Chris Gillen

'In Nomine Patri...'

	The words rolled over Daloo'koa as he stared out the glasteel
window at the Too-Bright Sun of Gromyko.  The Sisters never knew whether
he was paying attention or not.  They didn't even know if he was facing
forward (as he had been told he must do to learn properly.)  Daloo'koa
was a Vapashna, one of the client races of the Psaikhailou. They had
never been an important race, galactically speaking, and no-one outside
their homeworld had ever recounted their history, not even the epic of
Piri'watai which had survived endless aeons of editing by the elders of
the clans and though pared down  to only 6 weeks in the telling was still
a tale that inspired millions of Vapashna to commission a recital during
their death throes. Daloo'koa remembered a bit of it from his early
childhood on Vapash. The bit he recalled now was the joy-keen of
Eshnawata at the birth of Piri'watai, when she cries, 

'...Et Fili...'

	No No NO!! That wasn't it. How did it go?...'Aowitash-ta Kaeeri
na'Kiwana...'  Sharp pain burst across his vocal stalk as he
realized The Sisters had caught him singing again. It was wrong, he knew,
to sing of Eshnawata in class.  He was supposed to learn about Jesoo and
how he started the ROC. But he knew that one already.  Jesoo had burst
from the breed-tube of Maryeea alone and without a birth helper, which
was a miracle.  He was a Human, a God, and a lamb (which was something
humans used to eat) all at once.  That would be so confusing for a
Vapashna he would probably go into death throes right then, but not to
Jesoo, which is another miracle.  He ate fish and wine and bread, but the
other Humans would eat it all and still be hungry so he made more till
they were full, which is a miracle.  He went his whole life without ever
seeing a Psaikhailou which The Sisters keep telling him is not a miracle
but it sure seems like one to him so maybe it is.  He made Humans be able
to see but they can still only see what their mouths point at so no big
deal but The Sisters say if a Vapashna couldn't see then Jesoo could make
him better too, so that would be a miracle and its gonna count on the
test (but don't write about healing Vapashna because he didn't actually
do that and they take off points if you say he did.)  He walked on water
which Vapashna can do too but Humans can't, if you see them fall in its
really funny because they flop all over.  He got to be over 30 years old
which is a really big miracle if you're a Vapashna but is pretty much
nothing if you're a Human.  Still, anybody who gets to be 30 years old
really knows a lot of stuff  and probably plenty more than a whole bunch
of Vapashna.  His friend kissed him before he died which makes everybody
mad but is really sad because his friend died too.  And even though it
was the Romans that killed him he made them into the ROC by telling his
friend Peter (not the one who kissed him. This is another friend. He has
a bunch but you don't have to know most of them except for extra credit)
to make them into a rock (which is a pun but you're not supposed to laugh
and they'll hit you if you do) and he would put a church on top of them,
which is the ROC. (Remember you can't laugh besides putting a church on
people would hurt even if they killed you and thats not funny)  He rose
three days after he died and saw his friends who stuck fingers in his
side and hands (which is really wierd but you have to remember it) so he
went to heaven to be with God even though he is God which is a miracle
too.  They'll also tell you his friends ate him which maybe is because He
is part lamb but doesn't sound like friends to me so maybe the Romans ate
him instead.  Anyway, even though he already did come back after they
killed him he's gonna come back again.  But by now even the Humans he
knew are gonna be dead and most everybody has left earth anyway and its
almost all covered with Psaikhailou but I guess he'll stay at the ROC
church while he looks for everybody who is with the ROC so we all get to
go to heaven.  Which is really cool and they teach you to do miracles and
stuff and there's clouds and big gates you can play with (if Peter lets
you...they're his gates.)  And all the people who aren't with the ROC go
to hell, which The Sisters say is a place where they poke you in the side
forever and its really hot and no fun.  Of course, the Vapashna get to go
to Kaligaa' with Eshnawata already so you kinda need to decide where you
want to go because I don't think there are any ships between em.  Most of
the Vapashna are going to Kaligaa' but don't tell The Sisters you want to
go too because they will hit you. (and my friend Gahreel'ha said its mean
to tease them because they can't go to Kaligaa' because its only for
Vapashna)  Anyway, I'll probably go to heaven because The Sisters want me
to and everybody I know is gonna go and I would know almost nobody at
Kaligaa'.  Besides, they're just gonna sing the joy-keen of Eshnawata at
the birth of Piri'watai which everybody knows already, especially the bit
where she cries,

'...Et Spititu Sancti...'

	No No NO!! That wasn't it! How did it go?...'Aowitash-ta Kaeeri
na-Kiwana...' 
  Ouch!

'...Amen.'