In diesen heil'gen Hallen

[collector]

[Braxiatel appears, immaculate as ever, with a table of food – a fish dinner (Hulzarrian carp, for those in the know) of multiple courses, complete with Angel Delight for dessert. His expression is vacant for a moment, lingering on the main course, but then he remembers himself and puts lids over the dishes.]

[When Braxiatel speaks, he speaks with the clear calmness of ringing bells or water still enough to reflect the sky.]

I have a... general inquiry to make to anyone with a knowledge of history. History of the Gamatra sector, very early 27th century. Specifically, I'd like information on the history of the Fifth Axis expansion through the Vega System... and on its occupation of the planetoid designated KS-159, formerly Cappa Nine Seven under the Earth Empire, originally Delfus-Orestes.

[Through a supreme effort of will, he does not let his voice waver as he says the last words. He even conjures up a smile now, the sort of smile that is laughing at someone else's cosmic joke.]

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

Comments

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

They are largely dead and gone. When I lived my mortal life, however, they were just as legends portray them. We were much closer to the heavens in that time.

[collector]

So the vanished as the dragons did? How interesting.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

There are many theories as to why they died out, but the one that I believe is that humans simply stopped worshiping them. It would make sense that prayers were the source of their power and influence.

[collector]

I know of more than a few species who work that way, in various forms. They're usually psionically sensitive in some ways. The time ships of my people are powered residually by the energy you yourself are taking from me to live.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

{Chuckles} If the old Gods were aliens, I would not be surprised, truthfully.

[collector]

[warming to the subject] More than a few of my kind have pulled just such a trick on the younger races. It's a Class II Intervention to set yourself up as a God. The penalty used to be vaporisation, as I recall. Not that it ever stopped a renegade. Some of my own people have what I've heard called 'the rather embarrassing habit' of worshipping Death, Pain, and Time, a trio of Eternals. Those are a species who exist in more dimensions than even we can map. There are the Great Old Ones, of course, from the universe before ours, and the Ferutu. [his expression clouds] They were Lords of Time from a universe over. They fed off of faith and inspired it, infecting their followers with religious mania. The more followers they had, the more powerful they became.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

Then it is not so far-fetched after all. How comforting it is to know that it may be easier than I thought to take my revenge.

[collector]

Are you aiming for one God in particular, or will anything with delusions of grandeur do? ["Because if so, let me point you to my brother's ex."]

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

I aim primarily for Aphrodite, but I feel no admiration towards any gods.

[collector]

Remind me not to tell you what the painting on my ceiling is called. Still! I can understand the sentiment readily enough. If you'd been around when the Ferutu were, I'd have been more than happy to arrange for you to have a go at them.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

I would be glad to take it anyways. There would be a sense of satisfaction at being able to best gods at all, of course.

[collector]

[quiet, though not out of timidity or even pain] That depends on what it cost you.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

...What do you mean?

[collector]

The planet I was living on. Dellah. It's where the Ferutu surfaced. [He sweeps all that history away with wave of his hand] But there are plenty of Gods left in the universe. I'm sure we'll be able to find some for you. I used to know a goddess of love and peace, actually. Aldebrath, though I use 'goddess' lightly. She was a telepathic virus. All those left believe she's a warlord, a male warlord, which is amusing enough that I can't bring myself to disabuse them of the notion.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

How ironic indeed. But it's fitting enough. Aphrodite always did have her relationship with Ares, after all.

[collector]

Love and War. The way some of my friends run their relationships, I think they hardly distinguish between the two.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

Then they really must learn more from the lessons of their--Well, I suppose I cannot assume such a thing easily anymore. They should learn more from the lessons of the ancient humans. We were more in touch with the spiritual, with ourselves, yet it was mostly lost. It is why my magic appears so powerful compared to the magi of the modern day, after all.

[collector]

As pessimistic as it sounds, I've seen a tenancy towards equilibrium in humanity. Social structures change, but the same problems and hang ups still haunt them as those they were afflicted with two thousand years ago. And I can tell you it doesn't change that much in the next hundred thousand years, either.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

It is only that the Gods choose to interfere less, if they are here at all. I think that is quite an improvement, though I may be biased.

[collector]

Or perhaps they've just gotten more subtle at their games.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

Perhaps. But the Gods I worshiped were never much for subtlety.

[collector]

That would get in the way of glamour and pomposity, I imagine. It would probably make it difficult to gain cults of ardent worshippers as well.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

The Greeks seemed to have little trouble with it. But how glad I am to have lived beyond such an era. Looking back, it was truly a barbaric time.

[collector]

The plumbing, I admit, was rather disappointing. But facetiousness aside, I'm happy you live beyond them too. It's my hope you'll see many more years yet.

[heartscastaside.livejournal.com]

As is it mine. Nearly a month of a much freer life has already proven to be one I quite enjoy.