Posted Sept. 27, 2022, 1:04 p.m. by Karilan Massat (Owner, Quill and Parchment Books) (James Sinclair)
Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Quill And Parchment Books- Working Hideaway
Posted by Karilan Massat (Owner, Quill and Parchment Books) in Quill And Parchment Books- Working Hideaway
Posted by Captain Eela Dasca (Lt. Governor) in Quill And Parchment Books- Working Hideaway
(snip)
“A little over a year.” Massat replied as they moved at her speed up the stairs. “Technically I’m on sabbatical from work, but the more I stay here the more I think I will stay here.” and they laughed softly. “Although the way things are going here, I wouldn’t be surprised if my work opens a satellite campus on Oed.”
Eela grinned. “And what is your other work?”
“Engineer. I was in Star Fleet for some time, and I am on sabbatical from the Daystrom Institute. I am… was?…” and he laughed slightly, “… the Chief Researcher of the Engineering and Fabrication Department.”
“Ahhh,” she said with a grin. “I can only imagine you’ve done some fascinating research.”
They reached the top and the floor was simply breathtaking for anyone with a love of books. The second floor was actually the perimeter of the floor, the middle being open to the ground floor and above them a magnificent glass gabled roof. All along each side were dozens and dozens of tall, dark, wooden bookcases; their shelves closed behind glass and protected from the elements and sunlight from the roof. Each shelf was its own archival storage; and at the end of each shelf was a small display registering temperature, humidity, and the like. In front of the bookcases were display pedestals with individual pieces on display under tight protection and security.
“Please, feel free to look around. This is the rare and first edition library. We have works in over a thousand languages and dialects, and some as old as almost a thousand years.” Masaat said with pride.
Masaat, Proprietor
For a moment Eela just stood there, absorbing the feeling of the place, letting it soothe her in a way that had been elusive this tumultuous first week on the job. “My mother used to take me to a place very similar to this when I was growing up. She had a love of old things, which made sense given she was an anthropologist.” Not only had she had a doctorate but her mother, as well as her paternal grandmother, had both been renowned in their respective fields and been published authors of books for both academics and laypersons.
She moved around slowly, her eyes skimming titles until she landed on one that was familiar. Or at least the author. “Oh! You have works by Siak Fregiann, lovely. My father was a herbalist who said Siak’s philosophies on whole body healing really influenced his practice. He had a rather extensive collection of mostly later and revised editions.”
~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov
Massat looked closely at the book and said “Hmmm, yes. That is an original edition of his Treatise On The Subjugation Of The Natural World. The author was a notorious Luddite, and it caused them no small issues towards the end of their life. But their perspective on utilizing natural compounds for patient care are really far reaching.”
Massat, Proprietor
She nodded as she continued to browse the titles. “My was definitely not a Luddite, but he focused on whole being wellness. That included the way spirituality and connection played a role in physical and mental well being.” She flashed a smile at Massat. “He was about more than just plant potions.”
“Do you have any books here that you personally think are important?” she asked. Acquiring books for sale and sharing did not mean that Karilan themself didn’t have any personal favourites and she was just plain curious.
~Eela Dasca, Lt. Gov
Massat smiled and said “I believe all books are important, Madame. But for many different reasons. For instance…” and he led her to one of the pedastle cases. “…this.” The book in the case was very old. It was open, and a picture depicted a monstrously large tentacled creature with its appendages wrapped around some kind of submersible craft that was floating on the surface of the water. Figures, human males from the look of them, seemed to be fighting the creature with primitive tools and weapons. Knives, axes, spears… one figure was in the motion of throwing a wicked looking barbed harpoon.
“Twenty Thousand Leagues Under The Sea.” Masaat said, his eyes resting in the book like a long-awaited friend. “Human author Jules Verne. It was published in, according to the Old Earth calendar, in 1870. Some five hundred plus years ago. This is the oldest surviving edition, published in 1910 of that world’s calendar. I believe it to be very important because it helped humanity accomplish what it has. But…” and he led her to specific shelf on one of the bookcases. He pointed at a small, black book. On the spine was an odd symbol of some kind with the words Mein Kampf written below it. “This book is also important for that very same species. Because this book was written by a lunatic and madman… who also happened to command a great army and an entire country. That man, the author, murdered millions… because of bigotry and hate. He started a war so massive in scale it was a World War. So this is also important to show how a species must learn to overcome evil.”
Massat
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