09 March 2007
Fenny's Memoirs: The Parchment
By Fenris Fox (Jeff R.)
Written A.E. 26 February 3310 (Kitarian Standard); A.D. 26 February 2007 (Gregorian)
Original Web Release, First Edition, 9 March 2007.
*****
Preamble
If I think back far enough in my long life, I can remember many watershed moments in the history of my people.
One incident that started out in that faded blur of light and color we call the past, is the day we uncovered remnants of a race long past... and were amazed by the genius and brutality they showed at different times, on opposing paws…
…But most of all, how much we are alike, kitsune and humans.
***
Prologue: Earth – circa A.D. 5000.
[Note: This section is an adaptation of the story recounted to me, by one of its major participants. This took place far before my time.]
Sometimes, forbidden fruit can come at a terrible price.
That is the hard lesson a human of a time long past, would experience first-hand.
I suppose he can take solace in the thought that he survived – and was able to help me retell his story.
Dr. Mark Roberts – a scientist once Godless, and perhaps still answerless – was in orbit of his blue marble of a homeworld one day in the early 26th century on his planet’s calendar – the Gregorian Calendar.
As logical as Roberts is, he is still a man – never ceasing to be amazed by how lonely and insignificant his world looked, in the grand desert known as outer space. Nearly 550 years of space travel had failed to change this basic emotion.
His orderly view of the Universe was about to be shattered forever.
On board his ship, an apparition appeared to him.
At first, the man of science thought he must be going mad. After all, since when do odd things such as this – a spirit claiming to be Lucifer – appear in the world he knows?
Of course, those would turn out to be the key words – “the world he knows.”
In reality, it turned out to be kitsune from my world – a being of the same type as myself. He tricked Roberts.. using chronotechnology to travel into the past, and a simple jutsuI to change his appearance.
No, it wasn’t me; but, whomever it was, they set up a chain of events, which would have profound effects on my kinsfurs history – and ultimately, on humankind as well.
Regardless, Dr. Roberts came to the future – bringing with him a digital database of his people’s history – and five pages of ancient parchment.
***
I.: Kitaria Prime – A.E. 1906
I seemed to have stumbled upon, by mere chance, what may have been one of the most interesting discoveries in archaeological history.
At the time, however, it meant nothing. I was almost sure it was a written record, though I could not read it. Only a hunch had me press for their decipherment.
Fifty years flew by, as if they were the mere flutters of eyelashes. While for much of that time, our linguists scrutinized the massive digital archive left on durable hydrocarbon-based media, I found myself going to the Kitarian Archives on a daily basis.
While they surely had less bulk than the computer chips, I couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for the five age-fuzzed pages of parchment.
I watched for hours on end, day after day, as the dedicated team of preservationists lovingly and painstakingly strengthened the worn animal hide, and dozens of artists and calligraphers gently restored the fading iron-gall ink.
I already felt a bit of reverence for these pages. It was amazing that they had lasted for so long. Preliminary tests showed them to be thousands of years old – at the least. We had no true idea, because they were off the scale on every test we had at the time.
***
II.
Eventually, the linguists told me that the out-of-place characters at the bottom of the largest of the five parchments were most likely names.
I immediately wondered why one name was so much larger than the others. Was he a king?
A few more years passed – and then finally, in 1956, an announcement was made…
…the language has been deciphered.
***
III.: Kitaria Prime – A.E. 1956
While it was decided that a full Kitarian-language translation would be published, the amount of information gathered was monumental. No fur knew what piece to release first.
Having considerable influence at the time, I made a special request – that the 5 parchments be released first… and that I not be told their contents beforepaw. I would find out about it in the world media, along with the rest of foxenwolf-kind.
The words that followed still ring through my head to this day:
“…we hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal…”
***
Epilogue
Whenever vulpinely possible, I come back to the Kitarian Archives once a year.
Once the other data in the find was published, I realized something worth more than gold:
We are a lot alike, kitsune and humans; neither of us is perfect. We both have had many, many times of shadow; occasionally, though, a spotlight manages to slice through all darkness.
Perhaps one day – when our kind has used all energy available to us – we, too, will be as lucky as homo sapiens was…
…to, without moving an inch, or uttering a single spoken word, touch the hearts of someone – somewhere – whom we shall never know.
END.
***** ¶ 3/09/2007 12:04:00 AM
By Fenris Fox (Jeff R.)
Written A.E. 26 February 3310 (Kitarian Standard); A.D. 26 February 2007 (Gregorian)
Original Web Release, First Edition, 9 March 2007.
*****
Preamble
If I think back far enough in my long life, I can remember many watershed moments in the history of my people.
One incident that started out in that faded blur of light and color we call the past, is the day we uncovered remnants of a race long past... and were amazed by the genius and brutality they showed at different times, on opposing paws…
…But most of all, how much we are alike, kitsune and humans.
***
Prologue: Earth – circa A.D. 5000.
[Note: This section is an adaptation of the story recounted to me, by one of its major participants. This took place far before my time.]
Sometimes, forbidden fruit can come at a terrible price.
That is the hard lesson a human of a time long past, would experience first-hand.
I suppose he can take solace in the thought that he survived – and was able to help me retell his story.
Dr. Mark Roberts – a scientist once Godless, and perhaps still answerless – was in orbit of his blue marble of a homeworld one day in the early 26th century on his planet’s calendar – the Gregorian Calendar.
As logical as Roberts is, he is still a man – never ceasing to be amazed by how lonely and insignificant his world looked, in the grand desert known as outer space. Nearly 550 years of space travel had failed to change this basic emotion.
His orderly view of the Universe was about to be shattered forever.
On board his ship, an apparition appeared to him.
At first, the man of science thought he must be going mad. After all, since when do odd things such as this – a spirit claiming to be Lucifer – appear in the world he knows?
Of course, those would turn out to be the key words – “the world he knows.”
In reality, it turned out to be kitsune from my world – a being of the same type as myself. He tricked Roberts.. using chronotechnology to travel into the past, and a simple jutsuI to change his appearance.
No, it wasn’t me; but, whomever it was, they set up a chain of events, which would have profound effects on my kinsfurs history – and ultimately, on humankind as well.
Regardless, Dr. Roberts came to the future – bringing with him a digital database of his people’s history – and five pages of ancient parchment.
***
I.: Kitaria Prime – A.E. 1906
I seemed to have stumbled upon, by mere chance, what may have been one of the most interesting discoveries in archaeological history.
At the time, however, it meant nothing. I was almost sure it was a written record, though I could not read it. Only a hunch had me press for their decipherment.
Fifty years flew by, as if they were the mere flutters of eyelashes. While for much of that time, our linguists scrutinized the massive digital archive left on durable hydrocarbon-based media, I found myself going to the Kitarian Archives on a daily basis.
While they surely had less bulk than the computer chips, I couldn’t help but feel a bit sorry for the five age-fuzzed pages of parchment.
I watched for hours on end, day after day, as the dedicated team of preservationists lovingly and painstakingly strengthened the worn animal hide, and dozens of artists and calligraphers gently restored the fading iron-gall ink.
I already felt a bit of reverence for these pages. It was amazing that they had lasted for so long. Preliminary tests showed them to be thousands of years old – at the least. We had no true idea, because they were off the scale on every test we had at the time.
***
II.
Eventually, the linguists told me that the out-of-place characters at the bottom of the largest of the five parchments were most likely names.
I immediately wondered why one name was so much larger than the others. Was he a king?
A few more years passed – and then finally, in 1956, an announcement was made…
…the language has been deciphered.
***
III.: Kitaria Prime – A.E. 1956
While it was decided that a full Kitarian-language translation would be published, the amount of information gathered was monumental. No fur knew what piece to release first.
Having considerable influence at the time, I made a special request – that the 5 parchments be released first… and that I not be told their contents beforepaw. I would find out about it in the world media, along with the rest of foxenwolf-kind.
The words that followed still ring through my head to this day:
“…we hold these truths to be self-evident; that all men are created equal…”
***
Epilogue
Whenever vulpinely possible, I come back to the Kitarian Archives once a year.
Once the other data in the find was published, I realized something worth more than gold:
We are a lot alike, kitsune and humans; neither of us is perfect. We both have had many, many times of shadow; occasionally, though, a spotlight manages to slice through all darkness.
Perhaps one day – when our kind has used all energy available to us – we, too, will be as lucky as homo sapiens was…
…to, without moving an inch, or uttering a single spoken word, touch the hearts of someone – somewhere – whom we shall never know.
END.
***** ¶ 3/09/2007 12:04:00 AM
