What If

What If

Music=
1. Imagine- J Lennon

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.” 
― Confucius

UFOtext=
I. Cottage By The White Cliffs
"The Mule will do whatever it takes to rule the galaxy. The Foundation seeks to control & harness Nature- but the Mule seeks absolute control of people- brainwashed into submission, people cooperate with the Mule without realizing the insanity of their actions. They become true believers in the Mule."
Archimedes paused. More than one thousand lines of mathematical equations softly glowed on his living room wall. The lines of coded psychohistory flowed in a luminous river, branching into hundreds of rivulets of future possibility. But then Astira noticed something very odd, very improbable. The rivulets suddenly started to converge, recombining again & again to form only a few major branches. It felt like watching a video of a fine china cup falling off a table & breaking into a hundred different pieces- but played in reverse- the broken pieces rising from the floor, then recombining on the table! Such things were impossible- or at least they were before the Mule.

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Is The Future Real?

The Future

Music=
1. Thinking Out Loud- The Kickdrums
2. Sun/C79- Cat Stevens

“Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.” 
― Confucius

UFOtext=
I. Leigh-on-sea

"Baron de Valentine?"

Princess Lei stared at the Dragon.

"I've heard of de Valentine- from the Paris Match- he was killed in a duel."

Incredulity rose over the Princess.

"Ah yes.. " said the thoughtful Dragon, drifting into paradox.

The Count could not take his eyes off the Princess. Lost to the equines of the Southern Hemisphere, she rode breathless upon the streets of El Dorado. And then the long hot days of the burning sun were naught but flickers of hot light in a single night of one thousand candles. He reached out to hold the Princess, and the candles flew to the heavens in a river of stars. She smiled, and then he knew the way of the Buddha.

"Look!" exclaimed the Princess, and she pointed to the western sky. The soft glow of the Far Star seemed to defy gravity for a long moment- and then vanished quietly into the night.

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Crossing The Divide

Crossing The Divide

Music=
1. The New Divide
 - Linkin Park

"No more than five minutes into my initial interview with Steve, I wanted to throw caution & logic to the wind and join Apple."

- Tim Cook

UFOtext=

I. Leigh-on-sea

At 7pm on the dot Lord Wilmore arrived. Princess Lei welcomed the Lord on board the Twinkling Star, the spacecraft gently rocking on the Thames, but docked securely.

"Welcome Lord Wilmore," said the Princess, graciously extending her hand.

"So charmed to meet you," said the Lord, in a peculiar English accent. His whiskers twitched, and he bowed deeply, stretching his pantaloons.

"Oh my Lord!" said the Dragon, somewhat amused.

"Baron de Valentine- we meet again!" warbled Lord Wilmore, in his peculiar rising excitement.

Princess Lei stared in wonder at the Dragon of the Far East. What incredible transformation was this?

Outside on the river Thames, dark storm clouds began to gather.

II. The White Castle
The luminescent spacecraft hovered in the air- silent & without a trace of gravity. Then it slipped below the moonlit walls of the White Castle. Astira recognized the design, & she flipped open her i5 to verify her hunch. A small hologram spread out into the air. Astira could see the spacecraft as if she were inside the White Castle. Identifiers glowed softly- name "The Far Star" home "Foundation"
Astira looked at Archimedes.
 "The Mule's Union of Worlds seeks a treaty to block the Foundation.  The most probable branch of psychohistory predicted the arrival of the Far Star. The Foundation wants a deal with the White Queen. But it's too late- the Mule's psychological powers of persuasion are too strong. The Far Star is in jeopardy."
Archimedes looked at Astira with concern, then turned his night owl gaze on the moonlit walls."
"Well," said Astira, "I think it's time to drop by & say hello."
She then flipped off her i5 & they took off into the night.

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The First Day

Second Foundation

Music=
1. Twisted Logic- Coldplay
2. Fallin'- Alicia Keys

"Our greatest glory is not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall."
- Confucius

UFOtext=
I. The White Castle

"Astira- time to wake up."

The Dragonfly vanished. Sunlight poured through the small cottage window. Astira rose & looked through the window- in the distance she could see the walls of the White Castle rise from the ground like the White Cliffs from the sea. Inside that white monolith roamed the greatest threat ever to the galaxy. Somewhere inside the Mule played a careless tune- and that upset the whole apple cart.

"Astira- time to wake up."

She turned around at the sound of Archimedes.

II. Leigh-on-Sea

"Think of mass psychology as a vast powerful river."

The Dragon paused. Princess Lei ran her fingers through her hair, as if she wore a fine black lace glove. Behind her the river Thames opened to the sea.

The Dragon continued his stream of thought.

"History writ large flows from this hidden river- hidden variables in psychology crystallize in beautiful mathematical patterns. Only a small number of patterns exist at any given time- so the actual river of history flows along in only a small number of branches."

"So what's the problem?" asked Princess Lei.

"The Mule has dammed the river- the natural patterns are broken- who knows where it will flow now."

Princess Lei pursed her lips, then looked across the disturbed water with worry.

Why did the Mule have to control everyone's mind with an iron subliminal grip? Why not let Nature take its proper course, so that people could make up their own minds- and be happy on their own?

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Christmas Spirit

Christmas Spirit

Music=

1. What Child, Nowell-
 Tori Amos

2. Greensleaves-
 Classical Guitar by Andrei Krylov

I. Round Table

Astira read the message scrawled on the backside of the owl-

"9 pm-The Hourglass.

Archimedes"

She stuffed the owl into a pocket & then mingled with the crowd. Her heart warmed to their good cheer & joviality. But suddenly the raucous hall hushed quiet. Wine slowly dripped from the clock, then trumpets flared into majestic fanfare. Astira turned left- far far away across the hall she could see a crooked figure dressed in sleaves of green. A court fool, he smiled tragically. He stood raptured in thought- then let fly a melodious dove confined within a cage of just a few taut strings.

Astira's blood ran ice cold....

II. Twinkling Star

Princess Lei set foot upon the land. The Dragon followed. Winter's trek- the Twinkling Star touched down from the Druid sky.

Hidden Message

Messenger

Music=
1. Messengers Of Christmas- Mannheim Steamroller
2. Isolate- Snakadaktal

I. The Round Table
The White Queen had slain the Dragon- at least that was popular legend.
"Stop right there Miss!" said the ogre gruffly. Astira paused & weighed her options.
"Where's your press pass?" He asked.
Astira looked into the eyes & mind of the guard- she soothed the course contours of his emotion, then reshaped his thoughts with a light subliminal touch.
"Well girl, get moving, go on inside. And Merry Christmas!" He smiled warmly & held open the door.
"Thanks 4 U. Good Xmas 2 U."

Astira rushed inside. A vast banquet hall stretched far & wide. A pungent aroma of roast meat, bread, spiced apple pies & heavy ale filled the air. Musicians played lutes & guitars. Pandemonium reigned.

Suddenly a young boy broke out from the crowd. He ran crazily toward Astira. Then he stumbled, lost his balance & careened into her body. Astira jumped & grabbed the crazy boy. He laughed & shoved a crumpled wad of paper into her hand. Then he let go & ran away.

Astira stood bemused for a moment- then she discreetly opened the wad of paper. In her hand she saw a crude drawing of an owl.

II. Twinkling Star
"Why the Druid Nebula?" asked Princess Lei.
The Dragon waved his hand like a magic wand through the galactic hologram.
"The Druid Nebula lies on the cusp of the Mule's psychological wave. Our galactic psychohistory is now one gigantic Plan B."
Princess Lei paused uncomfortably, not sure whether to believe the dramatic musings of the Dragon. But if they were true....
Her thoughts drifted back in time to the Count. It was the one year anniversary of their expedition to Kiritimati & the Pearl of Dreams- the hidden 9th wonder of the galaxy. She had doubted that too- until she saw the dream come true with her own eyes. So she decided to keep an open mind about the Dragon. Perhaps he wasn't as crazy as he seemed to be.

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See The Possibility

Possibility

Music=
1. My Love Is Winter- Smashing Pumpkins

UFOtext=
I. The White Castle

A slim shadow of black jade slipped through the dreamy mist. The lithe figure ran east- running along the castle's southern rampart facing the sea. Astira peered intently at the magnified image on her i5- she could see the slender upper body of the running figure just above the white stone parapet. But the figure soon vanished back into the mist- leaving no trace of its fleeting presence. The winter sun slowly burned away the mist, and chains of silent clouds now moved across the high blue morning sky. Astira quietly opened her eyes.

II. Twinkling Star
"There is no rest." thought Princess Lei.
The Great Wall of ancient red stars stretched across the holo screen from the Pearl Clouds in the Far East, all the way to the Druid Nebula at the gate to the western skies and the remote edge of the galaxy- home of the Foundation.
She leaned back into her cushioned chair, and felt the Foundation holo screen wrap around her- as if she rode upon a celestial chair through the heavens. She reached up in wonder, and cupped the warm glow of the Pearl Clouds within her hand.

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