[TCML] Springtime coiling story

[futuret@xxxxxxx]

(This story gives my impression of coiling during the springtime.)
  
                           The Worker and the Teacher
  
 Having been genetically bred to be a worker, Tarin had never been
 particularly curious about the world.  But now, he was struck by the
 awe and mysteries of reality.  As the 80 ton metal doors of the
 Underground began to groan and slowly open, he stood among the
 great crowd, waiting to surge Outside.  Today was the first day of
 spring -- the first day of the year that the workers were permitted to
 leave the Underground.
  
 Tarin had heard the stories about the old days, before the 
 Underground had been built; how millions of workers had perished
 Outside during his world's brutal winters.  But now, as warmer
 weather took over, the workers, their yearly work complete, were 
 free to join the Outsiders on the surface.  Tarin had also heard the
 stories of how the genetic manipulations that had given the
 workers their work abilities, had the unfortunate side effect of 
 making them sensitive to the cold.
  
 Many of the workers, being so content at their tasks however,
 continued to toil within their bleak caverns throughout the year.
 So molded were they by their genes, they could not enjoy the
 outside world of leisure during the warm seasons.  Tarin however,
 enjoyed the feeling of the sun on his face, and the gentle breezes,
 and the myriad of plants, animals, and flying bugs.
  
 As the multitudes surged towards the now open doors, Tarin felt
 the unspeakable cold piercing his being.  Fortunately, this was 
 simply the result of living underground at a constant warm 
 temperature during the winter.  He and the other workers would
 quasi-adjust to the sub-zero temperatures, but it was hard for
 him to understand how the Outsiders were able to live outside year-
 round.  Compared to mid-winter, it was now warm.  Of course, the
 summers were almost as bad as the winters; the heat was that
 intense.  Without the Tesla coils, and the Coruup's power, no one
 could survive the summers.  The Tesla coils and the Coruup helped
 people to survive the summers, but didn't help the workers much in
 the winters.  Tarin looked forward to the times during the year when
 the temperature Outside would be just right.
  
 The workers trudged relentlessly through the deep snow, making 
 their way along the causeway.  The ice-encrusted battlements lent
 an aura of surrealism to the scene.  Glancing towards the Arena,
 Tarin saw the giant Tesla secondary coil, with its monstrous golden
 toroid, projecting from the drifts of ice and snow.  He looked forward
 to the summer's aerial Tesla/Coruup jubilee, when people would be
 lifted into the giant Tesla coil's sparks by the Coruup's energy, and 
 become rejuvenated by that ghost-like dance, and thereby made 
 able to survive the summer heat.
  
 Tarin stopped in a nearby porto-kiosk, where workers could obtain
 warm food and drink, and escape temporarily from the biting cold.
 Many of his worker friends remained in the Underground until 
 warmer weather arrived, but Tarin wanted to experience all the
 sensations that nature could offer.  Still, he wasn't anxious to leave
 the relative comfort of the kiosk.  Tarin sat at a table and sipped his
 hot gor-val tea, and watched the workers trekking through the cold
 darkness outside. 
 
 At first he didn't notice the Outsider sitting opposite him at the
 table.  Outsiders rarely came to these kiosks, often prefering areas
 high in the mountains or in the cities.  Although relations between
 the workers and Outsiders were peaceful and polite, the two groups
 tended to remain apart, not quite understanding each other.
 Occasionally, an Outsider would wander among the workers,
 probably out of a sense of curiosity or adventure.  Sometimes it was
 said, the outsiders would study the worker's ways, since the 
 Outsiders often had a curious and scientific bent.
  
 Tarin could see that this Outsider was a teacher, one of a
 mysterious group who were rumored to possess secret powers
 and knowledge.  The teacher's face was drawn and somber, with
 large piercing eyes.  He wore long flowing robes with golden
 fringes.  Then the teacher spoke to Tarin in a deep musical voice.
 Tarin was startled, never before had a teacher spoken to him.
 After a few polite exchanges, the teacher began to speak of the
 Outside world.  He told of the various pursuits of the Outsiders;
 of their philosophical musings, their writings, and their music.
 Tarin listened in fascination to these stories about these mystical
 beings who it seemed were similar to the workers in many ways.
 The teacher noticed Tarin's interest in the stories and said, "You
 are truly interested in hearing these strories aren't you?  It is very
 rare to meet a worker who is interested in hearing about the 
 Outsiders."
  
 "I think as I grow older, I'm becoming more curious", Tarin replied.
  
 "This fits the genetic programming", the teacher explained, "among
 Outsiders, the very young are curious.  The workers were bred to
 not be curious, but sometimes, once in a great while, the brain's
 development deviates somewhat from its genetic directive, due to
 environmental, or other pressures, and a greater than normal
 curiosity develops.  You may want to visit one of the great libraries,
 although much of the material is written in the Cal-Grom language
 which workers are not taught to understand."
  
 "What about the Coruup?", asked Tarin, "Where did he come from,
 and how do his powers work?"
  
 "Even we don't fully understand the mysteries and powers of the
 Coruup", said the teacher, "but we know he is very old, and came
 from an alien world.  It was the Coruup who brought Tesla coils to
 this world.  The Coruup also brought many other technologies to
 this world.  You may not know it, but the Tesla coils are run during
 the winter months to help warm the world a little.  They are not
 particularly efficient as heating devices, but it is an old tradition to
 use them for this purpose.  It is sometimes said that the Tesla coil
 was invented on an alien world called the 'Earth', but no one knows
 if this is true, or if it is just a myth.
  
 Tarin spoke the word slowly, "Earth.  Is anything known of that
 world?"
  
 "It is said to be a place of beauty and horror, a place of mystery
 and contrasts, but really nothing else is known about it," said the
 teacher.
  
 "I would like to go there", said Tarin as he continued to drink his
 gor-val tea.  He glanced at the golden toroid in the Arena.
  
 "We do not possess space ships on this world," explained the
 teacher, "The Coruup is able to travel to other worlds, but he has
 not given us that technology.  Our scientists have tried to develop
 space vehicles, but have failed so far.  But some day we will 
 succeed, and perhaps you will be the first worker to leave this
 world, and travel to the mysterious world called Earth".
  
 Soon Tarin and the teacher left the kiosk, and went their separate
 ways.  As Tarin continued along the causeway, he thought about
 the teacher's stories, and daydreamed about visiting the place
 called Earth.  He no longer noticed the cold.                     END.


 John 










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