Everyone has a level, even those who have never been formally contacted by one on our network. My level is higher than the others in my family, most likely because I lucked out and met a high ranking member early in life.
I cannot tell you my level. My contactor has forbidden me from ever disclosing three primary things: 1. Her name; 2. My level; and 3. Where I am going on the network. No one on our network can ever disclose these things unless they wish to be removed from the network and face grave penalty in life.
She claims that there are many networks, and that not all have rules as strict as ours. Some networks never even inform their own members of their involvement, even the highest ranking ones. You could be a level one (the highest level) on a major network and never even know about it.
Few people can successfully be on multiple networks. Those few that manage tend to live shorter lives and often get dropped from one or more network eventually. My contactor tells me that our network is the only one that I am on, and that I will lose my spot if I try to join another when I am still at my current level.
Honestly, I don't even know how I got sucked into this network in the first place. My contactor claims I was recruited due to the talents I demonstrated long ago.
Sometimes in my dreams I take the place of high ranking members of the network, as a part of what my contactor calls my "education." Their lives have been extremely distressful, not at all what you'd expect a high ranking member of any organization to experience. I guess I still have a lot to learn.
So, two weeks ago she drops into my head and gives me the word "Cortis" to research. No explanations, no nothing, other than that it is relevant to our network and that I'm assigned to learn as much about it as I can.
What is cortis, anyway? If you read this and have any other idea what it could be, please send me a message. My sister thought if the "t" was a "d," (cordis) it would be "discord" mixed up - this would almost make sense, as I am a card-carrying Pope (and recent Czar) in the Discordian religion. Could this all be explained as a prolonged joke initiated by Eris, Greek goddess of chaos, of golden apple fame? She has, after all, been known to contact followers in the past.
Yet my contactor denies being a manifestation of Eris and repeats that she's simply a person like myself. Of course, dear Eris could be holding out on me, so I don't completely rule out the possibility of her involvement.
What else could cortis be? Apparently it is Latin for farm yard, court yard, or court justice, depending on which version of Latin you choose. What this would have to do with the network is beyond me.
Cordis is similar enough to cortis, but my searches have revealed little more for that. There is a manufacturer of medical devices named Cordis, and a European research collaborative with the same name. Neither one seems all that promising for my purposes, but I've been searching on the European Cordis to see if any projects seem relevant. My contactor says this is a good start.
Also similar to Cordis is Codis, the FBI's DNA tracking system growing in use throughout the US. My contactor claims this is mostly irrelevant to my search, but to get familiar with it if I wish. I'd almost prefer to remain in peaceful denial of its existance.
Apparently some one else searched for Cortis before, on a medical mailing list. Someone had requested information on "Cortis removal." They didn't find out any more that I have, unfortunately.
I've not said a word to my family, or any acquaintances in real life, about my involvement with the network. And I hope to keep it this way, for as long as I can.
She claims that over time, and with further education, I will learn to recognize when someone I meet is on my network, an allied network, or on an opposing network. The latter I am supposed to avoid, but not harm or hinder in any way. Our network is large, though, and allied with many other large networks.
My involvement in the network is minimal at this point - and judging from my dream experiences of high ranking members, I can only hope it stays this way for a long time.
I don't know if I should be honored to be on the network or scared to death. I have no clue what I've gotten myself involved with, or even what the network is for. Sometimes I feel like some sort of freaky vampire, or something - although I really doubt that our dealings are all that sinister. I guess time will tell what this is really all about.
My contactor has approved my posting of all this information here on Everything2. She claims this is the sort of place where people can tell the difference between true psychotic rambling and art. She also says that this is good for me and may help my awareness grow. This is always advantageous - the more you know, the more control you have over your destiny on the network.
So, with that, I'll just keep on listening to the voices in my head and pretending that what they say makes some sort of sense to me.
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