For Dinner: Three-bean chili with meat and a little dark beer poured in.
Mood: Woefully misunderstood.
Written in the Year of our Lord 3580, March 22nd,  Friday  night.
Location: The Fel arcology on the city Vagnar on the continent of Laufey, near the Ran ocean, on Loki.

   I talked with Cynthia Bustilloz again this morning, getting directions to where they'll be meeting. I told her that I would probably have Glutheim and a Lokiite guard with me.

    "Oh, sure, that's a given. Look, you're probably better off with them. I wouldn't advise trying to take a confession here, either, because they would probably never leave you unattended, nor would they leave you without being able to tell what you can say...bug you in some way. That's why we need just a general worship service, sort of the same kind an army chaplain does."

     "Can do."

     "I'll look forward to meeting you in the flesh, if you don't mind meeting a rickety old lady."

     "I don't mind, if you don't mind meeting a young whippersnapper."

     "See you then, Father."

     Glutheim showed up after the call, and said, "Nirut wants to see you.  And after all, finding out about our religions is the main reason you came, right?"

      "Yep. Lead the way."

      We travelled to a different arcology, a smaller one hosted by the Haki hierarchy. This was a branch of the Haki hierarchy, their headquarters was in another city. Glutheim had his guards in the transport, but he knew they wouldn't be allowed to leave the vehicle.  Think of a Mafia leader making a visit to another "family".

      "Nervous?"

     "Weighing the options, anyway, Redwine. For your sake as well as mine."

     If anything, the Haki arcology was even more ornamented and gothic than the Fel one.  The hallways were more vaulted and arched than I was used to.  We were "escorted"  to Nirut's chambers.  "Redwine. Glutheim. Come in and sit."

     The furnishings consisted mainly of hanging drapes and tapestries, depicting scenes that didn't make a lot of sense to me, with Lokiite figures set among nonLokiite demons or dieties.

    "Now, it would take a long time to explain the intricacies of the Fanist faith. We might reserve that for another afternoon. But I want to hear about your faith, first."

      So I gave him a rough---very rundown of the story of Christ.  He paid attention, taking notes on his palm computer.

      "I have the main details, now. The story is a little puzzling to me.  As I understand it, your single God either had a Child or manifested themselvf as a human.  That  the Child-God grew up to preach the words of your God. That one of His disciples betrayed Him, and put Him in the hands of the authorities, obviously planned by this--Caiphas? That this Child-God was executed by this--Pilate? And a few days later, He came back, being a God. Correct?"

    "Yes."

    "But...what I don't understand...evidently your worship centers on this God-Child.  I don't see why. We would focus our admiration, at least, on another individual."

     "Oh? Who?"

     "Caiphas, who had the audacity to try to kill a God. That is what the Fanist religion is about.  Judas regretted it, showing himself either afraid or unworthy. Pilate struck me as a bureaucrat, the way you describe him. But Caiphas helped and planned a God's murder, and thus is worthy of our respect. A sensible human....one encounters so few.  You should call it Caiphism, instead.  If you will, we will speak tomorrow, and I will explain some of the intricacies of our religion."

      I sipped my Idunlif juice. I couldn't think of much to say.

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