Leenovoo 22, 9665
Dearest Mother,
I may have found an inexpensive place to live while I study ruined D’ni (and those humans who fancy themselves its restorers). Some humans have found an Age book that links to a pair of islands, part of which they have reshaped into a likeness of a portion of Eder Gira (the other island is a likeness of the fictional Age purportedly written by the D’ni survivor in the machine-game I wrote of earlier); outside the Eder Gira replica are some bungalows available for rental. I have made inquiries and should hear tomorrow.
Meanwhile, I have seen, here and within the Cavern, a group of humans who call themselves “Skydivers” — this is a human activity involving dropping from a great height that under normal circumstances requires a large cloth sheet called a parachute to arrest the skydiver’s fall and prevent his death. Here, such is not required — for there is the Relto book hanging from your belt, its panel only the flip of a cover away from your hand. This lends itself to an astounding amount of risk-taking, as you may well imagine.
The humans are quite varied in their reasons for being here. I had feared — especially after seeing the message from Yeesha — that most would worship her, or all but. There are a few cultists, it seems, but they are in the minority. Others felt drawn here (as Zandi put it), but are less orthodox in their beliefs. Some are here for study — of history, of culture (at least one that I have heard of is here to study the culture not of the D’ni, but of the humans who have gathered here).
Having made that point parenthetically, I feel I should elaborate on it. The history of the “restoration” is somewhat checkered — the periods where it was abandoned for lack of funds are as lengthy as those where it was active. But even in the inactive periods, it seems, the Cavern was never wholly vacant — there were the true believers and the stubborn, those who continued to study and to explore even without the support of the restoration council, and those who stayed because of the friendships they had formed — and others who did not stay, but kept in close contact with those who remained. They had formed their own community, their own family — they set up Guilds in imitation of those from D’ni, in anticipation of providing greater support when the cavern was reopened, of taking more of the burden of restoration on themselves. And that community has endured.
This is not to say that they are preternaturally united — there are factions, and rivalry, as with any group, human or D’ni. There is a heated argument even now that I do not pretend to completely understand, that touches on the direction of the restoration and also on control of a sort of clearing-house for letters transmitted by machine. (I sometimes think the contention reflects the higher level of contention that generally exists on the surface now, and which I have once before seen escalate into cataclysm. It is not there yet, but that does not always stop my fear.) And yet — when the cavern is open again, they return.
But I know you are more interested in what became of D’ni, and of its people. I continue to seek answers (the historical documents I have seen so far date from before the Fall, and are thus familiar to you). You will of course be told at once what I learn of this. Until then, I remain,
Your devoted son,
Naron
