Chapter Three
For days, Tad had worked as tirelessly as every other citizen. As a serviceman, his first duty was to ensure the security of the Pale. Along with his colleagues, he had spent countless hours inspecting the perimeter and performing the necessary repairs. Soon the fence had again been rendered impenetrable, and the colossal gates were rehung and strengthened with yet another overlay of cutthroat wire. The massive rent that had opened from Alpha Gate to the Acrocomplexa was bridged and back-filled with building rubble, sealed with a tar mix, and fenced off in case of any further disruptions. Such chasms had been known to issue toxic gases and superheated earths, Tad was told. So far, this one was quiescent.
Service patrols increased in length and frequency, and off-duty person
