Phase Q/New Visions

Gradually, your awareness fills with a swirling, spiraling disc of multicolor light. The vision has full feelings associated with it, including an electrosynth-like smooth vibe, and the soft feel of marshmallow gel, and an overwhelming sense of awe.

The disc opens to reveal a scene. In a rolling hilly terrain, people fly soaringly through the clear blue sky. Around every person is a spheroidal nebula of visibly glowing love. Ultraflowers grow midair.

A chorus of voices discuss an issue that sounds controversial. Yet, among the tens of thousands of voices, you hear many perspectives that find subtle ways to mesh, rather than squabble. You wouldn’t ordinarily understand the complex conversation, unaided, yet in your dream state it all makes sense.

The other dreamers in the underground room all have palpable presences in the dream. You can sense them as gently glowing auras. You presume that they can sense you too.

As you float along in the sky with the conversants, you enjoy the bodiless sensation. You observe the conversation without participating, not having a clear perspective on the issue. Despite the seriousness of the conversation, it has a playful air. The people seem to enjoy the deliberative process.

You scan around for any dark clouds on the horizon, yet you fail to see any.

A quadruple stellar system shines brightly. The stars seem to say to you: “Peace!”

Meanwhile, back in the capital, a protest marches by. The screamers chant in angry unison.

“Say no to Fantasica!”

“Crush the dream!”

“Just say no!”

“Kill dreamers!”

The President walks out onto the balustrade, decorated in bright flags. He walks out in front of the bloodthirsty crowd, and performs an aggressive gesture. The crowd grunts its approval.

Speaking into the high-tech PA system, the President declares war on dreams.

“Now is the chance to say no to dreams!” he says, to thunderous applause. “Let’s instead say yes to today, yes to right here in the capital, yes to a single simple country!"

The crowd roars.

“One country! One people! One mind!”

Now the crowd is really getting into things.

A set of trumpets blare. The President continues to speak, emphasizing the public dangers of dreaming, including a greatly increased risk of transmitting ideas.

Mrs. President beams approvingly, having written the speech beforehand. Her group spearheads the effort to control thinking, with an emphasis on reducing harm.

Dreaming causes an uproar in many quarters. Large majorities of the country’s population oppose it on principle. Some people fight against dreaming because of its indirect effects on society.

Mentalologists at various correctional, educational and therapeutic settings define new standards for treating dreaming. A checklist of symptoms includes disturbing thoughts that don’t correlate to within 50% with computer-measured reality, as well as delusions of an optimistic future, and holding any ideas that don’t come from a list of preapproved org sources.

A new field of science emerges to study the bodily side effects of dreaming, which experts claim provide evidence of the mental harm that the activity causes. Mystical cults unite with student activists to oppose dreaming. The President publicly endorses the mystics.

And still you dream.

• Wake up.
• Cross over.

Phase Q: An interactive adventure.