This Is Not An Exposé
Rachel Hu and Adrianna Brown
[PROMPT 2]
To the West of the sleepy college town of Delphi lies the 4.5 billion dollar Oracle complex, a
facility run by the Delphi Institute of Technology. This seven-hundred thousand square foot facility
nestled in the base of a mountain began construction eight years ago, notable due to the fact that funding
is entirely composed of generous donations from royal STEM based educational grants. Though its
completion was planned for Spring of 1966, the Oracle opened its doors this weekend with over six
hundred spectators in attendance, citizens braving the cold for a chance to glimpse the future.Though the
general public was kept from entering the buildings due to security purposes, a select number of press
personnel, myself included, were allowed to witness the first activation of the Oracle.
Delphi’s main building is the picture of modern architecture, with sleek, art deco, lines of
stainless steel and glass framing the central staircase that leads down to the real heart of the complex, a
hangar sized underground facility, affectionately named ‘The Sanctuary,’ that houses the server farm that
makes up the brains of Oracle. The Oracle Probability Computer is the first of its kind, a machine capable
of analysing over 1.9 million data points per second, and running virtual reality simulations based on the
probability of any one point occurring in both time and space. Scientists predict that in the next twenty
years, Oracle will completely transform and revolutionize the fields of theoretical physics and computing,
expanding our understanding of m-string theory and the generation of parallel universes.
The air seems to hum with the excited chatter of technicians and the sheer power that Oracle
channels[1], and stepping into the Sanctuary feels like entering the house of a new god, one for the new
age. The far wall of the massive space is occupied by a towering wall of screens, each displaying an
dizzying stream of input from the technicians working in a separate building as final diagnostics are run
and systems are checked for the last time. Finally, at three PM on September 11, 1968, Oracle powers up
without a hitch, lighting up a deceptively simple input monitor attached to the main housing with a small
hum. Beginning now, Oracle is ready to start answering the mysteries of the universe.
What was the first question asked by scientists? I can’t tell you that, but I can say that Oracle
promptly returned an enigmatic answer: 42.
(Parnassus, Talia. "Oracle Promises a New Dawn of Computing." Popular Science 13 September, 1968
Print.)
----I didn’t know it then, but my life, and the lives of many others, began to revolve on the axis of the Oracle
on that day. Barely eleven years old, and all the cogs of fate and chance chose to align, pushing me and
those around me into ever tightening spirals the inevitable. What power does this machine exert upon our
reality? None at all! It simply makes us aware of what humor our reality is capable of….
Excerpt from THE ORACLE EFFECT: A WORLD WITH THE WRONG ANSWERS
(1st ed. Vol. 1. Thebes: Independent House, 2014. Print.)
-----
The crown works quick![2] Just eleven months after what people are calling the wedding of the century,
King Laius and the newly crowned (and quite lovely!) Queen Jocasta look like they’re preparing to
welcome an heir into the world. According to our source from inside the Palace, the couple has drastically
cut their scheduled public appearances for the next ten months in anticipation for something big, and
we’re guessing we know exactly what that means! (Hint: the pitter patter of tiny royal feel anyone?)
Jocasta was last seen attending the Championships Tennis Tournament in Alexandria, and we can all
agree, that girl knows how to wear a sunhat, but the question is: are we going to be seeing some maternity
fashion soon? Open the betting pool now folks, a prince or princess is on their way.
(Maia, Herman. "Queen: Soon to Be Mother?" The Looking Glass. 7 Mar. 1968: 12-14. Print.)
-----
And that was the beginning. I remember the almost incomprehensible wave of joy that swept through me,
and I’m sure the nation, when our young queen gave one of her signature sly smiles and happily told
Thebes that yes, she was with child. A prince! I couldn’t believe it, a prince to call our own. (Jocasta
broke a lot of hearts with that smile, and we all wondered if her son would bear that same wry expression
when he grew up.) Gods, the possibilities that stretched ahead for him, to be born into Cadmus’s legacy
with a gilded straight-shot to the throne. A prince, a prince, a prince! Too good to be true.
-----“ Tragedy has struck the royal household as Palace officials confirm what many have suspected. Seven
months into the pregnancy, Queen Jocasta suffered a miscarriage during a state visit and had to undergo
emergency surgery[3] at Saint Eileithyia’s Hospital in Corinth. Her absence from the public eye these last
four months has been due to a lengthy and complicated recovery. including the administration of a
medically induced coma for two weeks following the procedure. As of now, our queen is awake and
mobile, with no further details regarding her condition released at this time.
Though the couple has requested privacy in this trying time, this has not stopped a flood of public
backlash against the Laius reign, which some critics claim is too liberal, even going so far as to say that
Jocasta’s miscarriage is “a publicity stunt for the abortion agenda, killing her own kid to make a point.”
On the other end of the spectrum, activist groups like Girls Not Brides have begun using Jocasta as an
example of the dangers of “child marriage,” stating that the Queen, at age fifteen, was far too young to
marry, not to mention attempting to bearing a child for Laius, a man eleven years her senior. However
you choose to view it, it cannot be denied that the line of Cadmus continues to be bereft an heir. “
(Raymond, Iris. "TNN Nightly News at Nine." TNN Nightly News at Nine. Thebes News Network.
Thebes, Thebes, 17 Apr. 1969. Television. Transcript.)
-----And like the rest of the kingdom, I mourned the loss. Little did we know what lies the palace fed us that
we swallowed like sugar. They did put on a good show, at least Laius did, because while his wife laid
unconscious in a hospital bed, that child was very much alive. Shuffled from one under-the-table adoption
agency to another, the infant Oedipus had all connections to Thebes and his parents cut. Anonymous as
any orphan in the system.
Anonymous, miraculous, and orphaned, these were all the traits that another couple was looking for.
Exactly what another couple needed.
-----
After over six months of speculation, King Paul and Queen Merope emerged from seclusion and have
finally officially announced the birth of their son, Oedipus, now first in line for the throne of Corinth. The
royal family welcomed Prince Oedipus into the world on February 14, 1969, at four AM the morning at
Saint Eileithyia’s Hospital. Paul and Merope humbly request privacy in these early months, and are
“overjoyed at the additon to [their] family.”
This happy news comes at the tail end of a series of unsuccessful trials to conceive a Corinthian heir,
widely publicized failures that have generated increasing speculation that the royal line had become too
inbred to produce healthy children. Second cousins themselves, both Paul and Merope have admitted in
the past that their union is ultimately political, an effort to keep one of the oldest bloodlines in Greece
pure. Early images of the child only contribute to this theory. Oedipus visibly sports a clubfoot, a
congenital birth defect often associated with the use of cigarettes, but more damningly, incest.
(Momus, Samuel. "Corinth Welcomes Prince Oedipus." The New Corinth Times [Corinth] 3 Aug. 1969,
44th edition, Sec. 2: 1. Print.)
-----“Corinth is wealthy a metropolitan state that was established over seven centuries ago as prosperous port
town and trade center. To this day, it continues to serve as a vital trade passage for the region. Known for
its state of the art public transportation, food scene, and naval history, the state has been ruled for the past
49 years by King Paul, often jokingly referred to as “Polybus” by his constituents, on account of the
notoriously efficient bus lines that he instituted within a week of his coronation. The Corinthian bus line
is a great way to get around, making rounds every four minutes at most major business and tourism
centers. With a daily ticket costing only .7 drachmas, we recommend taking the Red Line for the very
best experience of Corinth.”
(Snyder, Paula. "Corinth." Your Guide to the Coast: A Tourist's Bible. Athens: Hydra Prints, 2011. 81103. Print. Greece for Travellers.)
----Over the next 19 years, Corinth saw their prince grow into a healthy, active young man, his twisted foot
having been surgically reconstructed at age 4. The children of Corinth saw images of a boy, just like
them, horseback riding, swimming, and smiling for the cameras without a care in the world. Even now,
the slower parts of Corinth remember the young prince, admonishing unruly children to “untwist their
feet and start running.” A reference to the enormous success that Oedipus displayed in both the
classroom and playing field. He was the ideal to shoot for, and always fall short of.
At the time, I was living in Thebes, growing up parallel to him. I lived through the scandal that erupted in
1977, when the rulers of Thebes admitted that they could not conceive another child. I was leaving high
school when Oedipus wooed the country with his solemn declaration of love for his crush, Sophie Cleous,
clutching her small hand in his while the flashbulbs popped. I was in university when he got the very
public and very ugly DUI charge that was quietly dropped days later. I was deep in the workload of my
journalism graduate work and internships at Athens University when Prince Oedipus himself entered into
the Corinth Technological Institute to study political science and economics.
-----The Delphi Institute of Computer Science was honored to have Prince Oedipus of Corinth tour
the facility that houses the Oracle Probability Computer Network this weekend. As many people know,
nowadays, the functions of the computer are divided equally between theoretical physics simulations and
stock predictions. The Prince, an economics major, was here for the latter. Though Oracle’s only home is
Delphi, many surrounding states can claim ownership it due to how the project was jointly funded two
decades ago, and Corinth is no exception. In fact, they continue to donate generous amounts of funding to
the astronomical physics department to this day. Thus, this was not merely an educational visit, but a
diplomatic one as well.
Unfortunately, during the private tour, there was a cascading system failure that resulted in
thousands of lines of bad output printing to the data screens. Not a unique occurrence, but a troubling one
nevertheless. This specific software bug was thought to have been resolved years ago, after the last time
the same error occured when Ambassador Odysseus of Ithaca visited six years ago. Exiting the building,
the Prince looked shaken by the sudden crash of the system while he was present, but has gone on the
record stating that “I got an educational look at the guts of the Oracle’s code for a second there, which
was [fascinating], but since I’ve never coded a day in my life, I can’t say what it means!”
(Lambros, Cassandra. "Oracle Crashes During Prince's Visit." The Delphi Chronicle [Delphi] 09 Oct.
1990, 84th edition, Sec. 3: 2-4. Print.)
----Theo Pythia, an Oracle technician for the last 43 years, recalls the incident. “
“I never f*****g seen something like happen before, this guy walks in, and mind you the department had
been talking about this visit for weeks, shut down the whole processor floor to minimal personnel, but
anyway, he walks in and Bam! the place goes haywire. We had to sign f*****g NDA’s after he left and at
the time it was the weirdest thing to happen to be aside from that time we were getting the result to buy 1
million shares of some nonsense stock called google, but boy have I learned to never doubt that damn
machine again because look at me now, a poor old guy who knew about this thing years before it
happened.”
From: THE ORACLE EFFECT: A WORLD WITH THE WRONG ANSWERS, Chapter 5: Prophesy.
----The 22 year old Prince of Corinth, Oedipus Paulson, was seen partying it up in disguise this weekend at
the hottest new club in downtown Athens. Through a pretty flimsy costume of shades and a hoodie,
partygoers recognised the royal bachelor attempting to get cozy with some grad students, seen leaving in
the wee hours of the morning in a car that most definitely wasn’t his signature black SUV. Roar ladies, it
may be time to take out the claws and sink them in before this dreamboat sets sail!
(Leucosia, Circe. "Oedipus On His Way Out?" OK! 26 Nov. 1991: 6-8. Print)
----I mean sure I was absolutely dripping in tequila, but the kids seemed to get a kick out of it…..
(Lucian, Horace. "Rich Man Enjoys Life: Continues to Be a Role Model For Youth." The Fennel 29 Nov.
1991, 7th ed., sec. 11: 16. Print.)
----“Of course Oedipus as a young man was disturbed by the Oracle’s prediction, after all, as much as it was
written off as a fluke or a glitch in the code, the machine wasn’t speaking in any riddles to him. Plain and
simple, he walked into a room known for never being wrong, and it told him that he had one fate. A
terrible one. So he let himself go, distancing himself from his parents in an attempt to avoid the slimmest
chance that the Oracle was correct. Firmly rejecting that in every universe Oracle’s ‘prophecy’ was
inevitable. He drank, he partied, and for a little while, he escaped both mind and body. But eventually, as
always must happen, he realized that youth does not last forever and set out to seriously pursue his career
in politics. Away from Corinth of course. Unceremoniously, He fled.”
-----
Obituary: Laius, King of Thebes
Monday May 11, 1992
King Laius, 51, perished on Tuesday, January 5, 1992 after being involved in a massive car
accident on Route 13 during the early hours of the morning. Laius and his security convoy departed
Thebes late Tuesday night, intending to arrive in Athens by seven the next morning for the National
Diplomatic Congress of the Hellenic Republic. However, around two AM, emergency personnel were
called to the scene by the sole survivor of the disaster, 32 year old Congressional aide Bedell Ryder. With
4 dead and 1 injured, speculation surrounds the tragedy, but preliminary reports have yet to identify a
singular cause for the vehicular catastrophe. Foul play is doubtful, as investigators have reported that
prime black ice conditions were present during the time frame. It is unknown how many parties were
involved in the crash.
Laius, son of Labdacus and fabled heir of Cadmos[4], was born in Thebes, Greece on March 15, 1941. He
married Jocasta, daughter of Menoeceus and descendant of Spartoi, on April 24, 1967. He succeeded
Amphion and Zethus for the throne of Thebes in 1966. Beloved by Thebans and Pelops alike, Laius was
an excellent ruler praised for his dedication to the people. He is survived solely by his beloved wife of 25
years, and had no heirs upon his death.
The state mourns its king, and sends its prayers to the royal family, and the families of those who died in
the line of duty.
(Thanon, Seth. “Obituary: Laius, King of Thebes” The Theban Post. 11 May. 1992. Print. )
----Oedipus came to Thebes. Like a storm, he arrived.
-----
The Sphinx Act, first introduced by Senators Griffith and Lyons four years ago, was finally
repealed by the Senate following a twelve hour filibuster by the newly elected Senator Oedipus Paulson,
often referred to simply as Oedipus. As required by tradition, the senator spoke continuously for the entire
length of time, further highlighting his strength as a passionate and engaging orator that was noted during
his last district campaign. Not only mentally taxing to perform, a filibuster is a marathon of physical
willpower as well. By the ninth hour he only remained standing with the support of a cane lent to him by
an onlooker, an anecdote that Thebans seem to find enchanting.
Originally intended as a motivational tariff for Theban production and industry, the Sphinx Act
raised the import tax on manufactured materials to an unprecedented thirty one percent, and limited the
transport of foreign cargo into state limits. However, in the last two years, it has slowly been choking the
trade partnerships and economy of Thebes, revealed to remain in place only through the bribing of
senators who benefited from their holdings in export revenue. The repealment was executed by Chairman
Cliffe, head of the Vice Committee, who in in the preliminary stages of initiating a comprehensive
corruption investigation on the current sitting senators. This legal shake-up could be an indicator of big
changes in store for Theban policymaking, and it seems as though Oedipus is someone to watch out for in
the future.
(Curie, Mark. "Sphinx Gets Cliffed." Forbes. 4 July 1993: 5-8. Print.)
----He was charming and smart. He was handsome and very royal. God, Thebes fell in love, and Thebes
wasn’t the only one.
----[Image: Senator Oedipus, dressed in a dark blue tuxedo holds a glass of champagne in one hand as he
kisses the hand of the queen. Jocasta, dressed in blue as well, faces away from the camera, visible to the
viewer is the blush that appears on her cheeks]
NOTE: This is often cited as the first meeting of the future King and Queen of Thebes. Oedipus at age 24,
Jocasta at age 41. Original film on loan to the National Museum of Thebes: Centuries of Cadmus exhibit.
(White, Minerva. Entry #55390. 1993. Theban Image Archive, Thebes.)
----What could have happened differently? Nothing at all, if the Oracle is to be believed. They shared their
first kiss to cheering crowds at the annual Independence Day parade, their courtship always laid bare for
the public to dissect, to revel in.
----Doctors at Boeotian General Hospital have encountered a baffling series of patients exhibiting the same
set of symptoms, from temporary loss of vision to blood clots followed by internal hemorrhaging. All hail
from the vastly different regions of Thebes and so far no connections have been found between the
fourteen individuals admitted to intensive care. “Our main hypothesis about the pathology of this sickness
is that it may be spread by improper needle use and disposal.” says junior researcher Tiresias Darshin,
speaking through a precautionary face to OSHA agents.
(Asclepius, Jim. "The Beginning of an Epidemic?" Hellenic MD. 16 Dec. 1993: 39-44. Print.)
----Though only in use for clinical trials, this advancement of in vitro fertilization using artificial hydrogel
membranes to incubate embryo promises a second chance for women entering into perimenopause to
have children. As a notable example, Queen Jocasta has allocated just under 2.1 million drachma to
expedite the research that is currently undergoing review by the FDA.
(Ferula, Cyrus. "New Creation for the Old Generation." Scientific Greek. 18 May 1994: 12-18. Print.)
----(9/25/95 - Show_transcript_part.4.pdf)
Jocasta: (over phone) it feels like a miracle, honest to gods, that my husband and I have been blessed with
four wonderful children, after all these years it still feels like a miracle every time.
Daphne: Four? your majesty, a set of twins and a daughter isn’t four, do you maybe have something to
share with us?
Jocasta: [laughs quietly] well this may not be the most traditional way to do it, but yes Mrs. Hylan, I am
am announcing the arrival of another daughter soon. Antigone. Our new princess, Antigone.
Daphne: Oh my gods! Congratulations your majesty. Listeners, I may start crying, so while we go to
break, I think it’s time to spread the news, we have another princess on the way! [muffled shriek]
(Hylan, Daphne. "The Daphne Show: Surprise Guest Edition." The Daphne Show. National Public Radio.
Thebes, Thebes, 25 Sept. 1995. Radio. Transcript.)
----“Unemployment rates are are the lowest they’ve been in eighty years, every child in the State sits in a
classroom every day of the week, and the last time someone complained about taxes, well, have you heard
anything? Things are good. Thebes is strong, and if I have anything to say about it, Thebes will only
prosper some more in the upcoming years, it's my will, and by the gods, as king I plan to make it happen.”
(Paulson, Oedipus. "State of the State." State of the State Address. Thebes, Thebes. 11 Jan. 1999.
Speech.)
----Bearing remarkably similar expressions of grief, King Oedipus and Queen Jocasta were seen exiting the
Nepthys Royal Cemetery on Saturday, January 5th, a date marking the ten year anniversary of King
Laius’s tragic passing. Though Oedipus never met his predecessor[5], during his reign he has remained
remarkably respectful of the legacy that Laius left unfinished, and has extended that courtesy to his
visible ardor for his wife, Laius’s widow.
(Hamilton, Aaron. "Ten Years Later: Has Laius Been Forgotten?" The Daily Trumpet. [Thebes] 6 Jan.
2002, 97th edition, Sec. 8: 5-6. Print.)
----“So now, you best of men, raise up our state.
Act to consolidate your fame, for now,
thanks to your eagerness in earlier days,
the city celebrates you as its saviour….”
-
Voice of Greece, M. Atwood, reads at the presentation ceremony for the National Humanities
Medal to Oedipus Paulson and Patroclus Menoetius.
[From her new collection: Lost Heroes. Publishing later this year in hardback. Pre-order now!]
(Atwood, Margaret. Lost Heroes Excerpt. 31 Aug. 2005. Sample of the M. Atwood Audiobook. Barnes
and Noble Booksellers, Thebes.)
----Time passed. Things got better, things got worse.
-----
Petitioning Thebes State House and Senate
Increase funding for public Cybele plague relief & research.
Catherine Preissman Thebes, GR
Sign this petition
78,201 supporters
21,799 needed to reach 100,000
Over the last 20 years, contrary to political platitudinous promises[6] that “things are getting
better,” Thebes and the nation of Greece have seen a dramatic increase in the rampant disease
known colloquially as the Cybele plague[7]. Known symptoms to date include organ failure,
internal hemorrhaging, blood clots, and infertility. Allocating money to treatment the symptoms
is just the tip of the iceberg. We know shockingly little about the origin of this disease and how
to do anything besides treat the symptoms.What we do know is the Cybele always becomes fatal.
The national severity of the disease has increased exponentially as the sick are left untreated and
the government funded research efforts have been pushed aside as time progresses. The pursuit is
not hopeless as many policy makers seem to believe. By launching relief efforts in tandem with
research institutions, we can get relieve not only the people, but the country of this awful plague.
-----
Ethylene: The Clandestine Killer Behind the Cybele Plague
Tiresias Darshin | National Institute of Disease | Vol 34, 2017, 132-141
ABSTRACT
The Cybele plague, since its first recorded case in 1993, has been accountable for nearly 52,650 deaths
nationwide in addition to numerous lasting and congenital conditions. Perhaps a misnomer, symptoms of
the ‘plague’ isolated in previous studies ruled out viral or bacterial transmission, when no contagious or
corresponding strains were discovered (1); However, evidence of mother-to-child transmission was
recorded (2). Thorough pathology revealed the etiology of the disease to be trace amounts (0.0084 ml/l)
of ethylene in the water supply, a contamination resulting from accelerated municipal construction under
the Oedipus administration. The activity activated fractures in the shale bedrock of Thebes, releasing
embedded ethylene (aq) into the water table. This accounts for the epidemic’s epicenter in the central
states of Thebes. Similar to regions with prominent hydraulic fracturing, the public health oversight was
not discovered by officials because ethylene was not present in water purity test criteria.
Ethylene, when metabolized, is synthesized into Ethylene Oxide, or Oxirane (C2H4O), which is a potent
cyclic ether classified by the EPA as a Class (III) human carcinogen in 2000. Deteriorating effects of
Ethylene Oxide on the human body include, but are not limited to, inflammation of the eyes, skin, and
mucous membranes, deterioration of the central nervous system, organ hemorrhaging, weakening of
membrane proteins (phospholipase A2-4), and cancer of the stomach, pancreas, liver, and kidneys. Due
to the delayed discovery and consolidation of symptoms under Cybele, symptom progression increased
exponentially as biomagnification of the toxin was allowed persist, resulting in the sudden augmentation
of the mortality rate that was observed in 2015.
----‘Plague Anthem’ goes platinum, album proceeds to go towards medical research and care
Where we saw our blood washing away and made haste/ because by the time the time hits it's too late/
and there wasn’t time to say goodbye oh no / and you wait and you wait until too late, too late…
(Melpomene Ft. Sappho. Plague Anthem. Melpomene. Rec. 12 Oct. 2014. Apollo Records, 2014. MP3.)
----THE NEW THEBES TIMES
BEST SELLERS: > October 19-25 2014 > Hardback > Nonfiction
1. CAPITAL IN THE TWENTY FIRST CENTURY - by Thomas Piketty. (Belknap/Harvard
University.) A French economist’s analysis of centuries of economic history predicts worsening
inequality and proposes solutions.
2. CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE CYBELE SOUL: 101 Stories of Love and Loss for the Plague - by
Brigid Wei. (Newmark) inspirational true stories about ordinary people's lives, and their
extraordinary battles against an unseen foe.
3. THE ORACLE EFFECT: A WORLD WITH THE WRONG ANSWERS - by C. Pentheus
(Independent House) A retrospective of the effects of Oracle. From social to economic, Oracle is
an unseen hand guiding the modern world.
4. THRIVE - by Arianna Huffington. (Harmony.) Personal well-being as the indispensable third
measure — with money and power — of success.
-----
We all lived Thebe’s downward spiral. In two years Thebes went from a stable, powerhouse economy to a
state where citizens felt like they were dropping like flies. Cybele was something to be whispered in the
dark, just as superstitious as any ancient plague of divine sickness descending onto a city. Now, of course
we know the cause, but that has not dampened the damage that Cybele and ethylene continues to wreak
on Thebes. Generations poisoned by a king’s good intention.
----The Truth Forum
The Truth Is Out There
Location: Greece ------> Local Boards ------> The Monarchy
TRACK THIS THREAD
[Posted by Mod A_grippa at 1:38 AM on February 3, 2015]
>
>
>
>
>
the so called “plague” stinks like an inside job by the Government to cover up what's REALLY
happening, that they’re trying to bring down the population because of some Gaia Foundation
brainwashing shit. this has been happening for the last two decades and the King has done nothing to
combat the epidemic, just a ton of empty promises, what does that tell anyone about what he’s really
after??? the day someone he actually knows comes down w cybele is the day cops fly
[Pyrr0_x at 2:05 AM on February 3, 2015]
>>
>>
>>
>>
I’m usually skeptical about cover ups going that far, but I do agree with OP’s point that the King has
been pretty passive with dealing with the issue (they had to PETITION for research funding, how
screwed up is that). look at how scripted that last press conference was. hey, but least he says
he’s doing something after all this time, see how long it lasts. Link: bit.ly/68LhIO4/
-----[2/3/15 - Oedipus Emergency Press Conference Recap.]
…….When asked to comment of the recent resurgence of the Cybele plague, King Oedipus replied that
all efforts and resources were being dedicated to humanitarian aid, and that a petition had recently passed
to the Senate floor to place emphasis on the study of the pathology of Cybele.
Researchers from the Diana Hayden School of Biology at Thebes University are working with the Delphi
institute to use the Oracle’s computing power to investigate the epigenetic profile of those inflicted with
the plague, with Tiresias Darshin placed in charge of the joint task force. Oedipus declares that the city
will not enter a state of emergency until he is sure that it is necessary. He asks the city and State to remain
strong in this time of crisis, and stated that his prayers go out to all those affected……
(O'Brien, Bryan. "King’s Emergency Press Conference Recap." The Boeotia Post. The Boeotia Post, 3
Feb. 2015. Web.)
-----Hellenic Republic Trends (change)
#CybeleUnrest,
#BringOdysseusHome
#SpartavsTroy
#RIPPatroclus
#breadgate
#VenusAscending
----From: CM@thebes.gov
To: EXEO3029@thebes.gov
Subject: PR Relations and Announcement
Oedipus,
Brother, you know that I love you both dearly, but you also know that the Oracle hasn’t been wrong yet. I
think that it’s in the best interest of the State that you reconsider revealing Jocasta's condition. The
administration is entering some rocky territory, and as King and Queen, you cannot appear compromised
or weak. As an alternative……
----Whatever illusion of control and authority the palace projected at this time was all a facade, officials
were scrambling to gather relief funds and find a cause for the massive loss of life. In a study released by
the Greek Census Bureau, it's suspected that at this time as many as 2 million individuals were living with
some effect the plague, with 52,000 already dead or hospitalized over the course of two decades. Thebes
was a global point of focus, everyone asking the question: Who will fall next?
Currently, patients have a vastly increased survival rate thanks to the work of Dr.Tiresias, developer of
the drug Narthex in 2016, but at the height of the crisis, everyone was flying blind.
----Hester @ashgrl 4m
So sorry to hear that #QueenJocasta tested positive for plague symptoms, my prayers to her family and for
a cure soon! #CybeleUnrest #Hera
in the pit @tartartar_us 13m
yeah so pretty much its only when #QueenJocasta gets sick does Oedipus start paying attention to finding
a cure when for years regular people have to suffer what a joke
in the pit @tartartar_us 14m
i knew that sudden interest in Tiresias’s work wasn’t because of some petition, maybe he’ll get
something done now though[8]
-----Queen’s Condition Degrades in 2 Months Since Confirmation of Cybele Plague
….last seen collapsing during an orphanage visit, Queen Jocasta seems to be fading fast, her appearance a
dramatic change from the healthy woman who stood among us six months ago. Public polls show concern
for the life of our beloved Queen…..
Read More
----[June 19, 2015]
Contacted by royal staff today regarding visiting hours, as I have heard, the Queen contracted the Plague
approximately 4 months ago and has deteriorated at a rate more accelerated that seen in any other patient.
I suspect that even if she were not so well connected, she may have been transferred to my care anyway
due to the specialized circumstances of her condition
-
Excerpt from the Journal of Tiresias Darshin
[replica on display at National Museum of Thebes, Cybele Stories exhibit]
----[Image depicts a small pile of goods piled at the foot of the palace complex’s gate, candles, pictures,
cards, stuffed animals, and trinkets litter the ground, all wishing the Queen speedy recovery. Out of focus
in the background is a small crowd holding signs demanding better access to public healthcare]
Theban Image Archive Entry #99071
-----
[July 11, 2015]
Preliminary examination of Jocasta indicates that kidney failure is imminent, and will become potentially
fatal within the next nine months. She insists that she should not be given special access to the available
donors, and should be placed on the waiting list like anyone else. Husband (KO) became distressed and
begged her to use the resources available to them to save her life. I suggested that they submit for genetic
testing to see if either he, or their children, are compatible for donor status. Initial blood samples suggest
that both are AB-, a good sign. Follow up examination scheduled for August
-
Last entry in Journal D of Tiresias Darshin
[Doc. Q-0039: Central Intelligence Document Archive, unavailable for public access]
----From: K_Bowman@ThebesUni.edu
To: T_Darshin@ThebesUni.edu
Subject: Lab Test [ALP8J2]
Hey doc,
Okay so I know that this whole procedure is supposed to be done blind, but with the number of URGENT
stamps on the paperwork I figured it's a safe bet to say the ALP8J2 is the set of tissue/blood sample for
the queen. All the tests went fine, the HLA tissue typing and the serology crossmatch both returned two
possible donors, a great sign for her, but my only problem is that I think one of the prince’s samples was
submitted twice? Like I get that they’re twins, but there’s a third sample in here for a male that isn’t either
one of them, but genetically matches the profile of her child? I’ve attached the results to this email.
HELP!
ALP8J2_Results_CON.pdf
-----> From: T_Darshin@ThebesUni.edu
To: K_Bowman@ThebesUni.edu
Kath,
I’ll review the results myself, thanks for your good work.
----King Assaults Leading Plague Specialist
Now we’re not sure what happened exactly, but early this afternoon King Oedipus and Queen Jocasta
entered St.Agatha’s, presumably to meet with the now famous Dr. Darshin to talk about Jocasta’s decline,
no secrets there. However, at around 3:05 witnesses saw the king being forcibly escorted from the
premises by his own security detail. Bystanders claim that he was sporting bloodied knuckles and could
be heard yelling a stream of profanities.
With his kingdom in the throes of a full scale epidemic, it's no wonder that King Oedipus is on edge.
However, giving a black eye to no only the foremost researcher for a cure, but also the man treating his
wife, remains completely bewildering. When we spoke to…..
(Osage, Julian. "King Assaults Leading Plague Specialist." The National Enquirer. The National
Enquirer, 11 Aug. 2015. Web. 11 Aug. 2015.)
---“God, I remember it so clearly.” says Katherine Bowman, a lab technician who still works at St.Agatha’s.
“At first I didn’t even recognise this man as the king, you know you’ve seen his face on the TV so many
times, but, f***, I was standing in the hallway when he burst out of Dr.Darshin’s office. Oedipus was, his
face was like contorted in rage, and I was afraid. For my life, for Dr.Darshin, and he just started
screaming, nonsense curses like [she widens eyes and begins gesticulating wildly] motherf*****, what
the f**** are you f***** saying, s*** like that, you know. It was surreal honestly..”
Oedipus went home. He sat down with his dying wife, and he started digging, covertly of course.
----UFO Kickstarter Hits 400,000 Backers: Breaks funding records with 7M in presales
Survivor of Tragic Laius Accident Called to Capital for Medal of Valor
Opium Drug Bust leads to arrest of 12
Plague Victim Claims Divine Intervention When Close to Death.
Patroclus: The Musical takes Broadway by Storm
----When I interviewed him myself, Ryder recalled the day he re-entered the palace for the first time in 23
years, that the King seemed to be dazed and frantic, greeting him with the barest formality and almost
immediately dropping the pretense of a medal of honor, demanding that he recall that desperate night
years and years ago.
For those who don’t remember, Bedell Ryder, was the only survivor of the disastrous Laius crash in ‘92.
Now blind in one eye from shrapnel damage, and missing two finger on his left hand, Ryder told the King
that after awakening from his traumatic coma seven months after the crash, his testimony of multiple
vehicles initializing the accident was taken by the agents assigned to the case as a matter of procedure,
with no follow up. It was what his dazed mind recalled at the time, near nothing but dark roads, then
white light and pain.
However, in years since, as his brain injury further recovered, he became certain that that night there
was only another black SUV, swerving directly into the path of the convoy, Laius, who was at the time
driving the car himself, turned violently to avoid a head-on collision, a movement that put the wheels
directly on a patch of black ice. “After that it’s all black, I don’t remember calling the paramedics, but I
do remember seeing that car speed of into the distance,” Ryder tells me.
He recalls that Oedipus looked utterly spooked, walking away without a word, leaving Ryder to be
escorted from the building by staff.”
----St. Hebe Orphanage for Children Shutdown on Charges of Document Falsification and Money
Laundering.
This children's home, in operation for over 74 years closed its doors after a long financial decline. Ward
are to be housed in Argus Juvenile Complex until the Queen’s Charity finalizes funding. The largest
foster care facility in Eastern Thebes, Hebe housed over 900 boys and girls ages one to eighteen. Through
no fault of their own, many of these children are orphans because of the Cybele Plague and are looking
for caring homes. If interested…..
----10 Heartwarming Stories of Human Compassion During the Theban Plague
BUZZFEED.com
-----
Office of the Thebes State Coroner
DATE and HOUR AUTOPSY PERFORMED:
8/17/2015; 8:30 A.M. by
Sera Buress, M.D.
726 Alitheia Avenue
Thebes, Greece 32200
21 6 234 2262 (FAX 21 6 234 2262)
Assistant:
Sharon Sawyer, M.D.
Full Autopsy Performed
SUMMARY REPORT OF AUTOPSY
Name:
MENOECEUS, Jocasta Carmen
Coroner's Case #:
2015-319 [CONFIDENTIAL]
Date of Birth:
6/22/54
Age:
61
Race:
White
Sex:
Female
Date of Death:
8/15/2015
Body Identified by:
Oedipus Paulson, husband of the deceased
Case #
004567-23E-2015
Investigative Agency:
Thebes Police Department
EVIDENCE OF TREATMENT:
N/A
EXTERNAL EXAMINATION:
The autopsy is begun at 8:30 A.M. on August 17, 2015. The body is presented in a
black body bag. The victim is wearing a white, semi-form fitting dress with beige
stockings. The victim wears no shoes. Jewelry worn by the victim includes two gold,
rectangular earrings measuring 1-inch each with a hammered texture, a silver wedding
band inset with two opals and one garnet on the fourth finger of the left hand, and
three circular, gold brooches of various diameters (1-inch, 1.25 inch, 2.2 inch).
The body shows no abnormalities or deformities and appears consistent with the
condition of a white female adult. The body is cold and unembalmed. Lividity is
fixed in the distal portions of the limbs. The eyes are closed. Dried, yellow-white
fluid is present in the corners of the mouth and on the lips. The lips are dry and a
violet-blue color. The victim’s hair was pinned up prior to death. The hair is dark
brown in color and wavy in texture.
Upon removal of the victim’s clothes, the body presents the characteristics of a
biological female consistent with reported sex. No external injuries are present.
The body has no residual scars, markings, or tattoos.
INTERNAL EXAMINATION:
HEAD--CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM: No cerebral injuries are present. Skull is intact and
the brain weighs 1,280 grams and is below normal limits.
SKELETAL SYSTEM: No compound or simple fractures are detected. The lower pelvis and
lateral false ribs 8-10 show evidence of bone remodelling from pathological
fractures. Osteoclast activity and bone mass is consistent with expected age.
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM--THROAT STRUCTURES: The oral cavity shows no lesions. The mucosa
is intact and there are no injuries to the lips, teeth or gums. There is no
obstruction of the airway. The mucosa of the epiglottis, glottis, piriform sinuses,
trachea and major bronchi are anatomic. No injuries are seen and there are no
mucosal lesions. The lungs weigh: right, 355 grams; left 362 grams. The lungs are
filled with viscous, acid fluid. Tests reveal the fluid to be a mixture of stomach
acid and bile.
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM: The heart weighs 249 grams, and has a normal size and
configuration. No evidence of atherosclerosis is present.
GASTROINTESTINAL SYSTEM: The mucosa and wall of the esophagus are semi-deteriorated,
inflamed, and gray-pink with red sores denoting injury to the mucosa. The gastric
mucosa is deteriorated and red, exhibiting numerous acidic ulcers, the largest of
which measures 1.7 inches. Approximately 118 ml of partially digested semi-solid
food is found in the stomach in addition to copious amount of small, white
pharmaceutical pills. The mucosa of the duodenum, jejunum, ileum, colon and rectum
are intact.
URINARY SYSTEM: The kidneys weigh: left, 115 grams; right, 113 grams. The kidneys
are anatomically accurate in size, shape and location.
FEMALE GENITAL SYSTEM: The structures are within normal limits. Examination of the
pelvic area indicates the victim has given birth more than three times but was not
pregnant at the time of death. There is evidence of recent sexual activity but no
indications that the sexual contact was forcible. Vaginal fluid samples are removed
for analysis.
TOXICOLOGY: Sample of right pleural blood and bile are submitted for toxicologic
analysis. Aforementioned pills appear to be the drug Silphyum, a birth control drug
prescribed to the victim’s daughter. Stomach contents are saved.
SEROLOGY: A sample of right pleural blood
toxicologic studies in addition to Cybele
were ordered in accordance with presented
protocols for ruling the death a suicide,
is submitted in the EDTA tube. Routine
antibody and preliminary poison screens
medical history of the disease and court
respectively.
LABORATORY DATA:
Cerebrospinal fluid culture and sensitivity:
Gram stain: Unremarkable
Culture: No growth after 72 hours
Cerebrospinal fluid bacterial antigens:
Hemophilus influenza B: Negative
Streptococcus pneumoniae: Negative
N. Meningitidis: Negative
S. Cybele: Positive
Neiserria meningitidis B/E. Coli K1: Negative
Drug Screen Results:
Urine screen {Immunoassay} was NEGATIVE.
Ethanol: 4 gm/dl, Blood (Heart)
Ethanol: 0 gm/dl, Vitreous
Chiron Equman, Ph.D.
Chief Toxicologist
August 25, 2015
EVIDENCE COLLECTED:
1. One (1) white short sleeve dress, size Medium.
2. Two (2) gold bar earrings.
3. Three (3) gold brooches.(Note: One (1) held trace amounts of blood on the pin)
4. Samples of Blood (type AB-), Bile, and Tissue (heart, lung, brain, kidney, liver,
spleen).
5. Fifteen (15) swabs from various internal body locations, to be submitted for
further toxicological tests.
6. Eighteen (18) autopsy photographs.
7. One postmortem CT scan.
8. One postmortem MRI.
OPINION:
Time of Death: Body temperature, rigor and livor mortis, and stomach contents
approximate the time of death between 8:30 and 11:30 P.M. on 8/15/2015.
Immediate Cause of Death: Asphyxia due to pleural effusions from drug-induced
pulmonary toxicity.
Manner of Death: Suicide
Remarks: Suicide is consistent with the psychological state of the victim. It would
be irresponsible not to recognize the clear trigger of a psychological break in the
wake of the recent genetic tests in addition to the victim’s deteriorating health.
//Sera Buress, M.D.
Thebes State Coroner’s Office
August 24, 2015
----Palace Confirms Rumors of Queen’s Death
…..She passed away quietly in her sleep as the result of a blood clot in her brain, an effect of her
advanced Plague infection. The State mourns the loss of our beloved Queen, and the royal family has
requested privacy in their time of upheaval.
----This is a lie, what really happened was that it all came crashing down[9]. She killed herself.
Years and years ago, in 1968, and then again in 1990, the Oracle Probability computer experienced a
glitch, one that led the machine to predict a one hundred percent chance that the son of Laius and
Jocasta would kill his father and marry his mother. Laius knew of it and was terrified, Jocasta knew
nothing.
The Oracle has never been wrong, and they did have a son, and the Oracle was proved right.
She killed herself. Jocasta saw the truth, in the prophecy and in all the suffocating evidnece, and she
ended her life. She ended her life with a fistful of Silphyum that had been prescribed to her daughter.
For the layman, Silphyum is one of the most popular prescription birth control drugs on the market.
----Hellenic Republic Trends (change)
#RIPJocasta
#CybelePlague
#ThisIsWhoTheQueenWas
#OedipusMissing
Thebes
----TRACK THIS THREAD
[Posted by Mod A_grippa at 7:29 AM on August 20, 2015]
> what, is he dead or something? where the hell is the king now..?
----The genetic testing results, Oedipus’s alcohol addled memory of his midnight drive to Thebes as a young
man, all the evidence came together for the family. Oedipus Paulson was Oedipus Laiuson, killer of the
last king, his father, and husband to the Queen, this mother.
Always a man of action during his reign….
-----
King Calls Emergency Press Conference: Declares that he is stepping down from the throne.
----(THEBES) King Oedipus Entrance to Press Confrence (8/20/15) - UNCENSORED
[1,498,002 Views]
Comments (3,903)
----I think that by now we have all seen the now iconic image, of Oedipus, his arm linked with Princess
Antigone’s, his skin pale under the stage lights, his eyes a red ruin staring directly into the camera, blood
spotting the immaculate white of his dress shirt….
----Things Not That Bad For King[10]
Source: The Fennel
-----
Palace Source Reports that Oedipus in Critical Stages of Cybele Plague
According to sources from within the Palace, King Oedipus himself has been living with slowly
advancing symptoms of the Cybele Plague, the severity of which manifested recently as the collapse of
his ocular membrane just days after his wife’s death…..
----He stabbed himself in the eyes, when he found the body of Jocasta, still warm. Oedipus took the pin of one
of her brooches and drove it into his skull, right and then left, blinding himself. Staff heard the cries and
discovered both approximately nine minutes after the death of Jocasta, and four after Oedipus had
committed the deed. More lies, upon more lies.
----….It is due to his deterioration that the King made the executive decision to step down from the throne,
deeming himself unfit to rule in his condition. Though succession is confirmed to fall to the co-rule of
twins Polynices and Eteocles, congressional law forbids the ascension of either brother until age 33,
leaving the question who’s the one getting coronated next month? On everyone’s mind.
(Moirai, Clotho. "The Cursed Throne of Thebes." The Theban Herald [Thebes] 25 Dec. 2015, 98th ed.,
sec. 1: 1-4. Print.)
----This is not an expose. I needed to tell the truth, of the whole accursed affair, of my sister’s fate, of my
sister’s life, and of my sister’s death.
Posted on April 10, 2017 at 9:32 AM EEST
Creon Menoeceus is a Senior Editor and Staff Writer for the Theban Herald, his third novel “The Oracle
Effect: a World With the Wrong Answers” is available for purchase on Amazon and in select stores.
Follow Creon on twitter @C_Menoeceous or on Facebook. Questions? Comments? Email him at
CM@thebes.gov.
Note: At the time of this article’s publication, Creon Menoeceus is no longer a member of the Herald’s
staff, and is currently on an indefinite leave of absence for personal reasons.
COMMENTS: (Showing 100 of 89677)
-----
( Menoeceus, Creon. "This Is Not An Expose." The Theban Herald [Thebes] 22 June 2017, 102nd ed.,
sec. 1: 1+. Print.)
----Rhetorical Devices:
[1] Zeugma
[2] Synecdoche
[3] Assonance
[4] Appositive
[5] Dramatic Irony
[6] Alliteration
[7] Situational Irony
[8] Ridicule
[9] Overstatement
[10] Understatement