Account of that which I have seen

It seems this is only my second post on this service. I guess that is what happens when work gets in the way of thoughts.

What has happened in the past time? Nothing much but lots of flying, flying, trying to sleep in airport lounges. I did upgrade my laptop to something more powerful, even has a camera on it, so I can take photos of myself when I am typing if I so desired.

But more seriously, a few months ago our office was destroyed. At some point during a night during August (I am remiss to give too many details away just incase), the office burnt to the ground. We lost a few manuscripts, all our computers and records (thankfully they are backed up fanatically to an external secure site daily) and a few other minor artefacts and items. The majority of the books and manuscripts and objects were in our firevault and survived without noticing the inferno around them. But still, those few lost will be missed, they had rather interesting things written within.

The more sinister aspect of this is that given the camera record (once again, offsite recording of at least some of the camera input. Our technical guy is outstanding and has earnt himself quite a few raises as a result) shows that around midnight 6 figures (they were all wearing, what looked like on the camera stills, grey hooded cloaks) cut down the front door with axes (solid oak door, we had planned to get it replaced with a steel cored oak door at some point) and came inside and set about pouring petrol over everything they found. One still captured the flame of a match and then they were gone and the camera only caught flame until it was too destroyed. Best we can see, is that they didn't steal anything, but somewhere along the line we have upset the wrong people.

We have since rebuild and with quite a few favours called in, we managed to keep the event out of the papers and media as our clients would not really want to us to draw too much attention to ourselves nor our business interactions with them. Collectors of the obscure tend to be a very private bunch.

Enough about burning and lost books.

I will type something up here that came to me recently (well type it in part, cause I am not going to give all our secrets away just yet) in the mail. It was a letter from a fellow in Russia. Typed out neatly using a type writer, in near perfect english. Bits that are a touch sensative have been removed and if there are any errors in the English or spelling, it is most likely my typing effort here.

Dear ________

I came in ownership of your name and professional contacts via the _______ Report of 1987. I am writing this letter to you in order to request your advice and possibly your help in a matter that the Report briefly covers in Appendix A.

Please excuse any bad english in this letter, as it is not my native tongue and I am translating Russian terms into your English so that their meaning is more available to you.

I am Petrov Chekachev, Lt. Col. of the 42nd Brigade out of Stalingraad. You might have heard of us in correspondances with your associates in the United Kingdom, and seen as refered to as the 'Night Gaunts'. As you may or may not know, we were formed towards the end of the Second World War as a response by our Government to the increased indulgances of Hitler's Third Reich towards researches into the paranormal. After the events of 1944 in Balkans our Government decided to continue the funding of the 'Night Gaunts' and whilst hidden from view we were relatively autonomous and were able to interact with something close to freedom with our counterparts in the United Kingdom and the United States of America. Even the Cold War, that filled the world with paranoia and fear, did not stop these interactions as we knew of things much more dangerous to humanity than a nuclear winter.

Enough of the history of the history that proceeded me. I will ask for advice first. Do you know of a personage such as yourself in this country that can provide my Brigade the access to any of the ________ Fragments? Recent researches and unfortunate interactions has lead us to believe that some actions may need to be taken before the heart of winter and some of required instructions are rumoured to be contained in those ancient pieces of writing.

I am also told by my previous commanding officer, and mentor, Alexi _____ (he is now a Professor in Archeology, via the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow and I believe you and he know each other and he would welcome some correspondence.) that you have in your possession a copy of ________ from a printing that predates 1850. If it is at all possible we would like a photostat of the text and if that is not possible, we'd like to welcome you to come here wiht what is available.

I await your letter back and I hope I have not brought a dark cloud into your world with what is hinted in this letter.

Curious indeed. I have sent my reply back to the whole thing and once he in turn replies to me, I will decide if a trip to Mother Russia is in order or not. I wonder if there is going to be much time for sight seeing.

If I go the book wont go with me, but a copy will be made available as well as our best reproduction of the fragments. Time for the Commission of the Three to come out of hibernation I think.

And I seriously doubt there is a partially good airport lounge with hot fresh coffee in the parts of the world the next flight will be going.

I desperately need a day job... I would be rolling my eyes now, but I am typing so it is a bit hard.

Mary, one of my associates back home, suggested I get a "LJ" account. With real ignorance I just stared at her until she explained what she was talking about. An online journal that will let me reveal my thoughts to all and sundry that may find it more than just boring.

Of course, her reason might be that she finds the idea of keeping on eye on me as I roam around essential to her own desires. Whatever they may be.

But it seems that this service may have an advantage that general pen and paper correspondance doesn't always have. I can write the same thing and be read by those that wish to read it, rather than having to write out ten or twenty copies of the same thing, to be sent out to each of my readerships.

For those that wish to know, the jaunt to Sydney, Australia seems to have been a minor success. Whilst it earnt me only enough for my fares, I was able to provide to D. a copy of the manuscript he wanted. He seemed overly pleased with the result and did not bother hiding his glee. That in itself is a worry given his original indecision over the matter. This is something Alan should really look into.

D. in his excitement gave to me something labeled as MS. 47821, it seems to be related to the dozen or so pages that Mary has in collection. This means we may have a near complete Codex Niger available now. But I shall examine it more when I get on the plane when I leave this damnable city.

For some reason, the youth of this city seem to feel it a necessary part of the world to try to imitate the worst parts of our own cities. There is an insistance on ugly scrawls over buildings, overly baggy clothes and hats worn very badly.

Anyhow, the hour is getting closer to when I leave. Time to disconnect the phone line, shut down my laptop and finish packing. I shall write about the Codex, after my reading on the flight.

Current Mood: tired