“…would I maybe be allowed to come back here once more in the future?” she asked. She didn’t want to waste his time, but she wasn’t sure she could live with herself if she cut her time short and this was the only time she’d be here. She figured she’d never see the study or Map Room again — but wasn’t sure about the other places.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Certainly, whenever you like. This room and these artifacts are here to be observed and enjoyed." Gaius nodded. "I'm glad you enjoy this room; I hoped you would."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“It’s very interesting,” she agreed with a smile, pleased that she could come back. She thought she’d be able to get a solid feel for the room with another pass through it— it was better than to be hoped for that she could come as often as she liked. “… I think we could go to…” she gestured vaguely, realizing she’d set herself up to say the word and she didn’t want to. “To move on.”
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"To the orrery, then." Gaius headed for the door. "Have you ever seen one?"
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"I think you might enjoy it." Gaius led her back in the direction they'd come, stopping at a brass and golden door. "Take a deep breath; this might shock you."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
Ky looked at him warily, a tentative smile on her face, then took a deep breath as instructed as she looked back at the door.
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Gaius opened the door. Inside was an immense domed room of stone with a hatch at the top that could be cranked open using ropes and pulleys. At the very center of the room was a massive structure of stationary spheres, the largest of which was at the center. The smaller spheres were positioned around the largest one and all could be moved using a system of cranks and levers. The entire ensemble was brightly painted with metallic material and words in Moon Speech proclaimed the spheres as respective planets, moons, and the sun.
Spoiler
Smaller than this but still a very, very big thing
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"This," Gaius said proudly, "is a hand-crafted model of what the Eastern Realm believes to be the system that contains this world." He pointed to one of the spheres. "That's us." He pointed to the largest sphere. "We revolve around the sun. The other planets do as well. It's all very advanced thinking; I don't quite understand it myself, but it's very pretty to look at."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
“It’s very impressive,” she said in wonder, staring at it all. It was so big!
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"This is also open for you to explore, though there's not much here aside from the model itself." Gaius glanced around. "You can turn the cranks and follow the dates to make the orrery display a specific day in past, present, or future."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
"Very, very large telescopes." Gaius spread his arms. "Enormous. They look at the stars and the planets and guess where they are in relation to our world. It's a fairly new concept; the Grand Reputations are far from accepting of it."
"The Imperial need for control is so desperate because it is so unnatural. Tyranny requires constant effort. It breaks, it leaks. Authority is brittle. Oppression is the mask of fear. Remember that." -Karis Nemik
"u and rina are systematically watering down the grammar of yws" - Atticus "From the fish mother to the fish death god." - lehmanf "A fish stole my identity. I blame shady" - Omni [they/he]
Smaller than this but still a very, very big thing
