The Chapter Where A Girl Enters The Demisphere

Claire spun on her heels. Pointing to each ecosystem in turn and starting from the left most, she said, “Warm ocean, desert, scrubland, savanna, tropical forest, tropical rainforest, deciduous forest, grassland, boreal forest, tundra, arctic, and cold ocean. Each one is self-contained and is a near perfect re-creation of the actual ecosystem they are a copy of, right down to the weather and soil. It often rains in the rainforest and as you can see, the tundra, arctic, and cold ocean have ice and snow. Before we go inside, here’s a little surprise quiz for you. How do you think the Demisphere works?”

Liane considered. “I… don’t know.”

“Then how about a hint. Did you notice anything unusual about the garden boxes from earlier?”

“Well, no, not really. They seemed normal enough. I use the same ones at home.”

“Perfect! So tell me how they work.”

“They use an EMI barrier to regulate temperature and moisture— Oh! Are they?”

“That’s right! The Demisphere uses the same tech as the garden boxes, but scaled up. Each of the ecosystems is simply a giant garden box. Neat, right?”

Liane ogled the massive enclosures and nodded absently. “Real neat. That’s what I call thinking outside the garden box.”

Liane slapped a hand over her mouth. The joke had slipped out before she realized she was saying it. Claire looked surprised then, to Liane’s relief, started laughing.

“That was terrible! I didn’t peg you for the dad joke type. Thanks for putting up with my presentation. You’re the first person I’ve given it to other than Adélie and Gaston, some sheep, shells. You get it. Anyway, we can go inside now. Which environment do you want to see first?”

“Tropical rainforest,” Liane blurted.

Claire chuckled. “I thought as much. Come on. This is where the real fun starts.”

Claire led and Liane followed straight ahead to the tropical rainforest environment. They paused at the gate, an arch made of stone blocks as large as Liane was tall. They looked ancient and weathered, covered with moss and tangled with vines. Liane was certain they were only made to look that way and weren’t actual ruins, but even up close, they looked excitingly real.

Her heart skipped a beat as she passed under the arch, like entering a lost, ancient forest. The heavy air became heavier in a heartbeat. It took noticeably more effort to draw in and out of her lungs. It felt still and resistant, like it didn’t want to let her breath. Her delivery uniform was immediately stuck to her skin from the moisture, heat, and sweat. The soggy ground—just as wet as the air—clung to her shoes as she pushed through dense undergrowth. High overhead, the canopy blocked out the sun, bringing instant eerie darkness.

It was hot, uncomfortable, intimidating, and powerful, and Liane loved it. She inhaled deeply, taking in the earthy scents. She had half expected it to be a trick of her Second Sight, but it was real. She was actually in a rainforest, and it was better than she had imagined.

Unable to contain her excitement, Liane started jumping from plant to plant. She identified mahogany trees and kapok trees covered in thorns; discovered blooming purple orchids and vivid, colorful bromeliads; found Liana vines as thick as her arm that climbed and twisted around trees; and was delighted to stumble across plump red coffee cherries, heavy cacao pods, big bunches of bananas, and even a grove of bamboo. All the while, as she delved into the forest, she dragged Claire along with her, rambling off all the plant facts she had spent years accumulating.

“And look at this,” Liane said, “I love it when the Liana vines twist around each other like this. A Liana vine need to wrap around trees for support. They can’t support themselves, but when they wrap around each other, it’s like they're trying to support each other. And the more vines wrap together, the stronger they become. Isn’t that neat?”

“It is,” Claire agreed.

“Sorry, I’ve been prattling on and on. Got carried away.”

Claire chuckled. “It’s fine. I like listening to you talk, and I like these vines too. They remind me of humans.”

“Humans?”

“Yeah. Did you know that humans used to live together? They had families and neighbors, were packed together in big cities, and lived across the whole planet. Back then, humans lived far longer than now, sometimes over a hundred years! It’s like the vines, they supported each other. Humans lived their lives twisted and intertwined with others, and they became stronger because of it.”

“Are you talking about the Brink Age?” Liane asked.

“That’s right! I wasn’t sure if you knew about it.”

“Isn’t that the time when humans were constantly on the brink of destroying themselves?”

“Well, yeah, but that’s because they didn’t have the technology that we have now. They had a lot of problems and no solutions, but now that the System has solved those problems, don’t you think it would be great to enjoy life alongside other humans?”

Liane rubbed her neck. “I don’t think it's that simple. I think humans being together was the real problem. The other problems were solved by keeping them apart. Wouldn’t bringing humans back together just cause another Brink Age?”

“No, the problems from then are long gone. The System did what had to be done then, but now? Maybe we don’t need to rely on the System as much. Or maybe humans can live together and still have support from the System. We just need to have a little faith in ourselves. Humans developed the System, after all. Don’t you think it would be worth a try?”

“I don’t know. Humans gave control to the System for a reason, and if the System is still keeping humans apart, then that reason must still be valid. I think we should trust the System knows what’s best.”

“But the System might not know what’s best anymore. It was made for a different time. Think of all that could come from bringing humans back together. Imagine all the good it could bring,” Claire urged.

“Good? Like what?”

“Like everything! Sharing meals together. Talking about anything and everything. Feeling their warmth as they walk by your side or hold your hand.”

“You can get all that from ghosts and shells,” Liane interjected.

Claire frowned. “It’s not the same. Then what good can come from keeping humans apart?”

“No repeat Brink Age. Everyone has their own space,” Liane said.

“Everyone has their own isolation,” Claire corrected. “You don’t understand because you were raised by AI, but I had an actual human dad. I know what it’s like to have that human bond.”

“Bond?” Liane repeated. Her hands clenched.

“Yes! I was raised by my human dad instead of by AI, so I know how much good and happiness can come from being with other humans. Look at us. We’re friends even though we just met. We already have a bond and if we spend more time together we can develop an even stronger bond. Don’t you think—”

“If you really believe in human bonds, then why did you refuse to see your dad before he died?”

Liane’s eyes went wide. Both hands clasped over her mouth.

Claire’s mouth hung open. The color drained from her face. She stepped away from Liane.

“How… how did you know that?”