Philip Quense's Blog
December 22, 2019
From the CEO of XCHANGE
*This dialogue is part of the story world backstory from "A Tale of Doings" by Philip Quense.*
*******PREFACE TO THIS BLOG**************************
I find the world of business intriguing and at the same time worthy of concern. The companies around us provide jobs to support interests and livelihood; this is needed, worthy and good. The companies in our modern-day market are complex in their structures, like mini-governments; study of their varying cultures is fascinating and inspires much of this book.
The products provided to the modern consumer allow for true luxury in our everyday – easy communication with loved ones, entertainment at any point of our day, clothing from the sublime to the ridiculous, food shipped from all over the world and it goes on and on. The consumer can begin to believe – consuming is everything. It is very easy to submit our lives to the cadence of the markets around us.
This blog is inspired from the reading of “company cultures.” See references below for info on similar works by real companies.
*********LETTER FROM CEO*****************
A Nnect Employee Hiring Strategy For Businesses Of The Future (Revision 23)
Author: His Majesty Sir Saul CEO of Nnect Corporation
“Humans who are about a life of doing emit a glow of productivity for the betterment of the world.” The council of Monopolies 2025 from the History of Xchange.
This article is written for the enlightenment of you, my dear employee at Nnect. Connection, the integral asset which Nnect offers to the world, is a fundamental human right. Smooth, flawless and instinctive communications products are a need for every customer. Nnect is the only way to connect to the world of Xchange. Connection as a product is our mission and your life. Nnectonians are the best and the only source of this vital human product.
In order to foster an upward cycle of innovation, productivity and perfection in our company, Nnect employees must be the best human-doings that they can be. Unlike our unenlightened forefathers, who worked as free and selfish men at companies of their choosing, all Nnect employees are purchased from the human stock market, perfected to be high performers in the raising schools and branded with the living tattoo of Nnect. The blue blessing, the brand, guides our employees. We are about the branded life at Nnect. Employees should strive to embrace the helpful urges of their BRAND.
Disclaimer: Like the other four great monopolies of Xchange, Nnect purchases and owns all of its employees. Nnect encourages a culture of climbing the corporate latter, investing in yourself, enjoying the privileges of compensation and perhaps one days saving enough equity to purchase yourself and be self-owned.
The Nnect strategic difference:
Our managers do not encourage independent decision making by employees
Our teams operate in vacuums of privacy to control company secrets unless strategic insight is deemed necessary by management
Our leaders are demanding and opinionated
Our employees are demoted to degrading positions if they fail to rise to their role
Our employees are rewarded if they perform above and beyond the status quo
The Nnect branch of Quality Control enforces the rules of our company with a pure fist of iron
At our core, we believe people are tools that are intrinsically lazy, ineffective and un-insightful. More specifically, we have purchased people with the expectation that our branding and training will forge a more effective human for the betterment of our products. Nnect management has a firm commitment to promoting those who are useful. Furthermore, we recognize that a human-doing, once refined by the touch of the brand, can route out laziness, begin to creatively think, and can become the most effective asset of a company – even greater than a “machine learning” robot. We encourage an environment of “Brilliant Jerks”. Imaginative and forward-thinking ideas can come from individuals who are selfishly brilliant. Do not allow lazy or intellectually inferior employees to drag you down the path of uselessness. Employees are mandated to report inferior traits in their fellow employees to their managers each review period. Seek to better yourself and suck up to your managers – this is a best practice tip from which will help you move up the corporate ladder and closer to the chance of RETIREMENT.
We believe that employees grow when they receive continual blunt feedback from their managers. Our model is a top down model where the decision making muscles need to be actively firing among our elite managerial teams. In addition, managers are encouraged to read the methods described in the courses available on Nano-Managers 101. Managers are the arms, hands, and fingers of the CEO’s team. As such, managers are blessed with rights, insight and power that normal employees will reverence. Nnect empowers its managers to rule the workplace, within the guidelines of the Employees’ Rights Policies of Xchange – refer to your corporate assigned mental health monk if you have concerns regarding any workplace behavior. Employee to employee relationships are key to our success. We believe in integrity of speech. Speech is the lens through which human-doings see the world, as such appropriate workplace attitudes must be fostered in conversation. The branded employees of Nnect shall “Only say what you think about other employees if you would say it to a manager”.
Nnect is a customer centric company with the goal of creating connection products that are helpfully invasive into the lives of every human in Xchange. We firmly believe that all humans of Xhcange are our customers and the beneficiaries of our knowledge, way of working and ultimately our products. Customers want stability and quality from the market. Our communication monopoly provides this quality and reliability.
***********END*******************************
http://philipquense.com/index.php/201...
References:
https://jobs.netflix.com/culture
https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/...
*******PREFACE TO THIS BLOG**************************
I find the world of business intriguing and at the same time worthy of concern. The companies around us provide jobs to support interests and livelihood; this is needed, worthy and good. The companies in our modern-day market are complex in their structures, like mini-governments; study of their varying cultures is fascinating and inspires much of this book.
The products provided to the modern consumer allow for true luxury in our everyday – easy communication with loved ones, entertainment at any point of our day, clothing from the sublime to the ridiculous, food shipped from all over the world and it goes on and on. The consumer can begin to believe – consuming is everything. It is very easy to submit our lives to the cadence of the markets around us.
This blog is inspired from the reading of “company cultures.” See references below for info on similar works by real companies.
*********LETTER FROM CEO*****************
A Nnect Employee Hiring Strategy For Businesses Of The Future (Revision 23)
Author: His Majesty Sir Saul CEO of Nnect Corporation
“Humans who are about a life of doing emit a glow of productivity for the betterment of the world.” The council of Monopolies 2025 from the History of Xchange.
This article is written for the enlightenment of you, my dear employee at Nnect. Connection, the integral asset which Nnect offers to the world, is a fundamental human right. Smooth, flawless and instinctive communications products are a need for every customer. Nnect is the only way to connect to the world of Xchange. Connection as a product is our mission and your life. Nnectonians are the best and the only source of this vital human product.
In order to foster an upward cycle of innovation, productivity and perfection in our company, Nnect employees must be the best human-doings that they can be. Unlike our unenlightened forefathers, who worked as free and selfish men at companies of their choosing, all Nnect employees are purchased from the human stock market, perfected to be high performers in the raising schools and branded with the living tattoo of Nnect. The blue blessing, the brand, guides our employees. We are about the branded life at Nnect. Employees should strive to embrace the helpful urges of their BRAND.
Disclaimer: Like the other four great monopolies of Xchange, Nnect purchases and owns all of its employees. Nnect encourages a culture of climbing the corporate latter, investing in yourself, enjoying the privileges of compensation and perhaps one days saving enough equity to purchase yourself and be self-owned.
The Nnect strategic difference:
Our managers do not encourage independent decision making by employees
Our teams operate in vacuums of privacy to control company secrets unless strategic insight is deemed necessary by management
Our leaders are demanding and opinionated
Our employees are demoted to degrading positions if they fail to rise to their role
Our employees are rewarded if they perform above and beyond the status quo
The Nnect branch of Quality Control enforces the rules of our company with a pure fist of iron
At our core, we believe people are tools that are intrinsically lazy, ineffective and un-insightful. More specifically, we have purchased people with the expectation that our branding and training will forge a more effective human for the betterment of our products. Nnect management has a firm commitment to promoting those who are useful. Furthermore, we recognize that a human-doing, once refined by the touch of the brand, can route out laziness, begin to creatively think, and can become the most effective asset of a company – even greater than a “machine learning” robot. We encourage an environment of “Brilliant Jerks”. Imaginative and forward-thinking ideas can come from individuals who are selfishly brilliant. Do not allow lazy or intellectually inferior employees to drag you down the path of uselessness. Employees are mandated to report inferior traits in their fellow employees to their managers each review period. Seek to better yourself and suck up to your managers – this is a best practice tip from which will help you move up the corporate ladder and closer to the chance of RETIREMENT.
We believe that employees grow when they receive continual blunt feedback from their managers. Our model is a top down model where the decision making muscles need to be actively firing among our elite managerial teams. In addition, managers are encouraged to read the methods described in the courses available on Nano-Managers 101. Managers are the arms, hands, and fingers of the CEO’s team. As such, managers are blessed with rights, insight and power that normal employees will reverence. Nnect empowers its managers to rule the workplace, within the guidelines of the Employees’ Rights Policies of Xchange – refer to your corporate assigned mental health monk if you have concerns regarding any workplace behavior. Employee to employee relationships are key to our success. We believe in integrity of speech. Speech is the lens through which human-doings see the world, as such appropriate workplace attitudes must be fostered in conversation. The branded employees of Nnect shall “Only say what you think about other employees if you would say it to a manager”.
Nnect is a customer centric company with the goal of creating connection products that are helpfully invasive into the lives of every human in Xchange. We firmly believe that all humans of Xhcange are our customers and the beneficiaries of our knowledge, way of working and ultimately our products. Customers want stability and quality from the market. Our communication monopoly provides this quality and reliability.
***********END*******************************
http://philipquense.com/index.php/201...
References:
https://jobs.netflix.com/culture
https://www.thewaltdisneycompany.com/...
MISSIONARY CORRESPONDENCE | Letters From The Front Lines
*This dialogue is part of the story world from "A Tale of Doings" by Philip Quense.*
*******INTRO*************************************
The following letters are a compilation of works written from the Missionary Volunteer, Patrick Joan, from BaseCamp4 at the Human-Doing Front to his wife Tara. The inspiration for this series came from researching resources and imitating ideas in letters from various historical wars. I hope they provide insight into the world of Xchange and deepen your appreciation for what military and missionary folk abroad experience, like it has for me. It is my hope that these letters will spark your interest in reading A Tale Of Doings and, furthermore, seek out historical letters from our forefathers who created the world we live in today. See references in the footnotes for sources I found helpful in this regard.
****************LETTER***************************
Patrick Joan_From the Human-Doing Front_January 5th, 2073
Military Missionary Volunteer Patrick Joan stationed at BaseCamp4 to his wife Tara, Professor of Ethical Politics at Capital University
My Beloved Tara,
Your frequent letters give me much comfort as I seek to rally my morale for the mission I have embarked on at the front. My dispirited aspirations need your boosting zeal on days such as these. As we try attempt after attempt to reach the people of Xchange, my faith feels like a waning candle on a cold dark night, about to be snuffed out. My mission, as ever, is to reach those on the other side of the bath, preach the living faith to them, and embrace these, our estranged human beings, as fellows in our gift of humanity.
Tonight, I sit on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean, the embodiment of tranquility and wild danger, writing to you. This is my favorite spot to think, pray and write you. I miss you and am excited about your visit next month.
BaseCamp4 is so different from my days with the army, before I met you. Unlike the precarious days fighting entrenched rebels in the mountains, this village is well stocked with resources and living is comfortable, supported by Dad’s and your efforts to fund the cause from the capital. BaseCamp4 feels like a non-combatant hospital camp, defenseless and unprotected. We have chosen for the sake of our mission to step out from the embrace of the powerful army of the Tricoalition. Our village feels like unwanted bait attempting to entice those peoples of Xchange to communicate with us. We are the white flag of our nation, our little community waiting for a dialogue to begin. Danger is all around us. At times we hear the powerful drone crafts of Xchange zip overhead, just out of range of Tricoalition rockets. At times we see fires and explosions through our long-range binoculars on the shores of Xchange. I wonder if they are plotting our deaths or torturing their people, both scare me to the bone though I admit my fear to no one but you, Tara.
Yesterday we lost a boat of five brave missionaries, who attempted to cross the bath. Sickening sight, I watched their craft explode into a thousand fragments. Who knows what was lost to posterity, a man trying to redeem a troubled relationship, a father paying the bills for a son attempting to get through university, a wife who was taking care of her parents, or a daughter who would change the course of the world? We’ll never know now that these souls are gone. That is war. The explosion reminded me we are at war.
We debate if a mine, leftover from the Great Split Wars, or an Xchange War drone blew our companions out of the waves. It could have been a Tricoaliation mine for all we know; our government still refuses to provide us with maps of hidden weaponry – either they are politically embarrassed or afraid we will lose the info to the enemy. We strive to remain hopeful in our cause. I do not hold the attack as a personal affront, rather I see the incident from this viewpoint: The people of Xchange must see this missionary village as part the hostile Tricoalition military branch – terrorists at war with their world. Would they attack defenseless missionaries? Yes, they will, until we find a way to communicate our peaceful intentions properly. I think they see us as mercenary infidels invading their homeland who deserve no better than death. Pastor Mike preaches that our efforts have a 50/50 chance of getting through. So far, we have had a 100 to 0 success. However, Mike is not naturally pessimistic.
The military volunteers, including myself, are all bored from under-utilization; the veterans who have seen action in the past seem particularly restless. We do not have the stimulation we are used to. Nothing to fight, the waiting is hellish for those used to throwing the tension of life into the adrenaline of battle.
Our few aircraft are not allowed to fly to Xchange because our government does not want to lose valued tech to the enemy. The few older craft that we have cannot get more than halfway across the bath without failing like the occurrence this week. We sit and listen to the radio communications, which we steal from across the water. We are hard pressed to glean anything useful.
I continue to complain. The bottom line is, we have not been able to contact the humans in Xchange, and I am frustrated.
How is your speech for the University Conference going? Have you decided on a theme? How is my dad?
I miss you. From Patrick
**************LETTER****************************
Patrick Joan_From the Human-Doing Front_February 10th, 2073
Military Missionary Volunteer Patrick Joan stationed at BaseCamp4 to his wife Tara, Professor of Ethical Politics at the Capital University
My Beloved Tara,
The joys from our time together during your visit last week grow cold and distant in my memory; I long for your next trip. I am planning several weeks in April to stay in the capital at our apartment; we can visit your mother and the nephews. I look forward to resuming our rock climbing and yoga.
Back on my cliff edge, peering out into the fog at the end of the world.
The old airy jargon “belay my last,” meaning disregard my previous statement, applies to my update on our Missionary progress from my February letter.
WE MADE CONTACT TODAY WITH XCHANGE! 10 Missionaries led by Charles Xavier – you may remember him from the fundraising banquet two summers ago, a tall goofy redhead with a proclivity for those mozzarella cheese balls dipped in soy sauce – well the missionaries were on the boat docks preparing for another launch across the bath (this time we had outfitted the boat with a bomb sensing detector to avoid any mines), so Charles and team were working on the rig when an enormous diplomatic drone plane landed and invited the team to board. Charles waved at our cameras that he was engaging the crew from the drone and boarded. We have not heard or seen from them yet. This was 5 hours ago.
We are very hopeful that Charles and the team will be able to open up a dialogue. This is the first connection with Xchange.
My love and embrace as always are yours Tara – your captain. From Patrick
************LETTER********************************
Patrick Joan_From the Human-Doing Front_May 10th, 2073
Military Missionary Volunteer Patrick Joan stationed at BaseCamp4 to his wife Tara, Professor of Ethical Politics at the Capital University
My Beloved Tara,
Tonight, Saturday, we had an evening church service led by the vibrant Pastor Mike. But it’s not for me. It was hot, crowded and the whole event hollowly loud. I could not connect to the worship or the descriptive encouragement, so I left with a short prayer and made my way to the cliff to write to you. The spring air does me some good and the 15 minutes of walking clears my head a bit.
For safety we are now at “Darkened Village” status. This means no external lights and all windows are covered to block light transmission. The goal is to make the village invisible or nearly so to those across the bath who might try to locate us during the night. It has helped a bit. The night is moonless, skies only a slight haze. I can’t see the village from my spot on the cliff, as it is shrouded in an eerie fog. Our village has a misty, Impressionist feel. People moving about in the night are just vague dark shapes. Voices are low.
I get ahead of myself. It has been a month. There is no word from Charles and his team; if you remember in my last update his team boarded a Xchange aircraft. We fear they are kidnapped, tortured or worse.
Furthermore, for the last two weeks we have found battered and confused refugees along the coast; they appear discarded like human garbage. We have sent the military a request to investigate how they are being dropped off but we think it is some sort of aircraft that comes at night. We have found 45 humans to date. The abandoned refugees have no recollection of how they arrived here. The stranger thing is, they have no idea about modern technology, by this I mean – they gape at the mere usage of phones, computers or aircraft. A teenage boy screamed when we turned room lights on. It is hard to describe. It’s like they are from the past.
We got creamed with fresh refugees last night. Fifteen new patients. They needed immediate and significant medical intervention. The injuries are horrifying. A ruptured eyeball. Children missing limbs. Large burns. Grotesque fractures. Large knife wounds to the head. One paraplegic from spine injuries. The number of X-ray studies performed last night in a short period of time is so great that it causes the entire system to crash under the burden of the data it is being fed.
I can only question what is happening to these people from Xchange.
My alone time is over – I must get back to checking on the patients. It is also my hour for listening to radio feed in the hopes we hear some dialogue about Charles and our lost team of missionaries.
I will write you tomorrow with more info.
As always, my love is yours. From Patrick
***********LETTER*******************************
Patrick Joan_From the Human-Doing Front_May 11th, 2073
Military Missionary Volunteer Patrick Joan stationed at BaseCamp4 to his wife Tara, Professor of Ethical Politics at the Capital University
My Beloved Tara,
The basketball tournament has been canceled this morning. The military arrived at 10am. They have grouped all the refugees from Xchange into a hastily constructed steel cage out on the green.
Someone is singing from the cages in a beautiful, strange language. I think it is the self-proclaimed “bard” from the refugees, and he is trying to cheer on his fellow people, but it chills me to the bones.
Along with their wounds, the refugees came to us dirty, undernourished, and dehydrated. With the military caging all the refugees we have no access to them. One rumor says that we will continue to treat all the refugees while they remain under guard and contained in our village. If true, this would, in effect, make the BaseCamp4 a prison hospital village. The corpsmen on the wards have to guard the prisoners and keep them from communicating with one another to prevent dissent. As missionaries, we are trained to communicate with these people and try to figure out what is going on in Xchange. It is difficult to stay mindful that these patients are the enemy and could fight back against us.
A military craft from the capital just landed. I will go and see what will happen. For now I know so little.
With Love. From Patrick
***************END*******************************
See more backstory blogs -
http://philipquense.com/index.php/201...
FOOTNOTES:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
https://digitalcollections.lib.washin...
*******INTRO*************************************
The following letters are a compilation of works written from the Missionary Volunteer, Patrick Joan, from BaseCamp4 at the Human-Doing Front to his wife Tara. The inspiration for this series came from researching resources and imitating ideas in letters from various historical wars. I hope they provide insight into the world of Xchange and deepen your appreciation for what military and missionary folk abroad experience, like it has for me. It is my hope that these letters will spark your interest in reading A Tale Of Doings and, furthermore, seek out historical letters from our forefathers who created the world we live in today. See references in the footnotes for sources I found helpful in this regard.
****************LETTER***************************
Patrick Joan_From the Human-Doing Front_January 5th, 2073
Military Missionary Volunteer Patrick Joan stationed at BaseCamp4 to his wife Tara, Professor of Ethical Politics at Capital University
My Beloved Tara,
Your frequent letters give me much comfort as I seek to rally my morale for the mission I have embarked on at the front. My dispirited aspirations need your boosting zeal on days such as these. As we try attempt after attempt to reach the people of Xchange, my faith feels like a waning candle on a cold dark night, about to be snuffed out. My mission, as ever, is to reach those on the other side of the bath, preach the living faith to them, and embrace these, our estranged human beings, as fellows in our gift of humanity.
Tonight, I sit on the edge of the cliff overlooking the ocean, the embodiment of tranquility and wild danger, writing to you. This is my favorite spot to think, pray and write you. I miss you and am excited about your visit next month.
BaseCamp4 is so different from my days with the army, before I met you. Unlike the precarious days fighting entrenched rebels in the mountains, this village is well stocked with resources and living is comfortable, supported by Dad’s and your efforts to fund the cause from the capital. BaseCamp4 feels like a non-combatant hospital camp, defenseless and unprotected. We have chosen for the sake of our mission to step out from the embrace of the powerful army of the Tricoalition. Our village feels like unwanted bait attempting to entice those peoples of Xchange to communicate with us. We are the white flag of our nation, our little community waiting for a dialogue to begin. Danger is all around us. At times we hear the powerful drone crafts of Xchange zip overhead, just out of range of Tricoalition rockets. At times we see fires and explosions through our long-range binoculars on the shores of Xchange. I wonder if they are plotting our deaths or torturing their people, both scare me to the bone though I admit my fear to no one but you, Tara.
Yesterday we lost a boat of five brave missionaries, who attempted to cross the bath. Sickening sight, I watched their craft explode into a thousand fragments. Who knows what was lost to posterity, a man trying to redeem a troubled relationship, a father paying the bills for a son attempting to get through university, a wife who was taking care of her parents, or a daughter who would change the course of the world? We’ll never know now that these souls are gone. That is war. The explosion reminded me we are at war.
We debate if a mine, leftover from the Great Split Wars, or an Xchange War drone blew our companions out of the waves. It could have been a Tricoaliation mine for all we know; our government still refuses to provide us with maps of hidden weaponry – either they are politically embarrassed or afraid we will lose the info to the enemy. We strive to remain hopeful in our cause. I do not hold the attack as a personal affront, rather I see the incident from this viewpoint: The people of Xchange must see this missionary village as part the hostile Tricoalition military branch – terrorists at war with their world. Would they attack defenseless missionaries? Yes, they will, until we find a way to communicate our peaceful intentions properly. I think they see us as mercenary infidels invading their homeland who deserve no better than death. Pastor Mike preaches that our efforts have a 50/50 chance of getting through. So far, we have had a 100 to 0 success. However, Mike is not naturally pessimistic.
The military volunteers, including myself, are all bored from under-utilization; the veterans who have seen action in the past seem particularly restless. We do not have the stimulation we are used to. Nothing to fight, the waiting is hellish for those used to throwing the tension of life into the adrenaline of battle.
Our few aircraft are not allowed to fly to Xchange because our government does not want to lose valued tech to the enemy. The few older craft that we have cannot get more than halfway across the bath without failing like the occurrence this week. We sit and listen to the radio communications, which we steal from across the water. We are hard pressed to glean anything useful.
I continue to complain. The bottom line is, we have not been able to contact the humans in Xchange, and I am frustrated.
How is your speech for the University Conference going? Have you decided on a theme? How is my dad?
I miss you. From Patrick
**************LETTER****************************
Patrick Joan_From the Human-Doing Front_February 10th, 2073
Military Missionary Volunteer Patrick Joan stationed at BaseCamp4 to his wife Tara, Professor of Ethical Politics at the Capital University
My Beloved Tara,
The joys from our time together during your visit last week grow cold and distant in my memory; I long for your next trip. I am planning several weeks in April to stay in the capital at our apartment; we can visit your mother and the nephews. I look forward to resuming our rock climbing and yoga.
Back on my cliff edge, peering out into the fog at the end of the world.
The old airy jargon “belay my last,” meaning disregard my previous statement, applies to my update on our Missionary progress from my February letter.
WE MADE CONTACT TODAY WITH XCHANGE! 10 Missionaries led by Charles Xavier – you may remember him from the fundraising banquet two summers ago, a tall goofy redhead with a proclivity for those mozzarella cheese balls dipped in soy sauce – well the missionaries were on the boat docks preparing for another launch across the bath (this time we had outfitted the boat with a bomb sensing detector to avoid any mines), so Charles and team were working on the rig when an enormous diplomatic drone plane landed and invited the team to board. Charles waved at our cameras that he was engaging the crew from the drone and boarded. We have not heard or seen from them yet. This was 5 hours ago.
We are very hopeful that Charles and the team will be able to open up a dialogue. This is the first connection with Xchange.
My love and embrace as always are yours Tara – your captain. From Patrick
************LETTER********************************
Patrick Joan_From the Human-Doing Front_May 10th, 2073
Military Missionary Volunteer Patrick Joan stationed at BaseCamp4 to his wife Tara, Professor of Ethical Politics at the Capital University
My Beloved Tara,
Tonight, Saturday, we had an evening church service led by the vibrant Pastor Mike. But it’s not for me. It was hot, crowded and the whole event hollowly loud. I could not connect to the worship or the descriptive encouragement, so I left with a short prayer and made my way to the cliff to write to you. The spring air does me some good and the 15 minutes of walking clears my head a bit.
For safety we are now at “Darkened Village” status. This means no external lights and all windows are covered to block light transmission. The goal is to make the village invisible or nearly so to those across the bath who might try to locate us during the night. It has helped a bit. The night is moonless, skies only a slight haze. I can’t see the village from my spot on the cliff, as it is shrouded in an eerie fog. Our village has a misty, Impressionist feel. People moving about in the night are just vague dark shapes. Voices are low.
I get ahead of myself. It has been a month. There is no word from Charles and his team; if you remember in my last update his team boarded a Xchange aircraft. We fear they are kidnapped, tortured or worse.
Furthermore, for the last two weeks we have found battered and confused refugees along the coast; they appear discarded like human garbage. We have sent the military a request to investigate how they are being dropped off but we think it is some sort of aircraft that comes at night. We have found 45 humans to date. The abandoned refugees have no recollection of how they arrived here. The stranger thing is, they have no idea about modern technology, by this I mean – they gape at the mere usage of phones, computers or aircraft. A teenage boy screamed when we turned room lights on. It is hard to describe. It’s like they are from the past.
We got creamed with fresh refugees last night. Fifteen new patients. They needed immediate and significant medical intervention. The injuries are horrifying. A ruptured eyeball. Children missing limbs. Large burns. Grotesque fractures. Large knife wounds to the head. One paraplegic from spine injuries. The number of X-ray studies performed last night in a short period of time is so great that it causes the entire system to crash under the burden of the data it is being fed.
I can only question what is happening to these people from Xchange.
My alone time is over – I must get back to checking on the patients. It is also my hour for listening to radio feed in the hopes we hear some dialogue about Charles and our lost team of missionaries.
I will write you tomorrow with more info.
As always, my love is yours. From Patrick
***********LETTER*******************************
Patrick Joan_From the Human-Doing Front_May 11th, 2073
Military Missionary Volunteer Patrick Joan stationed at BaseCamp4 to his wife Tara, Professor of Ethical Politics at the Capital University
My Beloved Tara,
The basketball tournament has been canceled this morning. The military arrived at 10am. They have grouped all the refugees from Xchange into a hastily constructed steel cage out on the green.
Someone is singing from the cages in a beautiful, strange language. I think it is the self-proclaimed “bard” from the refugees, and he is trying to cheer on his fellow people, but it chills me to the bones.
Along with their wounds, the refugees came to us dirty, undernourished, and dehydrated. With the military caging all the refugees we have no access to them. One rumor says that we will continue to treat all the refugees while they remain under guard and contained in our village. If true, this would, in effect, make the BaseCamp4 a prison hospital village. The corpsmen on the wards have to guard the prisoners and keep them from communicating with one another to prevent dissent. As missionaries, we are trained to communicate with these people and try to figure out what is going on in Xchange. It is difficult to stay mindful that these patients are the enemy and could fight back against us.
A military craft from the capital just landed. I will go and see what will happen. For now I know so little.
With Love. From Patrick
***************END*******************************
See more backstory blogs -
http://philipquense.com/index.php/201...
FOOTNOTES:
https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...
https://digitalcollections.lib.washin...
