Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: The Battle of Caelum

The Battle of Caelum

Greetings valued readers. Yesterday I mentioned that I was actually at the Battle of Caelum. Yes, it was me and Dorian, my now wife (then my crush) Ina, Rodin and a couple of city council members from Caelum that stood against the Salusian army. The largest gathering of soldiers in the entire history of Harappa.

The Salusian army was a grand sight for sure. The soldiers all dressed sharp in their blue and green uniforms. Banners and flags in blue and white billowed in the breeze. The generals in their feathered caps looked quite splendid.

I’ve read some historical accounts of the battle that claimed there were no shots fired. That is not true. The Salusians fired several shots at us but they did not know that we were standing behind a nearly invisible plexi shield that the Librarians had provided.

Rodin himself fired two rockets that flew over the Salusian army as a warning. The rockets got the attention of the Salusians and their top general immediately sued for a parlay.

It was during that parlay that the Earth starship Marcus Johnson made its appearance. Rodin persuaded the Salusians to abandon their mission at that point. That ended the Battle of Caelum.

One point I don’t think has ever been mentioned is that Rodin had a secret weapon he never had to use. Rodin and Ina the day before had buried a series of metal plates in the ground near where the Salusian army was to approach us. If they had not quit the fight when they did, if they had tried to prosecute their plan of attack Rodin would have pressed a button that would have activated those plates. They would have emitted waves that would have excited the metal in the Salusian guns, heating them up. In a moment they would have been to hot to hold. The Battle of Caelum would never have become a shooting match.

Next week we’ll get to Carmini’s time on Earth.

Never Mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: More on the Keepers of Harappa

What were the Keepers up to on Planet Harappa? 

Yesterday we discussed the fact that the Keepers disappeared from history in one moment, their entire compound destroyed in the Harvest Day Tsunami. Mary Carmini is the only influential Salusian to have survived. Certainly some of their craftspeople survived but their leadership vanished.

Before the Arrival, Salus was involved in a program to increase their influence in all planetary issues. Caelum the city of the Founder had not lost its preeminence and Salus wished to change that. There were rumors that Salus was purposely fouling the water system of Caelum.

Caelum had made diplomatic overtures requesting Salus quit their water program. Salus did not respond. At least not until they sent an army to Caelum. I was at the Battle of Caelum. History tells us that that was when we first saw the human spaceship as it used the upper atmosphere to slow down. Doing so left a large orange streak in the sky that all Harappans saw. Most Harappans did not know what they were seeing at the time. They did not know they were seeing the end of their world.

That is what history remembers from the Battle of Caelum but I know the whole story, the real story.

Tomorrow: the Battle of Caelum

Never Mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: The Keepers of Harappa

The Keepers of Harappa    

Greetings joyous readers. Yesterday we started discussing Mary Carmini’s involvement in the Harappa’s first contact with Earth. We know that she was one of the Keepers. 

Who were the keepers? Salus was originally founded by Marcus Johnson’s son Andrew Johnson when he left his father’s religion after the Founder named Donna Moreland as his successor over his son.

Andrew Johnson was not a dynamic leader. A council of the wealthy elite formed to guide Andrew in the initial building of the new city. When he passed the Keepers became the leadership of Salus. They expressed their authority through the Salusian Bishops who ran Andrew’s church.

History does not tell us just when the Keepers moved out of the city. Salusians always kept to themselves, the Keepers more so than their common citizens. Secret Society comes to mind when thinking of the Keepers. We know so little about them. They ran things for generations but completely disappeared on Harvest Day without even a whimper.

Never Mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: Mary Carmini and the Tarsans

Mary Carmini and the Tarsans

Mary Carmini has been portrayed as a villain in most historical accounts of her time in the galaxy. Not much is known of her life before she became involved in the first diplomatic mission from Harappa to Earth.

What is known is that she came from Salus. It is not known if she was born there or in one of their satellite villages. She was one of the Keepers or wealthy elite.

The Keepers ruled Salus from the background much like the LC on Earth did. They lived in a compound near the coast, west of the city. Of course the compound was destroyed in the Harvest Day Tsunami.

Historians believe her husband was one of the more influential Keepers. It is suspected that he was responsible for Mary being on the diplomatic mission.

The other Salusian on that mission to Earth was known only as Rand. He seems to have been sent as a body guard for Mrs. Carmini and nothing more. He returned to Harappa on the first return and was not heard from again. It is assumed he died in the Harvest Day Tsunami but that is not confirmed.

Tomorrow we discuss the Keepers influence on Harappa

Never Mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479

Notes from the Author: A discussion of my "Process"

Notes from the author: A discussion of my process.

Where are we going? How are we going to get there?

As many writers as I’ve met I’ve seen that many ways to write. Some authors spend a great deal of time outlining their story. Others just wing it. I do a little of both.

When I sit down to the keyboard I know where I am going but not necessarily how I am going to get there. I begin by knowing the beginning and the ending of the story. I’m not always clear about some of the details of the journey until the fingers fly across the keys and reveal to me the story’s secrets.

I’m currently working on the final rewrite of Kusha, and I’m writing the first draft of The Mother of the Galaxy. I have a strong and vivid picture of the last scene in the last book. I eagerly anticipate writing the scene but wont let myself write jump ahead. When I get there I have to have traveled the road the characters have.

I’m not going to tell you what that scene is either. You’ll just have to wait till this summer. In the mean time I’m polishing up Kusha for a winter release.

Kusha is written. There are no new surprises here for me. I just have to clean up the typos (a big issue for me since my spelling is horrible) and make sure there are no time line problems or such. A few characters need a little more flesh on their bones and one or two spots need the drama cranked up a notch. This is an action story after all.

When I rewrite I simply read the story section by section looking for ways to better tell the story. I go back and forth with my life partner and muse,

She reads and shares her thoughts. I incorporate them (or not) and start over. 

As I’m working on the final book The Mother of the Galaxy I do so with the finale in mind but much of the road ahead a mystery. I know our heroin Max Gavaskar will be in jeopardy and that there will be a great political conflagration over planet Harappa. I have good things in store for Earth and my Estonian and Cascadian friends.

I already have the start of the book where she receives her own personal star ship which she will christen the Peter Higgs and the shuttle will be called the Dodje, names from the recent contest. (note to the winners: the books are in the mail, thanks for entering)

So . . . at this moment our little Max is beginning her latest journey across the Milky Way (or as the Fordians know it Galaxy One). Look for it this summer.

Next Friday I’ll offer up a defense of the Gavaskar Field theory over some new discoveries that some think might negate the rotating universe theory. (hint: don’t give up so fast!)

Earth Year 2013

Never mix red wine with Oodo.

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: The Harappan Curse

Dorian and the Harappan Curse

Greetings stalwart readers. When Dorian’s speaking tour ended after the Greenfield Blast he and Alex were given a place to stay and rest for a few days while the Friends considered their next step.

It is my understanding that this is when Dorian and Alex’s relation ship moved to the “next level”. Prior to this they had been too busy to get any deeper than the surface.

However, it turned out that this is when Alex contracted the Harappan Curse. 

The rest of the Harappan delegation, except for Mrs. Carmini, were already under the protection of the SID. They contacted Dorian through the Friends network and brought him and Alex in. Of course Alex survived the Curse and was nursed back to health.

The Harappan Curse was something we just learned to deal with on planet Harappa. Everyone got it at some point. Most people survived it but not all. The SID came up with an inoculation and began a major program to protect their staff and eventually all Earthers. The disease was wiped out on Earth.

After the Fordian scientists discovered the mechanics of the disease we now know much better how it works. I’m not a scientist but it has been explained to me by one (the Mother of the Galaxy herself) that people who have been afflicted with the Curse have a slightly stronger gravitational pull than those who have not been exposed to the illumaphane.

How this made an impact on Galactic History is that it was discovered, by Dorian Thain, (on his second visit to Earth) that people who had been inflicted with the Harappan Curse could safely make a space jump without suffering any of the harmful affects that humanities primitive illumadrive afforded.

Since the SID had prevented any of their people from contracting the disease it made it more difficult for them to travel space until they learned from the Lors how to craft vessels that made star travel safer.

Next week we’ll discuss Mary Carmini’s early days on Earth.

Never mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479

Philip the Bard's Harappan Blog: Dorian tours Earth's America

Dorian’s Tour of America

Greetings fellow readers. We’re going over Dorian Thain’s lecture series where he planted the seeds of demise for the Green Bible.

After the first few talks people knew who Dorian was and wanted to meet their first real alien from another world. The Harappans were segregated from the human population when they first got to Earth, so that when common Earthers had the chance to meet one they jumped at the opportunity. Wether they were really interested in his message or not.

Dorian would never admit it but his wife Alex has confirmed this for me. Dorian caused quite a stir among Earth’s population of people romantically interested in men. Young women and some men began showing up at his talks with more on their minds than intellectual intercourse.

Dorian has complained to me that there were times he had difficulty speaking because of girls in the front squealing for all they were worth.

Beyond the romantic attentions Dorian was also faced with overly fond homeowners. Hosts all wanted to befriend the alien among them. Dorian was showered with gifts everywhere he went. Of course he could not keep them. He had no place to put things, so they were given to the Friends. Someday I’ll share some of the odd things people tried to give Dorian.

At one stop Dorian was given the opportunity to enter a sweat lodge. Lodging is something we did in the White Mountains so Dorian was thrilled to participate. He initially thought it would be a great way to recharge and consider his actions on Earth.

It turned out to be something else, however. When Dorian stripped down to enter the lodge he exposed his tattoo for the first time on Earth. The Greenies had banned tattooing so his was the first skin ink people had seen in generations. If the young women of Earth were attracted to Dorian before, when they saw the exotic art on his chest and arm they went nuts. Dorian told me once that he was glad he’d met Alex before he’d exposed his tattoo. So many girls reacted to the look of the skin art, he said he felt better that Alex had fallen in love with him and not some image that was only part true.

For her part Alex once said to my wife Ina that she was at first repulsed by the tattoo but came to love Dorian anyway. Now I think Alex has her own small tattoo but I nor anyone I know has seen it.

Of course at this time Dorian only had the one eagle on his left shoulder. Later we’ll tell how he got the matching one on the right shoulder.

Tomorrow we’ll discuss how Dorian found out about the Harappan Curse.

Never Mix red wine and Oodo.

Philip Normer

Kushan Year 87

Earth Year 2479