Much Later

Genesis, PART ONE, VIII.

Scene change back to Earth but much later: 

as planned in Chapter V, satellites ward off cosmic rays and ionize nebular matter to repel it;

the Worldguide has become the Ecumenicon;

the human population of Earth is declining;

there are more lights in the night sky than in the almost empty city, serviced by "maintainors" working in the dark;

the couple whose dialogue we read are listless;

they hope to be assimilated into the Ecumenicon.

I would welcome the peace and quiet and the opportunity for study and reflection but we are clearly meant to understand that this state of Earth is a Bad Thing.

We have very nearly reached the end of PART ONE.