༺ Thesium ༻

Theocracy

“Yeay, bow down my children, bow down before the Ship of Light. Bow low and remember that we will return and be one with The Great Neems, be one with the soul of The Great Neems, be one in the Ship of Light beyond the clouds!”

Thus the Shaman addressed the crowd. Theo Nimes had long since died along with the rest of the crew. Their many offspring remembered him as ‘The Great Neems’. They were eight, perhaps nine generations away from the culture that spawned them. The ship at the heart of the city had become a place of deep devotion.

“The divine spirit animates us all and binds us together. Here, here before the Ship we see and we know that it is our true mother. From it we sprang, from it the Helper sprang and in it we will return, yeay return I say, back unto the sanctity of all that is good and wholesome and far from the iniquities of the hot places. It is now the time of prayer to the Helper. Bring forth the sacred vessels.”

Three young men in long white coats processed down a gangway from the Ship. They held a little office chair, an ornate carved table and a console. Placing these before the Shaman, a few buttons were pressed, a little screen came to life and they withdrew into the crowd which parted in silent reverence.

“We praise the White Coats whom the Helper has ordained, for she too needs help. Help in the holy work of helping all of us.”

At this he approached the console and prostrated himself, touching his forehead to the ground. Seating himself on the little table he produced a bell and rang it as he chanted:

“Waadasluv Waadasluv Waadasluv.”

The crowd responded by slowly joining in:

“Waadasluv Waadasluv Waadasluv Waadasluv Waadasluv WAADASLUV.”

“ReeeeeeeeeBoooooooooooooooooooooot.”

Ringing the bell once more, they fell silent. He brought his hands slowly down onto the keys and all eyes then fell upon the little blinking cursor, flashing at the bottom of the black screen.

“Bring us your holy help oh great Helper, we will keep you and praise you and esteem your White Coats in their Laboratory until we return unto the Ship of Light beyond the clouds.”

At this he pressed the largest key, the cursor jumped down a row and continued its blinking. The crowd intoned as one:

“Suuuudoooo suuuuudoooo suuuuudoooo.”

The Shaman stood and faced them. Opening his arms wide he lifted his face to the sky and loudly proclaimed “Reeeeeeeebooooooooooot”. They all bowed, shook hands saying ‘waadasluv’ to each other and suddenly, it was over.