2024-05-06: .my callers, know now these unveiled truthS

• Cutscene: .my callers, know now these unveiled truthS
• Cast: Yuliana Kafim
• Where: The Silent Castle, Kaffeklubben Island
• Date: 2024-05-06
• Summary: Yuliana reveals the truth of her alien physiology to her followers through their mailing lists -- and answers their questions. Have you ever wondered whether her snakes have names? All your questions, answered!

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The study where Yuliana films her missives for the Silent Calling's mailing lists is... homely, for a castle. Bookshelves and a rich oak desk are the main items of furniture in frame. Draconic wall-hangings decorate the walls, and ancient style gas lamps provide lighting. She is dressed in her Calling regalia, that golden headdress with dragon's wings over her ears; jewellery weighs at her black robes, rich emeralds and rose gold.

"I come to you today," the Oracle says, spreading her hands, "with something of a personal revelation. Many of you have wondered about my health, following my harrowing accident on the ice..." She told her people, of course, of the reason why she didn't speak to them that evening -- and the way their High Priestess saved her. "How could I recover from such freezing temperatures so quickly? And I have seen, dear Callers, that the time has come to unveil certain truths to you."

She takes a breath, deliberate, and deliberately captured. "You see," she starts, as if imparting the information to a confidante, "our High Priestess has already had to develop medicines to warm my blood, for the Void has chosen me. In truth, I..." She closes her endless eyes, as she reaches up to grasp her headdress, and slowly lower it from her head. In doing so, she demonstrates that those gold wings were hollow -- and something very much like real wings were hidden below. Her frills unfurl, as if to demonstrate just how real they are, and the camera follows her as she stands from behind her desk. She sweeps her characteristic dragon-wing cloak aside, as two things like snakes or hands or flowers emerge from within.

"... I am no longer completely of this world," Yuliana finishes her sentence, spreading her arms and those tentacles both. Her hands pull inwards, to press against her heart, clutched together. "I feel I am able to share this with you, now... though my gifts are so often misunderstood. Because I am the bride of God, I have been changed, in this way. That is how our High Priestess was so well-positioned to warm me... for I can already grow too cold."

She leans, companionably, on her desk. "Is it frightening?" She smiles, sympathetic. "Don't be afraid... I am the same woman who has upheld our principles, all this time. Do you remember?" She invokes their enlightened selfishness, that philosophy which stems from their rejection of Communist selflessness -- and yet, one which finds purchase with exiles of Britannian Nationalism due to its charity. "You cannot pour from an empty cup... to see to others, you must first see to yourself. Your inviolable self... which is always yours. No creed nor country should take your 'self' from you... nor should your secrets be stolen from your heart," she adds, eyes blinking closed, for a moment.

(It's the Newtypes who would steal those secrets, of course.)

"It is this sanctity," she goes on, looking back to the camera, "which makes your choices so meaningful. Where you unveil something, as I have now, let it be your own decision. That is what makes your connections to others special... that conscious volunteering. I chose to reveal my 'self' to you, today..." She reaches out, towards the camera, "... and I hope you will accept me."

She does not mention how long she kept this from them.

And of course there is a buzz of activity throughout the mailing lists, following her announcement -- and countless private conversations between mail accounts, which the Silent Castle is still perfectly able to monitor. (The Silent Calling may well be a reactionary movement against authoritarianism -- but authoritarianism is where they learned all their tricks.) Following those conversations, Yuliana schedules another recording, a few days afterwards.

"My Callers," she says, seated behind her desk again -- though her headdress is placed to one side of it, her frill exposed. "I see that you have many questions. Since so many have asked, I thought it best to speak with all of you," and she smiles, as if she really is.

To the other side of her desk is a small pile of letters, and she picks one up, unfolding it carefully. "Fran, from Iceland -- and I agree, Fran, it is still Iceland --" a brief aside to chastise Britannia's occupation of the so-called Area 10, "Fran asks, why do I need medicine to keep warm when I have these gifts? An excellent question," she smiles, looking up to the camera as she folds her hands on the desk. "Although my body is adapting to the Void, it is still, by and large, human. Because the human part of me still requires a core temperature, I must be cautious not to grow too chilly -- though it would pose me no danger in the Void! Right now, in my transitional state, I must be sure to attend to my human needs. As should we all," she adds, smiling. "Have you drunk enough water, today?"

A pause, as if she expects a reply. And then -- "Now," she reaches over to open another letter. It's a polite fiction to maintain her traditional setting; none of these questions were sent through physical mail. "Trent, from Australia, asks: doesn't it hurt? And I'm touched by your concern, Trent," Yuliana smiles at the camera, "but it hurts as much as my hands or my ears -- that is, not at all! These things are just part of my body, now. They don't cause me any pain. And I believe that brings me to Lee," she adds, reaching for another letter, "who would prefer not to say where he lives. Lee asks whether the snakes have names!" And Yuliana laughs, her fingers veiling her lips. "That's so cute! No, Lee, I've not named them -- no more than I'd name my left fist and my right. But my nephew has strongly urged me to call them Fey and Dream, so why don't we go with that? What a wonderful question! It's really left a smile on my face." And she does look cheered, to answer it.

"And more questions about them," Yuliana goes on, reading another letter. "Ahmed, from Egypt, writes in to ask... can I see things through my tentacles? Well, let's have a look," she lifts one up, over the edge of the desk. "As you can see here," she says, flaring its crests out, "it doesn't really have eyes... just eyespots! But they're awfully intimidating, aren't they?" Yuliana smiles, behind the veil of her fingers. "While I can sense things through them... they mainly navigate the world through vibrations. Just like real snakes! Isn't that neat? I think they're neat," she says, lowering it back down.

She picks up another letter. "And Fourcall, from Malaysia -- hello, neighbour! -- writes to ask... am I a kaiju, now?" Yuliana blinks, looking from the letter back to the screen. "You know, Fourcall, I'm not completely sure? I'm sure the lovely men at NERV would have a take on it, but, well -- I'm rather much done with being studied, you understand," she waves a hand, as if to dismiss the notion. "I do have some alien DNA, I suppose... but I'm still mostly human. I still eat breakfast and go to bed each night, just like you. But if I ever get the urge to breathe some fireballs and crush a city, you'll be the first to know, okay?" She winks, as if sharing a private joke.

"And Eunice, from Britannia, writes to ask... will we become like this," Yuliana tilts her head, with a sympathetic smile. "I can understand the anxiety, Eunice, but I assure you that this is no casual transformation. I may well be unique! But if someone else were to receive these gifts, I assure you -- it wouldn't come as a surprise. Neither is it the inevitable end of your faith. Should you wish to embrace the Void, you will be made ready when it is time to cross that threshold... and it would be very rare for it to happen a moment before. Very rare, and quite deliberate... so don't worry, Eunice. You won't just wake up with tentacles one day!" And she can't help but laugh a little, to herself, though she doesn't explain the joke.

(That's just what happened.)

"And just one more question, here... Khadija, from Helmajistan, who asks... if I'm part monster, why don't I have gills? Well, Khadija," she asks, with a sly smile, "why don't you have gills? Just like you, I haven't chosen the body I have. The Void did not see fit to let me breathe water, that way. As for why... who knows? Perhaps if I could breathe water, I would necessarily choke in the air. Perhaps those adoptions were unnecessary, because our High Priestess was by my side to keep me safe. Perhaps..." She starts, and trails off, unwilling to voice to the public her suspicion that the Empress might be willing to let her die. Just to claim her soul... Yuliana clears her throat, and shakes her head, smiling apologetically. "Of course, those are all just what-ifs. I have not yet Seen the truth of it. Perhaps it will be revealed to us in time, Khadija."

And she pats the empty space on her desk, now devoid of letters. "Those were the most common questions I received," she says, "but please do keep discussing it. I read all your replies!" She does not. She makes Wendy do it. "Until next time, take care, my Callers..."

... there's a question Yuliana didn't answer, though it's come several times, through their various channels.

(From one Jin Guanting, a loyal Hua Lian rebel -- asking where her sister Guanyu is.)