Warden of Heaven

Overview

The Warden of Heaven is an older Saecular authority figure, addressed by attendants as “His Serenity.” Newly seen capsule footage shows him departing alone to approach the visitors aboard the icosahedral Cousins craft (the Cousins' ship). After egress, communications are jammed; hours later the crew recover him—deceased—after he is expelled from the visitors’ craft. An autopsy reportedly finds a burst aneurysm, leaving the time and cause of death unclear.

Appearance and Traits

• Older male; in weightlessness his hair stands oddly and his face appears puffy and greenish from nausea before egress.
• Attendants use the honorific “His Serenity.” He prays briefly with aides before airlock procedures.
• Crew note stress indicators (elevated pulse). He shows flashes of indignation and attempts humor when pressed with practical questions.
• Earlier second‑hand descriptions had portrayed a robed, priest‑like figure; the capsule speely instead depicts modern suit‑up procedures and a standard pressure helmet.

Roles and Actions

• Designated as the single representative to leave the capsule when the visitors stipulated “send one.” Crew and aides assemble a pressure suit over a tubular under‑garment, complete checks, and move him into the airlock.
• A robotic manipulator from the visitors’ probe grapples his suit’s lifting bracket and carries him toward the icosahedron. Wideband jamming cuts voice contact soon after; later even suit telemetry ceases.
• After several hours, a port on the visitors’ pusher‑plate face opens and ejects an unclothed human form; capsule crew identify and retrieve the Warden’s body. Subsequent remarks cite a burst aneurysm found on autopsy; whether it preceded or followed ejection is not established.

Relationships

• Aides and clergy: Attendants refer to him as “His Serenity,” attempt to shield him from the camera, and lead a short prayer before egress.
• Fraa Jesry: Present in the capsule crew and poses pragmatic, observational questions to guide first contact; exchanges are testy but informative for onlookers.
• The visitors: Referred to by avout and Convox travelers as the Cousins; the craft itself is documented as the Cousins' ship. Capsule narration also relays the Convox’s coinage “Geometers” as an in‑house label.
• Convox context: Mentions of “Geometers” arise in reports tied to the Convox, which is coordinating many Evoked travelers; usage is attributed in‑character rather than presented as official terminology.

Current Status

Deceased upon recovery by the capsule crew after ejection from the visitors’ craft. Officials and observers note the autopsy’s burst aneurysm; accounts in this period differ as to whether death occurred prior to ejection or as a consequence of it. Some religious speakers characterize the episode as the Warden being “cast out,” but these statements are presented as their interpretation, not a settled finding.

Reception and Commentary

• Later remarks by onlookers characterize the Warden’s attempt to address the visitors as “not very convincing.” These are personal impressions rather than official assessments.