From Divination: A Conspiracy of Blood:
“At the front of the hall stood a man who seemed to bear the weight of his seventy-four years with a mixture of dignity and weariness. MikoĊaj Kopernik’s white hair was thinning on top and extravagantly curly where it framed his face, a face whose deeply etched lines spoke of a lifetime spent in observation and contemplation. His hands, marked with prominent veins and liver spots, moved with remarkable precision and dexterity as he adjusted a complex brass instrument on the table before him.
“Gentlemen,” Kopernik began, his accented English carrying clearly to Dee at the back of the hall despite its softness, “Thank you for your attendance this evening. What I will present to you today is not merely a method of divination, as some might dismiss it, but rather, it is a mathematical system for understanding celestial influences in our earthly realm.”
Dee leaned forward, trying to get a better look at the array of manuscripts and instruments laid on the table, all frustrating far from his rearmost position. He cursed his lateness once again.
Beside an astrolabe of exquisite craftsmanship lay an intriguing device that Dee could not recognise, a series of interlocking brass rings and dials that seemed to be a mechanical echo of the heavens themselves.
“The movements of the celestial bodies,” continued Kopernik, “follow patterns that can be measured, calculated, and, most importantly, predicted. With a proper understanding of these patterns and their projection to the earth, the skilled astronomer can understand their influence upon the tides of human affairs.”
A murmur rippled through the audience. Whilst astrology remained a respected field of inquiry, Kopernik’s claims went beyond the conventional, challenging the balance previously established by the church.”