Post by yewtree on Oct 15, 2005 14:33:37 GMT
Venezia looked around her at the white walls of Innen. The sun illuminated the city in all directions; there were few shadows in Innen, as vast flexible mirrors reflected the sunlight into every corner, so that the city shimmered as if it was underwater. She wondered what it was like outside, in the Field of Exchange. And what would the people of Aussen be like? Were they as mechanical as everyone said? She had heard that they used machines for everything; even as enhancements of their bodies. The teachers of her fane said this was because they envied the serenity of the people of Innen. Venezia wanted to see for herself, although she found the idea of cyber-implants disturbing.
She was sitting in the garden of the fourth fane, that is the precincts of the healers. She looked at the dream incubation house where she had spent so many nights trying to dream of her destiny. All her dreams had been of standing naked and cold in the Field of Exchange, hammering at the gates of both cities and being denied entrance. She had hardly dared to tell her therapist about this – it was not the right sort of dream. The dream that was most highly valued in the lore of Innen was the dream of the Primordial Egg, but she had only seen its smooth featureless sides in waking consciousness at the top of the innermost fane; never in her dreams. So she pretended that she dreamed nothing, and the healers wrung their hands and looked at her askance. It had become increasingly clear that she was going to be sent to Aussen. She asked too many questions about why things were the way they were – why is the sky blue? What is the sun made of? Why does rain fall, where do clouds come from? Her teachers tried to steer her towards questions of meaning and symbolism, but these did not satisfy her. She sighed – why did one have to choose between Innen and Aussen? All her friends were here, and Aussen was like another world. Once one had gone there, there was no return.
Her friend Aurelian entered the courtyard. He was an artisan, and sympathised with her curiosity about how things worked. He had shown her some forbidden books, handed down from earlier generations of his family – books of science and mathematics. She had puzzled over the unfamiliar formulae, but was excited by the precision of the language, the explanations of natural phenomena.
Aurelian bowed, his hands cupped in the familiar greeting. Venezia stood up and returned the courtesy. Her friend gazed at her for a long moment, concern filling his grey-blue eyes, and emphasising the lines on his forehead. He was about thirty-five, and had been assigned to Venezia as a mentor after her parents had withdrawn to the innermost precincts for a life of silent contemplation.
“Shall we walk?” he enquired.
“Good idea,” returned Venezia. They went into the herb garden, where the sharp clean scents of lavender, sage, rosemary, and mint made the air heady and stimulating.
“So, have you decided about going to Aussen?” asked Aurelian.
“It doesn't look as if I have much choice,” said Venezia. “The healers will submit their report, and then the council will decide.”
“You can still apply to stay,” said Aurelian.
“And be subjected to the re-education programme – no thanks,” said Venezia. “I'll miss you, though, Aurelian, you know that.”
“I'll miss you too,” he said. They walked in silence for a moment, contemplating the enormity of separation.
A distant bell chimed. They looked up towards the wall of the innermost sanctum, and saw that the Contemplatives had emerged to bless the city. They knelt on the ground, as was the custom. Each Contemplative held aloft an egg, sign of the primordial. Their chanting, amplified by every resonator in the city, filled the air. Venezia wondered if her parents were among the white-robed figures, but they were too far away to see.
She was sitting in the garden of the fourth fane, that is the precincts of the healers. She looked at the dream incubation house where she had spent so many nights trying to dream of her destiny. All her dreams had been of standing naked and cold in the Field of Exchange, hammering at the gates of both cities and being denied entrance. She had hardly dared to tell her therapist about this – it was not the right sort of dream. The dream that was most highly valued in the lore of Innen was the dream of the Primordial Egg, but she had only seen its smooth featureless sides in waking consciousness at the top of the innermost fane; never in her dreams. So she pretended that she dreamed nothing, and the healers wrung their hands and looked at her askance. It had become increasingly clear that she was going to be sent to Aussen. She asked too many questions about why things were the way they were – why is the sky blue? What is the sun made of? Why does rain fall, where do clouds come from? Her teachers tried to steer her towards questions of meaning and symbolism, but these did not satisfy her. She sighed – why did one have to choose between Innen and Aussen? All her friends were here, and Aussen was like another world. Once one had gone there, there was no return.
Her friend Aurelian entered the courtyard. He was an artisan, and sympathised with her curiosity about how things worked. He had shown her some forbidden books, handed down from earlier generations of his family – books of science and mathematics. She had puzzled over the unfamiliar formulae, but was excited by the precision of the language, the explanations of natural phenomena.
Aurelian bowed, his hands cupped in the familiar greeting. Venezia stood up and returned the courtesy. Her friend gazed at her for a long moment, concern filling his grey-blue eyes, and emphasising the lines on his forehead. He was about thirty-five, and had been assigned to Venezia as a mentor after her parents had withdrawn to the innermost precincts for a life of silent contemplation.
“Shall we walk?” he enquired.
“Good idea,” returned Venezia. They went into the herb garden, where the sharp clean scents of lavender, sage, rosemary, and mint made the air heady and stimulating.
“So, have you decided about going to Aussen?” asked Aurelian.
“It doesn't look as if I have much choice,” said Venezia. “The healers will submit their report, and then the council will decide.”
“You can still apply to stay,” said Aurelian.
“And be subjected to the re-education programme – no thanks,” said Venezia. “I'll miss you, though, Aurelian, you know that.”
“I'll miss you too,” he said. They walked in silence for a moment, contemplating the enormity of separation.
A distant bell chimed. They looked up towards the wall of the innermost sanctum, and saw that the Contemplatives had emerged to bless the city. They knelt on the ground, as was the custom. Each Contemplative held aloft an egg, sign of the primordial. Their chanting, amplified by every resonator in the city, filled the air. Venezia wondered if her parents were among the white-robed figures, but they were too far away to see.