The Beaded Tapestry

                                               Desert Mountains

Dear Analis,

I am writing to you from high above the river valley, perched on the edge of a gypsum rock fall. The beautiful pale material is scattered in all directions and gives the impression of fresh fallen snow. Although it is colder here than at the studio below, it is not yet the correct conditions for more than a chilled wind. I have left the chaos of the studio site for a few days to protect the little sanity I have left. The investigator arrived four days ago and after a thorough inquiry returned to Newton yesterday. He arranged to have the body transported from the site the day before and escorted Fells personally. Addison pleaded on his behalf to allow Fells to remain on site but the inspector would not allow it. He did agreed that the circumstances read as self defense, but he still needed to follow the correct protocol and complete the official process in Newton. Since Fells will need to remain in custody during this procedure, his departure was necessary. There is also the question of the man’s own safety as the Cultivists will now suspect something is amiss with their mole. Addison is now back at the studio scrambling to replace his two lost workers as the inspector estimated it would likely take several weeks before Fells could possible be returned. I sent a message to Katryna postponing her return and arranged a quick escape for myself. I headed up the mountain early yesterday with survey map in hand hoping a material expedition would clear my head and return the needed tranquility to my world. The studio is now only a place of strife and I hope it can be returned to its previous atmosphere of peace and creativity once I return. I have seen the effects of tragedy on my work and I will not risk this catastrophe flavoring what should be the apex of my art.
The view of the Equine when I arrived at my camp site last night quickly assured me that my decision to take this trip was justified. The once subtle blue tones propagating through the arms of the array were noticeably pronounced from my new vantage point. They almost venture toward an indigo shade and the rhythmic movement within the Equine was reaching out to my shattered nerves, calming my thoughts with amazing adeptness. I sat for several hours in the deep darkness of the desert mountains counting the falling stars and observing my companion in space. I awoke this morning with a new enthusiasm for life that has been missing over the last week. I had even been hesitant to study my lost journal since it was recovered, fearing the incident would flavor how I interpreted the entries and any insight I gained from them. The journal is now safety tucked away in my satchel and I hope by tomorrow I will be ready to study it. I agreed with Addison to make no mention of the book to the inspector. Fells knew nothing about the discovery as he was not present during our search of the dead man’s things and as it did not add anything to the investigation we chose to keep the information to ourselves. I was reluctant to give the journal up to the inspector as It may have been weeks before it was returned if at all.
The variety of material in this area has not been a disappointment so far and I have already collected several samples as I made my way up the mountain yesterday. I picked out a base camp site within a small protected alcove of rock etched out by the constant winds blowing through the canyon. The sound through the stunted pine trees is also adding to the tranquility of this spot and gives some color to the pervasive white and grey of the surrounding terrain. I hope to remain here three days before returning to the studio. This should be enough time to collect ample samples to keep me busy through the cold season and recover my ability to concentrate so I can return to my work. This excursion was part of my plan all along but I was not expecting to be using it as therapy as well. I will try to cover as much territory as possible each day to obtain a diverse sample selection from the surrounding area. The camp site is mainly surrounded by gypsum deposits and granite but the survey shows heavy metal deposits only a kilometer away. I will head there today for my first search, working my way up into the higher elevations. Semi-precious minerals are rare in this part of the planet but Addison informed me that relatives of the turquoise and aquamarine family are present within the area and with a bit of luck I can obtain some samples. Since I will need a vibrant blue color for my rendition that carries the correct wavelength signals of the native source material I am hoping to find one here. It is too much to expect a local source of lapis lazulis or ultramarine but I can still dream.
I have become very dissatisfied with the colors I brought with me from Earth. We were correct in our belief that the materials for our project would need to come exclusively from New London. I have struggled to capture the exact tint to correctly depict the Equine form and no matter how intricate my mixing has become the Earth materials are not adequate. I even question the oil and acrylic base I am now using from the imported supplies and have come to the conclusion that I will need to search for a local alternative to this color stabilizer before I progress any further with the project. When I return to the studio the final phase of the sustainability test will be complete and I will know for certain that the native materials hold the signals required for the finish work to deliver. I am already planning that the numbers will be ideal and the next steps can be put into place. This is a bit shortsighted of me to place such trust in these test given the mix base but I am focusing on the next stage at this point and all my hopes are that it will produce the needed results. I must see the positive now as the negative is straining to drown me. 

I am alone here on this mountain but I am not lonely. The Equine and your constant presence are here with me as a reminder of the incredible vision we are creating for humanity.

Love Always,

Victoria 

Studio – New London

Dear Analis,

I have disturbing news over my lost journal and am struggling with what the repercussions from this discovery will be.  Addison came across the book among the items belonging to one of his team.  An altercation broke out between two of his workers and one of them was fatally injured during the violent confrontation.  The man that was killed was apparently a mole placed within Addison’s team by the Cultavists.  I am not certain if he was connected to the renegade group or a more official branch but as he is now unable to answer any questions I don’t think we will ever know.  One of his fellow worker, a man named Fells,  discovered  him using the electronic communication equipment inside my studio and confronted him.  There was a half finished message on the screen and Fells could see my name and Katryna’s name standing there before the man could block his view. During the ensuing struggle for control of the room, Fells claims to have stabbed the man in self defense.  All I know for sure is what I witnessed myself.  Addison and I were busy inspecting one of the storage units and we heard a loud outbreak coming from the small room that contains the communication equipment.  By the time we entered the room the first man was dead, stabbed through the heart.  Fells claimed he was attacked first as he tried to secure the message from the other man.  Hiis story seems to be true as  Addison discovered a small molecular dissembler in the palm of the assailants hand, which was trapped beneath his fallen body.  I do not know where he could have obtained a weapon of this magnitude since I have only seen one of this type in the hands of the riot police on Earth.  It is illegal for a private citizen to possess this type of fire power on Earth and is completely banned on New London.  Luckily the man had been unable to wipe the message he was busy with and we were able to retrieve what he had completed. It was indeed a message about Katryna and myself.  It described the nature of her arrival here and the date.  There was also a short description of what she provided for her client and her assumed abilities relating to the Equine. There was  also some details about my work here and the possible repercussions this interference could have on the Cultivist agenda for the planet. It also included a list of the equipment present in my lab. Some were mentioned by name but the unique equipment built by you was only physically described as he could  not have known what their use was.  Fells is a New-Britannian the same as Katryna and they view spying and subterfuge very darkly. When Addison and I searched the dead man’s personal area after the incident we found my journal inside a locked case along with a wrist pad and charge unit.  When we studied the charge unit we could see that it had been damaged recently and would not have been able to charge the wrist unit anymore. This would explain why the man had risked using my communication equipment to attempt an outgoing message. He must have been using the wrist pad up until now to send information, but I assume the appearance of Katryna and the fact she is a well known Equine link prompted him to risk contact with his superiors by alternate means. We have informed the security forces in Newton of the occurrence as Addison believes this is beyond the limited staff in Medici. The Newton division are arranging an investigating agent to be sent  here and have asked us to detain Fells until they arrive. Addison has already moved the body of the alleged spy  to the construction storage container used to store the ice molds for the clay bricks. He also placed the man’s possessions within his  personal lockcase for safekeeping. . It will be several days before the inspector arrives so I am happy this option is available.  Fells seems accepting of his situation and Addison has allowed him to continue his work unimpaired till the authorities arrive.  Since the crew is now down one man already this seemed the best option.  

I am happy to have recovered my journal but the circumstances in which is was taken and then recovered has opened up some disturbing possibilities. I do not have the heart at this time to delve into the contents of the journal as I am still disturbed by the activity yesterday.  I hope by tomorrow I can steel myself enough to study my scribbles as I suspect something within the journals  pages prompted this man to instigate it’s theft. Katryna is scheduled to return in two days and I struggle whether to postpone her arrival until after the inspector has completed his inquiry. I could use her steadfast company to calm my mind but I do not want her  to become involved with this tragedy as she was not here at the time. I myself do not feel safe at this moment  and since I do not believe the death of this man will cause the Cultivist meddling to cease I am not comfortable risking her presence. I do not know why these people feel threatened by my work but if a molecular dissembler and secret wrist units are involved I feel fairly certain it is bigger than a disgruntled construction extremist.  Addison has worked with this same team for over two years and no one suspected there was a spy in their midst. There has been many security sensitive builds completed by them and this revelation is not sitting well with Addison.  He has been in contact with the head of his division to let him know about the potential leak and also to request a replacement for extra personnel to complete the build.  The man that was killed specialized in the water production and reclamation equipment and there is still work to be completed that Addison cannot do himself.  The studio and outlying buildings are still connected to the water storage tank so it will not disturb operations,  but once this storage is depleted the air to water extractor will need to be operational.

I will stop for now as my eyes are slowly closing on their own.  This is the first time since I arrived here that fear has entered my realm of thought.  Fear for myself, but also for you.

Love,

Victoria

My dear Analis,

This letter must be fully dedicated to my meeting with Katryna and the amazing outcome.  She arrived four days ago riding on the back of a Roan no less, with no prior warning or message to herald her coming.  She informed me that it was best this way as a spontaneous meeting always produced the best results. My instincts were correct and she definitely has seen a mutual benefit in seeking a friendship between us. Not only has she agreed to be a subject for my research but she also has informed me of what I can do for her.  The relationship she has with the Equine has been progressively changing over the last few months and she feels I am an influence on this alteration somehow.  From what she describes the change is not necessarily a bad thing but some type of metamorphosis occurring that needs my involvement to progress to the next level. I am only at the tip of discovering how this will be propagated between myself and Katryna but I will keep an accurate record for all interactions as they unfold. The first task at hand is for me to achieve a thorough understanding of exactly what Katryna’s abilities are. We spent our first day together discussing the extent of her relationship with the Equine.  Her gift has always been an internal process that materialized just after her tenth naming day. The Equine began to send her visions of places she had never been  and people she did not recognize.  At first she pushed them away as echos of nightly dreams but that quickly changed as she neared her sixteenth year.  A man came to visit her family at their farm and she recognized him from one of her visions.  He was a grain merchant from Delphi who had come to negotiate a new contract with Katryna’s grandfather.  Although she had never met him she knew that he had three sons near her age and that the youngest was gravely ill. During the meeting between the two men, katryna barged into the room and informed the man that his son needed to be taken to a doctor connected to the Flynn foundation.. Her grandfather looked at her intuitively and asked her how she knew this.  He did not question the validity of her words but only the source.  Katryna quickly related the increasing visions and where they came from. Her grandfather only acknowledged her explanation with a nod of his head and motioned for her to leave the two men to their business. Katryna left in total confusion and sought out the solace of her room.  The next day her grandfather called her to his study.  She sat in his big armchair next to the hearth as he paced back and forth across the hardwood floors. After several minutes he pulled up a chair and quietly explained what was occurring between  the Equine and Katryna. During the first years of colonization,  among a select few of the  first New-britannians, there manifested an  ability to  converse with the denizen floating above their planet. Her grandmother had been one of the first to encounter this wondrous gift and it seemed Katryna had also been blessed with this ability.  Her grandmother had died before she was born but her grandfather had retained all of her journals recording the Equine encounters she had experienced.  He handed her a box and informed her the records  now belonged to her. That was the beginning of Katrynas path to understanding the relationship she learned to cherish during the last few years.  Over the past few months that relationship has changed.  She has been receiving communication from the Equine that includes things she is again unfamiliar with. Where normally she has alway received images of people and places she now receives visions of inanimate objects as well.  I gather from her short description of some of these items that they are technology not present on New London, but from Earth.  This is one of the reasons she believes I am best suited to assist her with this transition.  Because her gift has always been an internal process she recorded her visions as her grandmother did, in a journal as written word.  She believes that at this progression of the conversations a visionary record must be started and she requires me to assist her with this.  In other words she wants to become my apprentice and learn to paint.  Teaching is not one of my strong points and I hesitated at first to her request. Unfortunately this is the only way she would agree to my research involving her so I have conceded to her request. I will need to clear this agreement with the Louvre representative but I will portray her as closer to a test subject than as an assistant.  I do not want to delay my work waiting for the long drawn out clearance process needed for her to be an official member of our project.  It is slightly deceptive on my part but I do not want to lose this opportunity.

The Equine has also begun to show Katryna visions that include so many visual symbols that there is now a necessity for her to interpret these into pictorial form.  During her last few session with clients she claims to have missed many of the hidden information given by the Equine because she could not record in enough detail without including some type of sketch. In the past her written record was enough to give a true meaning to her clients of the Equine message but now the details and subject matter are beyond the ability of a written description and she now needs a supplement to her recording methods. She believes I am the answer to her dilemma. I realize this might also propagate delays to our final work but I know it will also bring more benefits in exchange,  

I still have not discovered what became of my journal which I used while ill.  The doctor did not know anything about it and as I suspected Katryna did not either.  She did remember it in my room on her previous visit but adamantly states it was still on the bed table when she left. I grapple with how it could have disappeared but I have not given up hope yet. I still have no recollection of those dark conversations but I do feel the emotional echoes left by the experience. I have planned a mountain excursion at the end of this week and once I return I will see if meditating on the subject will recover some of these recordings.  

After staying for three days Katryna has now returned to her home to make preparation for a two month stay at my studio.  I will first train her to use the distillation equipment since the first step for any apprentice is the production and care of painting materials. I have restarted the sustainability test on the copper and sage and fired two new clay holding containers to supplement the large gourd use for the distillation unit. The finished clay product  has turned out to be a perfect alternative to the rare river gourds and the raw material is readily available. They are also convenient to store the final mixed colors in since they do not distort the final tint and can easily be created in any form. I only need now find the correct canvas base material and I hope the mountain region will deliver as I hoped.  Since I will need additional supplies to accommodate Katryna and her upcoming apprenticeship, I will keep this in mind a I look ahead.

My planned return to Delphi for the repaired equipment is also quickly approaching and I can arrange for additional supplies there. I am amazed at how quickly the time is passing and also aware of how much there still is to accomplish before I am prepared for our joint part of the project to begin. I am not sure how I will adjust to Katryna’s  constant presence but if it will allow me to study her and her abilities I think it is well worth the sacrifice on my part. We will see what effect it has on my relationship with the Equine. I have had no further memorable dreams over the last week but I still hope for a return of what occurred during my illness. At the least a message from you.  It need not be fish this time. Any creature will do.

Love

Victoria

Dear Analis,

The wonders of Autumn have arrived.  I assume that is what it is called on New London for lack of a new designation.  I apologize for the long gap between correspondence  but I became ill after exposure to the prolonged storm and have just recovered enough for cognizant thought to be possible.  The village physician assured me that it is a common occurrence for newcomers to become ill after first exposure to the rainy season here. The lungs must adjust to the new microbes present in the soil of this region and they only become airborne when the humidity rises above the fifty percent level. They are not deadly for the most part but I have spent a very agonizing three weeks switching between high fever and delirium,  to a strength sapping cough and lung infection.  It is similar to the adjustment all young children experience when first exposed to the wonders of school and all the new viral and bacterial carrying occupants they meet there. Addison himself was not subject to this experience but several of his imported crew were so he knew exactly what was happening to me and contacted the doctor at once. I now have been given a clean bill of health and can resume my normal activities.  I wish I had been forewarned about the possibility of this exposure but since it is not usually as severe as was my case nobody deemed it necessary. Understandably my work has suffered and my workshop has stood dark and unoccupied for the duration of my illness.  I also have lost part of the window for my mountain excursion and will have to limit my plan to one trip to study and gather the afore mentioned materials.  All I can do now is pick up where I left off and see what damage has been done to the project timeline. I will have to restart the delicate sustainability tests as I was in no state to continue with the required process when the unit completed its run two weeks ago. The numbers were contaminated by the materials prolonged time spent in the test units and all will need to be recalibrated and returned to basic settings before I can begin anew. I could try and save the initial test run but I fear this will only add more delay if the data proves false. I made the decision to cut the time loses and start with fresh samples.  It seems a terrible waste of time but there is no room for error this early in the process.

The heavy rains lasted for six days and have transformed the land around the studio into a tropical jungle.  After the water had receded, plant seeds long dormant in the soil sprang to life and seemed to grow meters overnight, The ground is now covered in thick yellow vines snaking every direction with brilliant chartreuse blooms every few centimeters. I vaguely remember glancing out the window in my delirium convinced I had been transported to a fantasy land.  The crew says they will only have a brief lifetime and after a few more weeks will retreat once again into the ground to await the next deluge.  This will not likely occur again until the spring so I am taking in the site of so much plant life while I can.  Once the vines have gone this marks the unofficial start of the cold season here.  After that only the hard frozen ground will be visible for the duration of the cold cycle.  Nova Britannia has a longer orbit around its star than Earth so the seasons durations are slightly longer.  The planet has a five hundred and fifty day cycle around Proximus with a slightly longer day of twenty seven hours.  Since my studio is located in the equatorial zone the seasonal changes are not as extreme as in the northern and southern hemispheres of New London but it still means the season’s last several weeks longer than on Earth.

Unfortunately Katryna made her appearance during my illness and  although Addison assured me she was here I cannot for the life of me remember a thing about it.  She even remained a few days to help during the height of my delirium and promised to return after the illness had run its course.  I sent a message today to inform her that I have recovered and hoped to hear from her soon.  Although I know now it is not related to her visit a strange thing has occurred during my illness and I am trying to sort out the particulars.  A piece of my research has gone missing. When I first fell sick I realized it was the perfect opportunity to study the response of the unconscious mind to the Equine presence. I remembered you once lectured on the changes that occur to the neurological signals of the brain when the body temperature rises during short term illness. The resultant delirium increased the internal conversations the person had in their mind as recorded by the elevated brain activity on the attached neural scanner.  This memory triggered an idea in me to record what was occurring in my brain during the depths of my malaise. If it had been practical I would have connected the scanner to my addled head, but as I was in no state to run this sophisticated piece of equipment I placed a journal next to my bed as my only alternative.  For the duration of the next three weeks I was not always lucid about what I recorded in the book but I do know that I did write in it frequently.  There were vague memories of conversations with the Equine and also with you that I scrambled to record before the echo was gone. Some of the entries were illegible but I recall close to the end of the delirium, as I was once again aware of at least what planet I was on, that the journal was nearly full and that I would have to find another. The next time I was again awake in my room the journal was not on the side table. Addison swore to me that other than the normal crew no one else has been on site but the doctor and Katryna.  Since her visit was before I was conscious then it was not possible for her to have taken it as I saw it when I awoke the first time. I can only suspect the physician moved it on his last visit or accidently picked it up with his own equipment.  He will be here tomorrow for my final assessment so I will discuss it with him then.  It is nowhere in the house or workshop and I can think of no other explanation. Since it is only the scribbling of a delirious artist I can see no value for someone to take it, but for me it is a heartbreaking loss. I remember none of the Equine experiences when I was incapacitated but I am left with the same impression as occurs when I have a beautiful dream. There still remains that residue of extreme happiness and excitement I experience  when something amazing occurs during my sleep. As if the answer to a long sought after question has now been revealed and I realize my true purpose in life and why I exist. Sadly the echo of this revelation is still with me but what it was does not remain.  If I wrote these thoughts down in the missing journal what a loss that will be if I cannot recover it. Since your conversations are also supposedly recorded there I will put energy into this search,  Addison did confirm that the journal exists as he saw a book lying on my bed table throughout most of my illness,  At least I know it is not a figment of my idled mind.

I am aching to begin work again and so in order for me to start fresh tomorrow I will close for now. I hope I can write tomorrow with good news over the journal.

Love always,

Victoria

Here are a few of the books I have been reading to add some inspirational content to my work.

 

A Beautiful Questions – Author Frank Wilczek

The Grand Design – Author Stephen Hawkings

A Brief History of Time – Author Stephen Hawkings

The letters of Vincent van Gogh

Eye of the Beholder – Author Laura J. Snyder

Reductionism in Art and Brain Science – Author Eric R. Kandel