Post by aoibheni on Mar 11, 2019 13:51:18 GMT
“The Lough Ness Monster!”
“The Mysterious Concentric Rings of Galoro!”
“The Impossible Mayday Signal!...” the man's voice said with gusto, his voice resonating with a rumble familiar to all second-rate documentary narrators, “Conspiracy theories exist in every corner of the Federation... and beyond.”
“But few theories have captured the imagination of so many like the theft of The Three Sisters of Betazed!”
An image appeared suddenly, dazzling the small audience. Three glittering, stunningly beautiful crystal works of art rotated slowly as a holographic mist swirled around them.
“Once the prized possessions of the Betazoid people, held safely in vast vaults and only brought out for special, public appearances once a year, these ancient, mysterious pieces disappeared forever at the time of the Dominion Occupation of Betazed...”
The mist thickened, obscuring the three pieces from view. Shadowy figures with wide, sharp shoulders could be seen lurking menacingly in the background. It was all a bit too sensational.
“Whatever happened to these priceless pieces, no-one knows for certain... Or do they?”
A human man appeared, his name and title floating below his head.
Yeeb Stepin, New Theory Research, Truth News Network – “The Copies Theory”
Yeeb spoke softly.
“We have in our possession a highly corrupted reproduction of a holo recording of one of the Three Sisters being ground down and re-formed into a completely different crystalline shape. We believe that this is a method that could be used to ensure it escaped detection in the years after the occupation.”
“Several objects have appeared over the years on the black and grey markets claiming to be this piece, called “Thought”, and they've fetched extremely high prices at auction as a result.
“The problem with that is that they are easily proven to be fake, and they muddy the waters for anyone actually trying to track down the original “Thought” seen in the recording. These fakes discredit all of us legitimate researchers.”
The figure of a plump, Bajoran woman replaces Yeeb's holoimage.
Vedek Radn, Dean of Bajoran Religious Theory Institute, – “The Horde Theory”
“Stepen's theory is a complete fabrication. Even that holorecording has been proven to be a fake. I refuse to waste time looking for something that doesn't exist, no.. no we are certain that the Three Sisters, “Empathy”, “Thought” and “Word” all exist still, in their original shapes, and together.
She frowns deeply.
“It's after that that things get a little... difficult.”
“In what way?” the interviewer asked quietly.
Radn sighed. “They exist, that we can all agree on, I believe, but where they are and who knows? That is a highly contentious matter. Some believe that their location, on Cardassia, is known by a select few high-ranking Cardassian military officers, and that they have agreed that the last survivor should take possession of all three. There are some who believe this agreement happened, but that all the conspirators then killed each other, and the secret was lost forever. And then there are the delusional few who think anyone from the Federation president, to members of the Betazoid aristocracy, to popular singers and actors... to me, even! are in on the pact.”
Radn scoffed. “People will believe anything.”
Radn disappeared in a rustle of robes and a clucking of disapproval, replaced with an elderly Betazoid man in smart dress.
His floating title identifies him as Evario Lyn, patriarch of the 4th house of Betazed.
He coughed gently and looked tiredly over in the direction of the invisible interviewer.
“I am not certain which theory is closest to the truth, but I do know that the “Smokescreen Theory” is the most incorrect.”
He rested his hands on his lap.
“The theory claims that “The Three Sisters” never existed in the first place, and that the tale of their theft and the obsession surrounding them has been entirely fabricated to hide a bigger, even more sinister conspiracy beneath...”
“Have you any thoughts on what that hidden theory might be?” the interviewer asked.
Lyn shakes his head. “I saw the Sisters with my own eyes as a boy! I know they existed! I saw them displayed in the Museum of Ancient Art on our northern continent. I heard their music resopnate out over the crowd as they were struck with the ceremonial hammer! I saw the sunlight refracted through their crystal lattices. They were stunning! That's a sight you don't forget, and you don't mis-remember.”
“Our treasures were taken from us, and I weep to think of how many of my people will now never hear that inspiring sound or witness so glorious a sight! Their theft was and is a national tragedy, and anyone who dismisses that fact is no friend of Betazed.”
The man's image faded like the others, replaced once more with the slowly rotating image of the three works of art.
The narrator's voice was back. “The Three Sisters may be gone, but the mystery remains. You can learn more about the Three Sisters themselves, as well as these theories as more in our exhibition through the doorway on the right. Please enjoy your time with us at the Museum of Ancient Art, and remember to visit our extensive gift shop.”
“The Mysterious Concentric Rings of Galoro!”
“The Impossible Mayday Signal!...” the man's voice said with gusto, his voice resonating with a rumble familiar to all second-rate documentary narrators, “Conspiracy theories exist in every corner of the Federation... and beyond.”
“But few theories have captured the imagination of so many like the theft of The Three Sisters of Betazed!”
An image appeared suddenly, dazzling the small audience. Three glittering, stunningly beautiful crystal works of art rotated slowly as a holographic mist swirled around them.
“Once the prized possessions of the Betazoid people, held safely in vast vaults and only brought out for special, public appearances once a year, these ancient, mysterious pieces disappeared forever at the time of the Dominion Occupation of Betazed...”
The mist thickened, obscuring the three pieces from view. Shadowy figures with wide, sharp shoulders could be seen lurking menacingly in the background. It was all a bit too sensational.
“Whatever happened to these priceless pieces, no-one knows for certain... Or do they?”
A human man appeared, his name and title floating below his head.
Yeeb Stepin, New Theory Research, Truth News Network – “The Copies Theory”
Yeeb spoke softly.
“We have in our possession a highly corrupted reproduction of a holo recording of one of the Three Sisters being ground down and re-formed into a completely different crystalline shape. We believe that this is a method that could be used to ensure it escaped detection in the years after the occupation.”
“Several objects have appeared over the years on the black and grey markets claiming to be this piece, called “Thought”, and they've fetched extremely high prices at auction as a result.
“The problem with that is that they are easily proven to be fake, and they muddy the waters for anyone actually trying to track down the original “Thought” seen in the recording. These fakes discredit all of us legitimate researchers.”
The figure of a plump, Bajoran woman replaces Yeeb's holoimage.
Vedek Radn, Dean of Bajoran Religious Theory Institute, – “The Horde Theory”
“Stepen's theory is a complete fabrication. Even that holorecording has been proven to be a fake. I refuse to waste time looking for something that doesn't exist, no.. no we are certain that the Three Sisters, “Empathy”, “Thought” and “Word” all exist still, in their original shapes, and together.
She frowns deeply.
“It's after that that things get a little... difficult.”
“In what way?” the interviewer asked quietly.
Radn sighed. “They exist, that we can all agree on, I believe, but where they are and who knows? That is a highly contentious matter. Some believe that their location, on Cardassia, is known by a select few high-ranking Cardassian military officers, and that they have agreed that the last survivor should take possession of all three. There are some who believe this agreement happened, but that all the conspirators then killed each other, and the secret was lost forever. And then there are the delusional few who think anyone from the Federation president, to members of the Betazoid aristocracy, to popular singers and actors... to me, even! are in on the pact.”
Radn scoffed. “People will believe anything.”
Radn disappeared in a rustle of robes and a clucking of disapproval, replaced with an elderly Betazoid man in smart dress.
His floating title identifies him as Evario Lyn, patriarch of the 4th house of Betazed.
He coughed gently and looked tiredly over in the direction of the invisible interviewer.
“I am not certain which theory is closest to the truth, but I do know that the “Smokescreen Theory” is the most incorrect.”
He rested his hands on his lap.
“The theory claims that “The Three Sisters” never existed in the first place, and that the tale of their theft and the obsession surrounding them has been entirely fabricated to hide a bigger, even more sinister conspiracy beneath...”
“Have you any thoughts on what that hidden theory might be?” the interviewer asked.
Lyn shakes his head. “I saw the Sisters with my own eyes as a boy! I know they existed! I saw them displayed in the Museum of Ancient Art on our northern continent. I heard their music resopnate out over the crowd as they were struck with the ceremonial hammer! I saw the sunlight refracted through their crystal lattices. They were stunning! That's a sight you don't forget, and you don't mis-remember.”
“Our treasures were taken from us, and I weep to think of how many of my people will now never hear that inspiring sound or witness so glorious a sight! Their theft was and is a national tragedy, and anyone who dismisses that fact is no friend of Betazed.”
The man's image faded like the others, replaced once more with the slowly rotating image of the three works of art.
The narrator's voice was back. “The Three Sisters may be gone, but the mystery remains. You can learn more about the Three Sisters themselves, as well as these theories as more in our exhibition through the doorway on the right. Please enjoy your time with us at the Museum of Ancient Art, and remember to visit our extensive gift shop.”