The Doctor and Alison leaned on a guardrail overlooking the central precipice. Before them stood the great central pillar. Above and below them, level upon level of the tower teamed with activity.
"I can't help saying it," began Alison "this place is weird. I mean, I'm all for higher learning, but these people..." she waved her hand indicating the myriad of guests and Overseers moving from place to place. "They're obsessed. And what they put their children through..."
"We may not like it, but it's not for us to judge" the Doctor cut in "considering their history this really shouldn't have surprised me."
"What do you mean? I didn't find anything in the database like this."
"Well, the Overseers have lived with this system for quite some time, they've almost a symbiotic relationship with it. Even when their elders approach the moment of death their memories and experiences are added to the collection. Perhaps they consider the new program an extension of that, a sort of communion with the spirits of their ancestors."
"Oh yeah, I saw that. They consider it the afterlife don't they? They think they live on consciously in the data core. But that isn't possible is it?"
The Doctor was about to speak when two Overseers began walking in their direction. He waited quietly until they had passed, then leaned in toward Alison and spoke in a hushed tone, careful not to be overheard.
"No. Their technology simply isn't that advanced. The knowledge and memories are retained, but the essence of the individual is lost."
"Thank goodness for that."
"What do you mean?"
"Well, it's horrible. I can't even imagine living like that. What's the point of being alive if you can't feel alive."
"I tend to agree."
A cool ripple of air moved up from the lower levels.
"We don't have to stay here do we?" asked Alison.
"No, we can leave right now if you like."
"I think I would."
Just as they were turning to leave, Kasin approached. "Doctor you left in such a hurry, I hope we didn't offend you in any way."
"No, no, just needed to stretch my legs, good for the digestion you know."
"I'm glad to hear it. I had hoped to show you the area where the children stay... so you can see that they are in fact well cared for. I wouldn't want you leaving with a bad impression of us."
"Are you certain my presence wouldn't be too much of a distraction?"
"I think in your case we could bend the rules a little. Are you interested?"
The Doctor turned to Alison. "Do you mind if we stay just a bit longer?"
She shrugged, "I suppose I could continue my search in one of the seeker rooms."
"Good, When I get finished I'll look for you there."
With a new exuberance in his step the Doctor followed Kasin along the promenade. Closing her eyes, Alison leaned further out over the guardrail enjoying the wafting breeze. When she opened them, she spied a woman through a window on the other side of the level. The woman was leaning into an alcove and two Overseers were helping to attach cables to her head. "Like I said," Alison muttered "weird."
The Doctor watched as two children played tug of war with an eight legged ragdoll. The room Kasin had brought him to had at least twenty children of the Overseers. Some sat at a long table at the end of the room, engaged with studies. Others sat on the floor in huddled groups talking amongst themselves. And four were playing with various toys.
"So they are allowed some free time." said the Doctor.
"Of course" Kasin replied, "their study sessions are longer, more intense, than the adults, but the children choose when they will study and when they will play. It was found that the program truly progressed when the children were allowed this option, in fact their retention of information generally increased."
"Well, they certainly seem normal enough." the Doctor smiled.
The fight over the ragdoll ended when it finally tore, both children released the doll and moved on to more interesting toys.
Alison had gotten bored with Tremonds history. The earliest information she could find seemed to be more mythical than plausible. Instead she busied herself with studying the structure of the towers.
"They're all joined," Alison whispered to herself "which makes sense if it's a giant computer... but it doesn't say where... or how."
"Would you like to see how it works?"
Alison spun around. Next to her stood a little girl. She had an angelic, smiling face that was half hidden under a mop of shining brown curls, She looked only eight years old.
"I'm sorry, I didn't hear you come in." said Alison.
"That's good!" said the girl "I was trying to be very quiet." she leaned in toward Alison conspiratorially "You see, I'm not supposed to be out right now."
"Oh really?" Alison laughed "What's your name?"
"Lileet"
"Aren't you worried you're going to get caught Lileet?"
"I never have been. I know this whole place... I can show you what you're looking for."
"What do you mean?"
"I can show you the source, that's what you're looking for, isn't it?"
Alison looked back to the field hovering before her. "Well I haven't been having much luck with this."
"No, you wouldn't, they don't tell outsiders everything you know. It wouldn't take long."
Alison thought about it. "Well the Doctor's with Kasin, and they're bound to get talking... all right" she finally said "why not?"
Lileet put out her hand, Alison took it and walked with her into the hall.
"Are you sure about this?" asked Alison "I don't want to get you in trouble."
"Oh, you don't have to worry about me."
"So the children interface directly with the data core and manage to retain memory of it, fascinating," the Doctor examined the discarded ragdoll "but how did it all get started, who's idea was it to implement the program?"
"That is the marvel of it Doctor, the directive came from the source itself."
"What!" the Doctor started, "you mean it spoke with you?"
"Of course, it began communication with us about fifteen years ago. We were absolutely ecstatic, as you can imagine."
"No, no, no" the Doctor muttered. He put his hand to his head as if struck by a sudden headache. "Just once! Just once I'd like to go someplace where..." he stopped and looked at Kasin "are you certain of this? This wasn't just some glitch which your people interpreted as communication..."
"Doctor we've been waiting for the source to speak with us for hundreds of years, I assure you there was no mistake. And when it requested communion with our children... well, we could hardly refuse, and the results have only benefited us..."
"Kasin, you're an intelligent man, you must know that your ancestors do not live on in this machine."
"Doctor, if you please," Kasin took the Doctor by the arm and led him out of the room and away from the children's sector. They continued walking down the hall. "what else could it possibly be?"
"I don't know, but trust me when I tell you that it isn't what you think. Someone could be manipulating the data core. You must stop the program immediately!"
"I can't do that, it would require a vote from every family, and of course the issue must be deliberated first..."
"Typical" the Doctor grumbled.
"Patience Doctor please! We're not even certain that there's an actual threat."
"Patience!" the Doctor shouted "I've wasted just about all the patience I have on people like you, on planets like this... bureaucratic red tape! Fine, deliberate all you want, cast your votes, I'm going."
"Doctor I... I'm sorry, this is the way things are here." Kasin looked embarrassed "At least let me run a scan for your friend. If you insist on leaving us, I can locate her far faster than you could searching the seekers rooms."
"Very well." the Doctor agreed. Kasin went to a section of wall and pressed a hidden pressure plate. A panel slid back revealing an interactive map of the tower. Each level of the structure appeared on a screen as Kasin scanned them.
"Oh dear," Kasin said as he finished the last level. "She doesn't appear to be in the building."
"Of course." the Doctor fumed.
"I wouldn't be overly concerned, she probably finished her search and returned to your transport, there should be a record of her leaving at the gate."
"I certainly hope so." The Doctor turned and stalked down the hallway.
Kasin pressed a button on the open panel. "Aril, please call together the family heads, there is something we need to discuss."