Evans picks up the pages as Alouette finishes them and looks them over.
quote:
Texas Lodge of Research #142, Blackthorn Chapter
Meeting for April 6th, 1879
Meeting called to order by Dr. Dexter Ward.
Present: Dr. Dexter Charles Ward, Revealer of the Mysteries, High Malviosin. Mr. Glenn Bruebaker, Revealer of the Mysteries. Mrs. Elizabeth Bradshaw, Walker in Dusk. Mr. Arthur Whateley, Walker in Dusk. Mr. Nathanial Frost, Walker in Dusk. Mr. Lurch, temple guardian.
Presence “in spirit”: Mr. Harold Bradshaw, Initiate (deceased). Inclusion insisted on by Mrs. Bradshaw.
Performance of ceremonial duties performed by Dr. Ward and Mr. Bruebaker. Readings from The Yellow Sign performed by Dr. Ward. Readings from Trimestigus performed by Mr. Bruebaker. Random pointless prayer performed by Mrs. Bradshaw.
Minutes of last meeting read by myself.
First order of business: The potential reopening of the Wendell Mine. 32 pounds of Ghost Rock thus far recovered from mine. The seam gets larger the closer it gets to the cave-in area. Strategies for removal of blockage discussed. Important issue: the bone conglomerate creature will need to be removed before any serious attempt to reopen the mine. Discussion re: removal of creature discussed.
Suggested removal methods include: dynamite, forced breakage of all bones in area, capture of creature.
Dynamite suggested to be impractical; dangers include destabilizing the mine further, ignition of ghost rock seam (example of Satan's Garden in Deadwood mentioned).
Breakage of bones requires many man hours, and potential casualties a cause for concern among the more frail of constitutions among our august number. Same issues re: capture of beast.
Motion to request additional Enlightened from Dallas Lodge by Dr. Ward to examine and assist with issue. 2 votes in favor (Ward, Bradshaw), 1 vote against (myself), 2 abstentions (Frost, Bruebaker). Motion carried.
Second Order of Business: The prisoners. All six of the rustlers Ward captured have fallen ill. Most too ill to work. They have one, maybe two days of work left in them. Suggestions asked. Suggestions of liquidation offered by Frost. Suggestion of turning the prisoners over to Marshal Evans offered by Bradshaw. No other suggestions offered.
Motion to vote on disposition of prisoners too ill to work the mine: 4 votes for liquidation (Ward, Frost, Myself, Bruebaker). 1 vote to turn prisoners over to the marshal (Bradshaw). Motion carried: the prisoners will be killed when their usefulness is over.
Secondary issue: disposal of corpses. Suggested are: Christian burial (Bradshaw), Cremation (Frost), turning the corpses over to me for use in research (myself). Vote held: 1 vote burial (Bradshaw), 1 vote cremation (Frost), 1 vote research (myself), 2 abstentions (Ward, Bruebaker.) Motion tabled until next meeting. Damn you, Glenn, why didn't you have my back on this?
Third Order of Business: motion to approach Dr. Evans, enlist his aid against bone conglomerate creature, initiate into the Society as potential asset. Vigorous debate follows. Frost has personal vendetta against Evans. Bruebaker and myself do not believe he is trustworthy/sympathetic to our cause.
Vote on whether to approach Evans held. 2 for (Ward, Bradshaw), 2 against (Frost, myself), 1 abstention (Bruebaker). Motion stalled. Tabled until next meeting. Grow a spine already, Glenn! Or do you want to feel out whether he'd be with you or against you if it came down to you and Ward? Hmm.
Fourth order of business: discussion of the allocation of Ghost Rock, keeping in mind that more cannot be obtained until situation with bone conglomerate creature is dealt with. 32 pounds to be parceled out among the Society member according to need. Ward requests status report of each currently ongoing project. Naturally he will be going first.
Ward reports that two thirds of his livestock have been inoculated with Tezcatlcoatl's brood, including almost all cattle planned for May cattle drive. Beef prices approaching record highs this cycle thanks to Texas Fever die-offs across the state, so herd liquidation is planned. A final push to ready the majority of herd for the drive to Dodge City will require more contact with the brood and more inoculations to protect vs. disease, injury. Ward requests 20 lbs. of ghost rock be allocated to this project. Greedy bastard.
Bruebaker reports contact made with investors to sponsor mine reclamation. Bruebaker requests 25 lbs. of ghost rock to show off to investors as an enticement, a temporary loan to drive up interest in the project. How many pounds will he auction off under the cover of “samples,” I wonder?
Frost reports some discontent among the Dust Adders re: prisoners, and requests some ghost rock be sold and the proceeds split among them as a bonus. He suggests 15 lbs. for this project. That's a gross overpayment for some mangy cowhands, even if he will be pocketing a chunk of it.
Bradshaw wastes our time once again reporting vague “progress” made in her futile attempts to contact her deceased husband on the other side. No specifics, of course. She also reports a string of attempts to make the automaton work. No progress yet, but she is “optimistic” that her vain attempt to resurrect the dead will bear fruit “soon.” She requests 10 lbs of ghost rock and much liquid cash in order to continue her experiments in automatism. When will she give up this fool's errand?
I report several intriguing new developments in my studies of necromancy. I have very nearly isolated the active ingredients in the reanimate mixture used among Bayou Vermillion rail gangs, and with a modest amount of ghost rock to use as catalysts and reagents I am confident I can replicate the formula. I request 10 lbs. of ghost rock, as well as permission to approach Underhill about acquiring the raw materials for my research. I also renew my request the remains of the soldiers. Mr. Lurch needs new parts, after all.
Vigorous debate on merits of each plan. Ward secures 15 lbs for himself, Bruebaker gets 10, Frost 5, Bradshaw 5, myself 2. Permission to approach Underhill or to use bodies of dead soldiers denied. Typical. Ward gets everything he wants and the rest of us are left to twist.
Break. Sun tea and cornbread served. Refreshments provided by Bradshaw.
Meeting resumes.
Fifth Order of Business: The Comanche menace. Frost is concerned about the lingering presence of the Comanche warband. Several cattle rustled, and outriders from the encampment spotted closer to Blackthorn. They're growing bolder. Frost suggests arming the Dust Adders and riding against them. Bruebaker voices concerns that such action may provoke reprisals and suggests calling in the army. Ward voices concerns that calling in the army may bring unwanted attention to delicate projects, suggests sending an emissary to learn Comanche intentions and dealing with the infestation from there. Ward suggests Evans. Vigorous debate.
Motion on plan of action called for by Bradshaw. 2 for attack (Frost, Myself), 2 for army (Bradshaw, Bruebaker), 1 for emissary (Ward). Motion stalls. Bruebaker given leave to work contacts with the army, Frost given leave to increase patrols and deal harshly with potential rustlers, but not to pursue past the boundary of the Circle W.
Sixth Order Of Business: The Harbinger Sightings. Bradshaw reports that our old friend the Harbinger has been sighted again. It has made no move toward the cemetery since the wards were erected, but it has been haunting the outlying farms. Attempts to contact it or capture it have thus far been unsuccessful. We're still not sure why it attacked town in the first place.
Evans says, pausing for breath.
