In September of 1978 a series of “Dear Gramps” letters arrived at an address and were forwarded to the CIA office in the Moscow U.S. Embassy. These had been defined in the materials given to Tolkachev weeks earlier, hidden within the construction glove. The letters themselves indicated a boy’s thank you to his grandfather for time and presents that he had received. The letters showed signs of having been opened by the censors, but they were resealed and forwarded. On the back side of each page, written in a secret ink, was the small writing of Tolkachev detailing some of the Soviet weapons he was working on. Each letter contained an extensive amount of sensitive information. Tolkachev also noted that he had a large notebook of information for to pass to the CIA.
The CIA office proposed to the Langley, USA headquarters that they be allowed to meet directly with Tolkachev for the purpose of finding better ways to transfer information from him to them and to make a personal contact to explore his needs and wishes. That permission was given.
Late on New Years day, 1978, Guilsher and his family attended a birthday party, driving through cold and miserable weather to get there. In late afternoon, they left the party and headed home. Guilsher stopped the car near a narrow dark alley, got out, and his wife Kissa continued on towards home. Guilsher had changed clothes wearing a long dark coat and fur hat, looking like any other older Russian man. He boarded a bus and got off near Toalkachevs apartment. His radio earpiece picked up no Russian surveillance, so he checked the area visually and saw no one about. He went to a phone booth and called Tolkachev, identifying himself as Nickolai, and asked if Tolkachev could meet him?
This is a t/Moon-to-n/Sun in the 11th house Return, indicating a coming together for a common cause. t/Mars conjoins the t/Moon, indicating the aggressive nature of the meeting and the danger surrounding it. The most telling pattern, however, is t/Mercury-t/Neptune-MC. This is the “spy pattern” alluded to in the title. In his excellent book, Combination of Stellar Influences, by Reinhold Ebertin, he gives the following view of this pattern; “A rich inner life full of imagination, far-reaching ideas and plans, intuitive thinking, sympathetic understanding of other people — the act of deceiving oneself, to go the wrong way, to lie.” This is valid, but not for the context of Tolkachev and Guilsher’s life at this point in time. Mercury equals meetings, documents. Neptune equals secrets and deceit. The MC equals ones goals and status in life. Hence, we have a spy pattern.
We also find t/PoF-n/Jupiter in the first house; chance and change (PoF) seeks to have an expanded opportunity (Jupiter) of expression and experience. So, these brief statements serve to define the nature of this two week cycle. So, let us now look at the Advanced chart — for the first day of January.
Mercury and Neptune have swapped places with Neptune now closer to the MC angle. Great care and secrecy is the order of the day. Both are nervous about this first personal meeting as is suggested by t/Moon conjoining n/Moon in the 12th house of secrets. There is also an air of excitement as suggested by t/PoF-n/Uranus in the first house. Tolkachev would state to Guilsher that he was “A dissident at heart.” Remember his n/Sun opposite n/Pluto? And, to emphasize the secretivness of what was happening, we have t/Neptune-MC and n/Neptune-Desc. — a ‘doubled up’ Neptune. Tolkachev had first approached an Amercian, hoping to make contact with the CIA, back in 197s — seven years later. He had exercised great patience in getting his plan underway to do harm to the Soviet Union.
Upon receiving a phone call from ‘Nickolai’, he left his apartment, took his materials, and walked to the phone booth. Guilsher gave Tolkachev 1,000 rubles, not a great amount, but then there was little to spend it on in Russia’s then-devastated economy. He really did not need more money, but he appreciated the gesture. Tolkachev could not make use of a camera in his office during the day but he might be able to linger after office hours and take photos then for awhile. There was no privacy in his apartment. For privacy he went to the library. Guilsher received the notebook and they parted ways.
Immediately following the meeting, CIA headquarters went into ‘queasy’ mode, dubious about giving away money, wondering about the detailed information, feeling that their public meetings in the middle of the night were too chancy. Of course the field office was ecstatic. Solid intelligence was provided, great care was taken, the personal meeting gave both side confidence and improved their communications. Such is the nature of headquarters and field agents.
Let us now look deeper into Mercury and Neptune.
Mercury and Neptune. Mercury is said to “rule” the two signs (Gemini and Virgo) that have a hard aspect to the sign that Neptune is said to rule, Pisces. We can start with this relationship in exploring the way these two planets might work together.
Mercury opposite Neptune (Virgo-Pisces) offers perceptions and ambiguity. Can Mercury understand what Neptune offers? Will truth and value stand apart from lies and fraud? How about ‘facts’ versus ‘ideals.’ Mercury can consider ideals and dreams but Neptune doesn’t take time to think about or analyze them, Neptune just consumes them. This highlights the difference between Mercury in Virgo and Mercury in Gemini. Virgo slows down the Mercury processes, Gemini speeds them up. Gemini will stop once they grasp a Neptune concept, while Virgo will expand and explore a range of Mercury-Neptune possibilities.
So Mercury square Neptune (Gemini and Pisces) will instantly tear Neptune apart and select the pieces it wants. Mercury exercises its impatient side when squaring Neptune, while taking time to explore Neptune when it opposes that planet. Whether a useful outcome results in either case is another situation. Neptune doesn’t often lead to clarity. If clarity is not the goal, but entertainment, illusion, or fakery is the goal then Mercury can work more productively with Neptune.
We have to move to the softer aspects such as sextiles and trines between these two if we want results of value. Relative to Neptune/Pisces, this invokes Earth and Water signs and their influence on Mercury. Trines relate to water signs for Neptune, and Mercury in Water signs is not always good. Mercury just doesn’t cleanly do its thing when involved with emotions and feelings. Mercury tends to fake it, and does so poorly. Mercury has a mixed result when in Taurus versus being in Capricorn. Its a ‘fixed’ versus an ‘active’ thing for Mercury. Mercury works best when in can be quick and flexible, something that Taurus tends to discourage, something that Capricorn can support. So, not every sextile and every trine between Mercury and Neptune works well. It all becomes very personal and care must be taken when signs are given a role in Mercury-Neptune assessments.
Dave
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