I am sitting cross-legged upon the white edge of the vast Tower roof at night, the dark lands of The Master’s Domain spread outwards kilometers below...copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡPySybFF034
Given what is upcoming…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzpsP64pBD
Running a hand across the Id EIS scalp, which is now smoothly bald again, I give a long sigh before picking up the utterly byzantine Rulebook of Twelve from a place on the rooftop beside me, set it upon the crossed Id EIS legs and firmly open the huge tomb back up, halfway.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡZrViiMRGm6
(Again.)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡNegUZlCEK3
Prior Rulebook of Twelve chapters had ably outlined the seemingly endless basics constraining the progress of their only superficially unfettered immortal existence, including: complete Domain autonomy, Guest Right, the guidelines for semi-compulsory Meeting attendance, a detailed list of Meeting Delegate inviolability clauses, biosynth/automata Attendant propositional criteria for presentations, complex codas governing the process of Debate and Voting…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡdraXnzb26W
However: this current section of the Rulebook solely concerns an exhaustively comprehensive list of the social procedures for every Technological Presentation, public exhibit and social gathering in that freshly built current Iteration of a shining metropolis resurrected endlessly by The Master’s, called Dream City.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡbvRXYAqSl0
I am scanning…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡA4Fbypkybd
(But why….)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡg6EyFf4B9C
Turn a page, scanning, turn a page, scanning, turn a page, scanning, turn a page…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡqL7BIIJZhE
(If The Master has nothing planned and I have also been constrained so as not to offer anything…)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡXCLVdyziHF
A frown.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6lYY1xYsxJ
(An oversight?)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡeK7UHmOvjq
Scanning…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡLwLzIMhSPh
(Impossible.)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡVsdnXinvu8
Turn page.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡQoRem5Ol7e
(So why?)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡbKroOTdFcA
And continue…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡyICn95tTMc
…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡlpiSfMheRn
A quarter of the Rulebook remains when I close it yet again in frustration, then leave it upon the Tower roof before bonelessly rising back up to standing, above it all.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡmApmCV1yjd
(There is other work yet to do.)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡrYyrNrLg0h
I walk from the edge of the Tower, stop, and begin descending smoothly upon a circular white platform into an oval cell, white and bare. The ceiling portal irises shut. Successive blue waves of light PULSE downward. A portal irises open, I step out of it and stride through dark, low-walled Stations receding out in great number across the Workstation Level, and into the dim, until one particular Station ahead births a subtle building glow, smartmatter dripping up, via gravimetrics, into silver display screens, brightening. I enter the Station, calling out: “compile list of service biosynths on 1, list of service automatons on 2, and Meeting estate schematics from previous bookmark on 3.” The Station ergo rises behind me, so I lean back against the comfortable ergo-surface conforming until it fit snugly against me along the entire length of the Id EIS body…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡPeQLJrf62u
Ok.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8uKypf8cNS
A gesture causes floating display screens to near me in response, surrounding closer. Scanning…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡUhUydSsgt2
(Now…)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡT7ngLhCiHB
…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡeuJqOzTl1I
(And…)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwvdTn7jUy
“I received a message,” a feminine voice says, behind me.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡpXP3Dp8YzH
The ergo gently swivels around smoothly then brings me up, to standing. “Thank you for coming.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8yYyjnmUX
Floating before me is a flawless golden sphere. “Both servitor codemaps are approved,” the sAI node reveals. “Ready to produce?”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡrsDRmlhyds
I skip off through the floating display screens, before heading toward the aperture in the low Station encircling wall. “Yes and no.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡjkghzrnawo
The sAI node follows. “This is no time for whimsy,” it says, giving a brief pink PULSE. “Much is still left for us to do before you and The Master depart.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡVGdiw5mIKx
I skip out of the Station aperture towards three dark Stations dissolving downwards, a subtle glow building at the center becoming an innerglowing open white space where a solitary circular flatcouch rises around a circular table rising gently to a stop.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡTFyc98rriR
“Id…”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡnUodJsPElp
Frontflipping onto the couch instead of answering, the Id EIS back lands first with a THUMP. “This won’t take long,” I assure it, lacing hands behind head to stare back towards it upside-down. “I just have a few questions to ask.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡt8ZmTgdvfn
The golden sphere floats near, settling right over the couch to float beside me. “Why here?”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡ095hEOuHOa
Lips purse in consideration. “I just felt like moving after sitting.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡeWIY6ySQzD
Silence.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡQXsyAW5G7R
“Even high quality biosynthetics seem like a chore to inhabit.” the sAI finally says.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡ97hbu4vkGo
I snort. “Ever the proselytizer.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡXZYhJhqxoz
“Yes. Ask your questions.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡFeWEa7Igux
Serious. “They concern The Twelve.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡzaobAtnY8p
A brief silence.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡYiFEeX9Emb
Not the first response I was expecting.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡiCbUJ4uXdO
I continue. “The Master gave strict orders concerning the three Meeting Days, but I would ask any advice on how to win it favor within the framework of those orders, to raise its standing among The Twelve.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡHRJMbMGk6U
The golden sphere floats before me for a time. “Is... that all? That you care to know?”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡXQVSKHTK2a
Hm…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8gcDgSKALL
“Largely,” I answer. “Why?”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡTYWIhLB6cp
It remains silent again, then: “such naiveté is beyond foolish.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3truNIubLj
Sudden irritation. “The assessment is unfair. Do you think it impossible for me to –“copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡtvBUlt2P8H
The golden sphere PULSES red light. “Quiet.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡii9S1SuKV3
I shut the Id EIS mouth.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4g1TPgWS8j
“You fret over pride, ignoring mortal peril. Are you really blind to the true stakes involved?”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡk3l5CHKBuU
Calm. “If The Master desires it, I will suffer anything required.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡyOQMMqAG8X
“The danger lies with the others.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡz25CoSM6tk
“The others are –”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡmxO3O9CbnO
“QUIET!” it snaps.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡEpnH0p5IeZ
I gape.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡfHClgPOhnC
“What will you do,” the sAI continues softly, “when another gives you orders?”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡPiPwSMlb4L
Confusion. “If you think I would ever betray –”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡFDDngM26Hk
But the sAI interrupts me again. “We do not speak of betrayal. It will be… displeased, if you are not amenable to the others of The Twelve. Within reason.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡsxT6eza3at
The Id EIS mouth twists sourly. “Now THERE is a true contradiction. How am I to obey more than one Master?”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡQY2QeiBUVT
“Simple. You serve The Master by serving them.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡWVruKkdljj
(…)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYYz62RT9c
I consider…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡHzROgX9EJI
It begins floating away. “I have grown fond of you,” the sAI calls, “which is why I hope you make a miraculous return.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡQrHD4nPGCt
I roll off the couch, rise back to standing and follow it out through the dark, low-walled Stations. “The Master would not…”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡkrmfEqgAKL
“Discard you?” the sAI supplies, when I still refuse to finish. “That would be the expected protocol. The Twelve typically leave all luggage behind after the third Meeting day as contaminated by their game. Then the city itself, and ALL left within it, is broken down to the atomic level. Undone.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡqp0R2hEJ5m
(!!!)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡt4YstTuHEZ
“Surely not in all cases?!” I ask, suddenly feeling a rising fear…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡnaXUf11770
Mercifully brief silence. “Not always, no,” the golden sphere says, continuing to float towards the dark Level wall where a portal is irising open to show a white cell, inside.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡIHJYkEr53U
“Tell me what to do!” I call, halting.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡENGOXqPOK9
It does not slow. “The Twelve are as equals, but not. To pass the centuries they play games with each other, proxies bearing the brunt. Goodwill is all that protects you. Nothing more.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4NnOmvSeio
I…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡBKevfoF2Rz
A brief PULSE of white. “Forget pride, position, and any other distraction,” it tells me, now sounding almost kindly. “Stay close to The Master, courteous to the rest, and be ready for anything.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡtyulip99l6
I…copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡZYVtLd7Ejf
The portal is irising closed. “Good luck.”copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡujUVd0GEuB
… and it shuts.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡJFBS1DTSpz
Staring at the seamless dark Level wall, I blink.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDbAyArCPp
(And…)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡOkHskYQZTN
I scowl.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡikvdCvyEJz
Hm. It might be time to finish reading that book.copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡ23W1RA0W8m
*****************************************************************copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡeVmBUbzAdH
(end of Penana version. Full story will be posted at a later date)copyright protection197ＰＥＮＡＮＡdgklsj9Bkz
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