Where I Want To Be

Zallus looked down at the central console. Situated around the hemisphere were, on the left, several readouts ticking between two standard sigils, neither of which seemed to imply any danger, and on the right, a grid of dull, multicolored buttons. Zallus asked what they meant, to which Zackley invited him to try them out. Zallus pressed one at random.

The air in the vehicle was filled instantly with the sharp, scrapting tones of a conversation held in verbalized thoughtspeech. A readout had appeared below the others, holding at a single sigil. A radio! I didn't know you guys bothered with that, Zallus said, becoming intent on playing with the dials.

Zackley nodded. Usually, the people here don't. There aren't many places you can go within the city where there won't be a news-ticker or two within your immediate line of sight, each with a running feed of sigils to experience anything you need to know or get some fresh entertainment. In fact, the lifts through the city—vehicles basically like this one—don't bother with it either; I'm not sure why this one does.

Wel, where'd you get this—er, lift, did you call it? Zallus moved his finger across the hemisphere, and the squeaks were replaced with different-sounding squeaks.

It's, ahem, treasure, like everything else. We found it while exploring the land's long edge. They don't plan to attach any new sections there for at least a few years, so it's in the least cleaned-up state; the boundaries between well-populated sections have mostly been picked clean already, so we mostly look at new sections, unattached edges, and especially corners—like where this lake is supposed to not be.

Zackley, was that wordplay? Zallus smiled and Zackley did as well. But are you allowed to just take things like this? It seems like it would be owned by the government—the UG.

They are; the lifts, that is. Individuals can own one in the sense of being able to decide when it is or isn't moving, but they can't really control where it goes, beyond selecting one of a few thousand pre-programmed routes, Zackley made a gesture with his index and middle finger to imply how small a few thousand was.

That's no good for us, you'd imagine. We found this one abandoned at the base of an artificial mountain; it seems like it was used by the Equuan Assemblage Commission to transport machinery to various construction sites.

They're different from the UG, I imagine?

Zackley nodded. Completely. They're the closest thing this galaxy has to a neutral authority right now, even though all they exist for is putting this one planet together. The UG is part of them, but has to accept their decisions on things like building modified versions of UG technologies; Zackley said with a completely straight face, the UG really hates people modifying their technology.

Zallus laughed. Okay, so this is probably a combination of the UG's tech with some other people's, then, which is good for us. I'm wondering, though, Zallus said, prodding the console; can this thing play music?

Mu-sic? Zackley recited inquisitively, I don't actually know what that word means. I've heard Pearl use it, but there wasn't any context for it.

Zallus attempted to explain, Rhythmic noises and words—okay, maybe not words, here—but noises, from instruments—musical instruments, devices designed specifically to make noises—all written out ahead of time and then performed for people's enjoyment. Music!

Zackley shook his head. Oh! Oh. I know what you mean now, I think. But… no. You won't find any music on the radio, or anywhere else, not anywhere close to UG space. It's basically illegal.

Zallus made the sort of face one makes when offered a dip in a hot tub filled with cheese and water buffalo. That's… they can do that? How? I… Zallus couldn't think of anything to say; he turned off the radio.

Yes, they can. It's different here; people don't really use sound for anything, or at least Tawaa don't. As far as Side and Tope have told me, both growing up on UG planets, all sounds are basically dangerous disturbances—since UG technology is always quiet unless it's going to explode, and thoughtspeech gets filtered out by those that understand it, and, well, the animals are… no one makes sound. It's quiet, everywhere, all the time. Music would be an abomination, something to fear and fight. They have a hard enough time dealing with the Celesans and Sutellans talking to one another….

But Equus is always a bit of a special case. Celesans and Sutellans both, they get together and listen to music, perform it, write it, whatever else you do with it, all in private, and sometimes Tawaa are invited as well, if it can be determined that they're not going to mess anything up. Tope likes to go to the events when they happen.

Call them concerts, I suppose, Zallus offered.

Concerts…. Interesting, I think I've heart Pearl use that word, too. She seemed kind of sad at the time, though… Zackley said, then pointed out of one of the side windows. See that, in the distance, Mr. Zallus? That's the 2-3 seam. We're half-way there.