But there is no life on Earth.

[waterfell]

Near the north pole of planet Mercury, there are signs of life, all enclosed in a thin, transparent dome that still allows a clear view of the heavens. Inside, the air is clean and breathable, and even stirs itself in artificial breezes.

The entire city is a mass of blue crystal, luminous with the glow of thousands of solar trees both within and without, their blue cels attached to silvery branches and trunks. It makes a striking contrast, and the structures provide the city's energy, veritable solar power farms, bustling and thriving like the city itself. . Everywhere, the roads lead inward towards a palace, attention drawn to it by its height, taller than any nearby building.

The lush sound of splashing water comes from a clear, ornamental pool in the entryway. Tropical fish swim contentedly there, glimmers of golden koi amid and around the stems of water lilies. There is greenery, too, and flowers provide a seasoning of color. Overhead, the ceiling is dizzyingly high, adding to the sense of open space.

Seated at the edge of the pool, dressed in an elegant gown and with the sigil of her planet showing proudly on her forehead, is the Princess Mercury, now queen of her reborn kingdom. She plays a simple, longing melody on the harp she holds in her lap.

Comments

[waterfell]

She recognizes Quorra at once. There's a slight defensiveness to her posture before she realizes which Quorra it must be. Mercury's hand stops the strings, and she stands up to greet the new arrival.

"This is the Mercury Kingdom," she explains briefly. "Welcome!"

[isomorphology]

"Mercury... Kingdom." Quorra repeats it slowly, trying to remember if it'd be familiar at all. Except it doesn't. Not one bit. "Where are we?"

[waterfell]

There is really only one place the Mercury Kingdom would be.

"We're on planet Mercury, near the polar regions. The extremes of the planet's temperatures are mediated here, making it easier to support the life we brought here."

[isomorphology]

"Planet Mercury." She tilts her head. She heard Flynn mention the stars and planets once or twice, and asked again when it was brought up in the books that she had read. Quorra still lacks the knowledge of what they are exactly. Except pieces of rock hovering in the sky.

"Do Users live here too?"

[waterfell]

It takes only a second to adjust to Quorra's terminology again. Mercury nods. "They do now. Before that, in this solar system, they only lived on Earth - like in your world."

[isomorphology]

So, Users had moved to different worlds. Just like she moved from the Grid to their world. "Why did they leave?" Really, she doesn't realize how she asks so many questions.

[waterfell]

[The answer is clipped, not because she minds explaining, but because the explanation is unpleasant, this time.]

They were no longer able to live on Earth.

[isomorphology]

"Oh." Her voice goes soft. Maybe something like CLU? Or maybe the Earth broke down? She doesn't want to bother her with even more questions.

Quorra instead makes her way over to Mercury, looking around.

[waterfell]

Someone like Quorra, what would they want here?

"I'll show you the computer systems," Mercury offers. The harp is left as it is; she'll be back to return to her practice later. Such free time is rare, but she uses it to let her mind focus on the work she needs to accomplish.

[isomorphology]

To learn. To explore. Maybe to grow, evolve, whatever it was that ISOs were meant to do to reshape the human condition. Flynn never detailed it out for her.

Her head turns back to Mercury and she smiles. "Are you sure? You won't get in trouble?"

[waterfell]

"They're mine," Mercury points out. Who would have the authority to object? Besides, she's no fool; it isn't as if she'll be showing the security systems tied to the computers, or anything secret.

[isomorphology]

"Oh!" Her smile brightens. "Did you make them on your own?"

[waterfell]

"I didn't build them, however, some of the designs are my own." Or rather, were. Or are. Most of the 'newest' technology in her world is a carefully filtered stream of advancements from the Silver Millenium.

[isomorphology]

So someone else built them. She nods, not entirely surprised. Sam had talked about how Users build other User's things all the time. It was the same on the Grid, really. CLU or someone would design it and it'd be built.

[waterfell]

It doesn't matter in the end. They're still hers, to do with as she wishes. Mostly, these days, they're security. They reinforce a place that's only hers, that only she can enter, where no one else can intrude or push her.

"I did build the visor that integrates with this system, with blueprints belonging to this kingdom."

[isomorphology]

"It sounds like you're people are used to building them." Quorra says softly, walking through the halls on the balls of her feet. "Does everyone here use computers?"

[waterfell]

"Yes," answers the girl from a world where modern life included nearly everyone with a modem and internet connection in their homes. "Nearly everyone."

There will always be a few who don't - even a faction that believes it's wrong to rely so much on this technology. But they typically find very little support among the people, who enjoy their prosperous life.

[isomorphology]

"Then it's like my User world." She notes out loud. Sam had shown her all the kinds of computers and devices that users had in their houses. She never thought that she'd see so many computers, but she wondered if any of them had Grids of their own.

"You live here." Quorra says, trying not to phrase it as a question. "It's... gorgeous."

[waterfell]

This is her kingdom. Where else should she live but in its best place? This time, however, a trace of true and earned pride shines through brighter than the arrogance.

"This is a symbol of the prosperity of this planet and its people."

[isomorphology]

"The whole place is?" Quorra finds it a little strange. "Why would you need all of it? Just a statue or something would work. Wouldn't it?"

[waterfell]

"When it's a symbol like this, the grander it is, the better it represents that concept."

There was a planet, a kingdom, a civilization, struggling to believe it could survive and grow and prosper. They look to this palace as a sign that they can, that they can tame this place to suit them, that it isn't over even now, when the worst has happened.

[isomorphology]

"Oh."

She goes quiet at that. The only experience she has at something like that is CLU. CLU is the worst example of it.

[waterfell]

Mercury has many faults. However, failing the people depending on her in this land is not one of them. She even smiles faintly at Quorra's reaction.

"I never thought about what it must look like through someone else's eyes," she says, where someone else is a computer program this time. After all, humans would understand the symbolism.

[isomorphology]

"Everything is new to me." Quorra says softly. "Nothing is like the Grid, and the Grid really isn't like anything on the outside. I don't really know anything."

[waterfell]

"You should learn as much as you can about it," Mercury advises. "Every new experience will add up to something important to you."