The Scientific Indian

Mey Smythe’s Diary – Istanbul - 15 Sep 2132
Despite weeks of negotiations, the violence has spread to further parts of Asia, including the Anatolian regions. It is the same everywhere: none of the rioters on the streets really know what they are quarrelling about, save for some totemic reasons about “enemies of their religion” causing grave affront. I have no doubt that the source of these problems lie in those ‘Ark-ive’ deliberations of February. Were the religious representatives worried about the credibility of their ancestors being affected by any revelations? Of their divine figures being mere humans, however august? Was this too much to tolerate?

Is this all necessary?

Jan has been ill for weeks now. It hasn’t helped that the heads of state have held him responsible for these calamities in the Comity. I hold myself to blame – after all, I championed the ‘Ark-ive’. This is quite the opposite of what I imagined would happen when I heard of it. I have run out of ways to salvage anything worthwhile. All my hopes are lost.

The Azureans have been loath to get involved, especially, as per the Concord, they promised to stay out of Earth’s affairs. But how long before, like a kennel-master of an increasingly torrid pack of dogs, will they stay out of it?

Mey Smythe’s Diary – Prague - 5 Jan 2133
Jan: farewell, you lucky man. You escape this tumult. Like the last chapter of a mystery novel, we now know who your true friends really were: the few who paid you the courtesy of showing up at your funeral. I fear by the time my turn arrives, that chapter will be blank!

Mey Smythe’s Diary – Brussels - 7 Feb 2133
In my long career, I have met with several ultimatums, but this is the ugliest of them all. It seems inevitable that the progress of the last decade will be erased with a regress worth a century.

The religious leaders confessed today that they are no longer in control of their raging flocks, and that they can no longer direct the flames that they tried so vainly to fan in the last year. (Of course, they wouldn’t quite take the blame for being the masterminds in so many words.) Consequently, their (cold-blooded!) analysis is that no balm can be applied to soothe these volcanic tempers. In speech that is disguised as advice, they suggest an approach that would be more appropriate in quelling oil-fires: they want us to start an even bigger fire that will consume every inflammable element in the neighbourhood. They want us to declare war on the Azureans in a desperate bid to distract humanity. Of course, they call it “uniting mankind”.

Such an absurd suggestion I could not countenance. Instead, I suggested taking our troubles to the Azureans. Surely they could not stand by as their newest ally committed mass suicide. But this only provoked derision. There is a conspiracy theory among certain circles that some of the current troubles have been fomented by the Azureans, a fact that we know to be completely incorrect. The actual fomenters were in the room with us when this theory was being discussed!

It doesn’t help that these groups have painted the Inner Council as corrupt puppets in the pay of the Azureans. We have failed to combat these accusations, so what credibility do we have left?

I fear for Vina – she isn’t safe anymore now that her university has been shut down.