Back to top 20th Nov. 2005

"Yes, a bit of one. So tell me, who are they, what do they want?" The Towzian asked.

"Well it's not so much they're speaking another language as their introducing concepts you're not going to comprehend. Tell me, what do you know of the world outside the city?" Cogil asked.

"I'm not entirely sure what you just said. I heard the bit about the comprehension, but the rest just kind of ran together. The city has always been our home, and will always be our home. Beyond that there is nothing. Perhaps a break is in order. Would anyone like a tour of the city?" The Towzian said.

"Yes, I think that's a good idea. First though perhaps everyone would like to provide some names?" Cogil asked.

"Yes, of course.", said the Towzian, "I am Itep, newly appointed guide for unfamiliar guests." He said.

"Ah. Itep and Utep. That's half clever." Cogil commented, "And what about you five? Any names?" He asked.

"You may call me Jerome. The other four are here to support me, you will not need to address them directly." Jerome explained.

"Uhh, ok. Jerome. Lets get to that tour, Itep." Cogil said.

This newly formed group moved out of the meeting hall and started walking down the main street of the city. There seemed to be a much larger number of citizenry in the city than Cogil had remembered. There was an especially large number of children about for some reason. All the buildings seemed festively decorated.

As Cogil looked around he realized there were many trees up and down the streets. He seemed to recall a lack of trees in the Towz he remembered. And this new Towz seemed to still have that same strange attribute of the citizenry doing joyful activities such as dancing in the street and continually decorating houses in a festive manner and yet not one person seemed to be smiling. Was this a bi-product of the power Jerome had spoke of? Did the citizens of Towz have some other way of expressing emotions he wasn't picking up on? Cogil wasn't sure.

As Itep walked down the street, pointing to various buildings and talking about each one, Cogil continued to wonder about this bizaare situation he now found himself in. He was about to ask Vincent what his impressions were when Vincent chimed in.

"Doesn't this situation seem a bit odd to you, Cogil?" Vincent askd. "I mean no one is even smiling. There's children everywhere. I'm wonder about the naked chick riding the horse."

"Yes, I was about to say something like that to you. I think we should be a bit cautious until we are more sure as to what is going on here." Cogil said.

"I agree." Vincent said.

Itep was now stopping at an especially large buidling, talking about it's various adornments. Cogil happened to look across the street to see a seemingly abadoned building that was still yet festively decorated.

"What's the building over there for?" Cogil asked.

"Oh, that?" Itep said, "that is an old church from another era entirely. We no longer have need for such things as religion. Anyone is welcome to do so at their own will of course, but there is no one left who chooses to do so."

"Oh, I see. Isn't there some kind of moral compass? Some base by which to judge right from wrong?" Vincent asked.

"Oh no. That would way too judgemental. Besides, we are a peaceful people. We no longer have any motivation for dishonesty. That happened some time ago when the concept I believe you call currency became an archaic concept. Without currency many of the motivations that would require aconcrete set of rules went away." Itep explained.

"I see. So no citizenry have any incentives to break rules or have any more than anyone else? This would seem to be some sort of Utopia, wouldn't it?" Cogil said.

"Oh no, no no no no. We're no Utopian society. Utopians are quite boring in their existance. While you may see us as quite idealistic, we are no Utopia." Itep had expressed the most amount of emotion and even conviction Cogil had yet seen from any Towzian.

"Now, why don't move on to the rest of the city?" Itep said.

As the group moved through the city Cogil noticed the remains of the earthen barrier which seperated Western Towz from the Government District. He suddenly wondered what had happed to all those protestors and bureaucrats.

"Alright I think we're all much better oriented now. Why don't we go back to the Hall and have some lunch?" Itep said.

The group turned around started to walk back the way they had come. It wasn't more than a few blocks and the mysterious black-clad Jerome made a motion to Cogil, Vincent and Ryan to fall back behind the rest of the crowd so he could talk to them privately. The other four black clad outsiders seemed to form a subtle barrier so as to not attract attention.

"I have been observing you three for a while now. I think I can tell you who we really are. But you can't tell this Towzians. Some I doubt they'd comprehend what I'm about to tell you anyway. Can you keep a secret?" Jerome asked.

"Yes, of course", said Cogil. The other two just nodded.

Jerome went on to explain how the world had evolved outside of the city, how a large invisible barrier had gone up around Towz shorty after the mysterious mushroom cloud event and how only recently had a group on the outside discovered a way in. Jerome went on to explain that a group a rather hostile group was going to try and break into city with the intention of destroying it from the inside out.

Jerome's home country however had different motivations. Most of his fellow countrymen simply wanted to study how such an idealistic society could exist. This also, Jerome was sure, the Towzians would be unable to comprehend.

It didn't matter, Jerome maintained, whether his country started sending in more visitors to Towz or this other, more hostile group. In any case Towz would be a much different place, and very soon.

"So this is your fact finding mission then?" Cogil asked.

"Yes, in a manner of speaking." Jerome said.

"So what did you find out before we were woken up?" Cogil asked.

"As far as we have been able to determine there is a single source of the power that maintains the current state of this city. The source of this power is located in a single place somewhere inside the city. What we need to do is find this source so we can protect it from the hostile force who would seek to harness it and use it against others."

"I think that makes sense." Ryan said. "So you haven't figured out where this power source is coming from?"

"Our latest theory places some where near where we just were. Behind one of the buildings there. That is all we have been able to determine so far." Jerome said.

"I think I know where you're talking about. We can leave tonight and check it out." Cogil said.

By now the crowd was arriving back the Hall. Some other Towzians came in and offered to show Cogil, Vincent and Ryan and the other visitors to some designated quarters.

Quarters, according to Towzians, apparently used the term in a much different context. The living space provided to the new visitors was about the best possible space imaginable. Each visitor had there own space, several thousand square feet in size, containing a rather large bed.

By the time everyone was settled in this new set of quarters it was about time for another meal. As with the prior meals provided eachbite was better than the one before it. The meals tasted so good it was almost like each one had been prepared knowing full well the culinary preferences of the person consuming it.

Later that night when all of Towz seemed to be in bed, Cogil, Vincent and Ryan met Jerome and the his four escorts without names to do their own exploring. Thrugh the streets then went, re-tracing the steps Itep had taken during the tour earlier that day.

Finally the group came to what Cogil recognized as the location of the original Hall of Bureaucracy. The Hall of Bureaucracy was gone now, of course, replaced by a much more beutiful building.

"Remember this palce Vincent? I think this is the location of the Hall of Bureaucracy. Where we met. You think this place still has that rail system? I think we should go back to that abandoned government building in East Towz, assuming it still exists, and see if we can find that entrance to Subterranean Towz again." Cogil said.

"I'm not sure that's really necessary" Ryan said, "if Jerome's theory is that the power source is around here then I think this is the place to look. Right here, behind the Hall of Bureaucracy, or what used to be the Hall of Bureaucracy I should say." Ryan said.

"Good idea, we'll start here. Last time it was a manhole cover. This time it may or may not be that. So keep your eyes open." Cogil said.  ¶ 9:37 AM