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The artform called tokiel is indisputably a creation of beauty which a human can enjoy without being aware of the more subtle nuances. The creator of tokiel is certainly an artist. But to a Vulcan, the tokiel artist does not merely create a moving light show with musical accompaniment, he creates tradition by blending both the specific and the generic in harmony. Every color, tone and shape has sememic content. Tokiel is a language.
Here the /-l:/ is the end-form of the same sememe that makes up the unit /-sel-/ in t’seluret.
The word idic (better spelled idik) can be used to illustrate the Vulcanur rules of word-formation. Idic has been borrowed into all the human languages to represent the revered Vulcan symbol and it has been assigned the mnemonic acrostic, Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations. The actual analysis of the Vulcanur word idik is:
/:i-/ privacy, specific sign /-d-/ logic [t’ modified] /-i-/ specific sign modified by combination with preceding d /-k:/ blending, philosophy of Nome
So the word, idik, embodies all of Vulcan philosophy, as does the symbol for which the word stands. The /-d-/ followed and modified by the specificity sign denotes reverence for life as the /-d-/ is a modified form of the sememe /-t-/ which is /creation/ and /completion/ as well as several related concepts.
One thing that puzzles many scholars is why the words tokiel and idik possess neither the masculine /:S-/ nor the sememe for communication, /-p-/.
The masculine proper name prefix, /:S-/, is related to the prime sememe /-s-/, which also appears in the unit /-sel-/, meaning beauty. Why does this not appear in tokiel and idik? Let us examine the masculine name, Spock.
/:S-/ initiator-starter /-p-/ communication /-o-/ tradition /-ck:/ modified blending
Spock is a male who communicates a blended tradition. The name also carries the connotation of a founder-of-dynasties.
The masculine prefix, /:S-/, represents the concept of instigator, the driving force, or a source of that which did not exist before. In the unit /-sel-/ the /-s-/ can be taken to represent the concept of beginning so that beauty is composed of beginning-of-a-generic-harmony.
But now we note that "a source which did not exist before" is a creator. There is an overlapping of the domains of definition of /-s-/ and /-t-/. They are not merely opposites: they are complementary. This is reflected in the close relationship of the articulation of the two. /-s-/ is an alveolar fricative while /-t-/ is an alveolar stop.
Since they are so closely related they are not both needed in the word tokiel. But what about the word idik? As we found the /-d-/ was a modified /-t-/, thus no /-s-/ is required.
Then we might expect that both /-s-/ and /-t-/ would never appear in the same word. But this is not the case. We have the word, stpoek, which in Vulcanur means mother and father together and
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is usually glossed "parents." But in Vulcanir, it means all blood-related ancestors and the degree of removal, i.e. parents, grandparents, great-grandparents, etc., is indicated by shift in the vowel /-e-/ 3..
/:S-/ initiator /-t-/ completer /-p-/ communicator /-o-/ tradition /-e-/ generic /-k:/ combined
One’s ancestors are those who have initiated and completed the communication of tradition and combined it in you. Here the concept of tradition is very broad, including not only social constructs but also the summed tradition of life’s experience written in the genes.
We can see that the free creation of Vulcanur words from component sememes must be left to the Vulcans. The human student of Vulcanur can never hope to understand the full spectrum of subtlety in the rules for concept mixing.
The gradations between phonemes that relate to gradations between concepts may be likened to the gradations between notes of the chromatic scale: the existence of a relation is patently obvious to anyone who can hear, but the creation of musical compositions is a business for highly trained, talented experts.
Likewise, the interpretation of Vulcanur words must be left to the Vulcans. The human scholar should confine himself to the attitude that most Vulcan words are arbitrary units which combine to make phrases and sentences of a familiar structure. In the few cases where a word undergoes obvious internal shifts with shifted meanings, one can regard the shifting phonemes as infixes, prefixes, or suffixes. In most instances, the language can be considered isolating as long as the sentence unit is of the type found predominantly in Vulcanur.
Needless to say, there are numerous conventions and some fairly arbitrary rules in the construction of Vulcanur words. Vulcan youth perennially discover this and exploit it by choosing a different set of conventions, generating a sub-language for private communication among themselves very much the way humans use pig-latin. But, apparently, these sub-languages wither away as maturity enlarges the required vocabulary and the youth discovers that the standard rules are superior in flexibility and practicality.
There are varying degrees of competence in Vulcanar and Vulcanir among Vulcans. Fully 30% of the population can barely manage to speak Vulcanar for legal testimony and they regard Vulcanir as something they were once exposed to in an esoteric high school course. Although everyone understands Vulcanir well enough to comprehend newscasts and read news reports, there is a growing tendency to employ Vulcanar for such purposes whenever possible.
He who masters Vulcanur can communicate with any Vulcan. But we must never forget that modern Vulcan is a living, evolving language and the borders between the three parts of the language are constantly being redefined.
FOOTNOTES:
1. Applied philosophy holds the position that theology does in most human societies. 2. For a definition of tokiel see also Kraith I, "Spock’s Affirmation." 3. In early episodes Spock reffered (sic RBW referred) to ". . . the fact that one of my ancestors is human . . .". This peculiar use of the word ancestor to refer to a living mother might be due to the
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semantic hangover into his English of an essentially Vulcan concept. Then again, it might have been due to both. 4. Remember in "Patterns of Force" Spock estimated distance by eye well enough to make a crude laser, the first try. That’s some eye estimate! 5. Strictly speaking, there are no Vulcan synonyms. But Vulcans make a verbal art (t’seluret) of concocting new words to represent a given concept from slightly different component sememes, altering the emphasis in some slight but significant way. This is another important source of confusion that has led humans to believe that they’ve found actual ambiguity. 6. The matter of dialect will have to be discussed as a separate topic. 7. In "Requiem for Methuselah" Spock was close to "envy" over the art treasures he found there. 8. In Vulcanur, "understand" and "express" are concepts which overlap so completely as to be virtually identical. (see "Spock’s Affirmation")
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PART II: Here I will attempt to construct concept assignments to gloss Vulcanur sememes into English.
Any discussion of Vulcan sememics would not be complete without touching on the word "Vulcan" itself. Historically, the planet was named by a human Starship Captain who first set foot on Vulcan and noted the dry heat, volcanic activity, prodigious gravity, and low oxygen content of the air . . . which reminded him of conditions inside an ancient forge and thus of the mythical armorer of the gods. The association with violence is unfortunate in view of the nature of Vulcan culture (tsaichrani), but since that was not immediately understood, the misnomer was swiftly adopted by the Federation.
Although all modern cataloges (sic RBW catalogs) list the planet as Tsaichrani, the word Vulcan is always added in parentheses. The word has come to apply not only to the planet, people and culture, but also to their language. Usage is so widespread that it has penetrated the Vulcan language itself. "Vulcan" is the accepted Vulcanur term for their planet and species as, well as, occasionally, even for their culture.
However, "Vulcan" is never used in Vulcanar or Vulcanir. In adopting the word, Vulcan, the cannons of Vulcanur forced certain changes which can be noted by examining the glossary presented below. The main difference is the added syllable, the generic /-e-/ between the /-l-/ and the /-k-/. Thus "Voolekan," an extra-canonical collection of sememes is purported to have the meaning: A clearly defined group of people who consent to a custom that promotes a general harmony by blending the ancient and the modern. (The student should compare this with the analysis of tsaichrani.)
Advocates of this borrowed word claim that the denotation is precise enough to allow it to be admitted to the language.
One source of resistance to the borrowing is the popularity of the strictly extra-canonical derivations, Vulcanur, Vulcanar and Vulcanir for the Low, Middle and High Vulcan languages respectively. The endings /-ur:/, /-ar:/, and /-ir:/ should be /-pur:/, /-par:/, and /-pir:/ respectively but the forms have been borrowed unaltered, on the grounds that the three ending can be taken as borrowed from a large family of pre-Reform languages which is inadequately represented in the modern Vulcan languages.
Needless to say, the controversy over the borrowing of the word, Vulcan, and its derivatives has split the Vulcan population along ethnic lines. Strange as it may seem, Vulcan applied philosophers do not consider this improper but welcome it with that peculiar Vulcan zest which defies translation.
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Given the component sememes of a word, the human scholar could not hope to derive the concrete meaning, but given the meaning and the components, the human scholar can gain some insight into the workings of the Vulcan mind. Such insight is important because of the difficulty the Universal Translators have with rendering Vulcanir into English or the other human languages.
One elegant tool for elucidating the sememic structure of Vulcan words is the three-dimensional graph of the basic articulation parameters that carry conceptual significance. A phoneme which falls on the surface which defines the articulations allowed by the phonetic canons of Vulcanur has a glossing related to that of other phonemes that share one or more of its values.
Obviously, there are other articulation parameters and they, too, carry some meaning, though not always in Vulcanur. Vulcanar and Vulcanir require larger, more complex surfaces of definition. And there are differences between Vulcan dialects in defining the surface of definition. These differences are more pronounced for Vulcanur than for Vulcanir.
Two other words have been borrowed into Vulcanur, kevas and trillium; two of the most important agricultural exports of Vulcan. The Rigillians claim the credit for contributing these two terms to replace the virtually unpronounceable Vulcan names, so we shan’t go into the derivation here. Suffice it to say that the Rigillians provided the words which the Vulcans altered to fit the phonetic cannons of Vulcanur.
GLOSSARY OF VULCANUR TERMS:
AHN WOON (alternate spelling -- An Woon): Oldest of Vulcan weapons; a leather band with handles at the ends, about six feet long, it can be used as a bolo, a sling, or a garrote. /:a-/ geographical area /-h-/ immediate /-N:/ ancient /-W-/ negation /-oo-/ custom /-n:/ immutable
Sememically, the Ahn Woon is an instrument in whose presence no custom is immutable. It is a weapon used to change the customary direction of a ceremony. "Ahn" is a word often used to say, "now as it has been since the beginning of time."
IDIK (English -- IDIC): A symbol composed of a circle and a triangle and standing for the idea that the greatest joy in all creation is in the infinite ways that infinitely diverse things combine to create meaning and beauty. /:i-/privacy /-d-/logic /-i-/specific sign /-k:/blending
KAH-IF-FARR (alternate spelling, Kari far; suggested spelling Kahree farr): Signifies the beginning of a ceremony. It is generally glossed as "begin the ritual action" from a "literal" meaning of "fulfill the point-in-the-cycle." /:K-/ logical inclusion /-ah-/ here, now /-r-/ command /-ee-/ pattern
For /farr/ see PON FARR, below. Kahree farr means "add the fever to the pattern."
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21 KIRTON TSU’: A particular type of Vulcan restaurant at which a ritual meal is served according to a blending of ancient and modern custom. /:K-/ blend /:ts-/ society /-i-/ specific/-oo-/ custom /-r-/ passive/-’-/ one aspect of contemplation /-t-/ creativity /-o-/ tradition /-n:/ ancient
Thus, Kirton Tsu’ is a creative blend of ancient tradition and the customs of modern society in public contemplation.
KOMATT: A heraldic medallion dating from the first recorded usage of a particular name. In modern society, used only by the Daughters of the Tradition as a badge of office. That of T’Pau is perhaps the most famous. /:K-/ authority / oo-/ tradition /-m-/ thought /-ai-/ specific /-tt:/ symbol A Komatt is the authority of tradition made tangible in a symbol.
KOON-UT-KALI-FI (recommended spelling, koon-ut-kalee-fee): This word is generally translated as "marriage or challenge." A closer rendering would be "marriage act of challenge" since the act of marriage is identical with the act of challenge. The segment "koon-ut-" may be regarded as carrying the concept of marriage. It is a general term which refers not only to sexual union but to any union, such as the mingling of wines or a merger of two corporations. It denotes a joining that can never be surrendered from the moment it is completed provided the full consent of both (or more) parties was obtained at the moment of completion. Sememically: /:K-/ blend/-u-/ from /-oo-/ custom/-t-/ completion /-n-/ immutable The segment, "kalee," belongs to both the "koon-ut-" and to "fee" and denotes the "act of" portion of the meaning. /-k-/ add /-ah-/ here /-l-/ harmony /-ee:/ pattern An "act" of a type which adds harmony to the pattern. The final segment "fee" denotes "challenge," or control of the pattern: /:F-/ control /-ee:/ pattern
KRAITH: This word is reserved exclusively to refer to the vessel used in the Ceremony of the Affirmation. The final /-th-/ might better be rendered /-t-/ as it is a strongly aspirated alveolar-dental unvoiced stop that is so close to that it is easily confused with it. /:K-/ inclusion /-r-/ passive /-e-/ generic /-ee-/ pattern /-th:/ change This may be read, "The means whereby change is included in the pattern". The concepts of evolution, cycle, and re-definition are given second-order emphasis in this word. The Vulcan concept of a viable Continuity is one which undergoes orderly, cyclic evolution.
KROYKAH: This is the most emphatic "cease and desist" command of the Vulcan language
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and can even penetrate the frenzy at the peak of plak tow. It is used sparingly, ceremoniously and only by constituted authority. /:K-/ inclusion /-y-/ express /-r-/ passive /-k-/ blend /-O-/ tradition /-ah:/ here where the /-y-/ is an allophone of /-l-/, meaning harmony, but here assigned the related concept /express/. Thus, Kroykah means, "By the authority invested in me by tradition, I compell (sic RBW compel) peace here".
KLIKTYEU: A dish served in Kirton Tsu’.
LIRPA: A traditional Vulcan weapon, a four foot shaft with a knife-edged blade on one end and a weight on the other. /:l-/harmony /-ee-/pattern /-r-/command /-p-/communicate /-ah:/here Harmonizing the pattern by force.
LASH D’ORO V’SUKA: Generally glossed as "Live Long and Prosper," this phrase is used as a courtesy with the Greeting of Surak in order not to indicate acceptance of the obligations of Surak’s Construct. Occasionally, "Pastak V’doro Lashe," "Peace and long life," is used in the same way. The phrase, "Pastaklan Vesla," "Peaceful thoughts" is also gaining some usage. The origin of these three phrases is unknown and no sememic analysis will be attempted here because no phonetically accurate recordings of a native speaker of Vulcanur using these phrases is available.
MPARR: This is a term that usually refers to a certain type of telepathic mind-invasion. It is one of the few Vulcanur words which might be classed as an invective. /:m-/ thought /-p-/ telepathically /-ah-/ here /-rr:/ empassivated
NATHU: Relative. This word, curiously enough, also occurs in several Romulan dialects where it is glossed "citizen." / N-/ time / ah-/ now /-th-/ derivation /-oo:/ custom
NI VAR (suggested spelling, Nee Vahr): A t’seluret form in which two (or more) subjects are contrasted and compared. It may take the form of a poem, song, drawing, etc. /:N-/ time /-ee-/ pattern /-v-/ logical exclusion /-ah-/ now /-r:/ passive Somethings group to form a pattern: things which are excluded from the pattern.
NOME: meaning ALL. This word must be carefully distinguished from similar words which are quite different in meaning. Thus when speaking Vulcanur, the word is generally qualified by the universal quantifier or a thoroughly unambiguous phrase, such as specifying the Philosophy of Nome, or Nome-Idik. When speaking English, the phrase, meaning ALL, is generally added. The Philosophy of Nome consists mainly of the idea that an infinite number of things combine to make existence worthwhile.
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/:N-/ time /-o-/ tradition /-w-/ conflict /-m-/ thought /-e:/ generic That both tradition and (as a de-emphasized off-glide) conflict, must be considered throughout all time.
PLAK TOW: Generally glossed as "frenzy" and given the "literal" meaning "blood fever." The term is reserved to refer to the total loss of control at the culmination of pon farr. In general, Vulcanur does not employ euphemisms, but the terminology surrounding the pon farr is an exception. /:p-/ communication /-l-/ harmony /-ah-/ here /-k:/ blending This is one of several terms for "blood" describing one of its major functions. /:t-/ creating /-ah-/ here /-o-/ tradition /-oo-/ custom /-w:/ negation A "fever" being the creation of a tradition/custom negation, i.e. an abnormal condition.
PON FARR: A cyclical physiologic imbalance which is the basis of the Vulcan mating drives. /:p-/ communication /:F-/control /-o-/ tradition /-ah-/here /-n:/ ancient /-rr:/empassivated Thus, euphemistically, pon farr is a message from the racial past that subjugates control now. It is related to terminology describing the breathing reflex. Note that /-rr:/ and /-n:/ share articulation position. This is a type of sememic interrelationship which Vulcans consider poetic.
PORTUNAKREAS: A species of tree which consists of a subsurface root nodule and seasonal surface foliage. A portunakreas forest resembles a Terran badlands or desert, while to Vulcan eyes it is a lush timberland, ripe for harvesting when dormant and most desert-like. Portunakreas is the technical name for the genus.
SEHLAT: A Vulcan child’s pet. Mammalian; with six inch fangs.
STPOEK: The Vulcan term for parents, plural.
TAL SAYA: Usually glossed as "merciful execution," it is a method of breaking the neck of a vertebrate. /:T-/ completion-execution /:S-/ masculine prefix /-ah-/ here /-ah-/ here /-L:/ ending /-y-/-/-ah:/understanding, mercy, empathy
T’KIAMUT’H: The philosophy that holds that all relationships can be expressed by four parameters, as the simplest algebras can be constructed on four postulates. /:T-/ creative logic /-k-/ blend /-ee-/ pattern /-ah-/ here /-m-/ thought /-oo-/ custom /-t’h:/ reality
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The final three sememes form a composite,conventional abbreviation for the concept of actual reality as opposed to subjective reality. Actual reality being an ideal that can never be dealt with in other than the abstract. Thus, T’kiamut’h is a creative logic that blends abstract thought (subjective reality) and objective reality into a pattern.
TOKIEL: A Vulcan folk art based on T’kiamut’h.
T’SELURET: Generic term for art.
T’SELURIT: An Artist.
TSAICHRANI: The Vulcan term for modern Vulcan society. /:ts-/ society /-ah-/ now /-i-/ specific /-k-/ regulate /-r-/ command /-ah-/ now /-n-/ nature /-ee:/ pattern A society regulated by that which commands nature’s pattern. In translation, it seems to border on a theological concept, though this implication is emphatically denied by native speakers.
YHOTEKHQ: A Vulcan confection made from the by-product of the metabolism of an insect. It is fattening.
VULCAN PROPER NAMES: MASCULINE-- Saptiir*, Satak, Sarek, Sauk*, Sikar, Spock, Stonn, Surak
FEMININE -- T’Aniyeh*, T’Pau, T’Pring, T’Uriamne*, T’Yuzeti*, T’Vret*, T’Zorel*
* -- names coined by Jacqueline Lichtenberg.
(RBW Note. Spock crying.)
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INCOMPLETE LIST OF THE SEMEMES
S /-s’-/ level I -4,+2,-4 /initiative/ /:S-/ level II -2,+2,-4 /masculine prefix/ /:sh-/ level V -2,+2.5,-3
T /-t-/ level I +2,+1,-2 /creativity/ /:T’-/ level II +3,+2,-3 /feminine prefix/ /:T’-/ level III +4,+2.5,-4 /creative logic/ /-tt:/ level IV 0,+2.5,-4 /analog, symbol, map, model/
D /-d-/ level I +1,+2.5,+4 /logic/ /:D-/ level II +2,+3,+4 /mathematics/ /-d:/ level III +l,+3,+4 /nature/ /-d-/ level IV +1,+2,+4 /nature/
N /:N-/ level I 0,+1,+4 /time/ /-n-/ level II 0,+3,+4 /immutable/ /-N:/ level III 0,+2,+4 /ancient/ /-nn:/ level IV 0,+2.5,+4 /primordial, basic/ /-n-/ level V 0,-1,+3 /nature/ see /-ee-/ and /-d-/
M /-m-/ level I 0,+4,+1 /thought/ /-m-/ level II /awareness/ /-m-/ level IV 0,+4,+4 /contemplation/ allophone /-p-/ /-m:/ level VI /hallucination, fantasy/
O /-o-/ level I 0,+4,+1 /tradition/ /-oo-/ level II 0,+4,+1 /custom/ less than tradition /-O-/ level V +1,-3,+2 /assimilate, absorb/
E /-e-/ level I /generic/ /-ee:/ /pattern/ (see also I level III)
P /-p-/ level I +2,+4,-4 /general communication/ level II /verbal/ level III /visual/ /-p-/ level IV +1,+4,-4/contemplation/ level V /total trance withdrawal/ /-p-/ level VI -2,+4,-4 /telepathic/ level VII /teaching/
R /-r-/ level I -2,+2,-1 /passivity/ /-rr:/ level II -1,-1,-1 /empassivates/ /-r-/ level III -2,-1/2,+1 /command, let it be done/ note also /:K/
K /-k-/ level I +1,-2,-4 /blending/ /-ck:/ level II +2,-1,-4 /combination modified/ /:K-/ level III +4,-1,-4 /authority/ /-K:/ level IV +1,-1,-4 /responsibility/ /-k-/ level V +2,-2,-3 /and, logical inclusion/ /-k-/ level VI -2,-2,-4 /regulate/
B /-b-/ level I +4,+4,+4 /transportation/
F /:F-/ level I -1,+3.5,-4 /control/ /-f-/ level II -1,+4,-3 /meaning, import, significance/
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H /-h:/ level I -1,-2,-4 /immanent/ /-h-/ level II -1,-2,-4 /-h-/ level III -2,-2,-4 /-h-/ level IV -1,-3,-4 /-h-/ level V -1,-4,-4 /-h-/ level VI
I /-i-/ level I /definite/ /:i-/ level II /privacy/ /-ee:/ level III 0,-1,+3/pattern, cycle/
L /-l-/ level I 0,+1,+4 /harmony/ /-L:/ level II 0,+2,-1 /end, finish/ note /:T’-/
U /-u-/ level I /from/ /-u-/ level II /by means of/
V /-v-/ level I -1,+3.5,-1 /or, logical exclusion/ /:V-/ level II -1,+3.5,+1 /precision, defined boundaries/ /-v-/ level III /diversity/ /-v:/ level IV
W /-w:/ level I 0,+4,+3 /negation/ level II /modification/ level III /lessening/ /-w-/ level IV -1,+4,+4 /conflict/
Y /-y-/ level I 0,-2,+2 /express/ /-y-/ level II /understand/
A /-a-/ level I /geographical region/ /-ah-/ level II /here, now/
TH /-th-/ level I -1,+3,-4 /derivation, change, evolution/ /-th:/ level II+3,+2.5,-4 /maturation/ (t)
TS /:ts-/ level I 0,+2,-4 /society/
‘ /-’:/ level I +1,-4,-4 /one aspect of contemplation/
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Click this image to see a 97K version of it. If you need larger detail images (over 2meg) drop an email to kraith-l and someone will direct you to them. (RBW Note. This is a graph on graph paper. X axis and Z axis are at right angles and the y axis goes from the lower right to the upper left to indicate the xy plane. On the x axis +1 is labeled STOP, +2 is labeled STOP, +3 is labeled STOP and +4 is labeled STOP. +X has the following in braces beside of it {degrees of Aspiration}. -1, -2, -3 and -4 are not labeled. -X has (Fricative) beside of it underneath in braces is {-3 pointing to inarussiaspiration with -4 above that.} On the Y axis +1 is labeled POST ALVEOL, + 2 is labeled ALVEOLAR, +2.5 is labeled ALVEOL-DENT., +3 is labeled DENTAL, +3.5 is not labeled, +4 is labeled LABIAL +Y is labeled ARTICULATION. -1 is labeled HARD PALLATE, (sic RBW PALATE,) -2 is labeled SOFT PALLATE, (sic RBW PALATE,) -3 is labeled GLOTTAL, -4 is labeled GUTTERAL. (sic RBW GUTTURAL.) On the Z axis the up line is labeled DEGREE OF LOUDNESS. 1, 2 and 3 aren’t labeled, 4 is labeled NASALIZED, Z is labeled VOICING. -1 is labeled USUALLY VOICED, -2 is labeled OCCASSIONALLY (sic RBW OCCASIONALLY) VOICED, -3 is labeled RARELY VOICED, 4 is labeled TOTALLY UNVOICED. The arrow pointing where -Z should be is labeled UNVOICED.
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(RBW Note. The following table is portrait at the top of the page, which makes it "landscape" to the way the rest of the document is put together.) (RBW Note. Because the Table is too large to fit on a normal page, I have divided it into three tables.
* -- indicates place where there is a definition but no letter.
Note -- Unless otherwise indicated by a colon (:) the sememes are combining forms and are indicated elsewhere in the form /-n-/. For example: /-rr:/ indicates a full stop at the end of a word or "end form" as in pon farr.
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THE CULLING FLAME
by Jacqueline Lichtenberg
In Vulcanur, the Culling Flame is called idlomputt. According to Vulcanur Sememics Part II, the word idlomputt may be analyzed as follows: /:i-/ privacy /-d-/ nature /-l-/ harmony /-O-/ assimilation /-m:-/ contemplation (hallucination; fantasy) /-P-/ total trance withdrawal /-u-/ by means of /-tt:/ analog, symbol, map
Thus the meaning of the concept/symbol, idlomputt, is that the privacy of one’s inner nature is assimilated or absorbed (in the sense that an ancient custom or tradition-structure can absorb disturbing events without being greatly changed) in the act of contemplation (strongly related to hallucinating, fantasy or dreaming . . . the idling of the mind’s machinery when no load is placed on it; a cooling off period) by means of the total trance withdrawal and the use of analog reasoning (such as the building of models of reality somewhat related to the symbolic dream-structures that the human mind constructs).
The human may think of the process as the overpowering of the rational mind by the fantasy-structure called dreaming. But one must take great care when likening this Vulcan mind function to anything known to the human. IT IS NOT RELATED TO SLEEP.
The word, idlomputt, can be used to refer to this state of dream trance when self-induced without external aid. However, since the Reforms, the designation has come to refer specifically to the Culling Flame device itself since the use of this device is so widespread it amounts almost to an addiction akin to humanity’s addiction to coffee and teas. However, unlike addiction to coffee, tea, or tobacco, the abstinence from the Culling Flame can have serious mental and physical side effects. Fortunately these effects don’t appear immediately. Abstinence would have to continue for several years before the craving would be noticeable. *
The device usually takes the form of a small statuette presiding over a tray in which a cold flame burns. When in hard use, the flames leap spectacularly and often, if the need is great, they will display a rainbow of hues dazzling to the eye. When not in use, the fire glows like coals laid into a bar-b-que fire. At no time does the idlomputt develop any appreciable heat and it can in no way be accidentally triggered into violent explosion. But it can be induced to explode if the operator knows how and is willing to accept a high probability of self-destruction.
The figurine guarding the Flame is symbolic of the ancient gods of the primitive Vulcans. It is more a warning than a superstition to use one of these figures who were reputed to slaughter mortals who "repassed into the realms of their mysterious powers . . . for the idlomputt of one person cannot be used by another. Thus, each owner of an
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idlomputt chooses a god-figurine which represents his own personality closest and has the statuette placed over the Flame so that nobody could ever mistake the Culling Flame for the Welcome Flame or any other manifestation of the Science of Mind.
Only the kataytikhe and certain extremely talented and well trained technicians are able to kindle an idlomputt. As with most works of art, there are varying qualities of idlomputt and those constructed by kataytikhe are the best. The very finest are those constructed by kataytikhe for themselves, as nobody knows his own mind pattern better than a kataytikh. **
It is possible to key an idlomputt to two different people but it is not customary. However, if the two share some common bond it is possible.
With the aid of this device, a trained Vulcan culls through his memory selecting those to be recorded permanently and those to be forgotten. The idlomputt is a vital adjunct to the famed Vulcan eidetic memory since not every Vulcan has this attribute to a like degree. The idlomputt also performs some of the functions performed for humans by a sense of humor . . . that is aiding in the attainment of a proper perspective on highly charged events.
ABSOLUTE PRIVACY IS REQUIRED IN USE OF IDLOMPUTT.
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* "The Secret of Groskin" Kraith IIID. "Not that essential, Doctor, I can replace it easily enough. It is a small luxury which one craves only after years of abstinence."
** "The Empath." Spock keys the hand device to his own brain pattern with an ease which is startling.
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ZYETO: One morning after Spock had saved his life (again) by using the Vulcan mindlink on him, Kirk found the following tape in his viewer. He snapped it on and read:
"The Grace of Age is achieved by accepting even the necessities of inward growth." from the Book of Joys
"The hidden fallacy can be a tool of instruction or destruction . . . the choice rests with the student." from the Book of Books
"When thee walks in the Garden of Ancestors, thee hacks a path through deepest forest." from the Book of Sources
"To touch the mind of another is to assume the burden of his desires . . . even unto death." from the Book of Life
"Extend thy roof to shelter thy brother, but build his walls of woven silence and his windows of one peace." from the Book of Imperatives
"As the nascent volcano is harnessed for the community; so also is the kataytikh bound to his duty." from the Affirmation of the Continuity
"May you live long and prosper greatly. May the House of my Ancestors protect thy descendants unto the third generation; and may you cherish my memory in Peace." from Surak’s Construct
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26
THE JOYS OF VULCAN
by Jacqueline Lichtenberg
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AUTHOR’S FORWARD
"Peace without conflict is life without purpose." from the Book of Logic
"These are the Seven Years and in the Eighth Year, the child is born." from the Book of Life
"You will sit and learn. Then you will rove and in your travels you will learn the purpose of Knowledge. Go ye, in the Eighth Period and be born anew." from the Book of Books
"The rhythm of your life shall keep the tempo of your natures." from the Book of Sources
"It is illogical to deny one’s nature." from the Book of Imperatives
"He who bares the Vulcan Heart to Outsiders is guilty of betrayal of his Fathers. 1. //Commentary: T’Kri:: how did the Ancients of Days [for the dating of this parchment see S’A’Adshi 12:19:43] conceive of anyone outside of Vulcans? It is plain [see S’Kond 15:591:12] that the word, Outsiders, pertains to Offworlders.// ##Commentary: S’Dul:: The penalty for Betrayal was public Disgrace followed by merciless Public Execution. It has never been invoked.##" from the Book of Fragments
"May our differences be combined under the auspices of the idic and may our joy be inscribed in eternity." from the Book of Joys
"May you live long and prosper greatly." from Surak’s Construct
"The Joys of Vulcan" is an earnest attempt to bridge the empathy gap between the human and the non-human.
In discussing the Joys of Vulcan, the question immediately arises, "What is the difference between a Joy and a joy?" For the purposes of this series, we will adhere to the following definition: A Joy arises from contact with the primal functions of existence whereas a joy is a personal, private experience with no particular relevance to the life of
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any other.
For example: a birth is a Joy for it connects the life rhythm of an individual (the father or mother) to the primal wellspring of All-Existence, the Continuity. The perception of beauty in an object such as a cloud or a symphony is a joy for it has meaning only for the one experiencing the perception.
The Greatest Joy in All Creation is in the Infinite Ways the Infinitely Diverse Combine to Create Meaning and Beauty.
It is the Greatest Joy because it is both a Joy and a joy.
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27
(RBW Note. The following portion of this column is further divided into two columns.)
Chuckle
Laugh
Groan and wheeze
Gasp and giggle
Wipe a tear
Hold your sides
And catch your breath.
Seek you this foul agony
Once more for freshened
Ecstasy.
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Shatter the thought
Break the train
Strict discipline dispelled.
Clear the Mind
Plow it under
Leave it fallow
And go to graze
In far pastures
Among remembered
Breeze.
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Catharsis, the common goal To seek the forest Despite the trees, A need well known To all-shaped sentience.
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Vulcan humor does exist, but it is not defined in quite the same way as human humor. Vulcan humor is not an attempt to evoke emotion but rather an attempt to amuse or bemuse. The Vulcan humorist focuses attention on the relatively trivial . . . but for non-trivial reasons.
The function of humor in human society is to induce laughter, releasing the tension of other emotions (such as anger or fear). It may also be used to restore perspective or proportion to the subjective view of reality.
It is part of human nature to use anything connected with emotion as a weapon. Sex, humor, or dignity: all can be enormously powerful weapons when used as seduction, satire, or humiliation.
But, although Vulcans recognize the destructive potential in humor, they have chosen a "non-violent" philosophy. No non-violent philosophy may proscribe only physical violence and remain an efficient basis for society. The proscription must also include all forms of personal attack. 2. Therefore, the use of sex, humor or dignity as interpersonal weapons must remain counter to Vulcan mores.
The function of humor in Vulcan society is not to induce laughter. Laughter is outside of the Vulcan social order. And Vulcan humor has no relation to the emotional catharsis mechanism.
The function of humor in Vulcan society is to divert concentration, to destroy intentness, to change the mental focus . . . in other words, to restore perspective on reality. This is the one lone element that logical humor shares with human humor. And in this one overlapping similarity lies the key to combining differences to create new meaning.
We might ask why would a logic-oriented individual or society desire to shatter the quiet stillness of total concentration . . . to destroy that which is the fruit of lifelong intensive study? Why can’t the practice of Vulcan mental disciplines establish and maintain the correct perspective on reality?
The answer lies in the inescapable imperatives of Vulcan physiology and psychology, both of which share a great many elements in common with those of humanity. It is these common elements which make the Vulcans’ need for humor understandable in human terms.
The two most important similarities between Vulcans’ and humans’ brains are: 1) the speed with which nerve-impulses travel and 2) the number of linkages which make up a "bit" of information.
We must here borrow from computer science to construct an analogy. In a computer, the only possible way to represent information is by a simple on/off contrast. Complex information must be represented by a series of on/off cells which have positional meaning. Thus a computer can use only binary mathematics. This limitation extends to all forms of information.
There is reason to believe that organic brains function in a strongly analogous way. And this is apparently, the one major limitation that Vulcan and human brains share.
The Vulcan physiology allows a slightly greater number of linkages to form and break per second, but the order-of-magnitude is essentially the same as in human physiology. The greater speed of the Vulcan brain is evidenced by the Vulcan eidetic memory, lightning calculation, and direct control of bodily functions by conscious centers. Such talents do appear among humans but the incidence is low and such diverse abilities rarely occur in the same individual.
The significant point is that the order-of-magnitude of the number of linkages-per-
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28 second is the same for both human and Vulcan brains. This imposes similar limitations on th (sic RBW both) human and Vulcan thought processes. These limitations result in a similar reliance on simplification of complex reality.
Situations which are too complex to be dealt with as a unique whole are resolved into a series of analogies which are less complex and which are also familiar. This is admittedly a distortion of reality for the sake of practicality. Humans generally test the results of reasoning-by-analogy by whether the result pleases them emotionally.
The Vulcan mind shares the human need to break unique complexities into familiar simplicities. This need is evidenced by the Vulcan emphasis on logic as the supremely powerful tool of thought. Logic is the mechanism by which intelligence may test the validity of the analogies which it must choose.
But the application of logic to the instinctive, thought-by-analogy-mechanism requires an enormous amount of concentration. The higher critical faculties must be focused in a sharply defined, purposefully distorted view of reality. Then, one by one, other views must be added to the picture so that the resultant composite resembles true reality as closely as possible. After this composite has been carefully constructed it must be tested for validity.
Thus we have two types of thought processes, analysis and synthesis, which must take place. Reality must first be broken down into simple components, reasoning must be performed on these components, then a new perception of reality must be constructed. The final step, before the results may be applied, to check the validity of the new composite analogy. Even if the reasoning performed on the original analogy was strictly logical, the results may not be valid.
So, at this point (the checking of the validity of the results of reasoning) it is necessary to destroy the concentration that produced the results. It is necessary to gain a new perspective on reality in order to judge the validity of the results of logical reasoning.
Although both humans and Vulcans have other uses for humor which they do not share both humans and Vulcans often use humor to regain the perspective on reality that allows critical evaluation of the results of reasoning. And, for both humans and Vulcans, illogic is a prime ingredient in humor.
Vulcans often use a liberal dose of illogic to destroy concentration. They term illogic "amusing," "diverting" and "refreshing" (but never funny) 3.. This combination of logic and illogic, two diametric opposites, seems, at first glance, most un-Vulcan. But, when one examines the concepts represented by the idic, one perceives immediately that the polarity of opposites is not only sanctioned by Vulcan philosophy but is hailed as a source of creative vitality . . . and Joy.
There are other bases for Vulcan humor besides illogic. Many of these are incomprehensible to the human mind. In general, one can only say that a Vulcan will not be amused by any human humor which hinges on a loss of dignity or an invasion of privacy. After a great deal of practice with a human language, a Vulcan may learn to perceive the un, (sic RBW pun,) but most Vulcans would find the effort involved unjustified.
Since the tripartite Vulcan World Language was synthesized to facilitate logical, unambiguous communication, it is extremely difficult to construct native Vulcan puns. However, with the recent growth of a human-Vulcan bilingual community, this element of human humor may diffuse across the nearly impervious human-Vulcan cultural interface.
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The one case where the two modes of thought and cultural outlook can mix freely is that of the human-Vulcan hybrid. It is extremely rare that such a hybrid not only survives to maturity but also attains an adjustment to life which allows sanity to be maintained. But it does happen occasionally.
The only individual of this type who has consented to undergo an analysis of his records is Spock, the son of Sarek of Vulcan and Amanda of Earth. The bulk of this material consists of log tapes of the U.S.S. Enterprise.
The only conclusion that can be drawn from this mass of data is that Spock has a sense of humor which is neither human nor Vulcan but which partakes of elements of both. One may speculate that one reason for his willing acceptance of a berth aboard a human-manned Starship is his hybrid sense of humor.
Spock says he never jokes. Yet when asked if it is true that Vulcans cannot lie he answered, "It is no myth" ("Enterprise Incident"). On another occasion he said that ". . . the resultant flood of illogic would be most amusing" ("Ultimate Computer"). Note that he said "amusing" not "funny." 3. Illogic, paradox, and fallacious argument are all legitimate tools of Vulcan humor. Mr. Spock does not "joke" yet he used paradox in an attempt to destroy concentration . . . which is by definition a Vulcan joke.
The apparent inconsistency here is merely a semantic problem. Such a hybrid personality, whose physiology favors his Vulcan ancestry and whose culture by early training and later choice is Vulcan, must have a whole range of subjective experiences which cannot be communicated in either language.
me vast majority of human "jokes" depend in some measure on a loss of dignity. A Vulcan can see nothing amusing in loss of dignity. The vast majority of Vulcan "jokes" hinge on fine points of logic or a built-in peculiarity of the Vulcan mind.
He who stands between can appreciate parts of both types of humor but also has a humor which is uniquely his own and to which he owes his continuing sanity ("The Enemy Within").
FOOTNOTES:
1. "Amok Time": "It is a thing no offworlder may know." Also: "It is illogical to deny one’s nature." 2. On the other hand, the proscription must not include aggressiveness because aggressiveness is the inescapable concomitant of creativity. 3. Kirk to Spock, "Mr. Spock, are you trying to be funny?" "It would not have occurred to me."
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29
(RBW Note. Seven of the IDIC symbols placed in a semi circle with the base of the triangle facing from the seven o’clock position to the five o’clock position.)
(RBW Note. The following portion of this column is further divided into two columns.)
The beat of drum
The call of horns
Brassy, wild,
Audacious, bold . . .
The blood to stir
The mind to blunt
The beast to rouse
The Man to souse.
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The chant of bells
The call of horns
Strong and mellow
Ancient, cold
Green blood to cool
The mind to clear
The beast to quell
The Man to rouse
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The Tribal Dance Does wax and wane, But There be, in truth, Scant similarity to feed The Joyousness Of the deed.
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In order to discuss the role of the celebration in Vulcan society, it is necessary to define several terms, remembering that a given word may have diverse meanings to different speakers of the same language.
First, we will define Elation not as an "emotion" or a "feeling" but as a "sensation" 3.. This is done in order to narrow the domain of definition of the word, elation, to that territory common to both Vulcans and humans. Thus, Elation will be taken to mean that portion of the experience of elation known to every human and Vulcan as well.
Many native speakers of English would characterize Elation as a feeling of exhilaration, 4. and give little further thought to the experience. To a Vulcan, however, the experience is both rare and important. No Vulcan would dismiss his first encounter with the sensation of Elation without deep meditation on the philosophical consequences and significances of the mere existence of Elation.
For humans, the dominant component of Elation is emotion. Hence, human Elation can be triggered by an experience which should not, logically, produce so strong a reaction.
A Vulcan actually does not experience the emotional component of Elation but only the pure sensation. Vulcan Elation can be triggered only by an event of logically compelling magnitude. When such an event does occur the intensity of the resultant sensation often surpasses the analogous human Elation. 6.
Let us search for the reason why Vulcan Elation is more intense than the analogous human Elation.
Vulcan philosophy teaches that all the Universe is governed by principles which fit together to form a coherent whole. 7. Though the pattern of natural laws may be as complex as the network of streams draining a continent, ultimately all natural laws join in the creation of a coherent whole just as all the streams of one watershed empty into the same ocean. 1. Even though parts of the stream appear to move tangentially to the drainage direction, they still form part of the greater pattern and contribute harmoniously.
But it takes energy to move water against its natural drainage direction.
The total amount of energy available in a given system is constant. If energy is to be applied to water to move it against its natural drainage direction, a certain portion of that energy will be stored as recoverable potential energy and another portion will be "lost" by dispersal into the environment (friction).
If we construct an analogy between continental drainage and the flow of society through time, we can assign the following values. The molecules of water represent individuals and the fluid represents society. A drop of water deposited on the highest point of land is analogous to the people born at some given instant. The higher it is deposited, the longer its "life-expectancy". In the course of life, events may occur which cause the individual to move against the natural drainage direction. Energy thus is stored in that individual.
But where did that energy come from?
If that energy came from within the drainage system (the society) such as by an act which elevated one person at the expense of another 2., a portion of that energy was lost to the system in moving the individual. Thus the society as a whole loses. The net available energy of the system decreases though the total energy remains constant.
Emotion is like such an internal energy source 8.. Emotion elevates at the expense of another person. It is a drain on the total available energy of the system (society).
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30 Elation is like a external energy source. If the source of energy that lifts the individual against the natural drainage direction is external to the system, the net available energy of the system is increased.
But what good does stored potential energy do for the system if it cannot be tapped and employed for the good of the system? It does no good. Therefore, some means of tapping and controlling the stored potential energy that results from emotion or Elation must be found.
Humanity has very little organized social machinery designed to deal with the recoverable potential energy that results from emotion. Most often, such energy is wasted along with the inevitable "friction" losses.
The Vulcans have minimized the waste from emotionally induced potential energy 9. and have created the social machinery whereby the free potential energy of Elation can be harnessed for the good of society.
They do this by appointing carefully structured Celebrations to mark the occurrence of an Elating event. Thus, every individual who has become Elated has a means whereby he can discharge this potential energy into the Common Reservoir of Society without causing destruction.
Such energy is added to society by the intelligent reaction of individuals to marriages, births, and deaths, as well as to the Traditionally Appointed Celebrations 10.. The source of this energy is external to all known defined systems. Speculations about the nature of this source form the basis of Vulcan Theology. 12.
These Celebrations are society’s tools for salvaging "free" potential energy.
However, Elation (or a free rise of potential energy) can occur in isolated individuals. With births, deaths, and marriages, a number of individuals are affected: i.e. all personal acquaintances, family members, employees, etc. Hence, construction of social channels for salvaging this energy is possible. But in the case of Elation of isolated individuals, no such social construct is possible.
Nevertheless, such energy need not be wasted. The isolated individual has many channels available by which he may contribute this energy to society. These channels are termed "artistic endeavor."
For Vulcans, such channels of "individual creativity" are music, poetry, creative logic, science, technology, graphics, philosophy, and tokiel. It is for this reason that Vulcan society demands that every child be thoroughly instructed in all art-forms, whether he currently displays talent or not.
In the case of a hybrid Vulcan/human who might experience both the human and the Vulcan Elation as well as some unique mode of his own, it is doubly important that he be instructed in as many forms of artistic expression as possible 11., not only because he must be taught to avoid de-excitation by violence but also because he will have to choose to which society he will contribute any energy of Elation.
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"Justice is more than equity, mercy more than leniency, and a contribution is more than the contributor." from the Book of Books
"Thee is not required to attain perfection; but, neither is thee free to abstain from the effort." from the Book of Imperatives
"To speak of the "included" is to imply the existence of an "excluded". from the Book of Logic
"Wisdom is not gained by waiting, nor is it lost by forgetting." from the Book of Sources
"Participate in the affairs of a select few, but observe the affairs of many, for the few are a part of the many." from the Book of Life
"Cast yourself down beside the spring and drink of the planet’s pure water. But remember as you do, the planet gives you water as your mother gave you milk." from the Book of Fragments
"Elation is not attained by passivity, increased by hoarding, nor enjoyed by wasting." from the Book of Joys
"May You Live Long and Prosper Greatly" from Surak’s Construct
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FOOTNOTES:
1. The Philosophy of T’Kiamut’h is illustrative of this concept. T’Kiamut’h is based on the idea that all the functions of the Universe can be expressed in a system based on four parameters (such as the simplest algebras). This is the theoretical background of the art of tokiel. See also, Kraith I and III. 2. Acts of violence or aggression. See Joys of Vulcan, Part I on the proscription of violence in Vulcan society. 3. "There is a definite, pleasurable sensation connected with hearing your voice, Captain." ("Spock’s Brain") 4. "Patterns of Force": "No matter how carefully one computes the odds, there’s still a certain . . . exhilaration in the risk." "Very good, Mr. Spock, we’ll make a human out of you yet." "I hope not." (see also #5.) 5. "Gamesters of Triskelion": Spock discussed "hope" as an experience foreign to him. 6. "Amok Time": Spock’s reaction on seeing Kirk alive. Spock has displayed much greater control under similar circumstances, ("Tholian Web," "That Which Survives," "Wink of an Eye," "Mark of Gideon," etc.). In "Amok Time" we might theorize that the pon farr state is, in addition to being a pure physical condition, also a state of Elation. Because of the nature of the end of the "Amok Time" ceremony, the Elation was not fully dissipated. Kirk’s re-birth produced a second Elation, a much stronger reaction than a human would experience . . . and that coupled with the milder emotional component, precipitated the physical display. 7. "Spectre of the Gun": When physical laws did not function, Spock concluded the situation was basically UNREAL. (Personally, I believe his reasoning fallacious. I can excuse it only by assuming that we were viewing a badly edited log tape.)
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31 8. "Plato’s Stepchildren": "I have often observed that the healthy release of emotion is singularly unhealthy for those nearest one." For another use of this quote, see Kraith II 9. "Plato’s Stepchildren": Spock’s hatred destroyed only a ceramic cup . . . not an irreplaceable life. Granted, such an emotion should never have been allowed to take hold; however, the provocation was that of violating two of the Prime Tenets of Surak’s Construct . . . Reverence for Life and Privacy (of mind). It was not based merely on humiliation. 10. For example, The Affirmation of the Continuity. See Kraith I, and the mountain scenes from Kraith II. 11. "Requiem for Methuselah": Spock sat down and sight-read an intricate waltz. 12. Vulcans do not generally accept unfalsifiable propositions. Hence, theological questions are left unanswered.
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ZYETO:
"The seeds of violence are sown by the ignorant and reaped by the innocent." from the Book of Life
"The Flame is an analog to the intellect. As the Flame may be extinguished by water, so may the intellect be extinguished by emotion." from the Book of Joys
"The pleasures of the body are the gateway to the soul; he who dallies in the gate may be trampled." from the Book of Sources
"Animals eat to feed the body; people eat to free the mind." from the Book of Fragments
"Offer thy guests the light by which to learn; banish thirst from between thy walls; but remember that as the body may become gross and useless from excesses, so may the mind sicken on its own wealth." from the Book of Imperatives
"The duty of the present is the past-duty of the future. Ignore it and it is as if thee dies without living." from the Book of Books
"The Kataytikh lifts the Kraith that the future may drink of the past." from the Affirmation of the Continuity
"May you live long and prosper greatly." from Surak’s Construct.
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THE LINGER DEATH by Jacqueline Lichtenberg
It has become clear that a story will be necessary to support some of the events of Kraith VI.
One of the greatest complaints against the Kraith Series has been that the plot events have become repetitive. There are good reasons for this repetition . . . of Spock’s repeated marriage for example.
These reasons become clear only by the end of Kraith VI when we begin to see the cumulative effect of them on Spock. One of the points that requires clarification so that the effect on Spock will be fictionally clear is the nature of the alternatives he will face in Kraith VI.
The articles "In Defense of T’Yuzeti" and "Spock, Guardian of the Tradition" have touched upon some of these alternatives. Kraith V gives us a very brief glimpse of the nature of Vulcan "grief" for a spouse, a glimpse we are not allowed in earlier stories. And it has been established in these articles that the reason for Spock’s behavior in Third Season can be traced back to the improperly terminated pon farr of "Amok Time."
We have seen, however, that Spock is not dying the Linger Death. The termination, however unsatisfactory, was not so bad as to leave him in a state of high tension that would slowly erode his vitality until he died a wasting illness death.
In fictional terms, what the plot of the Kraith Series needs is a story dealing with a Vulcan who does die the Linger Death, and who dies because of his involvement with Starfleet red tape. Such a story would be basic to the overall plot of the Kraith Series because it would illustrate the state of prejudice underlying the "sweetness and light" of the UFP, and if it were written well, it could also mark the turning point when the UFP begins to realize the intolerable nature of the de-facto discrimination in their society.
Such a death would make interstellar history and banner headlines from here to Orion’s Belt.
The story would not have to include any Enterprise characters, and should not include Ssarsun (since he has a separate series) unless Pat Zotti decides to write it (she’s adopted Ssarsun) or unless the author writes it in conjunction with Pat. Thus, it would be an excellent spot for someone not too deeply familiar with the plot events involving the Enterprise but familiar enough with Kraith to handle the Linger Death and UFP politics. It would be a good spot to kick off another sub-series with within the Kraith Series. Several such Linger Death stories could be admitted to the Series, so if you have one, write it up and submit it.
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32
THE LESSON by Jacqueline Lichtenberg
POTENTIALLY KRAITH IE
FRAME: During Ssarsun’s efforts to establish the necessary deep contact with Spock’s mind (AFFIRMATION, Kraith I) he hits an incident from Spock’s school days.
Spock was severely reprimanded for resurrecting a poem from pre-Reform literature and setting it to logical music which he wrote himself purporting to explain the significance and relevance of the piece by relating it to a Zyeto set which is a classic artistic composition. He was found singing the piece, accompanying himself on the lytherette, before his classmates while they were supposed to be outside exercising.
Brought before the authorities, he argued that it is proper to expand the Tradition to include ALL the Vulcan Soul. Citing the Philosophy of Nome and Surak’s Construct, he argued that excluding a part of self is the same as suicide. He lost the argument, but not his convictions (a most un-Vulcan reaction which he took pains to hide).
He was admonished that he was a child, not yet qualified to mold and guide the Creation of the Tradition (which is regarded as a dynamic, ever growing, ever enriching entity, like a multi-colored skein of yarn twisted into a coaxial cable that is forever being wound. The far end coalesces from many sources, the near end diverges to embrace all reality).
Spock ceased his creative endeavors, but a touch sullenly, resolving to "show them" when he grew up. By the time he had matured to that point, the incident was buried and forgotten amid the far more urgent imperatives of his own personal destiny.
But Ssarsun’s mind touch re-awakens all of this in a flash and, as Schillians are prone to under such circumstances, Ssarsun experiences one of those disturbingly accurate premonitions. There is that in Spock’s soul that will force him to take up once more the crusade his ten-year-old mind instinctively saw to be the course of tsaichrani . . . the expansion of the Tradition to embrace elements that he knows to be dangerously destructive and yet utterly essential to continued existence.
********
Consult the JOYS OF VULCAN III article on possessions. The giving of gifts places the giver under obligation to the receiver because Vulcans regard possessions as liabilities not assets.
THE GIFT OF YEARS: is the gift the kataytikh makes to tsaichrani. It is essentially the first 20 years of his life, but the obligation does not end there for he is obligated as is any gift-giver (note-- Spock gave the Flame Spheres as gifts and thus assumed a formal obligation which neither recipient knows about or understands) to see that tsaichrani has the resources to utilize the gift to fullest potential. The ramifications of this idea are complex and far-reaching.
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The kataytikh is not compelled to make this gift because it must (as with all gifts) be an act of free will. The Gift of Years consists of what is known among humans as the "training" of the kataytikh. As usual, humans understand everything backwards . . . among human societies the child’s education is "given" to him by whoever pays money for it -- an education is "received" or "gotten." In actual fact it is the child who makes the greater sacrifice.
********
The Vulcan culture has all the hallmarks of a pioneering renaissance with vigorous creative folk-arts abounding. This has gone on for 2000 years and shows no signs of abating.
The Vulcan economy is NOT growing, but it is so stable and satisfactorily balanced as to be a subject of curiosity to Federation economists. The Federation Economy is expanding at the self gorging pace of the American economy of the end of the 20th century--a very dangerous condition.
********
PLOT: The teacher comes into "class" equipped with a lesson plan consisting of a classic Zyeto set on the limits of permissible inference. (That is, where "necessarily infers" leaves off and "speculation" begins.) The lesson is designed for eleven and twelve year olds (Spock is in the class at ten years of age, he is not the only kataytikh; the other is nine years old). Since Vulcan’s Federation Membership requires (all membership terms do not require this) the teaching of basic English or one of the other Federation languages, the day’s lesson is to be translated into English.
The teacher projects the Zyeto onto the big screen and the children (about six or seven in the class) take turns translating. The machine records the translations as spoken. Spock’s utterances are characterized by a flair for imagery that the other children lack. He uses phrases like the following: The voice of the past speaks through . . . The keys of thought rust . . . The ethereal grace of the Divebird . . .
One child noted for sarcasm comes in with "And what in the universe is a Divebird? To which Spock loftily names the species of silver bird that greets the Vulcan dawn with a swooping dance. The other child acknowledges that the birds dive, but they greet flying insects, not the dawn and they don’t "dance" they only chase their breakfasts. To this Spock answers acidly that he didn’t create the English language. The teacher chimes in with "Spock, what have you been reading?" and Spock answers innocently "the bible." "What bible?" Spock pulls out a copy complete with the Hebrew text and three translations and the New Testament and apocrypha. The teacher grants that the imagery is filled with sonorous phrases but the lesson of the day is precision not artistic flourish. Spock answers that it is impossible to be precise in English, therefore it is a useless language unless one plumbs the depths of its artistic potential. Since Vulcanur is so designed that an utterance which is precise is automatically elegant, it is impossible to translate the quality of the utterance into English. It is better to capture something of the beauty than to fail in the precision of meaning. Therefore, his translations are more appropriate than those of the other students. The teacher concedes the logic of this, but requests Spock to attempt a precise translation as an exercise and to establish his ability to do so. Spock does the whole set straight without flourish or flowers and practically without pause for breath. Satisfied, the teacher continues the lesson.
Later, Spock is caught using a phrase he cannot elucidate. He has referred to an emotion of "love" (or something like it) and can neither translate or explain it-- and has little conception of the consequences of a relationship based on love. Having made the
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33 point that one may not use language beyond one’s comprehension, the teacher requests that Spock refrain from flowery embellishments in the future. He agrees readily.
After the class ends, the other children ask Spock why he used the emotion-term he did. They cannot believe that he made the error the teacher is convinced he made -- and indeed he did not, at least not quite as badly. He THINKS he has grasped the essence of the concept and to prove it, he pulls out a history book and shows them a poem that was a song before the Reforms. They are much impressed with his scholarship and in typical small-boy response, he offers that he has constructed modern music to the old song. Of course, the class won’t rest until they hear it and somebody who is going on to a music class has a lytherette.
The concert ensues -- broken up by the teacher returning expecting to find an empty classroom. The teacher listens unaware to the students long enough to be thoroughly shocked. (Naturally it is a song about pon farr, but the children really don’t understand any of it. See SURAK’S CONSTRUCT for the reason they aren’t as sexually sophisticated as our ten-year-olds.)
The teacher breaks up the concert and takes Spock (by the ear as it were) to the Daughter in charge of the curriculum. The Daughter’s lecture consists, in part, of the Vulcan concept (perhaps stated in a Zyeto quote) that speaking to a person is a privilege not a right. One must judge whether the addressee desires to receive the communication. Thus, the one who initiates the communication is as one who gives a gift -- in a position of obligation.
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The teacher’s lesson plan/Zyeto set may be grouped around the idea of the obligation of the gift-giver.
********
Any portion of these ideas, or any combination of some of them with any other Kraith notions may be combined to create a story out of this. Anyone who uses some of these ideas should send a copy of the outline to me.
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Another possibility would be to tell the entire story from Ssarsun’s point of view--he would of course have to place the memory of Spock’s memory, and of his premonition, under block so that it wouldn’t become public knowledge even among other Schillians with whom he might have contact. Therefore, the careful recalling of it in detail would be essential to the creation of the block. This would require privacy and ought to be done while Spock is the only person he was in contact with.
********
For the purposes of this story, we may use Zyeto quotes already in circulation or we may invent some new ones. Or we may use none at all. We may group the whole Zyeto around the position of the kataytikh in society, or it may progress through all of these points cited here.
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READING
by Jacqueline Lichtenberg
Kraith did not arise in a vacuum. It is a systematic application of well-know science fiction motifs to the basic ST format. The following is not necessary reading, but it would be both informative and enjoyable for the Kraith Creators (and others) to read these works, keeping in mind all the elements of Kraith.
FICTION --
Marion Zimmer Bradley: the entire Darkover Series A glossary of the Darkover Series appears in Masiform D #2
SWORD OF ALDONES -- THE PLANET SAVERS -- STAR OF DANGER -- THE BLOODY SUN -- THE WINDS OF DARKOVER -- THE WORLD WRECKERS -- and any others. Find a list of available ones here at the right. E. E. Smith, Ph. D., Lensman Series
These two Series form a postulate base for the Kraith Series. Those of you who study them may see similarities that I have not spotted. Therefore, comments addressed to the Creator’s Manual would be welcome.
NON-FICTION --
Toffler, Alvin, Future Shock. The concepts of this book form an elementary reality on Kraith Vulcan.
Ostrander, Sheila and Lynn Schroeder, Psychic Discoveries Behind the Iron Curtain. The Kraith Vulcan medical practices are derived from this book.
Hall, Edward T., The Silent Language. Basic concepts of cultural awareness, and some primary clues to the meaning of LOGIC IS BEAUTIFUL, as well as to the structure of tsaichrani.
In addition to the above, I direct your attention to all the John W. Campbell editorials in Analog. Through the years, Campbell discussed many Kraithish concepts, especially the Legions of Vulcan premises.
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THE LETTER FILE
Saturday, November 25, 1972 Dear Jacqueline, I’d like to argue with you about the Disaffirmed and their value judgments, thought processes, etc.
In the spirit of ancient rhetorical tradition, I’m first going to establish my credibility and authority as a philosopher. Namely: I have had 18 semester credit hours in philosophy -- one of which was an epistemology course, the others in intro. philosophy, philosophy of alienation, Indian and Chinese philosophy, and ethics. Well, scratch that--I guess it’s 15 hours. I have, likewise, done very well in philosophy -- as a matter of fact, I have a better average in philosophy than I do in literature. So much for my credibility as an auger of philosophy.
Now, on to your business. I will try to be as precise and systematic, as logical in short, as possible. I will make my premises as lucid as I can -- so that you know on what I base my arguments.
You say, "I didn’t mean exactly to say that the Disaffirmed wouldn’t allow themselves to make value-judgments but rather, that they wouldn’t allow themselves to express such judgments in a way that would adversely affect others -- that is Vulcans respect the privacy of the mind. What you THINK is your own business, but when you try to sell your thoughts by passing them off as something they are not, that’s fraud." What do you mean by "passing them (your thoughts) off as something they are not"? It seems to me that you are speaking of there being true thoughts and false thoughts -- or right thoughts and wrong thoughts. The former is epistemological, the latter, ethical. It would be easier to deal with the epistemological.
If we define logic as a method of reasoning, of reaching veracity, then we are speaking of what is "done" with the ideas we have. In other words, in logic we start off with a number of premises, A and B, and, taking these as our given, assuming them to be true, we perform logical operations on them. Socrates is a man. All men are mortal. Therefore, Socrates is mortal. A -> B, B -> C, A -> C. Now, the validity of whether Socrates is mortal or not depends only on the logical processes that "Socrates is mortal" is true, depends on whether the premises "Socrates is a man" and "all men are mortal" are true. If they were false -- if it weren’t true that Socrates was a man or that all men are mortal-- nonetheless IT IS LOGICAL THAT Socrates is mortal. Whether A and B are true has no bearing on the veracity of the conclusion. So, what is obviously the problem is not the logic at all, but the truth of the premises. And how the hell do we know if the premises are TRUE? In other words, is it possible to attain veracity by reasoning from LIES!
What you, then, seem to be saying is that the Disaffirmed attain veracity through lies. In short, their premises, on which they perform their logic, are false. Now, my question is HOW THE HELL DOES ANYONE OBTAIN TRUE PREMISES? Do the kataytikhe have true premises? Well, obviously, they must. But where, I should like to know, do they get them? When I say that your Vulcan press censors, I mean that they decide which are the true premises -- and how the hell does anyone know? I do not think that the Vulcans, if they are trained logicians, have to worry about veracity. As a matter of fact, most humane are quite logical and when Spock speaks of logic he does not usually mean the operation of
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logic anyway, but the premises on which it is based. ST basically confused logic and ethics or knowledge anyway. That’s why the opposite of being logical is being emotional -- not reversely illogical. In short, unless something radically peculiar happens to the minds of the Disaffirmed, they are as logical as anyone else. You seem to be saying that their premises are false and that this is an insidious danger. Well, of course it is. However, I give the Vulcans credit for not only being able to check the veracity of any argument but also decide whether the premises are true or not. You seem to grant veracity, but deny truth. Where, though, do the kataytikhe get the truth? And, if they and the Affirmed tsaichrani have it, then I submit you propose the existence of grace. The kataytikhe have grace -- though where the hell they get it beats me -- i.e. the kataytikhe have been given truth -- they pass it on via the Affirmation to tsaichrani. The Affirmation, in short, is divine revelation. God given light or truth. Is this, in fact what you’re saying? You obviously assume the existence of absolute truth.
LL&P (Signed)Joyce Joyce Yasner
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12/1/72 Dear Joyce, What a delightful letter! Stripped down to rock bottom the argument begins to take on some sort of shape. Now we can see where we’ve gone astray, so let’s have at it.
The real glaring discrepancies we have to deal with are only 2 in number this time. 1. Aristotelian logic does not apply and 2. "truth" is not a factor in the Kraith Vulcan weltanshaung.
Let’s start with your qualifications. Very impressive and you’ve done them up proud with this display of expertise. My own credentials in the field are not nearly so impressive or official. I saw no reason to spend precious school years on courses on subjects I could learn just as well on my own, so I spent my school budget on laboratory science and subjects too difficult to learn on my own. I had only one course from the Philosophy Department. It focused on the Socrates syllogism and such like historical oddities. I detested that course and disagreed adamantly with the so called experts -- I still do. I think their feeble attempts at logic are laughable, and the "problems" they get hung on are pathetic. That’s just a matter of opinion.
Your use of the Socrates syllogism is very proficient. You make your point clearly and with sure authority. The way the example should go is of course to use the logic of classes explicitly, and then to relate that to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle introduce the concepts of probability and allow the statements to go something more like this: (this is of course a simplified, condensed version leaving out all manner of quantifiers)
There exists a certain probability that Socrates may be at least partially contained in the class designated "man."
There exists a certain probability, possibly different from above, that a substantial proportion of the members of the class designated "man" may display the property "mortality".
Therefore, there exists a finite probability that Socrates may demonstrate the property "mortality".
Stated this way you can clearly see that truth is a totally irrelevant concept.
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35
Thus the entire question of "true/false thoughts" or of "right/wrong thoughts" is also totally irrelevant. Consequently, the whole problem of epistemology vs. ethics is also irrelevant . . . until and unless we come to the point of attempting to evaluate the probability of Socrates dying, we must introduce a whole new order of reasoning-- namely "values," the question of what is more important than what and which has a greater USEFULNESS.
To illustrate the place of "usefulness" in logic, let’s recall the story of the physician who, with his student, is diagnosing a critically ill patient. The student diagnoses the disease as being one which is incurable and terminal. However, the symptoms might possibly indicate something else. The diagnosis seems rather obvious and firm, yet it is still only an educated guess. So the physician says, "If it is disease X, then there is nothing we can do to save this man. If, however, it is only disease Y, there is a possibility that it might yield to treatment Z. Treatment Z cannot possible worsen disease X, it would do neither harm nor good. Diagnosis of disease X is useless, however diagnosis of disease Y would be useful. Therefore, we shall treat this patient for disease Y because it is logical to do so." In the story, of course, the patient lived to demonstrate the usefulness of the logic.
Herein lies the difference between the mathematician and the engineer. The mathematician is interested in the detailed, inner workings of a sequence of derivations. The engineer is not interested so much in how a thing works but in that it works. The Kraith-Vulcan approach to logical-philosophy has many of the earmarks of the engineer’s approach with the mathematician’s mentality being only of secondary importance. (In human history, the mathematician has always been ahead of all other fields, developing tools before anybody had much use for them. On Kraith-Vulcan I think it was the other way around.)
From the way that Spock handled the Melkotian’s illusions we can see that Vulcans are not so much concerned with the epistemological questions of the ultimate nature of reality or with such questions as whether a given thing is knowable or unknowable. The focus of Vulcan logic is rather upon how a thing behaves, how it interacts with other things, and what the results of that interaction are in relation to their own subjective reality. This is in a way a distant cousin of the Descartes shrug, "I think, therefore I am." Whereas Descartes was merely playing semantic scrabble, the Vulcans recognize that it is irrelevant and uninteresting to worry about such things. A difference which makes no difference is no difference.
In addition, the Kraith Vulcans are possessed of the notion which failed (in the UFP universe) to take hold among humans, that the mind is a tool with which we actually affect reality. What you think is so, can in fact become so if your tool is strong enough (or "the right shape to fit the lock"). This is a slippery notion which can strike abject fear into the hearts of those who rely upon the solidity of objective reality to give them security. It strikes down to the very roots of our concept of the nature of "man." Because of this, their entire view of the nature of reality differs subtly but radically from ours.
Using this weltanshaung, the entire question of obtaining true premises becomes irrelevant. The syllogism practically disappears from the inventory of logical processes, and the world is viewed according to the synergetics of overlapping patterns with a Heisenberg blurring at the edges--and the result is that it is reasonable for the whole to be greater than the sum of its parts, the function of intelligence being to maximize that sum.
Thus, the worrying about whether the kataytikhe "have true premises" and "where they got them"---and (sic RBW them"--and) the entire result of this worry, that it implies some source of a "higher truth" and "divine revelation" becomes in its turn irrelevant to the argument.
The kataytikhe do not have "true premises." They have "useful ones" and that usefulness has been demonstrated by centuries of practical application. It is a matter of living memory
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that Vulcans once almost killed themselves off with their fierce emotional ways. The solution to the problem (stipulating that survival is desirable), was simply to delete emotional judgments from the inventory of useful premises. The result of this deletion has been a slow but gradually apparent increase in the Vulcan population. A side effect has been an innate social stability amounting to stagnation of a sort-- that it has been this way "From the Time of the Beginning", and the very thought of changing that strikes pure terror into the Vulcan heart.
In Kraith, it is fear that motivates this conservatism. It is not an irrational, illogical, totally emotional fear, but rather the normal reaction of an organism to a threat. Through the Affirmation, the race memory has been passed down (condensed and edited, but still vivid as reality) from the days before Surak. Those alive today remember with their own minds how it was at the time of Surak’s youth-- with a population so small (and shrinking at an alarming rate within one lifetime) that men died in plak tow [or killed] for lack of a mate, that women died childless when their husbands were cut down in war, and that whole blood lines were erased by slaughter. Into such a world, technology delivered the ultimate weapon capable of wiping out all life on the planet, and a value judgment had to be made. Is it desireable (sic RBW desirable) for this race to continue to survive? At what cost? They paid the price of emotion, and they live. They believe that if they cease to pay the price of life, they will die, and that death will not be a pleasant one.
Whether this is true or not is irrelevant. It is a matter of judgment that the probability it is true is too high, and the stakes too valuable, to warrant the risk. There is nothing to gain and everything to loose. Only a fool strikes that bargain. A fool or a young man. As with humans, it is the young male who is the primary source of the "adventurer."
It is the kataytikhe who have made this judgment of the probability of the introduction of emotional-premises causing racial suicide. The judgment is based on hundreds of millions of "bits" of information which is available in continuous, connected form only to the kataytikhe for it is these families that collect and guard the racial memory in its entirety, cherish it and teach it to the grandchildren.
However, as SPOCK’S ARGUMENT demonstrates, there is no strong consensus among Vulcans on the continuing usefulness of this attitude. Some, mostly the young as you would expect, believe that tsaichrani’s structure must change or shatter under the impact of the UFP culture. Spock is slowly emerging as a leader of this movement, but he, himself, hasn’t evolved a total plan of action. His sympathies lie on the conservative side, yet he can see that drastic action will soon be necessary. Those who have joined this movement for change are in a state of confusion, not being able to determine exactly what action ought to be taken. T’Uriamne leads what you might call a "far right" ultra-conservative faction stumping for change that will prevent further change, ossifying the structure of the society. The primary motivation here is fear, fear that any other course would amount to genocide.
Spock seeks to find another answer, a change which can be instituted to provide the necessary flexibility to the structure of tsaichrani, to let it "roll with the punch" as it were. He looks for this in the halls of human history, in the depths of human nature, and in the living reality of individual humans. If anyone can discover such an answer and "sell" it to the Vulcan electorate, Spock can. He has gained the confidence of the electorate and put together a coalition of "old-line conservatives" who want no change whatsoever and of the "hot-headed radicals" who want to junk the entire system. His position and performance as kataytikh and as Guardian, his lineage and his Argument via the Motek, have won over a substantial majority of the older generation if not to the concept of change, then to the ability to trust Spock’s judgment of what to do. (These people are the ones who can see that there is indeed a problem; those who cannot understand that there exists a problem form another faction. Those who can see the problem and those who cannot are split, some for T’Uriamne, some for Spock.)
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36 As to "truth": there exists a certain finite probability that T’Uriamne has the "truth" and there exists a finite probability that Spock has the "truth"; there also exists a probability that neither has the "truth." In Kraith, prophecy is not an attribute common to Vulcans. Thus, in Kraith VI, we will see that there exists at least one alternative to the above pair of solutions. It is an alternative whose logic will appeal to the Vulcan electorate while at the same time going squarely against their emotions. Again, it will be Spock who champions the cause, and wins his case. Whether that triumph will be a Pyrrhic victory or not is the Question! The reader must decide for himself where the rights and wrongs of the situation lie.
You are correct that aired-ST was somewhat careless in confusing logic and ethics (and even morals on occasion.) That’s one of the things that makes the analysis of Vulcan culture so interesting. If they’d stuck to classical definitions, the Vulcans wouldn’t have ended up so alien.
An important point to remember is that Kraith Vulcan history contains no incident of "divine revelation"---there isn’t one of the hundreds of Vulcan cultures which has any sort of "revealed religion." You can say that this is unnatural and impossible considering the usual course of the evolution of primitive societies. "Revealed religion" pops up all over our globe; one would reasonably expect it to occur at least once on every populated globe. The reason in Kraith that the Vulcans never developed a "revealed religion" is simply that they are the descendent of colonists from an even more ancient civilization (race actually) than those who went around taking earth-human tribes and planting them on terraformed planets with meteor deflectors. The original Vulcan colonists had some very definite ideas about what they would admit to their culture and what they would not under any circumstances admit. A few, a very, very few, of these inhibitions remained along with a scarcity of galacticly-oriented concepts.
1. They just never considered the idea of a "revealed" religion or of theology in the way that we think of these things.
2. They have always had the certainty that the stars are the suns of other planets, some of which have intelligent, spacefaring species. Thus the term "outworlder" appears repeatedly in fragments of writings so old that nobody knows where they came from.
3. "Ancients of Days Look Down" -- this is not, as some fans might readily assume, necessarily "ancestor worship" or even a tacit admission that there exists such a thing as "ghosts" or seances to speak to the departed. Although Vulcans don’t have the faculty of prophecy, such a facility is not unknown to them. They take the existence of it for granted simply because their ancestors knew of species that did have it. Thus, the Vulcans of modern times have a traditional cultural concept of time unlike that of any human culture but explainable in terms familiar enough to humans. They believe that the actions of great importance done in the "now" are at that same instant known to the Ancients of Days -- those of the time of the beginning. That the success of the "current" endeavors of the Ancients is concretely exemplified by these important moments of the "now" and that by "invoking" the Ancients of Days, they can encourage them to perform the actions which will result in this "now" in which the important event is taking place.
We learned in "City on the Edge of Forever" that in the ST universe, reality is not immutable. Edith Keeler’s not dying wiped out the Enterprise, even though her not-dying was caused by a member of the Enterprise’s crew. If this is the way time is, and if the Vulcans have known this all along, then it makes sense to assume that the invocation of the Ancients of Days is merely the act of informing them that the ultimate results of their actions were beneficial, or at least useful to the point of continuing the race. It says, "We are well enough satisfied with this reality. Don’t do anything that will wipe us out." And this is not any sort of mystical plea to any sort of god. It is a recognition of a functional reality. It works in the pragmatic universe. It recognizes the power that the mind holds over reality, or that some minds hold over reality.
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4. The oldest cultures of pre-historic Vulcan history scattered overtthe (sic RBW over the) planet and isolated for thousands upon thousands of years nevertheless show a remarkable coherence of structure, values, beliefs, and languages. They are by no means identicle (sic RBW identical) or even mutually intelligible but there is a recurrence of patterns that seems unlikely in unconnected tribes. By the time these similarities had almost disappeared, they already had the kataytikhe on the scene and mixing things up by marrying across tribal lines and taking their memories with them to share.
LIVE LONG AND PROSPER IN PEACE AND DIVERSITY: (Signed)Jacqueline Lichtenberg Jacqueline Lichtenberg
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ZYETO:
"The fetters of Logic are the price of freedom" from the Book of Joys
"Humility is undignified; boasting, illogical." from the Book of Logic
"As infinity is composed of the infinitely minute, Eternity is composed of the ever-changing nows." from the Book of Fragments
"If thy wife is thy chattel, thee is her slave." from the Book of Life
"The wisdom of the father is the treasure of the grandson, but who is to enrich the orphan?" from the Book of Sources
"Fill thy coffers with the wealth of reality and eschew the poverty of illusions." from the Book of Imperatives
"The duty of the present is the past-duty of the future. Ignore this duty and it is as if thee dies without living." from the Book of Books
"The Kaytaytikh lifts the Kraith that the future may drink of the past." from the Affirmation of the Continuity
"May you live long and prosper greatly." from Surak’s Construct
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KRAITH CREATOR’S ROSTER
11/27/72
The following is a partial list of Kraith Creators and Kraith Critics. Since the Kraith Critics have begun to write stories into the Series, I will not attempt to differentiate (some of them seem to be on the verge of changing sides, and one person can argue either side).
Ruth Berman,Editor of T-Negative, publisher of the first Kraith story and of the main series. She wrote the first Kraithlet written by someone other than Jacqueline, and has since written a second one. Both stories are sharply focused, well-taken criticism of Kraith.
Anna Mary Hall,Anna is one of the most exciting writers to appear on the ST scene, and her addition to Kraith has certainly demonstrated her talent.
Carol Lynn, Editor of Kraith Collected and the Kraith Creator’s Manual. Along with Margaret & Laura Basta, Carol has the distinction of being one of the first Kraith Interpreters, people whose dogged pursuit of Kraith concepts has qualified them to work independently.
Deborah Goldstein,One of the most enthusiastic Kraith readers, and co-editor of the Kraith publications. Also an enthusiastic fan of the SIME series, and a budding Kraith author.
Laura Basta, Editor of Babel, and possibly the best writer currently turning pro. Definitely someone to watch closely.
Pat Zotti, Editor of The Voyages. Pat has created an alter-Amy for the Kraith Series and plans a series of perhaps as (sic RBW many as) 6 short stories regarding Kraith-Amy and Ssarsun, and McCoy’s ultimate future in the Kraith Series.
Lori Dell,Lori is writing a magnificent story regarding the reason why the Trantu was sent out. Her story bears directly on many of the important plot developments of Kraith. She’s also developing Vulcan Children in depth.
Doris Beetem, Editor of Eridani Triad. Doris has written several vignettes onto the Kraith background. Although the events of her stories cannot be accepted into the Series proper, they might have occurred in an alternate Kraith universe, and they are certainly of interest to any Kraith reader. Maybe she will write into the series next time. Cheer her on.
Joyce Yasner,One of the hardest working Kraith Critics, Joyce has pursued the definitions
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of the definitions and refined her objections repeatedly until the insights gained have been of utmost benefit to all of us. We hope to bring you at least one essay and possibly a story by her in the near future. She’s got plenty to say.
Rusty Hancock, Rusty was slaving away at a Disaffirmed-type story when she finally got KC1. She says she stayed up till 4:30 AM reading Kraith Collected, and the next day dashed off a Kraithlet which we hope to bring you eventually. She’s working deep in Vulcan history, at the time of the first kataytikhe. Very exciting.
Sondra Marshak,The best has been saved for last. Sondra became interested in Kraith obliquely, looking for material on Kirk and the Kirk/Spock relationship. She was dissatisfied with Jacqueline’s treatment in the early stories, but hung in there until she begged a copy of "Spock’s Nemesis" in manuscript off Jacqueline. It took many months of wheedling, cajoling, and conniving to get her to reveal herself for the superb writer she is. She made some additions to Kraith V which should further Kraith’s reputation for being controversial. She is co-authoring a book on Star Trek fandom with Jacqueline, and she has consented to co-author several SIME novels during the next few years. Jacqueline wishes to take this opportunity to inform Sondra that she has earned the title of Kraith Interpreter. As the Kraith literature piles up, it gets harder and harder to earn that title.
In addition to the above 11 contributors, there are several people who have expressed an interest in writing some Kraith but who have not yet done so. Therri Moore, Linda Lawson, and Jeannie Peacock are three of these. There is a rumor that one other person is actively working on a Kraith story or two, but that person hasn’t declared him/herself yet. [ed. since the above was written the ranks of the creators have swelled to 18. I’m pleased to welcome Robbie Brown to the ranks as #18.]
It is simple to join the Kraith Creators. All you have to do is to create some Kraith, send it to Carol Lynn or Debbie Goldstein, with a carbon to Jacqueline for the master files, and you are a Kraith Creator.
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ZYETO:
"Let the Ancients of Days see the results of their handiwork and thee will reap of thy grandchild’s harvest." from the Book of Imperatives
"Why do the dwellers of Vrem endure the hardships scant distances from plenty? It is said they cultivate the Bloom and the madness never comes." from the Book of Fragments
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(RBW Note. The back two pages are on thicker paper colored yellow.)
End of Kraith Creator’s Manual Volume 1
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