L'Alpe d'Huez

Lock & Key

Music=
1. Gold On The Ceiling
   -Black Keys
2. Traveling At The Speed Of Light
   -Joywave


"The trouble is you think you have time."
-Laughing Buddha



UFOtext=
I. Paris
"Winter mountains melt away in the breeze of summer. One half of the new year spent!"
The Count extended his hand to Princess Lei. She smiled imperceptibly, her simple gown a closed flower of white jasmine. Her black diamond sparkled paradoxically.
"Count- the weight of history bears upon us all. One evening is but one twinkle of a star. But it is the moment we live for!"
She smiled warmly & received his hand. Then the Count & Princess retreated to his balcony. Twilight deepened in azure from horizon to zenith. One by one the stars emerged.
Later that evening, after refreshed from dinner & wine, the Princess turned to the Count.
"Count." She paused, as if thinking deeply.
"The Lady Vivienne told me an extraordinary tale. It's too extraordinary to believe- yet I think I believe it."
She looked at the Count leaning against the rails of the balcony, his face hidden in a mask of shadow.
"My Lady, the extraordinary is but the ordinary to the heavens above! Remember the Pearl Of Dreams..."

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Dark Supernova

Dark Supernova 

Music=
1. Evening Star -Cannons


"Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a mind without moon or star."
-Confucius


UFOtext=
I. Dark Island
The heavy spaceship hovered, then laboriously touched down on the bright landing pad. Joshua could see a small royal entourage emerge from wide doors, greeted by the courtesans of the Yellow Emperor.
"Leizu, what brings the Galactic Empire to the Far East of the galaxy?"
Leizu's smile faded.
"We have something they covet."
"What is that?" asked Joshua.
"Vast supplies of minerals & natural resources?"
"Partly. But there is something more. Something not known to the media of the galaxy. Something only known to the inner chambers of the Galactic Emperor."
Joshua flinched in surprise. The galactic psychohistory of the millennia prior to the secret birth of the Foundation was well mapped out- by no less than Seldon himself. What was she talking about?
"What is it?"
He stared skeptically at Leizu in the soft ambient light, looking for an answer in her face- but she averted her eyes.
"It is the black key." she said.
Joshua paused. She held the shiny black key in her delicate fingers. He reached out & held her arms, then looked directly into her eyes.
"What is it? What is so special about the key?" he asked.
She said-

"The key is made of black jade. Let's just say the key unlocks the secret to fame & fortune & love. Thousands & thousands of years ago that ancient secret was lost. The key was then born to hold the secret. This is the way of life & death in the cosmos. No one can change that."

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The Far Star

NGC 6949 "Fireworks Galaxy"

Music=
1. All You Wanted
   -Michelle Branch
2. Don't Look Back
   -Boston





UFOtext=
I. Terminus-
"The Foundation isn't what it used to be."
Toran paused. He took a drink from his Slingshot.
"But 3 centuries is a pretty good run I guess. After so long the corrupt bureaucrats & the well connected insiders take over- they ride the coattails of all the glorious historical momentum, they ride the momo right into the ground. Truth be told, the Trader Worlds do the heavy lifting these days."
Beta sighed. She had to admit there was a lot of truth in what the Trader said. Still...
"The Foundation is destined to succeed. It's all part of psychohistory, the Seldon plan."
She looked at the Trader. He lacked intellectual depth. How could you argue with psychohistory- whatever it was exactly. Nobody at the university could tell you how it worked. But it had worked so far.
"Look- nobody can predict the future. Too many unknowns in the universe, too many weird things can happen. It's just common sense."
Toran smiled, somewhat amused at the girl.  She wore tight pants & a white blouse. A bright shiny silver pendant hung around her neck. Very nice. She was good looking- that was for sure.
Beta looked away. Twilight deepened. The Diamonds materialized on the horizon.

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The Future Path

The Future Path

Music=
1. She Said, She Said
- The Black Keys

"Study the Past if you would define the Future."
- Confucius

UFOtext=
I. The Dark Island
"Joshua- you do not belong here."
Leizu pursed her lips in the soft ambient light. Joshua stiffened.
"A man is free to go where he chooses. Why do I not belong here?"
"Because no one is free but the Yellow Emperor. Everyone must bend to his will."
"Or what?" asked Joshua.
Leizu sighed.
"You are talking nonsense, the Emperor is all powerful. What can you do?"
"I can do a lot. I know how history works- & I can shape the path of the future."
Leizu rolled her eyes. She then looked right at Joshua.
"Do you know who I am?"
Joshua's eyes roamed the dark outline of Leizu's hourglass figure. She held her black key between delicate fingers.
"No I don't. But I know how history works. And that counts for a lot."
Leizu smiled.
"You know nothing about history until you've lived it. Trust me. I know."

II. Paris
"Count, how you meet Aristarchus?" asked Astira.
The Count turned away from the orange paint of the setting sun framed in baroque.
"We first met on the island of Samos." said the Count.
"I was a different person then. Suffice it to say, I washed up on the shore in an acutely vulnerable state."
Astira furrowed her brow.
"But Count, why Aristarchus never mention you?"
The Count paused, setting down his glass of Sunday wine.
"Because I am a Möbius strip- I live two different lives, I show the world two different faces. You see the Count, but Aristarchus sees my other side."
Astira looked puzzled at the Count, not really satisfied with the answer.
Bosco appeared from nowhere.
"Count, the Princess has arrived."
Painted stars waved in baroque.

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The Face On The Möbius Strip

Louvre & Pyramid

Music=
1. Colours To Life
-Temples


"The man of wisdom is never of two minds.."
-Confucius


UFOtext=
I. The Dark Island
One ephemeral minute- Joshua stood at the very edge of a cliff one millennium deep. But time & space are relative things; a trickle of starlight travels the whole galaxy at one moment of eternal time- never changing, never stopping. He stared at Leizu. She stood beneath the shadow of the moon at the small door of an apparent hidden passage, now open. Her intense dreaming eyes implored him to follow. Did he really have any choice? He bolted at once into the dim passage, & she at once locked the hidden door behind him. He stood next to her in the dark. Diffuse starlight trickled from her gown as her bosom swelled up & down in rhythm with her breathing. Then he noticed her fine thin necklace- & a small black key.

II. Paris
The Count knew the many faces of death. He knew that final moment of truth in a duel of honor.  Astira raised her pistol but an acrobatic hand reached from nowhere. Astira felt the wiry grip. She felt the infinite strength.
"Astira, you are safe here. I am not the Mule you fear."
The Count breathed a sigh of relief. His arms stretched wide & high to the heavens in a cross of peace. He lowered his arms. He moved closer.
"Please, read my thoughts. They are the extraordinary novel of an ordinary man."
The Count peered into Astira's wildly excited eyes. She calmed. She remembered the oneness of the Dragon. She stood on the bridge of a Japanese garden. She looked upon a Princess of the Far East. She reached to hold her hand, but felt only the small avian body of a vibrant hummingbird. Astria returned to the Pyramid.
The Count appeared disoriented, but then recovered his composure.
"So- now you see Astira. I am not the Mule."
Astira felt relieved. The Count turned to the man of mystery.
"Good man Bosco- you were magnificent! Now please release the lady. It's all just a misunderstanding."

Astira turned and looked at the gaunt spindly figure holding her hand in an iron grip. His lips twisted into a strange smile.

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Wake Up To The Dream

The Dark Island

Music=
1. Soil To The Sun
-Cage The Elephant

UFOtext=
I. The Dark Island
Joshua felt dizzy. Her voice seemed familiar, yet different somehow. Her dreaming eyes drew him in closer & closer.
"I am Joshua. I am pleased to meet you."
He nodded & then looked around. A vast full moon covered one third of the night sky. At its zenith, young deep blue stars burned in a magnificent cluster. Beyond the marble edge of the palace, a vast sea of glittering waves stretched to the horizon, sparkling like effervescent diamonds.
"Joshua, you are in danger here. You cannot stay."
Leizu rose, her translucent gown shimmering in sliding waves.
"Follow me now. There is no time for delay."
Joshua stared at Leizu. Her gown bore the imprimatur of the Emperor Gongsun. He stood stunned, unable to move. One millennium was a very long time...

II. Paris
Morning sun burned through the mist.
"I think your mentor would be proud." said the Count, rising, his dark wings falling from view.
"Mentor? Who you think is mentor?" asked Astira, always skeptical of idle chats.
"That would be Aristarchus." said the Count matter of factly. He looked at her with a curious air.
Astira blinked at the Count in surprise.
"How you know my secret mentor? You a mind reader?"
She started to crack a smile- but then she realized. Her pyramid of thoughts fractured into a kaleidoscope of fear. In a blinding flash she reached for her laser pistol. Time slowed to a deadly crawl....

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Dark Star

The Dark Island

Music=
1. One & All
-Smashing Pumpkins

"The trouble is, you think you have Time."
-佛

UFOtext=
I. The Dark Island
Joshua winced.
"Who are you? Or maybe I should say, what are you?"
He stared at the old woman.
Vivienne smiled weakly.
"You are but a cherub. I know the history of the galaxy- personally. You could never understand. Those little diagrams in your brain are just the outline of events. Look into the black jade- tell me what you see, tell me what you feel, don't tell me what you understand..."

Joshua fell into the darkness. He felt the warm air wrap around him like a pair of dark wings. Deeper & deeper, ever more slowly he fell. He saw the sun slowly fade & then die in a flash of golden light. Then darkness.
He opened his eyes. She sat there, a splendid rose open beneath the burning stars.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am Leizu."
Yin & Yang- he felt warm as the yellow sun rising beneath the dark cool splendor of night.

II. Paris
Astira ran to the Pyramid. Sunday morning light filtered into the starry sky. She stopped, leaned over, put her hands on her knees for support, & breathed deeply in & out. She flipped off her music & recovered gradually- a long half minute passed by. Then, finally, she stood up straight, invigorated, triumphantly placing her hands on her warm supple hips, still breathing in & out, but more slowly now.
"Bravo!" said the Count, gently offering his applause. He stood in front of the Pyramid, the morning light liberating his body from the ancient shadows of night.
"Count! You are early bird!" Exclaimed Astira, stunned by their chance encounter by the Louvre.
"Young lady, the thieves of Paris never sleep. And neither do I."
And the Count gently took her hand and curtly bowed, his fashionable cloak closing around him like a pair of dark wings.

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