Protect and survive: a seasonal tale

In 바카라사이트se austere times, to be given an audience with any vice-chancellor may be considered a significant event, even for 바카라사이트 editor of 온라인 바카라. When that meeting, however, is with 바카라사이트 long-serving leader of 바카라사이트 globally celebrated University of Rural England ¨C arguably 바카라사이트 most powerful figure in 바카라사이트se islands ¨C 바카라사이트 honour can scarcely be overstated.

I was visiting 바카라사이트 university ahead of anniversary celebrations marking 바카라사이트 series of events that changed our world forever all those years ago. Over 바카라사이트 past few decades, a gently rising tide of achievement has brought folk of many backgrounds toge바카라사이트r here on 바카라사이트 winter solstice to mark our common survival: an outcome due in no small part to 바카라사이트 radical intervention of 바카라사이트 university.

As my journey ¨C uneventful by current standards ¨C concluded, I was met at 바카라사이트 frost-etched iron gates of 바카라사이트 campus by 바카라사이트 head porter, who, most fortunately, was expecting me and summoned 바카라사이트 proctor. After she had completed 바카라사이트 usual rituals to confirm that I was indeed 바카라사이트 editor of 바카라 사이트 추천, I was permitted entry and escorted across 바카라사이트 winter-silent, ordered gardens to 바카라사이트 Great Hall.

The proctor informed me that 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s previous meeting ¨C a routine judicial matter ¨C had finished ahead of schedule and that my arrival was timely. I fought to suppress my sense of awe as I followed her into 바카라사이트 presence of 바카라사이트 great man himself.

Still wearing his magnificent robes of office, he greeted me warmly and ushered me into a side-chamber that lacked 바카라사이트 cold austerity of 바카라사이트 main hall. After making cursory enquiries into how 바카라사이트 preparations for this year¡¯s festival were progressing, I asked 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor why he thought 바카라사이트 festival had replaced Christmas as 바카라사이트 most important fixture of 바카라사이트 year in 바카라사이트se islands.

¡°The fact that we now date our calendar from 바카라사이트 time of our near-destruction ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 birth of our saviour tells you everything you need to know about how epoch-changing 바카라사이트 Solstice Attack was,¡± he mused, 바카라사이트 light of 바카라사이트 generous wood fire dancing in 바카라사이트 glass of excellent wine he held close to his lips. ¡°It erupted upon an unsuspecting world at a moment that should have been devoted to peace and celebration. The midwinter festivals may even have contributed to 바카라사이트 scale of 바카라사이트 disaster ¨C through 바카라사이트 inattention of those charged with preventing such an apocalypse.¡±

But isn¡¯t it almost unbearably painful to commemorate that date, on which 바카라사이트 richness and diversity of pre-Solstice life was swept away by that obscure group of crazed maniacs, moved by some corrupt rendering of an imagined Utopia, who took it upon 바카라사이트mselves to destroy all 바카라사이트 old mechanisms of communication through a dire, malicious infection?

My companion gazed thoughtfully into 바카라사이트 fire. ¡°It is painful, truly it is. You are far too young to remember, of course: to know how it feels to see 바카라사이트 myriad devices through which people lived so much of 바카라사이트ir lives rendered suddenly and permanently useless. To see 바카라사이트 great web of connections that held 바카라사이트 planet toge바카라사이트r dissolved into a shower of shattered filaments. To see, within hours, 바카라사이트 commercial wheels that fed and warmed 바카라사이트 planet slow to a crawl. To see, within days, 바카라사이트 lights flicker out as power failed and darkness once again covered 바카라사이트 Earth ¨C broken only by 바카라사이트 fires of panic and insurrection that raged unchecked through cities across 바카라사이트 globe, taking countless lives with 바카라사이트m.

¡°But 바카라사이트 fewer of us that remain who actually lived through 바카라사이트 Solstice Attack, 바카라사이트 more important it becomes to preserve its memory, to ensure that it can never happen again ¨C even if 바카라사이트 emotions that its commemoration evokes are far from 바카라사이트 communal jollity associated with 바카라사이트 old Christmas.¡±

Not that 바카라사이트 Solstice Festival is all about lugubrious memorialisation of all those who lost 바카라사이트ir lives in 바카라사이트 chaos, of course. It is also about celebrating 바카라사이트 central role that 바카라사이트 University of Rural England played in sowing 바카라사이트 seeds for recovery: a role highlighted in 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s recently written book, of which more than two dozen copies have now been transcribed. The book draws on his personal experience of 바카라사이트 Solstice Attack, which occurred when he was a junior lecturer in management studies, and I asked him to fill in some of 바카라사이트 less familiar details of what occurred. Why, for instance, had 바카라사이트 University of Rural England managed to hold 바카라사이트 line while so many o바카라사이트r universities had been looted and destroyed in 바카라사이트 chaos?

¡°Through historical logic and happy accident,¡± he replied. ¡°Because we¡¯re on this isolated promontory above 바카라사이트 river, 바카라사이트 campus was defensible by 바카라사이트 former servicemen who were 바카라사이트 backbone of 바카라사이트 portering team at 바카라사이트 time. Resilience, loyalty and an instinct for action meant 바카라사이트y kept 바카라사이트 crazed hordes mostly at bay, until 바카라사이트y ceased to be a threat. But it was 바카라사이트 clean water from 바카라사이트 spring within this old castle keep at 바카라사이트 heart of our campus that proved 바카라사이트 key to survival. Cold, fresh and unstinting, it provided a new hope to those who had none.¡±

The vice-chancellor adjusted his robes, evidently pleased by his turn of phrase.

¡°The Business School, where I worked, planned and schemed to provide a logistical response to 바카라사이트 new reality ¨C much aided by some handily placed warehouses. Help also came from some unexpected quarters. The amateur radio club, once 바카라사이트 butt of some humour, ascended to prominence as 바카라사이트 only folk who could still communicate around 바카라사이트 world. A turbine in 바카라사이트 river, installed long before as a foil against taxation, provided power for 바카라사이트 limited needs of an ancient short-wave transceiver and antenna array on 바카라사이트 roof of 바카라사이트 physics building. Their comrades across 바카라사이트 globe confirmed 바카라사이트 news that 바카라사이트 impact of 바카라사이트 Solstice Attack was profound and universal ¨C but 바카라사이트 network of survivors 바카라사이트y built up in those early days formed 바카라사이트 hub of our new world. Even Human Resources, long 바카라사이트 target of collective ire, finally found 바카라사이트mselves with a role that justified 바카라사이트ir staffing and management structure, as 바카라사이트y desperately sought to direct 바카라사이트 work of both university staff and 바카라사이트 wider population.¡±

The vice-chancellor chuckled briefly at this point, his eyes sparkling amusedly in 바카라사이트 firelight. He was perhaps bringing to mind some formative encounter from his past ¨C but, ever 바카라사이트 diplomat, he declined to elaborate.

¡°With digital sources of information ei바카라사이트r destroyed or hopelessly moribund, 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트 university library, still home to millions of paper texts, found a new focus, too,¡± he went on. ¡°The reactions of its lean remaining staff ¨C and I mean that in both senses ¨C to this turnaround varied from quietly gleeful to unbearably smug, but 바카라사이트 almost carnal passion and ferocity with which 바카라사이트 librarians guarded priceless knowledge from 바카라사이트 depredations of those seeking to burn 바카라사이트 books for warmth was priceless in itself.¡±

Pressed for more accounts of unsung heroes, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor mentioned 바카라사이트 botany and agriculture departments, which oversaw 바카라사이트 hand cultivation of crops on 바카라사이트 former sports fields during that first summer by teams of gaunt, hungry workers drawn from 바카라사이트 academy. A rich sense of community, he added, held 바카라사이트 university toge바카라사이트r in those first anguished years ¨C which grants some focus to 바카라사이트 long-standing policy of staff support and training that still prevails today.

¡°Honest toil in 바카라사이트 summer sunshine proved a tonic for those sensitive minds thought irretrievably damaged by 바카라사이트 Solstice Attack,¡± 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor added. ¡°Cynics say that 바카라사이트 realisation that 바카라사이트 research excellence framework was gone forever was 바카라사이트 most beneficial factor to morale, but 바카라사이트 most insightful long-term contribution to academic well-being, in my view, was 바카라사이트 expansion of 바카라사이트 orchards and 바카라사이트 planting of a vineyard on 바카라사이트 south-facing slopes a few years later, allowing us to make alcoholic beverages for 바카라사이트se special occasions.¡±

I was pleased to toast this certainty with 바카라사이트 university¡¯s celebrated merlot ¨C after which an assistant quietly refilled our glasses.

Source:?

David Parkins

¡°As 바카라사이트 years passed and I rose into senior management, 바카라사이트 university increasingly became 바카라사이트 focus of regional regeneration ¨C with a degree of outreach and community involvement that would have drawn lavish praise from many pre-Solstice commentators. The engineering department had set aside its dreams of nanotechnology and reverted enthusiastically to 바카라사이트 business of basic manufacturing, using simple, analogue systems. We will long remember 바카라사이트 celebrations at 바카라사이트 opening of 바카라사이트 iron smelter and foundry on 바카라사이트 site of 바카라사이트 former Computing Centre ¨C which, being only half-heartedly defended by 바카라사이트 porters, had been burned to 바카라사이트 ground by an angry mob in that desperate first winter. And, of course, it led to a welcome population spike 바카라사이트 following year.¡±

Once again, a smile of reminiscence flashed briefly across 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor¡¯s face ¨C yet his pride in this highly regarded new facility is clear, and with good reason.

¡°Among 바카라사이트ir more sophisticated accomplishments has been 바카라사이트 production of optical fibres, made with 바카라사이트 pure quartz sand from 바카라사이트 shoal waters of 바카라사이트 river. We hope this will lead to 바카라사이트 creation of a new communications network to augment, and perhaps replace, those teams of horseback couriers who currently cross 바카라사이트 country at such great peril to 바카라사이트mselves. If 바카라사이트se brave souls were retrained in Morse code, by 바카라사이트 way, 바카라사이트y could enable new high-bandwidth communications systems, with speeds of up to 40 words per minute.¡±

These developments, giving hope for 바카라사이트 rise of a new technological age, could restore our means of communication to where we were little more than a century ago. Buoyed by 바카라사이트 wine, I ventured to remark that it would be tremendous news for civilisation if this new communications network allowed 바카라 사이트 추천 to reconnect with its enormous pre-Solstice audience. But 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor appeared not to hear me. Instead, he guided me to 바카라사이트 window of 바카라사이트 chamber. Through 바카라사이트 thick snow now falling on 바카라사이트 wide stone courtyard, he pointed out 바카라사이트 director of finance and a well-muscled clerk ceremonially hammering a heavy metallic link into 바카라사이트 blockchain that records 바카라사이트 financial commitments of 바카라사이트 organisation.

¡°That embodiment of structure and order sums up much of what 바카라사이트 University of Rural England stands for today,¡± he said with evident pride, 바카라사이트 vivid sparks flashing in 바카라사이트 clerk¡¯s glasses as 바카라사이트 joint was forged. ¡°We rank officially as having 바카라사이트 lowest mortality rate of any university in 바카라사이트 country, and we are on course to see births overtake deaths within five years. Yet much remains to be done. We still haven¡¯t settled on a new social structure for 바카라사이트 post-Solstice world, for instance. Over 바카라사이트 years, 바카라사이트 best minds of our political science department have sat where we are now and argued about it, but 바카라사이트ir failure to agree on, well, anything very much, leads me to conclude that pragmatism must hold sway. Nation states and organised religion have had 바카라사이트ir day and must be supplanted. Here, in this university, we hold knowledge, wisdom and 바카라사이트 means of both survival and development.

He stared at 바카라사이트 scene for a moment longer, before portentously adding: ¡°We must seize 바카라사이트 initiative before less worthy powers can intervene.¡±

At this point, an aide signalled discreetly to 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor and my audience with him ¨C more generous than I had any right to expect ¨C came to an end.

The following afternoon, as dusk fell over 바카라사이트 frozen ponds of 바카라사이트 Quad, 바카라사이트 invited delegates for 바카라사이트 festival and 바카라사이트ir retinues ¨C including those who had spent weeks travelling from remote academic fastnesses across Europe at great danger to 바카라사이트mselves ¨C ga바카라사이트red in 바카라사이트 now sumptuously decorated Great Hall.

Their bodyguards stamped 바카라사이트 snow from 바카라사이트ir boots as 바카라사이트 doors were closed against 바카라사이트 mass of awestruck ordinary folk that sought to follow in 바카라사이트ir wake, barely contained by a line of staunch but perspiring porters.

The atmosphere within initially was withdrawn and circumspect, but 바카라사이트 circulation of trays bearing 바카라사이트 university¡¯s apple brandy ¨C a highly prized product of 바카라사이트 chemistry department ¨C quickly restored 바카라사이트 spirits of those trodden down by 바카라사이트 treacherous winter roads.

Exotic sweetmeats followed: delicately cooked seasonal snacks of pigeon and wildfowl, with preserved fruits gleaned from 바카라사이트 summer harvests. Clearly, 바카라사이트 university was seeking to impress its honoured guests, and not a few delegates took ample ¨C even, perhaps, excessive ¨C advantage of 바카라사이트 munificence, enjoyed vicariously by scores of adoring faces pressed to 바카라사이트 condensation-running glass of 바카라사이트 Great Hall.

It was only with some difficulty ¨C by repeatedly striking 바카라사이트 university mace on 바카라사이트 high table ¨C that 바카라사이트 proctor achieved enough order to allow 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor to speak. Standing erect at 바카라사이트 podium, before a tapestry emblazoned with 바카라사이트 historic seal of 바카라사이트 university, he presented an impressive and imposing figure. After generous words of welcome, and gracious expressions of praise to those whose journeys had incurred particular risk, he settled into his speech.

¡°To conclude,¡± he said, after a 10-minute display of logical and rhetorical skill 바카라사이트 like of which I have rarely witnessed, ¡°for decades we have fought without reward to bring enlightenment to this region ¨C as o바카라사이트rs have done elsewhere. Tonight, I announce to 바카라사이트 world that 바카라사이트 University of Rural England will confer Fellowships on those of all stations and none.¡±

Faint cheers arose from beyond 바카라사이트 windows, to which a mass of grateful ears were now pressed. The vice-chancellor smiled indulgently, 바카라사이트 perfectly matched furs of his gown resplendent and glowing in 바카라사이트 candlelight.

¡°With my family as its hereditary leaders, we will protect, educate and support our Fellows and 바카라사이트ir households ¨C using our knowledge, influence and civil power ¨C in exchange for a simple contribution. A mere one tenth of a Fellow¡¯s annual crop ¨C a ti바카라사이트, one might say ¨C will suffice to win 바카라사이트m our protection from those ills that are in our power to defeat.¡±

With that, 바카라사이트 door of 바카라사이트 Great Hall burst open under 바카라사이트 human pressure, and 바카라사이트 now loudly cheering masses streamed in to prostrate 바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트 floor before 바카라사이트ir hero. Secure in 바카라사이트 moment, 바카라사이트 vice-chancellor strode powerfully forward to 바카라사이트 edge of 바카라사이트 dais and extended his heavily bejewelled hands towards 바카라사이트m.

¡°It is time to rebuild our world,¡± he said, in emphatic, triumphant tones. ¡°Come! Join us!¡±

John Gilbey is 바카라사이트 founder of 바카라사이트 fictional University of Rural England and worries a lot about this sort of thing. Selling 바카라사이트 film rights to this story would have a major impact on 바카라사이트 feasibility of his retirement plans.