Trouble in paradise

Bad news never comes alone. After finding that confession did not help mr. Quirinus, I am now confronted with a marriage annulment by lady Ashland. And this only a few weeks after it has been officiated! 

I am not even sure all the paperwork is properly processed by the Amarr Civil Service, and this spells trouble. What if the marriage paperwork ends up on the desk of a slow -or let us say very busy- clerk, whereas the annulment paperwork finds its way to a relatively empty desk of a fast clerk? The latter may annul the annulment on the basis that there was no wedding registered yet, after which the former will end up registering the marriage at a later point. 

Even if it is all processed in the correct order, there will still be an official pauze in the annulment, since there needs to be a minimum time (I think it is nine months) between both. It can be sooner, but that requires the couple follows marriage counseling first. 

I will try to offer that service as LUMEN's chaplain.

I worry about the reasons for this break-up. If it is merely capsuleer fickleness or the revelation of a past lover, that can probably be mended. But perhaps something more perfidious has happened? Hopefully it is not something that could cast doubt on the sincerity of lady-consort Jade Blackwind's conversion? I also hope that he horrible Gallente tabloid person is not still around for this.

Capsuleer insanity

I thought mr. Quirinus was better after confession. He really resolved to stand fast against the temptation to publicly proclaim himself Emperor, and he saw the error of his ways.

That did not last long.

Upon my return from my explorations, unfortunately I found that mr. Quirinus has lapsed back into his prideful and sinful thoughts. 

Perhaps it is a form of madness. One that is not curable by confession and meditation. It is said that when capsuleers clone too often, and perhaps use those cheaper clone bays, errors creep into their infomorph, accumulate over time, and turn them insane. Often this expresses itself in delusions of grandeur. And, contrary to non-capsuleer humans, there is little help to be expected - they cannot be confined for a period of time to a mental sanatorium to heal.

I am afraid I can not help mr. Quirinus any further. Perhaps the best we can do is help channel his madness towards a good purpose? If he would indeed focus his efforts in building a chapel or a church in some faraway place, it might still benefit him as well as the Empire.

Tests concluded

I performed an array of tests and measurements, at specified times, not knowing what exactly is going on. I had to rely on my speed of probing and scanning, and warping around to different signatures.

Although I am not informed as to the true purpose, I can always wager a bet and put this in relation to what I heard and learned during my visit to the Amarr Navy research complex here in Sanctified Vidette. I think that our scientists are building devices to control the number and type of "static" wormholes in wormhole systems. 

This would revolutionize life in Anoikis, and impact colonies such as our own Seclusion, and Publius' colony Epikouria. The different classes of wormhole systems have very different properties, and generally higher class wormholes are deemed to lead to more dangerous but more profitable space, as these higher classes appear to have better preserved Sleeper ruins. 

For example, at this point the odds of finding connections from a class-four wormhole system straight to high security Empire space are fairly low, and no statics allow this. That is why residents of these higher class systems have to find an ever-shifting route trough lower-class type systems often. Controlling this directly would give the Empire a great edge in the reclamation of Anoikis.

With the tests (and my services as hauler and scanner) concluded in Sanctified Vidette, I will return to the Empire. Perhaps I will check in with Quirinus in Amarr to see how he is doing.

Conservation laws

In physics there is a deep connection between conserved quantities and symmetries. A symmetry is a kind of transformation that leaves the system that you are considering unchanged. Perhaps the system you are considering can be viewed from any angle, so-called rotational symmetry. Well, this turns out to lead to conservation of angular momentum.

Some conserved quantities are local, meaning that they can be computed at any given spot (such as the amount of energy) and the only way that it changes is when there's a current of that quantity flowing away or into that local spot.

There's some conserved quantities that can only be computed globally, taking into account all of space in a given system. They're called topological invariants, as you can deform space and bend it around, the quantity will remain constant. Think of the number of holes in a surface - as long as you continuously deform the surface and not tear it, the number of holes remains constant. I am sure you have seen somewhere the animation of a donut deforming into a coffee cup.

It turns out that also for wormholes in space there is a conserved quantity. It is not obvious in our own cluster, since wormholes appear and disappear at random. But in Anoikis systems, there are special types of wormholes whose number remain constant. They are called statics. In Seclusion, there is always one wormhole to highsec space in our cluster, and one wormhole to a class-1 other Anoikis system. When they expire, another one has to respawn. They are topological invariants of the system in question.

You can only change these numbers by breaking the symmetry associated with the conserved quantity. 

That is exactly what the Talocan figured out and exploited to make their wormhole network. It is  mimicked in the Nexus device to fill up Drifter homeworlds with static wormholes. And now, it appears to be our turn to figure out exactly what this symmetry is and how it can be manipulated. 

Delivery

I have delivered the crates to the Imperial Navy research complex in Sanctified Vidette. With its many stations and shipyards it looks as impressive as always, and the security is intense. The Indagatrix was continuously scanned and was searched both before and after the cargo was taken out of the hold.

This time (as a 'thank you' in stead of loyalty points) I got a short tour inside the Nexus Research Facility, where Drifter technology is taken apart and studied. While everything here is under strict security measures, as typical for scientists and academics among each other there is some pride in showing at least part of your research, I guess.

I have been asked to monitor the wormholes and keep key statistics during a specific time window (to be announced just minutes in advance). My guess is that they will perform an experiment then. 

From what I could make out from enthusiast scientists is that there are some ideas about how the Drifters can manipulate or emulate Talocan technology that has an impact on the presence of wormholes. There is an underlying mechanic giving rise to such a large number of wormholes in one system, no doubt related to the presence of Talocan artefacts in Thera, and to the Nexus device in Drifter systems.

Mission

Mr. Firth has already another mission for me. The Ministry appears to be aware of my expertise in wormhole scanning in Sanctified Vidette, and is in need of my services.

I wanted to object and point out that the goal of a political officer on a ship is not to set the course or determine the mission, but rather it is to guide the pilot in always acting in the best interests of the Empire. The choice of mission remains the pilot's prerogative. A political officer works in the background, much like a conscience that assists the mind's decisions.

But then, at the same time, I am due obedience to the Ministry of Internal Order. 

Also, I am actually curious as to what that mission could be. 

For now I must however work on a "need to know" basis. The first task was to pick up cargo at Hedion University, which has been brought to the Court Chamberlain bureau in Hedion. The cargo, in sealed containers, is using nearly all the space in the Indagatrix's cargo hold. Whatever is in there is affecting the ship's systems, it seems to have more trouble getting into warp.

Now, I am looking for a convenient entrance wormhole.

Quirinus at the Gate

At last we met, mr. Quirinus and I ! 

Yesterday evening I found him in the New Eden system. Unfortunately his shuttle had been destroyed earlier. He returned and reshipped to an Anathema-class hull, a wise choice.

The system was still very busy with pilots touring for Gallente election canvassing.

I formed a fleet with mr. Quirinus and we flew towards the Gate, meditating and praying in its mesmerizing light. We were not disturbed - the many pilots jumping in and out of the system were focusing on moving as fast as possible.

We talked about his sin, and with a bit of my help mr. Quirinus came to understand the fundamental nature of his errors, and he showed contrition. The details of our conversation of course fall under the Seal of Confession, but I am confident that the conditions were met to absolve him. He also accepted to do penance.

I am glad he has returned to the fold, and hope that he will remain watchful now. I will keep tabs on him, he usually resides in Amarr. Hopefully we can meet again soon to discuss his spiritual progress and well-being. 

Epikouria Chronicles X

Finally, a sign of life from Mr. Quirinus. He has embarked on his pilgrimage to Eve Gate and is already underway. So, I will go back out in hopes to finally meet him.

There was also a sign of life from brother Hugo: another letter from the wormhole colony of Epikouria. 

Following the intercultural fair where he learned about the history of "Origin", he has been in contact with like-minded individuals amongst the Originals. 

The Originals are definitely not a uniform bloc. 

There are some among them who long back to the time that Amarrian law and order was present in the colony. These folks are a very tiny minority and consist of some early settlers, who used to be land owners, aspiring Holders, and overseers from back in the days that the planets in Epikouria were slave colonies. They call themselves the White Paladins, and have been recruiting support among disgruntled (human) youth among the new settlers in "Origin". 

The founders of the White Paladins were were disenfranchised after the slaves were set free more than a decade ago by the new powers that chased out the Amarr militiamen, who up to then had been in control of the system. They viewed the takeover by the Alexylva Paradox as a hostile invasion, and rejected the new government's liberal stance on transhumanism, in agreement with brother Hugo's conviction that the non-human sentients are abominations. 

The Origin Colonial Authority - that is the current ruling class of the Originals - treats them as extremists that have to be curbed and educated, but they do not really persecute the White Paladins. They are given -like many other groups- their freedom of expression and thought as long as they do not harm others. 

The Starborn (Publius' space-station dwelling colonists) do not care or meddle with groups like the White Paladins or any other political faction of the Originals. Their only concern is good neighborship and access to planetary mining resources. But the White Paladins are elated to have found brother Hugo and his companions, and they treat him as a lifeline back to the old ways and the Empire. 

I think it flatters brother Hugo's ego, but I am afraid they will use him for their own designs.

Links to keep track of the letters of Brother Hugo:
I. First Contact
II. Diplomatic Talks 
III. Refugee crisis
IV. Setting up a new home station
V. Epikouria under siege
VI. Prince Seraghis visit

VII. A suspicion of heresy

VIII. Pop-up church

IX. Intercultural fair

Marriage at the Chapel

Baptisms and marriages are always a pleasure to officiate. A chapel full of happy people, looking forward with hope and joy and full of good resolve!

It was no different this time, for the marriage of lady Echo Ashland to Jade Blackwind. They kept the ceremony modest, limited to close friends. Capsuleer marriages always draw crowds of curious onlookers though, and the non-capsuleer congregation of Gottin's Lamp Chapel had come out. Some outsiders were also in attendance, including a journalist. Not from Amarr Certified News but from some Gallente magazine I heard.

Ms. Blackwind, now lady Jade, kept us waiting...  I could feel that there was some tension rising, and people were thinking that this could be a runaway bride situation. I have never had that happen, and luckily this time it was also not the case. 

There was one unusual custom at this ceremony - in stead of exchanging rings, or reading personal vows, or releasing Achuran songbirds, lady Ashland adorned a necklace. A slaver tooth necklace! That is not usually a symbol associated with the bond of holy matrimony, but apparently it symbolized the hunter pledging to take care of the family. 

I understand that there are many different traditions in our vast Empire, but this, honestly, had me quite surprised and I did not know very well how to react. To me - and to many - these necklaces represent something more insidious: slave abduction raids by rebels. I just continued with the ceremony after that strange moment, and there were no other, let us say, irregularities.

I hope lady Ashland will not be the subject of slander or gossip for this... 

Hope for humanity's epiphany

Today as I started on my way back, for a few moments I thought I witnessed a divine miracle.

New Eden constellation has been very quiet while I was here, but not today! A steady trickle of pilgrims began to show, in shuttles mostly, and in yachts for the richer ones. The trickle grew to a stream, with at any time at least five or six pilots entering or leaving through the underused jump gates. There were jump delays, the gate operator crew here is not used to heavy traffic.

So many pilgrimages, so many people coming to witness the splendor of the Mouth of God and meditate on life, I was elated, and offered prayers of thanks that the world finally has come to its senses and everyone is doing some very necessary introspection. 

It struck me that these pilots did not belong to White Sky, nor to Sedition. No, they were from all around the cluster! And not just Amarrians, also barbarians from the Initiative, Fraternity and even the fallen Horde, rebels from the Republic, lost souls from the Federation, all sorts of corporations and alliances I had never heard about. Is cluster-wide peace finally at hand through God's miraculous intervention as He has opened the eyes of humankind? 

My joy did not last very long. My psalms of joy were overheard by pilots, and a certain Zenoxii Boirelle struck up conversation and explained to me that these were not pilgrims at all. In stead, this is part of the Gallente election!

I will never understand these things.

Apparently, in order to rally support, candidates go on a tour of the lands to present their program and garner "votes", meaning that their presence makes people choose them above the candidates that are at a larger distance. It must be a Federation thing. Now, they are hiring capsuleers to do the campaign tour for them, since that also results in "votes". 

The election campaign trail is going through the New Eden constellation, that is all.

I got confirmation that universal peace was not at hand when I spotted a White Sky Ares-class interceptor trying in vain to grab the passing shuttles. 

Sad and cloaked, I watched it for a while, feeling at least some relief seeing pilots scoot by unhindered by its clumsy failed attempts to catch and kill. 

I made my way back to Mehatoor to be in time for the wedding.