For Darkness Shows the Stars

time for Grandfather.”
    “What happened?” Elliot asked. “Tatiana, what happened?”
    Tatiana gave an aggravated snort. “He had a stroke this morning, Elliot. Maybe if you’d been home instead of out socializing, you’d know that.”

T EN Y EARS A GO
     
    Dear Kai,
    I’m sorry I can’t come see you today. My dad overheard me calling you and your dad Posts instead of CORs. He thinks I spend more time than is good for me with you and Ro. I don’t really understand it, personally. I mean, if we’re supposed to own the lands and take care of everyone who lives on it, doesn’t it make sense to be involved? To make sure we know every bit of the land and the people who work it as well as possible? My teachers are always going on and on about Luddite stuwart stewardship of the Earth—if that’s true, then shouldn’t we actually make sure that the Earth is being properly stewed?
    I don’t think that’s the right word.
    Your friend,
    Elliot
        
     
    Dear Elliot,
    No, it’s not.
    I’m bored here today. Whenever the harvest is in, there’s nothing much to do and there aren’t any good books in the COR library right now. There never are.
    Not that that’s a hint or anything.
    Your friend,
    Kai
        
     
    Dear Kai,
    Here are some books. I think you’ll like the ones about the old inventors. I got them from our library. My dad must not know they are here. I’m sure he’d burn them if he did.
    Your friend,
    Elliot
        
     
    Dear Elliot,
    These are amazing! I love these stories. I love the one about Tesla and Edison. And Marconi, and the Curies, and Einstein, and Watson and Crick, and Gavin and Carlotta. The world must have been such a fascinating place before the Reduction. Can you imagine being allowed to make anything you wanted? I wonder if there’s anyplace on Earth where they still can.
    Your friend,
    Kai
        
     
    Dear Kai,
    I hope not! Can you imagine how dangerous that would be? Didn’t you read the part where Marie Curie died because of all the experiments she did with radiation? And Einstein was sorry he helped make the atomic bomb. Some experiments are okay, I guess, but there are too many that are way too dangerous.
    Your friend,
    Elliot
        
     
    Dear Elliot,
    But you don’t know they are too dangerous until later. Like Watson and Crick and Gavin and Carlotta—they were just trying to help people. They had no idea it would cause the Reduction.
    Your friend,
    Kai
        
     
    Dear Kai,
    My teachers say that’s why it’s best if you just don’t do anything that hasn’t been done before. That way you always know it’s safe.
    Although now that I think about it, that’s kind of stupid. Nothing can ever be exactly the same. We plant wheat every year, year after year, but it’s always a bit different. Like a different tempratchure, or the amount of rain. And now we have CORs. When my grandfather was young, there weren’t any CORs. They were totally new, but we didn’t get rid of them.
    And I’m really glad of that!
    Your friend,
    Elliot
        
     
    Dear Elliot,
    Me too! I would like it if things changed. Not being able to do experiments seems very dull to me. I’ve been hearing stories about places where Posts live all by themselves without any Luddites telling them what to do. They get married, they go wherever they want without permission, they have their own businesses, they have solar-powered lights, and they all wear clothes in brite bright colors. I wonder if they do experiments too?
    One day I want to go live there.
    Your friend,
    Kai
        
     
    Dear Kai,
    Don’t go live in a Post enclave. I’d miss you if you went away.
    We can do experiements here. We just have to keep them a secret from my father—or anyone that would tell on us. Like Tatiana.
    Stay with me, Kai. I promise we can do whatever you want.
    Your friend,
    Elliot

Twenty-eight
     
    ELLIOT SAT IN A stiff-backed chair in the hallway outside her grandfather’s bedroom. The light coming through the window turned from white to yellow to orange, the Reduced servants came around with candles, and still, Felicia Innovation remained sequestered with the Boatwright.
    She’d barely been able to meet the woman’s eyes when she arrived at the house. This woman, who was responsible for creating abominations with human faces. This woman, who had risked the life of the person she cared for most in the world. This woman, who broke the protocols and placed them all in danger of another