as my system will allow.

We receive daily reports now of the conditions on New London.  Although there are still small incidents in Delphi it seems the violence has decreased significantly over the last few days.  The reports credit this reduction to the leader of the Cultivists.  The majority of the incidents originated from an insurgent group that had broken from the main sect several years ago.  According to Cultivist communications their leader, Patriarch Tanager, is in negotiation to slow the violence and reinstate the lost members back into his fold. It seems to have helped and I am feeling more secure with the planned landing and my stay in Delphi. As we had not heard any of these reports on Earth before we left, it seems logical that the trouble is isolated and short term. My previous rant over extremists taking over the planet were a bit premature and I have renewed a more positive outlook for the condition that I will find when I arrive. I find my thoughts frequently wandering to visions of my new studio and how it will be when it is completed. I miss the outdoors and my heart goes out to you when I think of your long planned assignment on the Phycodurus-8.  I hope you will be able to travel at some point to New London during our planned work.  Unfortunately we did not included this in our proposal to the Louvre so it may not be possible,  but I wish for it all the same. I realize because of the nature of your research that it is best to be done in close proximity to the Anomaly. I only wish you were not so driven and thought to include some type of absence from your work during your four years scheduled on the space station. The longer I am separated from the  natural environment the more my thoughts return to you and how difficult it will be.  I know you have a stronger adaptability than I and there is always the escape of the atriums on the space station, but still I am concerned about the lasting effects you will incur from living an extended time in artificial conditions.  I guess I am asking for trouble, but as I said it has been on my mind.  I crave the feel of grass beneath my feet and the sound of nature in my ears.  

I feel our dream unfolding every second as I near the planet.

Thinking of you always,

Victoria

Made a weekend visit to Paris for some inspiration for my writing.  One of the spots I most wanted to see  was Les Deux Magots. This cafe was once the haunt of Hemingway and Picasso.  Although it was a beautiful location and the atmosphere ideal for sitting and watching people, I did not encounter  any ghostly insight from past visitors.  Not a wasted visit but also not the experience I was searching for.

Phycodurus-8

Dear Analis,

Reluctantly I am preparing to leave the station tomorrow. I believe my time here has been used wisely and I have become strangely attached to your humble lab space.  Obviously it is you I will miss when I leave here as your presence is felt every moment I work in the lab.  The transport from the Derringer-8 will be here shortly after midday and I will be back on board the ship by the following morning.  It is a short trip compared to the journey from Earth but since I will be sharing the small passenger space with ten other travelers it will be a little confining.  It is difficult to fathom that in fifteen days I will be setting foot on New London.  My temporary lodgings in Delfi have been confirmed and as soon as all the formalities for the debarking process  are completed I will immediately begin planning the final leg of my journey.  I heard some disturbing news about the conditions in Delfi so I will arrange that my stay there is as brief as possible.  It seems the protests and demonstrations instigated by the Cultavist sect have escalated.  Some of these have turned violent and though no one has been killed there has been a number of injuries. The confrontations are mainly between the sect and the security forces within the Delfi area but there are also reports of property damage and civilian harassment in the outlying areas. Since these are mostly centered around the more populated areas of New London I am hopeful it will not interfere with my plans. I find it sepulchral that what was once deemed the creative epicenter of the human race is now plagued by the violence of close minded extremists. I hope we can change this in the following years. With the new influx of families and artist scheduled to arrive in the next two years I believe we can tip the balance on New London back to the artistic and scientific endeavors.  From the reports it seems more a center for religious fanatics and belligerent lotus-eaters.  I was never one for involvement in causes,  but I believe this may be my exception as I have never felt this type of dedication to any project in my entire life.

Okay I have had my rant for  today.  On a more positive note I I have made contact with the hired contractor for the build of the studio. He assured me all is on schedule and the majority of the building materials and supplies are already onsite.  As usual on New London all has been stored in temporary underground storage containers so the chance of theft or vandalism is decreased. Addison has been on New London for two years and is an exclusive contractor for the scientific and artisan society. This is his first project for the Louvre and he has given me the impression that he shares our enthusiasm for what we are trying to achieve. I was surprised that he knew such detailed information about our work but it seems the Louvre found it important he was well informed so that the build would go as expected. As there are many specialty supplies needed for the construction of the studio, Addison needed detailed instruction on what they would be used for so there would be no substitute material ordered. This gives me great comfort as I will now have assistance from someone familiar with my new home.

I will give you a bit of advice before you transport to the Phycodurus.  Find a good supply of coffee to bring with you.  The food on board the station is decent and they make good use of the hydroponic crops, but they have not produced any type of natural stimulate close to the real thing.  They do have a synthetic substitute and I know it will in no way satisfy your addiction, so be forewarned. I realize this is information that would have been more helpful before you left Earth, but I had no idea until I arrived onboard. I find it strange to find this lack on the station but I guess they do not have the same priorities as we do.  The coffee on the Derringer was palatable and maybe you can convince the commodities officer on board your transport to arrange a supply for you.  I will try and send you some after I am set up in my new home but I am not sure if that is possible. I now find myself contemplating the condition on New London. It may be that I  have to find a way to grow a coffee crop myself.

The planning officer for the lab sector of the station has all your in depth instructions for the maintenance of the lab over the next year.  She assured me that your instructions will be followed to the letter and that she will send me updated reports of any issues that might arise.  She seems a very competent technician and I believe she will solve any problems with efficiency and speed.  This is reassuring to me as I feel I am running off to join the circus leaving your child to fend for itself.  I know this is what we agreed to but as I stated before I am reluctant to leave but I am also excited to begin my new life.  I will have to schedule a session of meditation tonight or I will never be able to sleep.

Love Always

Victoria

Phycodurus-8

My Dear Analis,

I am laying on my bed attempting to calm down after a very trying day.  The morning started very productive and I was able to complete my first full color rendition of the Anomaly.  Unfortunately that was the end of my endeavors for today.  As I was heading to the observation deck for the midday meal all the bells and whistles on board the ship started to sound.  You can imagine my panic as we are drilled of the dangers that can arise on a deep space station from the moment we step onboard.  I changed my direction immediately and headed toward the muster point assigned to me.  Most of the lab personnel were already gather there and we were quickly directed to the emergency shelter of the station.  It turned out that a series of solar flares were detected originating from Alpha Centauri B. In the past this has caused unexplained responses from the area of space around the Anomaly. As a precaution the station places all non-essential  personnel in extra shielded areas of the station during the event. Needless to say it was not a pleasant afternoon sitting with thirty fidgeting  scientist and technicians in a twelve by twelve meter room for six hours. All of which were complaining about the necessity of the quarantine since they all wanted to be in their lab environments to study the Anomaly during the event. I gathered from the various conversations that the flares were not an uncommon occurrence and many of the longer residence here were questioning the need for such precautions.  It seems their instruments had not picked up any abnormal readings from the Anomaly during the past flares and they were convinced there is something going on that is not being shared outside of official channels. We were finally allowed to exit the shielded area late in the evening and I only had a few minutes to check the equipment for damage before returning to my quarters.  I did not discover any issues with the instruments  but I did notice some strange readings from the optical enhancement unit and the wave unit. They showed significant fluctuations during the alleged times of the solar flares. As this could also be due to the heightened tensions on board during the emergency conditions,  I am not convinced they are detections from the Anomaly.  I still cannot rule out this possibility as no other lab has this type of equipment on board. I have marked all this data with special notations so you can analyze them at a later time.  When I arrive on New London I will contact the meteorology department so they can alert me of any future solar activity.  That way I can send you a schedule for future reference to compare the current data with those from future occurrences.

I now have three composite drawings of the Anomaly along with the full color piece completed today.  I have decided to leave at least one of these composites on the space station for you.  I have not decided which one yet as they all include important but different aspects.  I will know which one will be best for your research before I leave.  I have reluctantly found it necessary to revert to my Hermetics practice of meditation over the last few days. I am no longer a devote follower of the Theorem and I found this a bit hypocritical even though it has turn out to be helpful. As the days have ticked by my emotional instability has decreased and I can now work with a clear purpose.  I was so full of sensory overload when I first arrived that I was worried it would not be possible to use my time here productively.  I will likely not get another chance to study the Anomaly in this type of environment again so I am happy my mental acuity has stabilized.  I can still feel the storm coming and I catch myself standing at the observation window expecting to hear the sound of thunder.  It never comes but the view of the Anomaly brings me back to the present.  I am not sure if it is the renewal of my meditation ritual or the influence from the Anomaly. I am more inclined to give the Anomaly credit. I feel that it is a focal point grounding me  in my own skin.  Allowing me to live in the moment and not slip forward or backward through time.  This is a new thing for me as you know.  I can be so easily distracted by the little things. Regret and disappointments from the past and worry over the future have always flavored my craft. That was what drew me to the Hermetalists in the first place.  The response I get from the Anomaly is altogether different than my experience with the faith.  It is not the mesmerizing reaction caused by the rolling formation of clouds or the incoming waves on the beach.  These are the tactics used for my previous meditation practice.  The Anomaly focus my attention instead of diverting it.  I spent six hours yesterday and four hours today on the color image and my mind was centered completely on my work.  Not a good thing for my digestion as I forgot to eat but very beneficial for my art.  It is by far the most accurate depiction of the Array I have completed.  I begin to understand the concept of pre-recognition that has plagued the artist and scientists on Earth.  All of us had our first view of the Anomaly from photos and  research originating from Earth.  We already had predetermined images in our brains of how the Anomaly looked from those depictions.  Yesterday I concentrated on seeing the phenomenon for the first time without any preconceived ideas of what I should be seeing.  I determined that I was missing something several days ago as I was working on a piece of equipment on the far side of the lab from the observation window.  I caught a view of the Anomaly from the corner of my eye and there appeared to be additional appendices that were not there when i turned back to the window and looked at the view full on.  I immediately looked back at my previous work and I realized how distorted they are compared to what I see now.  I wonder if the readings from the equipment will reflect these differences also.  I spent yesterday and today trying to capture the true image of the Anomaly. I have compared my current work with the last few painting I completed on Earth.  They are worlds apart in color and complexity.  Seen from my current perspective the internal structure of the Anomaly is similar to the working of a clock.  I can see rhythmic pulses and rotating components within the core of the array.  The appendixes seem to flow and ripple with unseen wave currents. On Earth it was like I was studying a still life and now the live model has arrived in the studio.  

I see that I have begun to ramble.  That is a sure sign that it is time for sleep.  I have scanned the completed color rendition with this letter so you can view it while reading my description.   It is also available on the lab archives along with the rest of my work completed here.

Know that I think of you everyday.

Love

Victoria

Phycodurus-8

Dearest sister,

I am making an attempt to write you a letter as I sit in the observation lounge of the Phycodurus.  I have an unobstructed view of the Phenomenon from my current position and I find it hard to concentrate on anything else.  Fortunately for you I am determined to give you a full description of what I am experiencing and this seems the ideal way.  I have tried to write from the lab but the distractions are too high and I end up manipulating the lab equipment or doodling on the letter paper instead of writing words.  

The tremor in my hand is now completely gone and I have made the first attempt at capturing the Anomaly in a drawing.  There is no way to put down on canvas or paper the energy emanating from the Array. Even with the reinforced structure of the station between me and the source I can still detect the strong energy waves that the Anomaly emits.  It is similar to the rise in air pressure before a strong thunderstorm on Earth except there is no rise or ebb to the flow. Only a constant presence that reminds me there is something there.  I have experienced none of the spiritual or emotional waves here that are reported to be present on New London,  but this is as we expected with the research station located so close to the Anomaly. As we are depending on your scientific methods to capture this aspect of the Anomaly along with the energy emanations,  I will try my best to produce a final image to complement your accomplishments.

Looking out the window, the Anomaly fills two-thirds of the observable space from where I am sitting.  The Phycodurus-8 is positioned in space so that the Anomaly appears to be floating away from the station.  It seems to be moving towards Alpha Centauri B and New London.  From the reports this is not the case.  The coordinates for the center of the array have not changed since the scientific community started taking readings over two hundred years ago.  Only the area of space that the Anomaly covers has changed. It is now well over one hundred and sixty million kilometers across and near twice that size from top to bottom.  My first colored rendition included over three hundred different colors and pigments.  As the dominant visual color is in the blue end of the spectrum I have arranged for extra supplies to be ordered for the studio in New London. Our initial research completed on Earth did not indicate that the array ran towards the blue, so I need to change my creative strategy in order to capture the true nature of the array.

The lab equipment has now been completely set-up and all the settings adjusted according to your specifications.  It has been nearly ten years since I worked in a technical environment and it took me some time to familiarize myself with some of the equipment that you have ordered.  Even so, there were some pieces such as the optical enhancement unit and the wave detection module that I have never seen before.  I assume these are two of the pieces you designed and built as there was no manufacturer’s label and no way to access the internals of the instruments.  Following your instructions felt a little like I was one of the Shakespearean witches. I caught myself quoting Macbeth  as I added the eye of Newt and essence of dragons breath to my brew. Double , Double toil and trouble.  That was about the extent of my savoir faire as I completed the final adjustments to the equipment.  All in all it appears everything is working as your instructions describe and no green spectre has arisen from my cauldron as yet.

I have received word from NIcolas on the Derringer-8. He has been released from medical and will be able to transfer with us to New London as scheduled.  From his message it seems that his electronic prosthesis was the cause for the unexpected complication to the stasis process.  Although there have been great strides in regeneration of limbs in the medical field, there is still no reliable regrowth therapy for the optic nerves. I had noticed when I first met him that Nicolas had some type of cyber enhancements installed on his face, but I was not aware until he wrote that he lost his sight to illness when he was very young. I thought it was a voluntary addition  he had requested as this type of modification is very popular with the younger generation.  The medical staff explained to him that it was a rare reaction but they had encountered it before and were prepared for such occurrences.  I am happy that you opted for regeneration of you arm and not an implant.  Although it would have made you more in vogue to have a metallic arm,  it could also have complicated your journey.

The observation lounge was filling with people, so I have now moved back to the lab.  It is now shift change for the stations regular personnel and many head straight for the viewing areas of the Anomaly once they have some free time.  I have spoken briefly to a few of the regular staff member when I have encountered then in the common areas.  They seem reluctant to start any type of friendship with the temporary people here so I have not been able to get much information other than a short response.   I guess it is too much effort to make a close association with someone who will only be staying for a few weeks.  I assume it will be different for you since you will be a more permanent resident.  I was assigned small temporary accommodations near the lab for my short stay here.  They are away from the normal resident area of the space station and are uncomfortably small. Not even a fold down desk or chair is installed in the space. Just a small sleeping bunk and a sanitation room.  The permanent quarters that have been reserved for you are luckily more spacious.  I was only able to view them when I arrived during my orientation tour of the station as they are currently occupied by another staff member.  He will be transferring off the station at the same time you arrive.  He was the exploration pilot slated for the close flyby of the Anomaly.  None of the unmanned probes sent within the proximity of the Anomaly have returned or sent back any data and they have now deemed his flight plans as too risky.  I suppose he will be returning to Earth or one of the surrounding stations leaving his quarters free for you.  I was hoping to prepare your rooms while I was here but as space is a high commodity here, temporary personnel are given the smaller accommodations.  I think you will be happy with what has been arranged for you.  All the rooms have access to an amazing holo program for the resident wall panels.  You can decorate your walls  from  a variety of programmable themes. Some of them also include music and sounds to enhance the experience.  Unfortunately there are no viewing ports on the residential side of the station so I think this is a nice alternative.  Since  the station is dedicated to the scientific study of the Anomaly I guess it makes sense to give viewing priority to the labs. They are all situated on one side of the station with all the residence and support areas on the other.  

I have eight days left on the Phycodurus-8 and I hope in that time any issues with the lab equipment will surface.  At least that way I can attempt to correct the problem before I leave.  I catch myself talking to you constantly when I am in the lab.  Luckily there are no voice activated system running at this time as that could create an awkward situation.  It is very lonely without you here and I wish we could have done this together. Just the ability to discuss with you how the Anomaly is affecting me would be welcomed.  I was not expecting this collection of raw emotions to interfere with my thoughts and creative work, especially not while I am still on the space station. It would be ideal if you were here to compare notes.

I look forward to the time when that is possible.

Love Victoria