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"It's really most fascinating," said Mr. Lavender. "Did you know that it's almost completely run by debtors? The others are paupers."

"Debtors?" Lucian had never really thought of where the power had come from when he turned on the lights. It was fine enough that it was there.

"Yes, it really is a quite ingenious system. When the other choices are the poorhouse or jail, a dynamo finds working for the Crown an attractive alternative," said Mr. Lavender. "Come with me and see how the plants work, it's quite the experience."

"All right, I think I will," said Jonas. What could it hurt explore different experiences? In fact, broadening his personal knowledge would only work out for the best. I can't really pass laws that people will have to live by unless I know how they live.

And so Lucian found himself descending down into the ground to visit the Haggeston Municipal power plant.

When he and Mr. Lavender reached the bottom of the lift shaft, Jonas was surprised at how poorly lit the room was. He mentioned it to his companion.

"These people don't need to see that much," said Mr. Lavender. "They just need to be able to provide the energy for us to see."

The logic of the statement did not make sense to Lucian. He was going to question Mr. Lavender more, but an obsequious little man rushed up.

"Mr. Lavender," he said, "how good to see you again."

"Quimby," said Mr. Lavender, "I'd like to introduce you to a young friend of mine. Mr. DeYarrick has recently taken his family's seat in the High House."

Quimby extended a hand. "Baron DeYarrick, it is always a pleasure to meet a young man of your stature."

"Mr. DeYarrick, if you please," said Lucian. He was still uncomfortable with the formalized terms of politics.

"Ah, yes, of course," said Quimby. Wrinkles creased around his eyes as he smiled. "Now, if you two don't mind, let's begin the tour."

He turned around and began walking down the wooden catwalk that ran up to the lift with Quimby yammering away about the intricacies of power production. They moved down a cramped corridor for a few moments that opened up into an enormous chamber.  Lucian craned his neck back so far that his hat nearly fell off. As he looked around, he saw that the planks of the wooden walkway continued out into the room, but were a supported by pylons stretching down into the darkness.

"Impressive, isn't it?" asked Mr. Lavender.

"It's enormous," said Lucian. Mr. Lavender laughed at his reaction.

"I had the same reaction when I first was here," he said. "Just wait until you actually see the dynamos."

"The shifts are just now about to shift," said Quimby. "Let's go over to the observation platform so you can watch."

The trio walked down the bridge and continued out into the middle of the chamber. They climbed up a small set of spiral stairs to the observation platform.  Huge chains, accompanied by cables as thick as Lucian's arm, stretched from the top of the room down past the bridge. Lucian looked over the edge of the platform's rail, trying to see what was at the end of the chains. As he was looking, a bell at the top of the cavern began tolling. There was a terrific grinding noise, so loud that he clapped his hands to his ears. The chains began ascending slowly. What's at the end of those things?

Out of the darkness, hundreds of metal spheres began to ascend. They were made of large curving beams of iron, covered in cobwebs of what appeared to be copper. The reddish lattice was gathered at the top of the sphere, intertwining to become the huge cable that accompanied the chains. Stray bolts of electricity sparked out of the spheres, arcing across vast expanses to lick at other spheres randomly.

The spheres kept climbing until they were level with the causeway just below the Lucian and his companions. In one accord all of the spheres split open