Library of Terra
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 28136
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In spite of what people think, it's not easy working at the Great Library
of Terra Prime. The sheer number of books here is amazing--even
the head librarians, the ones who are Eternal Champions, haven't
read all of them, and it would probably take them centuries to do so
even if there weren't other things occupying their time. And it's the job
of people like me to keep them in something vaguely resembling
order. It's hard even for those who don't work above the Vault, where
they keep the books like the Necronomicon which are necessary but
they don't dare let see the light of day because they're too powerful
and dnagerous. I don't know the way into the Vault myself, of course,
only the head librarians do. That huge, imposing, creepy steel gate
with grimacing gargoyles is a fake. Anyone with real sense would
recognize that. But I have to live with the effects of the Vault's
energies every day. The books in this area just won't stay in order.
The fact that this is the worst thing that happens as a result of all
those books in the Vault is a testament to how well-put-together the
dimensionally transcendental techno-mystical architecture that
underlies this place is put together. Still, it's quite aggravating, and
it's often difficult to maintain a socail life these days.
Still, I love this job. I've always loved books, and I get to be alone with them all day. I spend most of what I laughingly refer to as my spare time reading and discussing them. And let's face it, there are some truly fascinating books here. My name, on the slim chance you care, is Engelbert Baxter D'Honaire, but I call myself E.B. these days, like E.B. White. As you might suspect from my name, I come from one of the Eternal Champion families. Like the great majority of us, though, I didn't quite make the cut. When I turned 18, the Celestials didn't roll out the red carpet for me, and I had to go out into Camelyn to get a real job. Many non-Champion members of Champion families could be a bit dysfunctional, not surprising considering that their pareents stay eternally young while they grow old. I was determined to find a life for myself which was fulfilling and allowed me to make a difference, even if I couldn't be an immortal and run around saving the universe. Luckily, it was not hard at all for me to find a place. I was always more intellectual than the typical D'Honaire, and when Ragan (who'd always been a close friend of mine) beecame the new head of Terra's Library, she realized immediately that I was qualified to work there. I know a lot about books and know a little magic too, which is useful. So that's why I'm here, in the library, carrying out the never-ending task of keeping these shelves in order. I'm helped by a Vulcan, Kerrek. He's good at his job, but really doesn't make very pleasant company. I've always supsected that he could do this job himself if necessary, and I'm just a fifth wheel. But that's probably bitterness due to lack of sleep talking. Anyway, it seemed at first like just another relatively ordinary day here. I got off work at five, hoping to get back to my apartment in the newer part of Camelyn and get some much-needed rest, maybe work on my novel. But as I was leaving, I was met by Ilana. Ilana is probably the person on the staff here, other than Ragan herself, who's closest to me. That's not her real name, but it's the closest we Allarians can come to even vaguely beginning to pronounce it. Her father was a political refugee from Aeran, a planet which had been at war with the Multiversal Federation a while back, while her mother was a human from Camelyn. She has black hair, green eyes, and irridescent blue skin. Not a bad combination, I've always felt, however much Ragan may tease her about resembling that one Farscape character except with hair. She tends to wear rather conservative clothing (by our standards--someone from Ragan's world would find it very ostentatious) but is still a knockout. Even her face and body don't even begin to measure up to her mind, however. So naturally, she isn't at all interested in me as more than friends. Those elves and dragons have it so easy with their "Eye Meets Eye..." Still, at least I'm glad to be her friend. The look on her face, however, shows that she has business on her mind. And knowing what her job is, it must be quite pressing business indeed. Ilana, you see, works in Acquisitions. She's one of the people who finds the pieces for our great cultural mosaic, so I can fit them together. It's both more exasperating and more exciting than my job could ever be. Not like being a Vault guard, of course. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. And most of the time, it's easy and actually quite interesting, just going around to parallel worlds and picking up books, or ordering them through the MetaWeb. But when it's difficult, it's spectacularly difficult. I wonder why she has business with me. I'd heard that the Champions had been considering my promotion for some time, but had no idea that they'd transfer me. I was torn between hoping that I'd get a job gaining new books for the Library and being afraid that I'd get a job finding new books for the Library.
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Knight Random :)
5/21/2003 2:30:26 PM
Extending Enabled
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