This Is The Way: The Prophecy
We were somewhere between the planets of Banyila and Iceroth when a loud thud turned into a persistent rumble in engine 2c. Not critical damage, but paired with dwindling fermentable sources, enough to make an urgent case to find landing. But where to land? Banyila is a devastatingly hot planet. Sure, we might be able to land but we could only stay for minutes. Definitely not enough time to check out the engine. Iceroth on the other hand is a blistering cold planet. Again, we might be able to land but we could only stay for minutes before the ship might freeze solidly to the surface.
For days we circled around between the planets trying to devise a plan. With each day we fell deeper and deeper into some sort of disorientation. Suspended in this spiraling limbo, something happened that we still can’t quite find the words to explain. Days or maybe weeks or perhaps even months into our spinning round and round, there it appeared… a smooth and glowing planet. It wasn’t there before, surely we would have seen it.
We descended to the surface and found ourselves being welcomed by someone who called himself “One of the Saunisian Monks Order”. He shared with us a scripture from his book. A prophecy:
“And from the cosmic ether, they shall descend in search of respite. Tired and weary from their quest, lost in direction and in soul. Secrets centuries kept locked behind mouths of Saunisian monks shall at last be shared. True progress in the pursuit of moderation comes not through the middle experience, but within the liminal space between opposing extremes. Within a whisper and shout, a grape and lemon, after fire and ice. This is the way.
And in so, the traveler’s libation will be formed. The balance sought is found between extremes, the sweetest syrup and plants the most bitter. And it shall be. Breathe deeply, my children, the travelers are to make liquid our sacred ethos. This is the way.”
As told in the prophecy, the monks shared with us their profound secrets. What they have discovered is some sort of balance, not found between extremes but contained within extremes themselves. Words fail to capture the idea so instead we crafted a glowing caramel-colored elixir that speaks directly to the senses. We shared the drink with the monks and their followers. We saved a dose for ourselves, that we might dip into when we need to remember the lessons of the Saunisian Monks.
* A note from Travis and Jess: There are long-practiced and honored traditions of bathing rituals across the world and across history. Jess grew up partaking in баня (“banya” - Russian sauna) as her dad built one himself at the family дача (“dacha”). It was pure luck that we would find ourselves with access to a sauna and accompanying ice bath to partake in our own “ritual of extremes” once a week. The ritual is called “hot and cold” and it’s exactly what it sounds like - cycling between extreme heat and cold. Just as the Kvasmonauts said, the sensation is best explained not through words but directly through the senses.