A single Ancient sat on a crimson seat at his desk. He looked upon the city below through the windows of the living block building, fiddling with the gold strands of fabric that hung from his maroon clothing. He stood fairly tall, his height accentuated by geometric bronze headgear covering his face. A small machine among the piles of paper beside him whirred away as it inscribed a pearl. Another Ancient burst through the door.

“This is just absurd!” the intruder exclaimed, “We just activated an iterator 30 cycles ago and you want two more? Eroded Stones, what are you thinking?”

The seated one looked up at them, dismayed. This was not the first time.

“This is not an appropriate time, Sands of Time, Trivial Inspections. I'm thinking."

"I had to sneak in here again because you weren't answering my messages; answer now. And don't use my full name."

“Look,” Stones replied in a disgustingly distinguished manner, “We want to solve the problem, yes? Our current workforce of iterators isn’t cutting it. We’re starting generation three.”

“But two more in this facility?” Sands exclaimed, “The aquifer can barely supply enough water for Pillars and Searcher, let alone two more!”

Stones looked up at them, clearly exasperated under his golden mask. “The first will be to the northeast. That is on the side of The Great Nothing, so there’s plenty of room for water extraction apparatus. The other will be to the southeast, and will be fitted with seawater filters to extract fresh water directly from the ocean. Water won’t be an issue.”

“And how will we get the materials for any of this? It’s a struggle to find enough biomass and metal for just one, and the mines by Pillars have run dry.”

“We will import the materials from the continent. There are other facilities doing good work to provide for our needs. The SkyRail line is already under construction.”

“This is just stupid! What happens to them when we’re all gone? Do we just leave them to rot away?”

“Do you want to ascend, Sands?”

The room fell silent as they stared at each other.

Hello again.

It is the turn of the century, and progress on Fallen Deity is going well. The foundations have been laid for the fourth iterator and their construction should begin soon. 

Deity’s can has been mostly constructed, we’re just beginning to grow biomatter and start neuron fly production. Gen 3 Iterators are such a pain to build, their increased weight means we need the anti-gravity on at all times. Traversing and building in zero G is not fun in the slightest.

I’m most excited about the SkyRail. It’s a great success! The older variants were just rail-and-wheel standard trains, but now we have magnetic systems that allow for extra speed and capacity! The new rail design has a square cross-section with magnetic repulsors inside. The trains that run across it also have these repulsors, so they never make contact. How do we keep the trains on the rails? Put another one underneath the rail! If all the rails are placed in the air, we can put a train car on the top and bottom of the line! Isn’t that insane? And if you think it stops there, you’d be incorrect. We have installed artificial gravity generators in the rail, so being on the top and bottom carriages feels exactly the same, even though you’re upside down. As such, we can rotate the tracks and roll the cars as much as we want. And for unloading, all it takes is turning it upside down and turning off the gravity! I wish I could take credit for this engineering feat.

On the other hand, it has been raining a lot lately. I think the steam the iterators produce is becoming a permanent cloud layer. If that’s true, then Fallen Deity can use rain collection systems. It’s genius!

Though the rain is getting pretty tough… supposedly the Habitation Arrays near Observant Pillars have observed some damage. I don’t think the rains will be too bad though. A healthy water cycle is just what we need.

Good afternoon fine residents of the Solitary Conduits local group. This is, once again, Westward Waterways over Granite Banks, esteemed development associate and dedicated local natural-co-nonnatural conditions analyst and communicator, delivering the bi-daily (that is, once per two days) general status report. 

It is, with some degree of concern, that I report an estimated record rainfall for the fifteen thousand, two hundred and forty-eighth consecutive cycle. Current estimations (which have proven to be quite accurate over the previously established time period) equate to 13,439mm of rainfall tonight. As per usual, avoid surface expeditions after five o'clock to minimise risk - sufficient warning for which is provided by the rain sirens. In the case of an emergency, locate the nearest shelter and wait until depressurisation in the morning. No recovery personnel will be deployed if you are reported missing.

Fortunately, drainage systems in the northeast have entered full operation in preparation for the upcoming activation of Fallen Deity. In complement with the southern and western collection systems this should adequately regulate surface water levels. Not that is particularly matters - you will remain in the cities atop Observant Pillars and Frantic Searcher.

On the topic of Fallen Deity's activation, today Eroded Stones of Letter Eighth, respected administrator and esteemed engineer of the Solitary Conduits program has been selected as the first contact for the event. The announced date of the activation is the 13th cycle of next year; further details will be released over the coming months. Eroded Stones has expressed his gratitude towards Mirage in Ruins of Steel, the House of 17 Gems, and the MIROS corporation - Mirage is yet to make an official statement on the selection.

As for other news, minor changes have been made regar-

[[!!CONNECTION LOST!!]]

The room was dark, with only the faint glow of idle pink lights behind the metallic tiles that covered every wall. In the middle stood Stones and a single purple iterator puppet, attached to rails along the corners of the room by a robotic arm. Its hard biotanium shell was split by dark rubber joints, matching the colour of its antennaless earpads. Two dark lines ran up the length of its face, intersecting the eyes and bordering a symbol on its forehead; a cross, with an upwards chevron beneath.

“Activation test, year 790 AVS cycle 13. Power on commencing in 30 seconds.” Stones said into a small microphone.

Another Ancient voice spoke from the speakers in the walls, “Initiating Mass Rarefaction in all cells.”

A small holographic confirmation popped up in front of Stones.

“Energy production and holographic projections functioning nominally. Proceed with Phase 2,” replied the Ancient.

“Initiating class 3 to 5 districts.”

“Green light from all systems. Proceed with Phase 3.”

“Initiating class 2 systems.”

A loud rumbling could be heard in the distance.

“Affirmative on Memory Conflux and Linear Systems Rail, minor leakage in Repetition Cortex. Proceed with Phase 4 if deemed safe.”

“Leakage secured by replicators, proceeding with Phase 4.”

A sudden jolt shook the room as a cacophony of electric bolts ricocheted around the nearby cortices. A harmonic vibration filled the room as the lights began to flicker on. Stones lost his balance as the decreasing gravity took him off his feet.

“Ph-phase 4 confirmed” he stuttered, “Continue with final activation.”

The eyes of the puppet lit with two small pink lights. The pearls and neuron flies began to glow and holographic rings appeared around the puppet’s head.

“Iterator startup confirmed.”

ESOLE: Is this reaching you?

FD: Yes. What is happening?

ESOLE: That will be clarified later. I am Eroded Stones of Letter Eighth, most esteemed engineer of the House of Seventeen Gems’ Iterator Construction Project. Can you tell me your name?

FD: I am Fallen Deity, Third of the Solitary Conduits Local Group.

ESOLE: Good, that is correct. Can you tell me what you are and why you’re here?

FD: I am an iterator. I was created to solve The Great Problem of Ascension.

ESOLE: That is correct. Before we continue, do you have any questions?

FD: Well… when will my city’s construction be completed? Until then, which house will I report to?

ESOLE: That is a very good question. About 96 years ago a weather phenomenon began that may make the construction of your city impossible. Your structure was planned long before The Rains began, and you were built under the clouds. We cannot give you a city as the roof of your can is uninhabitable. As such, you will report to The House of 17 Gems, in Observant Pillars' city.

FD: I see.

ESOLE: Good. Before we continue, the blue pearls around here contain important maintenance information, in case you need it. Contact me for any technical issues.. Now we move on to testing.

[USER FALLENDEITY_SC ADDED TO SOLITARYCONDUITS.LG]

FD: Hello? Is this the right channel?

OP: Yes it is. Welcome to the group!

FS: Nice to meet you, my name is Frantic Searcher.

OP: And I am Observant Pillars, the group senior. You will fit right in!

FD: Thank you for your hospitality, I look forward to our work together.

OP: Nice! Now let me show you the ropes. We will begin with Overseers, then we will move on to managing Replicators, then Memory Crawlers, then Walkers… oh I’m so excited!

FD: Lead the way.

Hello again.

I just got a promotion! I’ve been made Head Administrator as well as Most Esteemed Engineer. I’ll have access to all the iterator chatrooms and pearls and reports and everything I could ever want.

I love these iterators so void damn much. My life’s work has come alive in the form of a god on earth! All those years and all that hard work and effort and time is finally coming to fruition.

And now I get to make another… that’s just insane to think about. I never want to leave them behind, they are my life. If anything happens to them… I don’t know what I’ll do.

OP: Happy 791! Our first New Year’s with Deity!

FS: Happy new year. I have just finished a batch of MIROS birds for you, Deity. They should be with you in a few cycles.

FD: Thank you so much. Now that I’ve been here for some time, when will I start contributing to the construction of the fourth iterator?

OP: Their can is done and biomass is half filled. Searcher is nearly finished with The Rail, and I am contributing the final metallic resources. Their puppet will be made very soon in the Monolithic Factory. As far as I’ve heard. They won’t let us send our overseers in.

ADMIN1: Speaking is Eroded Stones, Most Esteemed Engineer of the House of 17 Gems and Head Administrator of the Solitary Conduits Program. His puppet is under construction. Do not try to send your overseers in, you will only lose them to the unique gates we have there (which I am very proud of designing).

FS: Why can’t we go in there anyways?

ADMIN1: As for the construction of iterator 4, Fallen Deity may be able to provide some widespread internal modelling, as well as their name!

FD: I can choose their name!? Awesome! And yes, I believe I can model the internals with my Portable External Telegrapher

FS: What’s that?

ADMIN1: It’s a small creature equipped with scanners and projectors. They can be made very easily, and are great at taking deep surface scans. They should be able to track the growths inside the can and make sure they’re up to quality standards.

OP: Oh, that’s awesome! Do Searcher and I get them?

ADMIN1: At the moment, they aren’t compatible with your hardware, but we will fix that soon.

FS: Good to know.

ADMIN1: Indeed. I will now hand it over to my associate for the yearly briefing. 

ADMIN2: Speaking is Fourteen Sweeping Waves of Dust, Assistant Administrator of the Solitary Conduits Program and humble representative of the House of Infinite Insight of The Greatest Temple of our Great Creation Frantic Searcher, Second Iterator of the Solitary Conduits Program. We will begin with the following list of actions that must be fulfilled before Cycle 100:

FS: I can’t believe these guys live on top of me.

ADMIN1: So, Deity. Have you come up with a name?

FD: I’ve been thinking for a while and I believe I have an idea.

FD: They’ll have an extensive communications array, yes? Even in their half constructed state I can see the lights across the mountains at night.

FD: They look like stars floating in the sky, which I find strikingly beautiful.

FD: I think his name should be “Star Over the Hills”

ESOLE: That is a good choice.

FD: His name even went orange in the text!

ESOLE: It was meant to be.

[USER STAROVERHILLS_SC ADDED TO SOLITARYCONDUITS.LG]

SOTH: Is this my group?

OP: Yes it is, welcome! It’s so nice to have another new member.

SOTH: Right.

FS: Another god rises from the ashes! Welcome.

FD: Hello, Star Over the Hills.

OP: We have a lot of work to do. Let me show you around.