Day Nine Hundred Twenty Four #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Tomas and the Captain returned today. Their foray had yielded slim results. But such as those were, they did raise the hope of an eventual breakthrough.

They excitedly talked about the possibilities. According to them the most promising ground for discovery lay towards the north and west of Jericho, long ago known as the Galilee.

They wanted to return there as soon as possible. But before that they asked to confer with Elijah and myself.

I was available, but Elijah was not. In order to have a face to face with him, they’d have to wait for him to return from intercession.

I decided to release them to the work on my own recognizance, when Elijah emerged and halted everything.

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Day Nine Hundred Twenty Three #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Harmony crowns our community again. Meesa and Mei have implemented procedures that will hopefully handle any future disputes. Elijah will only be called upon to settle the more thorny ones. A development most welcome to my friend.

I had updated him when he emerged from intercession this morning. At the same time he alerted me that our next expedition is close at hand. And told me to make preparations for an extended absence from here.

This I told him I would do, but I also reminded him that we should time our departure for after the return of one or both of the other search parties.

His reply astonished me. He concurred, but only if that luxury remained to us.

Day Nine Hundred Twenty Two #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Quasimo and I made short work of completing the new drone. Then Elijah and I sent him off to rejoin Jezer to take up the search again.

We then had a brief respite to catch our breath before the next demand on our attention.

When it came, I shouldered it myself as Elijah had sequestered himself with the intercessors in their labors.

A dispute had erupted between members of Quasimo’s group and a few from that led by Mei over the distribution of the daily allowance. Unable to locate Mei, Meesa stepped in to help defuse the tempers. After Mei surfaced, a solution was quickly reached, and consequently the women announced their decision to administer rather than join the search.

Day Nine Hundred Twenty One #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

A day of peace and rest. Much needed and welcome.

Quasimo returned. On his own volition. He was not chased away by Jezer. Rather Jezer agreed with Quasimo’s suggestion that their job would go much easier if they took a drone with them.

I had to tell him that Tomas and the Captain took the only working  one with them. But added that if he could wait till tomorrow, he could help me finish putting the new one together.

He was somewhat disappointed about the wait, but thanked me and sought out his people to pass the day with them.

Mei and Meesa reported all was well and asked if there were anything they could do to help our search.

Day Nine Hundred Twenty #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Our meeting concluded, Raj P took over the consolation of his brother and folded him into his group.

With the new day we set about implementing our decisions.

We assigned to Jezer the task of running down what has happened to Raj G’s people. And Quasimo stepped up to help him in that quest. (I believe Jezer has opened up to be more amenable to taking someone with him).

Sensing the hour and the day at hand, Elijah and I took Tomas and the Captain aside to enlist their aid in finding the other parties that long ago (and far away) set out for their calling in Jerusalem. Their present whereabouts is a complete mystery to all but the Spirit.

Day Nine Hundred Nineteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Raj G’s joy at finding us was short lived. It melted away when he broke off my hug and fell to the floor sobbing uncontrollably.

There he remained. Begging for forgiveness between racking sobs. He confessed he had lost all of the people entrusted to him. They had been swept up by the government forces when they neared Jerusalem.

At this juncture Jezer excused himself to go out and seek those drone parts I needed.

It took the rest of the night for Elijah and me to calm our friend.

We succeeded shortly before Jezer’s return and immediately decamped for the hiding place.

Once there we discussed the situation with the leadership and formulated a consensus for our next move.

Day Nine Hundred Eighteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Though not exactly conclusive, the news Jezer brought was about an individual from the distant south who had been haunting the old Hamashiachite quarter, seeking Elijah by name.

Elijah was immediately convinced this had to be the one we were looking for. But Jezer and I prevailed upon him to wait until today to go out to find him.

The quarter was very much changed. Many new peoples have been brought in to repopulate it and supply a work force for the rebuilding.

By a roundabout series of connections Jezer landed us in the individual’s own habitation.

But he was then out.

We took a chance and waited for his return.

We were rewarded later when in walked Raj G.

Day Nine Hundred Seventeen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Jezer was down to the last of his leads today. This he took care to explain before departing. He would like to move to another location as soon as possible to continue the search.

However, Elijah remained certain that the trail to Raj G’s group will originate here in Damascus.

Last night I had given Jezer a list of the last components I needed for the drone under construction. So not having anything to work on to keep me busy, my mind was filled up with other concerns. I felt more than ever that I needed to be out and about. But I stifled that feeling. And was obedient.

As it turns out, Elijah proved correct. Jezer returned with news.

Day Nine Hundred Sixteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

We were on lockdown still when he left to take up the thread on our queries. He left me with a whole set of drone components to tinker with. It kept my hands busy and my mind occupied.

Elijah even lent a hand, off and on. It reminded me of the days when I knew Elijah as Lyle, and he called me ‘Enough.’ Back when we built a pair of drones. And left the city behind for the mountain.

When I voiced my recollection, Elijah said it elicited a different memory for him. It made him miss his pigeons, Rufus and Clarissa.

And that touchstone released a new flood of memories about people we hope to see again before long.

Day Nine Hundred Fifteen #DiaryoftheEndoftheWorld

Jezer had us well hidden within the city. And it was his turn to order us to stay put as he went about our inquiries. We rested in the fact that it was with good reason.

Elijah is now convinced that Raj P’s twin brother G should have arrived with his group in the vicinity long ago. Jezer was equally certain that he could not have failed to hear of their presence if such a sizable group of strangers were out there. But he did no more than state that belief and then obediently acquiesced to follow up Elijah’s hunch.

At day’s end, Jezer returned. So far, all his queries confirmed his assessment. But admittedly he hasn’t exhausted his contacts.