THE SPIRIT OF NUMBERS
Pronunciation: "TEN-to-the-TENTH"
Caught in a deep schism between the old faith and the new, the technologically augmented Numerlings are divided between those who believe numbers feel manipulation (the Oddlings) and those who think otherwise (the Evenites). Their only bar from war is the virtual world they have engineered, a battlefield every bit as real as the one beneath their feet.
Native characters:
"THE GENERALS / PEACE PROPOSAL"
Shel Silverstein
Said General Clay to General Gore,
'Oh must we fight this silly war?
To kill and die is such a bore.'
'I quite agree,' said General Gore.
Said General Gore to General Clay,
'We could go to the beach today
And have some ice cream on the way.'
'A grand idea,' said General Clay.
Said General Gore to General Clay,
'But what if the sea is closed today?
And what if the sand's been blown away?'
'A dreadful thought,' said General Clay.
Said General Gore to General Clay,
'I've always feared the ocean's spray,
And we may drown!' 'It's true, we may.
It chills my blood,' said General Clay.
Said General Clay to General Gore,
'My bathing suit is slightly tore.
We'd better go on with our war.'
'I quite agree,' said General Gore.
Then General Clay charged General Gore
As bullets flew and cannons roared.
And now, alas! there is no more
Of General Clay or General Gore.
Native peoples:
Eev
Leader of the Evenites
Leonard
Commander of the Eevenite forces
Awd
Leader of the Oddlings
Leopold
Commander of the Awdling forces
Evenites
Oddlings
The World of Tent'th'tenth
Proxy...
A Delicate Equation
Proxy...
The Simulat': a Virtual Tent'th'tenth
Proxy...
