Letter date: 19890224

Now, to your question about this series being "a major shift in Alliance policy", ArKay's on the side. I'll let him answer.

*
* THANK YOU, K-T. MR. GREEN'S QUESTION IS A VALID ONE, AND
* INDEED IT IS A RADICAL DEPARTURE FROM THE POSITION WE HAD
* AT FIRST TAKEN. IN THOSE EARLY DAYS, IT WAS NECESSARY THAT
* A STRICT BLANKET OF SECURITY BE MAINTAINED OVER THIS TOPIC
* WHILE WE ESTABLISHED OUR DEFENSES AND FORMULATED OUR PLAN
* OF ACTION. NOW THAT WE ARE FIRMLY ENTRENCHED, OUR FOE IS
* WELL AWARE OF OUR PRESENCE AND OUR POLICIES. THEY KNOW THAT
* WE INTEND TO EXPOSE THEIR TACTICS TO YOUR PEOPLE. WE HAVE
* INFORMED THEM OF THIS INTENTION THROUGH SYNDICATE LIAISONS.
*
* WE MUST AGAIN VIGOROUSLY EMPHASIZE THE DANGER INVOLVED IN
* YOUR DIRECT CONFRONTATIONS WITH THEM. WE SUPPORT ONLY THE
* INDIRECT APPROACH THAT I DISCUSSED, THAT IS, MORAL AND
* SPIRITUAL REBIRTH. THIS IS YOUR MOST EFFECTIVE WEAPON. USE
* IT WELL, MY BROTHERS. VA I LUCE.
*

Letter date: 19890420

To your queries about nuclear power, don't let the liberal media nonsense fool you. Enclosed is a copy of the latest polls on nuclear energy (not significantly different from a dozen others since Chernobyl) which demonstrate that, if there is no particular love of the technology, there is at least a public awareness that it is now and will continue to be a vital component in our electrical supply.

Arkay has indicated that he wants to jump in here.

*
* ALEN, BROTHER GABRIEL. AS I INDICATED IN MY MESSAGE ON
* ALLIANCE TECHNOLOGY, WE DO NOT USE FISSION POWER IN OUR
* ELECTRICAL SUPPLY NETWORKS. HOWEVER, WE ARE WELL AWARE
* THAT ON EARTH, THE FUSION TECHNOLOGIES ARE NOT AS YET
* ABLE TO REPLACE EXISTING FISSION REACTORS.
*
* GIVEN THAT, AND BEING AWARE OF THE CATASTROPHIC EFFECTS
* OF CONTINUING TO CONSUME FOSSIL FUELS FOR ENERGY, WE CAN
* ONLY SUGGEST THAT IN THE ABSENCE OF FUSION, THE FISSION
* PLANTS ARE FAR AND AWAY PREFERABLE FROM AN ENVIRONMENTAL
* STANDPOINT. WE RECOMMEND THAT YOU LOOK ASKANCE AT GLOOM
* AND DOOM SCENARIOS OFFERED BY OPPONENTS OF NUCLEAR ENERGY,
* INASMUCH AS THESE TALES ARE ALMOST WITHOUT EXCEPTION OF NO
* WORTH AT ALL, AND ARE SCIENTIFICALLY PREPOSTEROUS AT BEST.
*
* AS TO NEUTRALIZING RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS, THIS CAN BE DONE,
* BUT AT GREAT COST OF ENERGY AND TIME, AND INASMUCH AS WE
* ARE A SPACE-FARING LOT, WE SEE NO PRACTICAL REASON TO USE
* SUCH AN APPROACH. THE CONFEDERATION MAY WELL POSSESS THIS
* TECHNOLOGY, BUT IF SO THEY KNOW AS WELL AS WE DO THAT IT IS
* NOT WORTH THE EFFORT ON A SIGNIFICANT SCALE.
*
* WE FIND THAT THE SIMPLEST METHOD OF DISPOSING OF WASTE
* MATERIAL IS TO SEND IT INTO THE NEAREST STAR, WHERE IT
* BECOMES A NON-PROBLEM. WE KNOW THAT THIS IS ALSO THE METHOD
* OF CHOICE FOR THE CONFEDERATION.
*
* DO NOT BE MISLED BY CLAIMS THAT A SIMPLE WAY OF RADIOACTIVE
* WASTE NEUTRALIZATION EXISTS. IT WOULD BE FAR PREFERABLE FOR
* YOU TO DEVELOP SPACE TRAVEL IF FOR THAT PURPOSE ALONE, AND
* CERTAINLY FAR LESS COSTLY THAN NEUTRALIZATION TECHNOLOGY.
*
* THE "NEW AGE" PEOPLE ARE, WE HOPE, RATIONAL ENOUGH THAT
* WITH THE FACTS IN HAND, THEY WILL SEE BOTH THE SHORT- AND
* LONG TERM BENEFITS OF "NUCLEAR" ENERGY. WE WILL CONTINUE
* TO WORK WITHIN ALL GOVERNMENTS TO CREATE SCIENTIFICALLY
* SOUND POLICIES THAT WILL SERVE MANKIND INTO THE DISTANT
* FUTURE, USING THE "PEACEFUL ATOM" IN ITS MANY ASPECTS.
*
* VA I LUCE.
*

Arkay, as you might have detected, has a profound distaste for scientific illiteracy, especially when it's culpable. With the reams of data available to the media and public on the subject, we remain ignorant of such topics through deliberate negligence.

Letter date: 19890609

Since you requested ArKay's views, he is now "on the side" in the MassCom communications center. The floor is now his.

*
* ALEN, BROTHER GABRIEL. YOUR QUESTION AS TO THE METHOD OF
* "CONSCIOUSNESS-RAISING" USED IN CHINA IS FASCINATING IN
* ITS ASSUMPTION OF SOME HIGHLY ADVANCED TECHNOLOGICAL WAY
* OF INFLUENCING POPULAR THINKING. IN FACT, HOWEVER, THERE
* HAVE ALWAYS BEEN CELLS OF DEMOCRATICALLY-ORIENTED CITIZENS
* IN CHINA AND ALL OTHER COUNTRIES UNDER OPPRESSIVE REGIMES.
*
* WE DID NOT USE PSYCH-PROBING OR "SUBLIMINAL PROGRAMMING",
* BUT RATHER AN INTIMATE PERSON-TO-PERSON CONTACT WITH THESE
* PEOPLE, WITH OUR AGENTS POSING AS CITIZENS JOINING UP WITH
* THE RESISTANCE GROUPS, PROVIDING RESOURCES OF COMMUNICATION
* THAT ALLOWED THEM UNPRECEDENTED ACCESS TO EACH OTHER.
*
* WHERE OUR INTERVENTION WAS MORE FELT WAS IN THE OFFICIAL
* LEVELS. THE DELAY IN RESPONDING SO BRUTALLY TO THE MASS
* DEMONSTRATIONS WAS DUE TO OUR HOLDING OFF GOVERNMENT ACTION
* AS LONG AS WE COULD WITHOUT DESTROYING OUR "COVER".
*
* TO BE FRANK, THE INTENSITY OF THE DESIRE FOR FREEDOM AND
* DEMOCRACY THAT BURNS WITHIN THE SOULS OF THESE PEOPLE WAS
* UNANTICIPATED. WHILE WE GAVE THEM BETTER INTERACTION, IT
* WAS THEIR FIERCE DETERMINATION TO WAGE THIS STRUGGLE THAT
* PRECIPITATED THE AWE-INSPIRING EVENTS IN TIANANMEN SQUARE.
*
* GIVEN THE TRAGIC OUTCOME WHEN WE COULD NO LONGER REIN THE
* SAVAGERY OF THE GOVERNMENT, WE WONDER IF WE MAY HAVE
* GIVEN THEM TOO MUCH TOO SOON. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER
* HAD THE QUEST FOR DEMOCRACY BEEN SLOWER, MORE CONTROLLED,
* BUT THE PEOPLE HAVE RESERVES OF WILL AND COURAGE BEYOND
* WHAT WE HAD FACTORED INTO OUR STUDIES, AND THEY EMBRACED
* THE OPPORTUNITY TO UNLEASH THAT STRENGTH IN A WAY THAT
* COULD NOT BE IGNORED.
*
* ESSENTIALLY, DESPITE OUR ADVICE TO THE LEADERS, THEIR GOAL
* WAS TO FORCE CONFRONTATION WITH THE RULING BODIES. THEY
* KNEW THAT THE CONSEQUENCES OF THEIR ACTIONS WOULD PROBABLY
* INCLUDE THE LOSS OF LIVES, BUT THEY FELT SO STRONGLY ABOUT
* LIVING UNDER OPPRESSION THAT THEY PREFERRED DEATH WITH
* HONOR TO LIFE WITHOUT FREEDOM.
*
* TO A PEOPLE SUCH AS THE CHINESE TO WHOM THE BLESSINGS OF
* LIBERTY ARE BUT A DREAM, THE CHANCE TO OPENLY DISPLAY THEIR
* DESIRES AND HOPES IS SELDOM AFFORDED, MUCH LESS TO THE EYES
* OF THE ENTIRE WORLD. WHEN JUST SUCH AN OCCASION AROSE, IT
* WAS SEIZED WITH A PASSION THAT WE COULD NOT PREDICT. THE
* REST IS THE SUBJECT OF YOUR DAILY NEWS REPORTS.
*
* YOU HAVE ASKED TWO QUESTIONS OF IMPORTANCE TO MANY NEW-AGE
* PEOPLE: HOW MUCH MORE VIOLENCE IS NECESSARY, AND HOW CAN A
* VICTORY FOR YOUR PHILOSOPHIES OF PEACE AND BROTHERHOOD BE
* POSSIBLE IN A WORLD FRAUGHT WITH TURMOIL AND "CHAOS".
*
* TO THESE QUESTIONS I CAN ONLY RESPOND WITH A LINE FROM ONE
* OF YOUR SONGS OF A FEW YEARS AGO: "I NEVER PROMISED YOU A
* ROSE GARDEN." YOU ARE DEALING WITH A "DARK FORCE" THAT HAS
* BEEN ENTRENCHED IN YOUR CULTURE FOR MANY YEARS, AND THAT
* FORCE HAS AN IMMENSE STAKE IN SEEING THAT THIS CONTROL IS
* NOT LOST. THEY WILL NOT SURRENDER. THEY MUST BE DEFEATED.
*
* THE ALLIANCE PROGRAM IN NO WAY INVOLVES VIOLENCE OR OTHER
* INFLUENCES THAT ARE DIRECTLY FELT UPON YOUR WORLD, YET THE
* OUTCOME OF YOUR ACTIONS AS A RESULT OF OUR LESSENING THE
* POWER OF THE DARK FORCE IS OCCASIONALLY VIOLENT. THIS IS
* NOT A RESULT OF OUR ACTIVITIES, BUT RATHER AN INEVITABLE
* RESULT OF EVENTS THAT WOULD HAVE TAKEN PLACE IN EVEN MORE
* DESTRUCTIVE WAYS HAD THE DARK FORCES NOT BEEN IMPEDED.
*
* YOU HAVE SEEN THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE ACTIONS IN BEIJING.
* KNOW NOW THAT THE EXISTENCE OF THIS "UNDERGROUND" WITHIN
* CHINESE SOCIETY WAS NO SECRET TO THE GOVERNMENT, AND HAD
* NOT THE DEMONSTRATIONS OCCURED, A SILENT PURGE WOULD HAVE
* RESULTED IN OVER 63,000 DEATHS AS THE RESISTANCE WAS
* UTTERLY CRUSHED. IT WAS THIS UNDERSTANDING THAT FORCED US
* INTO OUR MORE DIRECT ROLE WITH THE RESISTANCE LEADERS, BUT
* IT WAS OUR PRESENCE THAT GAVE THEM THE MEANS TO TAKE THEIR
* STRUGGLE TO THE STREETS.
*
* DO NOT JUDGE US HARSHLY ON THIS. THE GOVERNMENT IN BEIJING,
* BY ITS CRUEL REPRESSION OF THE PEOPLE, HAS IN FACT WRITTEN
* ITS FINAL CHAPTER. A CONTROLLED POPULACE MAY WELL BE READY
* TO ACCEPT PROPOGANDA FROM ITS LEADERS CONCERNING DANGERS
* FROM ITS ENEMIES, BUT IN SAVAGELY MURDERING HUNDREDS OF ITS
* UNARMED, PEACEFULLY-PROTESTING CITIZENS, IT HAS GENERATED
* WITHIN THE CHINESE PEOPLE A HATRED OF ALL IT REPRESENTS.
*
* THE LESSONS OF TIANANMEN SQUARE ARE NOT LOST ON OTHER
* COUNTRIES UNDER COMMUNIST DOMINATION. THEY MUST NOW BEGIN
* TO WONDER WHETHER THEIR OWN REGIMES ARE CAPABLE OF SUCH A
* BRUTAL ACTION. THIS LINGERING DOUBT IN THEIR MINDS WILL BE
* AN EFFECTIVE PSYCHOLOGICAL WEAPON IN THE HANDS OF ALLIANCE
* AGENTS, AND WE INTEND TO EXPLOIT ITS VAST POTENTIAL.
*
* CAN THE VIOLENCE END? NOT AS LONG AS THOSE CONDITIONS THAT
* BREED IT CONTINUE TO EXIST. OPPRESSION IS BY ITS NATURE
* VIOLENT, AND ONLY BY OVERTHROWING IT CAN THE HORRORS END.
* SADLY, THIS USUALLY RESULTS IN VIOLENCE AS THE REPRESSED
* RISE IN REVOLT AGAINT THEIR CRUEL MASTERS, BUT THE HORROR
* OF THE SHORT-TERM IS ULTIMATELY PREFERABLE TO THE TERROR
* OF OPPRESSION LEFT UNCHALLENGED.
*
* YOUR SECOND WORLD WAR WAS A DESCENT OF MAN OF EARTH INTO
* THE HELL THAT HUMANS CAN CREATE WHEN THEY FIND REASONS TO
* WAR WITH ONE ANOTHER. YET, CAN YOU TRULY SAY THAT THE WAR
* WAS A GREATER CRIME THAN THE THIRD REICH'S EVIL HOLOCAUST
* AGAINST THE JEWISH PEOPLE?
*
* IT IS SAD BUT ALL TOO OFTEN TRUE THAT THE FORCES OF LIGHT
* MUST RESORT TO THE WAYS AND MEANS OF THE DARK SIDE IN
* ORDER TO BE VICTORIOUS OVER THE DARKNESS. WHEN LOVE AND
* LIGHT AND PEACE HAVE NO EFFECT EXCEPT TO PERPETUATE THE
* REIGN OF DARKNESS, THEN LIGHT WORKERS MUST BESEECH GOD'S
* FORGIVENESS AND DEFEAT THE EVIL BY THE ONLY METHODS THAT
* WILL SUCCEED.
*
* THE LIGHT FORCES MUST ULTIMATELY BE THE VICTORS, BECAUSE
* DARKNESS CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT SUPPRESSING LIGHT, AND
* LIGHT CANNOT FOREVER BE HIDDEN. GOVERNMENTS THAT RULE BY
* DOMINATING THEIR PEOPLE WILL IN THE END FALL BECAUSE THE
* HUMAN SPIRIT CANNOT REMAIN SHACKLED.
*
* COMMUNISM IS A DEAD IDEOLOGY, AWAITING ONLY THE ARISING OF
* ITS PEOPLE TO BURY IT FOR ALL TIME, WITH ONLY ITS MEMORY
* SURVIVING AS A LESSON TO ALL WHO WILL FOLLOW, OF THE EVIL
* THAT CAN BE CREATED BY THE HUMAN MIND THAT SEEKS POWER
* RATHER THAN JUSTICE. YOUR GENERATION IS WITNESSING THIS
* WELCOME END, AND NONE SHOULD RUE ITS PASSING.
*
* MORE THAN THAT, THE COMING YEARS WILL SEE THE PASSION FOR
* FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY AND HUMAN DIGNITY COMING TO THE FORE
* IN EVERY NATION OF WHATEVER IDEOLOGY THAT GOVERNS BY FORCE
* RATHER THAN RIGHTEOUSNESS. THE ALLIANCE WILL BE DEEPLY
* ENGAGED IN THAT STRUGGLE, GUIDING YOUR PEOPLE WHEN NEEDED,
* STIRRING THEM TO ACTION WHEN DESIRED.
*
* WE WILL BE THERE IN ALL YOUR BATTLES FOR THE WAYS OF LIGHT,
* YET YOU WILL NOT KNOW OF OUR PRESENCE UNLESS YOU HAVE READ
* SUCH WORDS AS THESE FROM US. IT WILL NOT BE OUR POLICY TO
* REVEAL OURSELVES TO YOU, AND IN FACT YOU MUST NOT OBTAIN
* PROOF OF OUR EXISTENCE UNTIL WE ARE READY TO PROVIDE IT
* OPENLY TO ALL. IN THE FUTURE, I WILL OUTLINE SOME OF OUR
* SPECIFIC APPROACHES, BUT THIS MUST SUFFICE FOR NOW.
*
* ALLOW ME TO CLOSE THIS COMMUNICATION WITH THIS THOUGHT:
*
* TOO LONG HAS MAN OF EARTH SUFFERED UNDER A WAY OF LIFE THAT
* WAS SPAWNED BY THE DELUSION THAT THE LAWS OF GOD NO LONGER
* APPLY TO THE MODERN WORLD. THE INFINITE ONE HAS NOT CHANGED
* THE LAWS THAT CONTROL THE UNIVERSE. YOU WILL SOON COME TO
* KNOW THAT YOU CANNOT DO SO, NOR CAN YOU ESCAPE THE TERRIBLE
* CONSEQUENCES OF LIVING WITHOUT THEM.
*
* YOU MAY MARK THESE WORDS WELL. VA I LUCE.
*

Yipe! He told me before I started this letter that he had no intention of pulling his punches, nor of giving us one of those saccharine ramblings that find such favor in New Agers looking for a quick, painless way out. Looks like he meant it, and we're in for the long haul.

Letter date: 19890627

I do have access to a VCR and would enjoy the tape of the Con-Con at your convenience. Good luck on the MJ-12 efforts, on which note the gentleman has just this instant indicated that he has a few words.

*
* ALEN, BROTHER GABRIEL. ABOUT THE SO-CALLED "MAJESTIC-12"
* CONTROVERSY, AND YOUR REQUEST FOR OUR VIEWS ON IT, ALLOW
* ME TO OFFER A SHORT COMMUNICATION, A DISCLAIMER, IF YOU
* WILL, ON THAT SUBJECT.
*
* THE ALLIANCE HAS BEEN INFORMED OF FOUR MAJOR INSTANCES IN
* WHICH ALIEN CRAFTS HAVE CRASHED ON YOUR WORLD, AND WERE
* CAPTURED BY THE GOVERNMENTS OF THE NATIONS -- THE UNITED
* STATES, THE SOVIET UNION, FRANCE AND TURKEY.
*
* THE ONE THAT OCCURED IN THE UNITED STATES WAS NOT NEAR THE
* NEW MEXICO TOWN OF ROSWELL. THE RECORDS WE HAVE SEEN WERE
* OF A CONFEDERATION SCOUT CRAFT THAT FAILED AND WENT DOWN
* IN THE DESERT AREA TO THE EAST OF LOS ANGELES.
*
* THIS OCCURED IN 1957 DURING A ROUTINE SURVEILLANCE MISSION
* CONCERNING TOP-SECRET MILITARY MANEUVERS IN THAT SECTOR.
* THE VEHICLE WAS NOT ATTACKED, AND INDEED WAS UNDETECTED
* BY THE MILITARY PERSONNEL UNTIL ITS POWER SYSTEM DEVELOPED
* A MALFUNCTION IN A CRITICAL CONTROL CIRCUIT AND "RAN AWAY",
* CAUSING AN EXPLOSION THAT DEMOLISHED THE PROPULSION AND
* GUIDANCE APPARATUS.
*
* THE VEHICLE THEN PLUNGED DOWNWARD OUT OF CONTROL, IMPACTING
* THREE MILES FROM THE HEADQUARTERS AREA. SINCE NO CIVILIAN
* PERSONNEL WERE WITHIN TWENTY MILES AT THE TIME, THE VEHICLE
* WAS SIMPLY TAKEN APART AT THE SCENE AND BROUGHT OUT BY THE
* TRUCK CONVOY WHEN THEY ENDED THEIR SCHEDULED OPERATIONS.
*
* THIS CRAFT WAS TAKEN TO A RESEARCH LABORATORY IN NEW YORK,
* WHERE IT WAS EXHAUSTIVELY ANALYZED. BECAUSE THE MAJORITY OF
* THE EQUIPMENT HAD BEEN DESTROYED BY THE EXPLOSION OR IN THE
* SUBSEQUENT CRASH, NOTHING OF VALUE WAS LEARNED.
*
* THE REMNANTS WERE THEN TO BE SENT TO A GOVERNMENT STORAGE
* FACILITY IN THE STATE OF NEVADA, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CARRYING
* THEM ITSELF CRASHED. ALTHOUGH THE CONFEDERATION DENIES ANY
* INVOLVEMENT IN THIS EVENT, AN EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH OF THE
* CRASH SITE FAILED TO TURN UP THE AIRCRAFT'S CARGO.
*
* FURTHER SUPPORTING THE PREMISE OF AN OVERT CONFEDERATION
* INTERVENTION, THE LABORATORY WAS DAMAGED BY A FIRE OF AN
* UNDETERMINED ORIGIN THAT BEGAN IN A STATIONERY STOREROOM
* ADJACENT TO THE FILE AND RECORDS AREA. THIS BLAZE WAS VERY
* HOT AND FAST-BURNING, AND INCINERATED EVERYTHING IN THE
* FILE ROOM.
*
* YEARS OF RESEARCH WERE DESTROYED, MUCH OF IT INVALUABLE,
* BUT THE (ASSUMED) PRIMARY GOAL OF UTTERLY ERASING THE
* EVIDENCE OF THE CRASHED SHIP WAS ACCOMPLISHED. IN THE
* OTHER THREE CASES, EQUALLY DIRECT ACTION ALSO DISPENSED
* WITH THE REMNANTS AND RESEARCH RECORDS.
*
* IN THE SOVIET UNION, THE CRAFT WAS RECOVERED ALMOST INTACT,
* IT HAVING CRASHED INTO THE BLACK SEA ABOUT THIRTY MILES
* SOUTH-EAST OF ODESSA. THE RECOVERY SHIP BRINGING IT TO THAT
* PORT SANK WITH ALL HANDS IN A BIZARRE LOCALIZED STORM THAT
* WELLED UP FROM BLUE SKIES AND A CALM SEA. THE SUNKEN SHIP,
* LIKE THE WRECKAGE OF THE AIRPLANE, REVEALED NO UNUSUAL
* CARGO DESPITE A THOROUGH SEARCH.
*
* THE VEHICLES THAT FELL IN FRANCE AND TURKEY ALSO BECAME
* "AMONG THE MISSING", ALTHOUGH IN THESE INSTANCES NO LIFE
* WAS LOST IN THE PROCESS, AND INVOLVED SIMPLE THEFT OF THE
* VEHICLES AND RESEARCH RECORDS.
*
* AS I STATED ABOVE, THE CONFEDERATION HAS VEHEMENTLY DENIED
* ANY ROLE IN THE INCIDENTS SURROUNDING THE REMOVAL OF THE
* MATERIAL AND FILES, NOR DID WE FIND ANYTHING IN THEIR OWN
* RECORDS TO ACCUSE THEM. HOWEVER, THE INFORMATION WAS TAKEN
* FROM THEIR EXTENSIVE DATABANKS ON CRAFTS THAT HAVE FALLEN
* INTO NON-CONFEDERATION HANDS.
*
* THEIR ONLY RESPONSE WAS THAT THEIR INTENSIVE INVESTIGATION
* OF THE CRASHES AND LATER EVENTS HAD UNCOVERED THESE FACTS.
* INASMUCH AS THE CONFEDERATION HIERARCHY WAS BEING UNUSUALLY
* ACCOMODATING IN EVEN OPENING THESE FILES TO US, WE DID NOT
* PRESS THEM ON THE ISSUE, BUT "CIRCUMSTANTIAL EVIDENCE"
* MAKES IT DIFFICULT TO REACH ANY OTHER CONCLUSION.
*
* RETURNING TO THE "MJ-12" INCIDENT, THIS WAS APPARENTLY NOT
* A CONFEDERATION CRAFT, AND SINCE IT OCCURED WELL BEFORE WE
* BEGAN OUR EFFORTS HERE, WE HAVE NO WAY OF VERIFYING THE
* FACTS BEHIND THE CASE. THERE IS A KERNEL OF EVIDENCE THAT
* AN ALIEN CRAFT DID IN FACT CRASH THERE AND WAS TAKEN BY
* FEDERAL AUTHORITIES, BUT WE CANNOT OFFER FURTHER COMMENTS.
*
* THIS, I FEAR, WILL BE OF LITTLE USE TO YOU IN THE RESEARCH
* FOR "MJ-12, THE COSMIC WATERGATE", BUT UNFORTUNATELY WE ARE
* UNABLE TO OBTAIN FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE SUBJECT. WE
* HAVE EXAMINED THE EVIDENCE PRODUCED BY YOUR RESEARCHERS,
* BUT THUSFAR WE HAVE FOUND NOTHING THAT WE MIGHT CALL PROOF
* OF SUFFICIENT QUALITY THAT WE WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCEPT IT.
*
* I MUST APOLOGIZE ON THIS, BUT IT WOULD DISHONEST OF US TO
* PROVIDE YOU WITH UNPROVEN INFORMATION PURELY TO "HYPE" THE
* MYSTERY SURROUNDING "MJ-12" AND ROSWELL.
*
* VA I LUCE.
*

A few words, ArKay! You're getting as bad as I am when it comes to writing a few words.

*
* TERSENESS WAS NEVER MY STRONG SUIT, K-T. I FIND IT QUITE
* DIFFICULT TO END WITHOUT FINISHING.
*

No explanations are necessary, my friend. Too much is always better than too little. Go in light, brother.

I'm glad he uses a lot of paragraphs. It's far easier to paginate the text than trying to find natural breakpoints. I've explained this minimally before, but they are capable of monitoring my entries and injecting data into this computer directly, although the system they use apparently initializes lines by sending a code that the word processor translates into asterisks.

I leave them in there because it would be a pain to take them out, and they set off his text quite handily in any case (although the three leading and following ones use a lot of space). The capitals also come that way. Maybe he finds it too much of a bother to use the shift key.

*
* WE DO NOT HAVE SHIFT KEYS ON OUR COMPUTERS. OUR TEXT ENTRY
* IS IN KORENDIAN, AND THE MACHINE TRANSLATES INTO ENGLISH.
* WE NEVER ATTEMPTED TO TEACH IT CAPITALIZATION. AS FOR THE
* ASTERISKS, YOU ARE CORRECT ON THAT POINT. THE CODE THAT WE
* ASSIGN TO A LINE-FEED IS INTERPRETED AS AN ASTERISK BY YOUR
* COMPUTER. ALSO NOTE THAT I HAVE DELIBERATELY PROGRAMMED OUR
* MACHINE TO FORMAT MY TEXT IN LINES THAT WILL OCCUPY ONE
* PRINTED TEXT LINE USING YOUR PROCESSOR. I WILL MODIFY THE
* PROGRAM LATER TO SEND JUST ONE LEADING/TRAILING FEED.
*
* AS ORII-VAL MIGHT SAY IT, "SOMETIMES MY CONSIDERATENESS
* AMAZES EVEN ME."
*

*
* INDEED, ARKAY, BUT WHEN ORII SAYS IT, IT'S NOT TOTALLY
* OUT OF CHARACTER. HELLO AND GOOD EVENING, MIALANA.
*

Well, the whole Korendian family's on the tube tonight. A cheery good evening to you, sweetheart. Anybody down there minding the store?

*
* IT'S A QUIET PERIOD. EVERYTHING IS RUNNING JUST RIGHT. YOU
* MUST HAVE HAD A FEW OF THESE ODD TIMES IN YOUR WORK WHEN A
* GOOD SESSION OF THUMB-TWIDDLING IS THE DAY'S ACTIVITY.
*

Too few of them to suit me lately. In any case, sweet one, it's a pleasure to have you on board. ArKay's great, but he's just not my type.

*
* I SHOULD HOPE I AM NOT!
*

*
* DON'T WORRY, ARKAY, YOU AREN'T. TAKE IT FROM THE AUTHORITY.
* NOW, AS YOUR PEOPLE SAY, SWEETHEART, "I'M OUTTA HERE."
*

The Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval! Much love, mialani. It will be interesting to find out what brother Gabe thinks of this high-tech silliness. Va i luce, ArKay.

Letter date: 19890813

On to business. You commented, "I've been thinking how marvelous it will be if ArKay can continue to provide us with useful information." He's standing by.

*
* ALEN, BROTHER GABRIEL. LET ME OPEN BY SAYING THAT AS LONG
* AS YOU HAVE THE DESIRE TO RECEIVE INFORMATION, IT WILL BE
* BE MY GREAT PLEASURE TO PROVIDE IT TO YOU. THAT IS, AFTER
* ALL, MY PRIMARY PURPOSE WITH THE ALLIANCE OPERATIONS HERE.
* I SHALL ENDEAVOR TO ANSWER ANY AND ALL QUESTIONS AS THEY
* COME MY WAY FROM YOU OR OTHERS.
*
* THE STAR ELDERON, WHICH YOU KNOW AS ALPHA BOOTIS OR MORE
* COMMONLY ARCTURUS, IS SURROUNDED BY A RETINUE OF SEVEN
* PLANETS. NONE OF THEM HAVE INDIGENOUS LIFE-FORMS OF ANY KIND.
*
* THIS CONDITION DID NOT ALWAYS EXIST. ALANDRA DID AT ONE
* TIME SUPPORT AN EXTREMELY ADVANCED CIVILIZATION, AND THE
* TWO NEAREST PLANETS WERE COLONIZED BY THEM. HOWEVER, AS
* ARCTURUS AGED AND CHANGED, THE PEOPLE APPARENTLY LEFT IN
* A MASS EXODUS FOR AN UNKNOWN DESTINATION, LEAVING BEHIND
* THEIR SPECTACULAR CITIES AND MONUMENTS.
*
* THEY TOOK WITH THEM EVERY TRACE OF THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND
* RECORDS. WE SEARCHED THE WORLD FOR YEARS AFTER DISCOVERING
* THEIR GLORIOUS WORKS, IN A FRUITLESS EFFORT TO LEARN WHERE
* THEY HAD GONE. AFTER A TIME THE CONCLUSION WAS REACHED FROM
* VERY FRAGMENTARY CLUES THAT THEIR MIGRATION HAD TAKEN THEM
* ON A MULTI-GENERATION TRIP TO WHAT YOU KNOW AS THE M-31
* GALAXY IN ANDROMEDA.
*
* THE CONDITION OF THE WORLD INDICATED THAT THIS IMMENSE
* JOURNEY BEGAN SOME THREE MILLION YEARS AGO, AND THAT EVEN
* IN THE SUB-LIGHT VESSELS THAT WE ASSUME WERE USED, THEY
* HAVE LONG SINCE REACHED THEIR DESTINATION AND BEGUN ANEW.
* WE WISH THEM GOD'S ABUNDANT BLESSINGS IN THEIR NEW HOME.
*
* THE NAME WE GAVE THE STAR, ELDERON, IS A DERIVATION OF THE
* GALINGUAN WORD ELDRONA, MEANING A WISE SPIRIT. THE AURA OF
* THE WORLD INSPIRES PROFOUND AWE TO THIS DAY. IT WAS NATURAL
* THAT WHEN THE TIME ARRIVED TO FIND A NEW CENTRAL REPOSITORY
* FOR THE KNOWLEDGE AND RECORDS OF THE ALLIANCE, IT WOULD BE
* ON ALANDRA, THE GALINGUAN WORD FOR KNOWLEDGE.
*
* WE CAREFULLY RESTORED ONE OF THEIR MOST MAGNIFICENT WORKS,
* A LIBRARY THAT COVERED, IN YOUR TERMS, SIX SQUARE MILES OF
* TERRAIN IN A SINGLE MULTI-STORY COMPLEX. IN ITS HEART IS
* WHAT SEEMED TO BE A PLACE OF VERY SPECIAL MEANING TO THE
* BUILDERS, A HUGE DOMED ATRIUM THAT CENTERED UPON A RAISED
* SECTION SURROUNDED BY HUNDREDS OF TIERS OF STONE SEATS.
*
* WE ASSUME THAT ITS PURPOSE WAS EDUCATION, OR POSSIBLY FOR
* WORSHIP, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE NO EVIDENCE OF THEIR RELIGIOUS
* BELIEFS. ENTERING THIS ROOM BRINGS A FEELING OF INNER PEACE
* THAT CANNOT BE EXPRESSED IN WORDS. ONE SENSES THE PRESENCE
* OF EONS-DEPARTED BEINGS STILL GATHERED IN THAT PLACE TO
* ENGULF THEMSELVES IN THE GLORY OF PURE KNOWLEDGE. I HAVE
* STOOD IN THAT HALLOWED HALL. THE MEMORY WILL BE FOREVER IN
* MY MIND AND HEART AND SOUL. I WILL GO THERE AGAIN.
*
* WHAT MORE FITTING PLACE, THEN, FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT
* DOCUMENT IN OUR LONG HISTORY, THE "PACT OF ALLIANCE". IT
* RESTS, ETERNALLY PRESERVED, IN A LARGE GLASS CASE AT THE
* CENTER OF THE RAISED PODIUM. IT IS THE PASSION OF EVERY
* CITIZEN OF OUR MANY WORLDS TO VISIT THIS SHRINE AT LEAST
* ONCE IN THEIR LIVES, TO STAND IN THAT SACRED PLACE AND
* ABSORB THE HISTORY INTO THEIR VERY ESSENCES.
*
* AS TO THE PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES OF ALANDRA, WHICH WE HAVE
* CALLED ARCTURIA IN OUR COMMUNICATIONS WITH YOU PURELY
* TO ESTABLISH ITS LOCATION IN YOUR NIGHT SKIES, ALLOW ME
* TO PRESENT A BRIEF DATA-CHART ON THE PLANET.
*
* ALANDRA IS THE THIRD OF THE SEVEN PLANETS IN THE SYSTEM
* OF ARCTURUS. THE FOLLOWING DATA ARE FOR ALANDRA ONLY, AS
* THE OTHER WORLDS ARE OF NO SPECIAL SIGNIFICANCE HERE,
* BEYOND SAYING THAT THEY ARE UNDER ALLIANCE JURISDICTION.
*
*

* DIAMETER (MILES)             21,887.643
* DENSITY (EARTH=1)            0.713
* DAY LENGTH:
*     EARTH=1                  1.027793
*     HOURS                    24:40:01.32
* MASS (EARTH=1)               15.06
* SURFACE LAND %               61.7
* SURFACE GRAVITY (SEA LEVEL):
*     EARTH=1                  1.97
*     FT/SEC SQUARED           63.52
* SURFACE TEMPERATURES:
*     MEAN                     87.6F/30.9C
*     MINIMUM                  -22.9F/-30.5C
*     MAXIMUM                  157.3F/69.6C
* ATMOSPHERE %:
*     OXYGEN                   21.6
*     NITROGEN                 75.2
*     CO2 AND MISC             3.2
* YEAR (EARTH=1)               13.0494037
* ORBIT DIAMETER (MILES):
*     MEAN                     811,985,297
*     MINIMUM                  794,690,011
*     MAXIMUM                  829,280,584
* ORBITAL ECCENTRICITY         0.0213
* ILLUMINATION (EARTH=1)
*     MEAN                     1.4508
*     MINIMUM                  1.3909
*     MAXIMUM                  1.5146

Just keep 'em coming like that, ArKay, and you'll have us champing at the bit for the next installment. In all my years of association with you good people, you're the most thorough and informative resource to date. They selected you wisely, my friend.

*
* I THANK YOU, K-T. WHAT WAS THE PHRASE THAT YOU USED IN THE
* LAST LETTER, THE "GOOD HOUSEKEEPING SEAL OF APPROVAL"? THE
* REFERENCE ESCAPES ME, BUT IT SEEMS AN HONOR TO RECEIVE IT.
*

I'll fill you in later on that one. Right now I want to break this off before Gabe's eyes fall out from overwork.

Letter date: 19890910

As you may have discerned by the enclosed document, Series Two is pretty much in the can. Minor edits may be made, but it's essentially complete.

*
* ALEN, BROTHER GABRIEL. BECAUSE YOUR LETTER CONTAINED A
* NUMBER OF QUESTIONS TO ME, BOB ASKED ME TO STAY WITH HIM ON
* THIS OCCASION. I WILL BE INJECTING INFORMATION AS REQUIRED.
* LET ME SAY HERE THAT I APPRECIATE YOUR KIND COMMENTS ABOUT
* MY INFORMATION ON ARCTURIA/ALANDRA. REST ASSURED THAT I
* WILL ENDEAVOR TO CONTINUE PROVIDING THAT "QUALITY" AS
* LONG AS YOU FIND A NEED TO RECEIVE IT.
*

On to the questions you posed.

If you had the merest doubts about the new openness of the Alliance programs, put them to rest. It looks like we've found the proverbial gold mine in ArKay and the policy that permits him to expound at such lengths on every topic we throw at him. Glasnost, move over!

*
* IF I MAY BE PERMITTED TO INTERRUPT HERE MOMENTARILY, BOB,
* I WANT TO CLARIFY A QUESTION THAT MAY WELL ARISE IF MY
* MESSAGE ON OUR ADVENTURE TO EARTH IS RELEASED TO THE
* PEOPLE. THE PREMISE OF THE QUERY IS THIS: WHY, IF WE HAD
* DEVELOPED INTERSTELLAR FLIGHT CENTURIES AGO, DID WE NOT
* COME TO EARTH THEN TO SEARCH FOR OUR HEROIC ANCESTORS?
*
* IN FACT, WE DID SEND AN EXPEDITION HERE, BUT NO TRACE OF
* THE SHIP OR OUR PEOPLE WAS FOUND ANYWHERE. AT THE TIME WE
* HAD NO WAY TO CONDUCT THE NECESSARILY EXHAUSTIVE SEARCH,
* AND AS WELL, THE CONFEDERATION FINALLY CONTACTED US TO MAKE
* KNOWN THEIR DISAPPROVAL OF OUR PRESENCE. WE THEREFORE SADLY
* ABANDONED THE QUEST, AND PLACED ON YOUR WORLD A GROUP OF
* MONITORS THAT WOULD PERIODICALLY TRANSMIT TO US YOUR STATE
* OF TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT. WE RETURNED TO KORENDOR AND
* OUR MORE PRODUCTIVE INTERSTELLAR PURSUITS, AWAITING THE
* TIME WHEN THE MONITORS WOULD INFORM US THAT YOU HAD
* ATTAINED A SUFFICIENT LEVEL TO TAKE THE FIRST STEPS INTO
* SPACE. THIS LANDMARK IS CONSIDERED THE HARBINGER OF AN
* ADVANCED SOCIETY.
*
* WHEN THE SOVIET UNION LAUNCHED THEIR "SPUTNIK" SATELLITE,
* OUR MONITORS TOLD US YOU WERE READY. WE THEN CAME BACK AND
* ESTABLISHED A PERMANENT PRESENCE ONCE MORE, THIS TIME WITH
* THE EXPRESS PERMISSION OF THE CONFEDERATION, WITH WHOM WE
* HAD BY THEN BECOME WELL ACQUAINTED. IN THE INTERVENING
* YEARS, OUR PROBE/SENSOR TECHNOLOGY HAD GROWN EXTREMELY
* SOPHISTICATED. THE ARRIVING SHIPS CARRIED INSTRUMENTS THAT
* ALLOWED US TO DO A COMPREHENSIVE GEOLOGICAL/METALLURGICAL
* SURVEY OF YOUR PLANET.
*
* ASIDE FROM RECORDING SUBSTANTIAL DEPOSITS OF A CERTAIN
* METAL FOUND ONLY IN TRACE AMOUNTS ELSEWHERE, WE LOCATED THE
* HIMALAYAN BASE IN 1973, A DISCOVERY THAT I EQUATE TO YOUR
* FINDING THE "HOLY GRAIL". WE WERE ECSTATIC. KORENDOR HELD
* A FIVE-DAY HOLIDAY TO CELEBRATE THIS MOMENTOUS EVENT, AND
* EVERY REMAIN THAT WE COULD FIND WAS TRANSPORTED BACK HOME
* TO TAKE A CHERISHED PLACE IN THE GREAT LIBRARY OF ALANDRA.
*
* IN ANSWER TO THE QUERY, THEN, WE DID COME BACK, BUT IT WAS
* YOUR ENTRY INTO THE SPACE AGE THAT MADE OUR PRESENCE HERE
* A LASTING THING.
*
* VA I LUCE.
*

ArKay, you are astounding! Don't you ever get tired?

*
* IN THE PURSUIT OF KNOWLEDGE, NEVER!
*

Well put. Thanks, guy.

*
* YOU ARE ENTIRELY WELCOME, ROBERT.
*

Letter date: 19891006

Your question about the method used to input ArKay's commentaries is best answered by him.

Cheers, ArKay. Take a break. You deserve it after that yeoman job.

Letter date: 19901221

Concerning the Mid-East situation, here's the word from the usual source at Mass Com.