Letters of Intention for Succession

Transition State of Intercept

To whom it will concern,

Intercept has two centers. One is above ground and the other is below ground. Above ground, the center is a massive field for ship landings. It is a place of scattered grassy bits and empty dirt patches. Pylons surround this landing center for the purpose of orienting the ships- and other reasons pertaining to the retention and limitation of those ships. Beyond the pylons, there is a surrounding tall ring-shaped building with structures raying outward, belonging to Ephemeral embassies. Of course, in between these rays are small Emphermal towns in perfect circles, because everything must be a circle or sphere if the Truyians have anything to do with it.

Below ground, a series of structures exist that would look like a pile of discs progressively decreasing in size should it have been unearthed. It is here where much of the trade takes place. The absolute center of this series of structures, however, smells of Toy Land. That said, what happens in the center of Intercept is more controlled compared to Toy Land.

There is much about Intercept that would come off as being even more joke-like than Toy Land, especially in its design to lure Northers. Northers have a uniform of wraps that no other quadrant utilizes in quite the same encompassing way. It's considered deeply insulting for the quadrants to mimic each others' uniforms; it just doesn't happen. Except at Intercept. At Intercept's underground center, everyone is required to wear the Norther's attire: straps bound all over and boots. There are only very rare exceptions. If you have transport coins, you put them in your boot pockets or hidden pockets in the wraps.

Another part of this plot involves us Kray. It is encouraged for the Truyians to use either makeup or morphing to look like Kray, and it doesn't take much. For being from totally different Grounds, we look very similar when clothed. Kray eyes are a bit more inset. The Truyians who emulate Kray are called 'Nulls'. Dressing as a Norther, emulating Kray, and going by the same non-descript name is designed to allow Northers anonymity and lower their mental barriers to entry. It has the side effect of permitting anyone anonymity.

While this topic requires much more discussion later, Northers are expected to refrain from most types of frivolity. They are not allowed to consume intoxicants, sugar, fat, or anything at all should they be able to help it. Although they are a very physical quadrant, they are celibate. They are to avoid anything that causes them 'too much' enjoyment. They partake constantly, and quietly, in guilt and much more loudly in pride, which they freely promote. This makes them competitive, frustrated, and exclusive. Other Truyians find this compilation of traits make Northers wholly irresistible. They are perfect prey and prize to anyone who can ruin their pristine image. If Northers want a little excitement, they can go to the center of Intercept to be hunted and tried. Secretly, of course. To them, resistance is fame and honor. To us.

Once I made it to Intercept, I was inserted into their education system and a Kray-heavy municipality proximal to the Kray embassy. All education took place on the highest floor of the ring building. Anyone could teach anything they wanted but 'Truyian History', 'Ephemeral Conflict', 'Modern Threats', 'Hypotheses' and 'Algebra' were requirements. It was a lot of work to hike up the stairs to the highest floor and move in between classes. Elevators, and the like, existed but they were off-limits unless a massive piece of equipment was involved. Each municipality offered medical services, diverse food at public cafeterias, games hubs, and both public and semi-private baths. Instead of paying money for anything, you paid in service. Or rather, you were guilted to contribute via service at some point. The Truyians could have had machines doing nearly everything, but they chose not to- both inside and outside of Intercept- and the Ephemeral paid for that.

I later learned the physical inconvenience at Intercept was completely intentional. Truyians know that they have a society that would be considered ideal or near-perfect by most standards and have done everything possible to decrease the ease by which that society must be received. Northers are known for their pride and ingenuity while the Easters are known for their assertiveness and loyalty. Both value goodness, or 'progressive life'. Being dead-set between them made Intercept an oddly thorough place where both physical and mental effort were challenged, but well regulated. If you didn't keep up your sensibilities, you got sucked to the corruptive center. Anyone who'd been stuck in the center of Intercept for more than a few days had a tendency to give up living, for whatever reason.