Go see the Library

"I would like to see the library." Winlay said "Can just anyone walk in?" She asked in wonder.

"Well, not just anyone." Sister Margaret replied "But certainly all initiates are welcome in the library. Do you need directions?"

"Oh no thank you, Sister." Winlay replied politely "I know exactly where it is." Winlay had wanted to visit the library at the convent since she had first heard about it from her village priest. He had told her about the rows and rows of books that filled the shelves. Some, he said, were so old that they were printed by the Landers and each letter was as perfect as you could imagine. He also praised the newer books printed at the church press and then illuminated brilliantly by skilled artisans. He had been the one to first explain the teachings of Xelta Crews and how from his rejection of technology the Landers realized that life would be better if the people led simple lives.

This morning when the initiates were brought into the convent Winlay had asked about the library and the elderly man who was guiding them happily pointed out the library tower.

"It's old you know." He had told the group proudly. The convent was the first set of buildings raised by the early church. The Holy Palace was built nearly one hundred years later when the needs of administering to the people outgrew these walls. And the library was one of the first of the convent buildings.?

"Good." Margaret replied easily. "I can go have a nice soak, and you can go check out the map room." Winlay eagerly moved back to the main courtyard of the convent.

Winlay easily recognized the library tower as soon as she reached the courtyard. Like a bee to a flower she made straight for the marble steps that led up to its doors. Within this tower was nearly all the permitted knowledge of Pandora, books on every conceivable topic, as well as books of fiction and poetry. Winlay felt as small as a mouse as she entered the hall, to her this was even more intimidating than the great chapel of the Holy Palace where she met High Priest Beldan just this morning.

Winlay stood in wonder taking in the experience. The entryway alone was overwhelming; huge windows with planes of glass taller than her lined the walls letting in the midday light. Portraits of men and women wearing a combination of uniforms and the odd clothing of the Landers lined the walls between the great windows and the names of these great personalities from her history were engraved in brass plates attached to the bottom of each great frame. Written over the library's door in gold lined letters were the words:

                                      "A new planet; A new way" 

An elderly man in monk's robes approached her and asked briskly:

"Topic?" And when Winlay stared at him in confusion he asked again slowly as if addressing a child. "What subject do you need information about?" Winlay was at loss for words, but the monk was clearly impatient and at last she blurted out:

"Could you tell me how to find the map room." Nodding his head and muttering to himself the monk led her through a passageway to the right.

"Here you are Sister." The greying monk said pointing to a large room with a wall of windows lighting several large tables. Without another word the old monk wandered away. The map room was even more wonderous than she could have imagined.

The maps were in bound atlases in the stacks, lying flat in huge draws that rolled out smoothly at the lightest touch and in neat rolls all clearly labeled. Some of them were new, but others were as old as the Landers just as the old priest had promised. The oldest maps were printed in brilliant colors on a material unlike any Winlay had ever seen. The precise images and clear fine print could only have been produced by the now banned technology. Even the more recent maps were beautifully inked by marvelously skilled hands. Taking one of the maps printed by the Landers' great machines on a film that was both light and strong Winlay saw for the first time the entire planet without a single boundery line or city marked on the great continents or the island chains that connected the Northern and Southern land masses. Winlay was studying the map carefully trying to find where her village would be in the unbroken wilderness when she felt a tugging at her arm.

A woman, not much older than her stood by her side.

"Would you like to feel my breasts?" she asked casually. Winlay was too shocked to speak as the woman pulled open her robes and exposed herself to the world. "Would you like to Flap me? Everyone else does." Winlay couldn't believe that anyone would use language like that in this of all places and looked around in vain for assistance. "Go ahead, its Xelta's will." The woman's voice rose in both pitch and volume as she rubbed her bare breasts against Winlay's shoulder. "I'm Xelta's whore!" She said as she lay on the table nearly completely covering the priceless map pulling up her robes and exposing nearly all of her smooth bare thighs. "Go ahead, screw Xelta's slut!"