Star Position

Star Position

Music=
1. Star Of Wonder- Tori Amos

"They must often change, those who would be constant in wisdom or
happiness." - Confucius

UFOtext=
The dragon of the black market explained, "You see the long downtrend
of galactic civilization leads us to our present dragon fly doji of
one thousand years, a long shadow of barbarism." And the dragon looked
into the almond eyes of Emily Change, the vision of a Child's Dream.

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Paradox

Paradox

Music=
1. Believing Is Art- Spoon
2. Sweet Dreams- Beyonce

"If you shoot for the stars & hit the moon, it's O.K. But you've got
to shoot for something." - Confucius

UFOtext=
"What kind of day is this?" asked Astira. Where am I? The Pier
District in Temasek? The high Himalayas where clouds of water turn
to stars of snow? Or Valloire, her home on the mountain? No matter,
her day ended in paradox- a sweet dream & a beautiful nightmare.

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Chateau Of Destiny

Chateau Of Destiny

Music=
1. Welcome to My Monasteryo- Terence Trent D'Arby
2. Dance Little Sister (TTD Remix)- Terence Trent D'Arby

"Old age, believe me, is a good & pleasent thing. It is true you are
gently shouldered off the stage......"- Confucius

UFOtext=
Ghosts beset the crowded stage of Count Bling's thoughts....
Astira looked over her delivery list for the day. Her thoughts were
clear & excited.

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One Thousand Years

One Thousand Years

Music=
1. Sooner Or Later- Michelle Branch

"When it is obvious that a goal cannot be reached, don't change the
goal, change the action steps" - Confucious

UFOtext=
Beta longed to understand psychohistory- but a complete exposition of
that predictive science existed nowhere in the Foundation. At best a
vague sketchy outline of the subject existed in the public domain. As
Dr. Savage explained, Foundation researchers applied reverse
engineering techniques to figure out some basic characteristics of
psychohistory, but no one had the silver bullet-a pristine first
principles derivation of a psychohistory theory that made accurate &
nontrivial predictions. That remained Seldon's legendary (or
mythical?) breakthrough. But Beta had three reasons to believe she
might be able to rediscover psychohistory-
1. Unlike Seldon, she already knew it existed!
2. Many features, albeit incomplete, were known.
And most importantly, reason #3-
Foundation computers were light years more advanced than any other
computers in history. One could ask computers to discover new
mathematical theorems and even new branches of mathematical thought-
and they would if asked in the right way. Many new & useful
mathematical theorems discovered by Foundation computers had proofs so
difficult that no human being had yet understood the proofs. Thus, if
Beta could ask a computer "in the right way" to rediscover
psycohistory, maybe it could. However, there did exist one flaw-
sooner or later the computer would get the answer, but what if it took
one thousand years? And then she gently touched her bright silver
pendant.

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Mleko Droga Galaxy

Mleko Droga Galaxy

Music=
1. Supermassive Black Hole- Muse

Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without. - Confucius

UFOtext=
That night Astira back 2 work.

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Action Speaks Louder Than Words

Action Speaks Louder Than Words

Music=
1. This Book Is A Movie- Spoon
2. Hysteric- Yeah Yeah Yeahs

"I hear & I forget. I see & I remember. I do & I understand.- Confucius

UFOtext=
Next day Astira back 2 work. She think in the words, then to complete
with actions- simple & true.

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First Speaker

First Speaker

Music=
1. Gimme Shelter- Rolling Stones

"Study the past, if you would divine the future."
-Confucius

UFOtext=

James T. Kreamer walked through the hideous ruins of Trantor. Gigantic
shards of metal reached to the low cloudcover roiling in the night
sky. Centuries late, Kreamer still felt the extravagant violence of an
Empire's final spasm of death. Yet, much like a beautiful but
poisonous bloom, the extravagant dream of Old Empire taunted his
imaginative brain with regal visions of a galactic high society. Yet
again, he knew the future lay not in the monstrosity of the past, but
in the still misunderstood Foundation, a pristine diamond on the edge
of the galaxy. This new star would lead galactic civilization "back to
even" in a mere one thousand years.

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Merchants Of The Heart

Merchants Of The Heart

Music=
1. Maps- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
2. Merchants Of Soul- Spoon

"Wheresoever you go, go with all your heart."- Confucius

UFOtext=
Sayjil paused- a princess in a gilded cage. Once again Count Bling
fell back into a state of reverie, the majestic mountains of Valloire
girding his thoughts as they travelled back along the trails of
history........

Astira requested & received the signature of Mr. Doom- a small
graphological map of the Black Market Dragon.

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Moat

Moat

Music=
1. Drown- Smashing Pumpkins
2. Sign Your Name- Terence Trent D'Arby

"If you look into your own heart, and you find nothing wrong there, what is there to worry about? What is there to fear?" - Confucius

UFOtext=
The Count of Monte Sano emerged from his reverie.
"Are you with the living now?" asked Sayjil, her image in precise
focus. She knew quite well that the Count lapsed into spells of
reverie from time to time.
"Ah, yes, Sayjil.. You were saying.."
" You need the company of a better class of people- Papino of Rome,
Doge Kassanova & especially that tramp- the Rogue Trader- these people
will bring you to a state of ruin- if not already." she said, casting
a look of mild disgust."
"I am on a mission to bring justice to these lost souls" replied the
Count, in all seriousness.
"But Sayjil, how is the state of my home, the Chateau of Destiny?"
"If you mean that museum of strange artifacts & momentos-it still
stands."
"Well, what more can one ask of anything, or anyone for that matter."
said the Count.
"By the way, you remember that couple from Foundation I mentioned? The
Lady Beta wears a pendant of silver with amazing powers- I arranged to
purchase from their Free Trader contacts one of these amazing
devices- fashioned from a rare Asian emerald! I hope you
find it useful in your financial work." And the Count revealed a
faint smile.

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Silk Riff

Silk Riff

Music=
1. Don't You Evah- Spoon

UFOtext=
"Music produces a kind of pleasure which human nature cannot do
without"- Confucius

Astira thought fast over a riff of thought.

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Silk Path

Silk Path

Music=
1. We Are All Made Of Stars- Moby
2. You Gotta Feel It- Spoon

UFOtext=
"Learning without thought is labor lost."- Confucius

Astira blinked. Mr Doom eyed her carefully as she regained her senses.
"Yes, this 1 have package 4 u Mr Doom." she said, holding out her
parcel of secured mail.
"Well, let's take a look at that," he said, setting aside his
electronic tablet. Astira casually glanced at the lighted screen &
blinked in disbelief. She stood in a total stuper, handing over the
secured mail, unable to believe the reality of the situation. She
glanced at the screen again, just to make sure. And there was no
mistake- the tablet of the Black Market Dragon revealed line after
line of psychohistory equations.

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Star's End

Star's End

Music=
1. Clocks- Coldplay
2. Here With Me- Michelle Branch

UFOtext=
"Ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon & star."
- Confucius

Astira followed the hand of Aristarchus to the path of milky white
stars, where, one by one, they fell from the sky in a sudden rush of
blinding snow.

A young woman with silken hair, black as night, walked upon a moonlit
garden path. There, through the branches of the apple tree, a lone
necklace of stars shown bright.

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Probability Branch

Probability Branch

Music=
1. A Man & A Woman- U2

UFOtext=
"If you think in terms of a year, plant a seed; if in terms of ten
years, plant trees; if in terms of one hundred years, teach the
people." - Confucius

Astira watched the orange trail of light dwindle into the starlit waves.
"Astira, may we talk with you for a moment?"
Astira turned toward the soft voice, or perhaps only the thought of a
soft voice.
"Athena, of course we can talk." thought Astira, wondering why Athena
& Aristarchus seemed apprehensive & concerned.
"Astira, the Speakers made plans for all of us- I will go to the
Foundation at the edge of the galaxy, and Aristarchus, he-"
"I will travel undercover to the Kalgon region- the epicenter of the
Blue Deviations. "
"Aristarchus, your assignment is dangerous, do you not need Astira as
a helper? Someone to watch your back?"
"Little Astira, if only I could, but these are not the Interstellar
Games! And besides, you have your own assignment, provided you accept
of course."
"My own assignment? What can I do?"
Aristarchus cracked a thin smile,
"Astira, you have studied the psychohistory of the Silk Path"- and
Aristarchus waved to the cloudy path of stars in the night sky- "if
you so choose, it becomes your destiny!"

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Don't Buy The Hype

Don't Buy The Hype

Music=
1. Introduction- Matchbook Romance
2. Make Me Believe- Angel Taylor
3. Don't Buy The Realistic- Spoon

UFOtext=
"The superior man makes the difficulty to be overcome his first
interest, success comes only later." - Confucius

Astira faced off with the leopard- one on one! And then it vanished &
she woke to the orange sun sliding beneath an eyelid of stars emerging
from the black night.

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Open Thoughts

Open Thoughts

Music=
1. East Of Ginger Trees- Seals & Crofts

UFOtext=
"Behave toward everyone as if receiving a great guest." - Confucius

Astira blinked and a door opened into a blinding white snow. Then,
through the veil of light, she beheld a leopard running straight upon
her with stealthy pace.

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Far East

Far East

Music=
1. South Side- Moby & Gwen Stefani

UFOtext=
"He who learns but does not think, is lost! He who thinks but does not
learn is in great danger." - Confucius

Astira stopped just inside the door- cautious, for she entered the
lair of a dragon of the black market. A man with western features sat
with crossed legs upon a Yoga mat, reading from an electronic tablet.
Behind him, a vast picture window opened up to the bay of Temasek, the
late afternoon sun spilling it's copper & gold light upon the busy
waters.
"Secured packet for Mr. Doom," said Astira, attempting to read the
man's thoughts. But those thoughts remained secure- despite her best
application of mental technique learned from the second foundation.

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Pier District

Pier District

Music=
1. Send Your Love (Art of Peace Mix)- Sting

UFOtext=

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." - Confucius

Astira pulled up in front of Paradox Shipping. She picked up her
skateboard & opened the front door. This was her last delivery of the
day- a secured packet to be delivered in person and "off the record"
to a Mr Doom.

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Mountain Air

Mountain Air

Music=
1. The Other Side Of The World- Dishwalla

UFOtext=
Later that night, in a dream, he saw his daughter dance upon a
mountain trail as if she were a ballet dancer floating upon the air.

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Counting Stars

Counting Stars

Music=
1. Counting Blue Cars- Dishwalla

UFOtext=
Nick Starkozski reached the outskirts of Valloire by late afternoon.
How many summers had he taken his young daughter, Astira, hiking up &
down the mountain trails surrounding Valloire? He knew the intricate
lacework of mountain trails as well as he knew the streets of Paris.
But later, with the advance of twilight, the heavens gradually revealed a
mystery of stars. And then his beloved daughter became but a firefly
lost upon the shadow of night.

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Fade The World

Fade The World

Music=
1. Sway- The Kooks

UFOtext=
Astira pushed up the steep hill
on her skateboard. She faded the loud insanity of the world around her
& focused on the elements of her reality- the blue sky, the orange
heat of the sun, the sway of her movements & her simple plan for the
future.

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Tea & Honey

Tea & Honey

Music=
1. Special Delivery- The Offspring

UFOtext=
There was no video. But the voice of Kalgan's First Citizen carried
across the airwaves into the collective sponge of carefully managed
and receptive minds.
"Our freedom is our slavery to one another, and our slavery is our
independence from one another. You see my citizens, it takes a
village...." and the First Citizen paused for emphasis.
*************
Astira felt a strange twinge of pride in her new job- her very first
job, ever. Every morning she & her coworkers loaded their minivans
with packages & mail & then they were off to the races. By midmorning
Astira would reach the Pier District by the bay. There she picked up &
delivered secured mail and packages of various size- often including
boxes of exotic spiced teas & honey.

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Prelude To Double-Cross

Prelude To Double-Cross

Music=
1. Down To The Market- The Kooks

UFOtext=
The very next day Astira rose before daybreak & took to the streets of
the Trading District. Riding a skateboard she navigated through a maze
of streets & alleys, arriving at Temasek's Pier District just as a
bright orange sun rose up over the bay. People of all types &
description moved about her & along the streets. She stopped & pulled
a small drink off her backpack & slaked her thirst, scoping out her
surroundings as she put on a new pair of shades- special optical
shades purchased from Foundation traders who had visited Dauphine.
Here at Temasek, such traders from the Foundation would be rare at
best. But here at Temasek the local Black Market flourished, & this
Astira had to find a way to crack. And then she noticed a delivery man
carry a package into a nearby shop & this gave her a new idea.

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Black Letter

Black Letter

Music=
1. 18- Moby

UFOtext=
Astira wrote in a silky trail of black ink,
Dear Father,
How are you? How are things in Dauphine? I hope you don't work too
hard and find time to hike in the mountains. Things here in Kalgon are
so beautiful- a vacation paradise!

And Astira had to stop, for a lie did not come easily to her. Someday
she would tell her Father who she really .....

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Prelude Of The Honey Trader

Prelude Of The Honey Trader

1. Why Don't You Get A Job- The Offspring

Astira & Spotz set up camp in a small second story room overlooking
the Trading District. She took her fork & scraped a portion of her
rice & meats onto a small dish for Spotz, as she fed Spotz only that
which she would eat herself. As they enjoyed their first dinner on
Temasek, Astira gazed out the window over the Trading District. Lights
began to appear throughout the darkening city as a round orange sun
gradually turned into a sliver of deep red on the distant horizon.
Gleaming spacecraft floated up and down throughout the airspace as a
canopy of stars gradually grew bright in the night. Of course, none of
the star patterns were familiar to her. Everything about this world
felt strange & dangerous. But Temasek defined a critical thread in
psychohistory. If Temasek fell into barbarism, the string of worlds
along the Silk Path trading route would collapse like a row of
dominoes and a galactic backbone of civilization would be lost. This
could delay the emergence of a new & better galactic empire by
thousands of years. Thousands of years she thought, & she smiled at
the thought of Temasek as a single silken thread of microhistory one
millenium in length.
But what about tomorrow, and the day after that? For that she would
have to think of something, figure something out on the spot, so to
speaks. At least she did not have to worry about money, after all she
carried 4 leaves of gold- each one ounce leaf could be discreetly
traded for one year of goods & services anywhere in the galaxy,
regardless of hyperinflated local currencies left behind in the wake
of the fallen Galactic Empire.

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Temasek

Temasek

Music=
1. Gotta Get Away- The Offspring

UFOtext=
Astira had never been so far from home. Temasek, the last civilized
trading world at the end of the starry Silk Path, traded heavily in
the black market of the surrounding barbaric worlds. Somehow she had
to infiltrate the black market & create a new identity, a new cover
from which she could monitor & affect the flow of psychohistory. And
most important, she needed to stay alive because she was only 18 years
old & wanted to live many excited years. This explained why she
carried 5 passports, 2 knives & 1 laser pistol. And one dog.

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Iron Sea

Iron Sea

Music=
1. Crystal Ball- Keane

UFOtext=
"Without water and light, a rose will die as a dream departs upon
waking," said Doge.

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Heavy Mountain

Heavy Mountain

Music=
1. Heavy- Collective Soul

UFOtext=
The Count of Monte Sano & Doge Kasanova enjoyed their cappuccinos.
"Doge, you portray a mountain of difficulty, is there no rosy scenario?"

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Dark Clouds

Dark Clouds

Music=
1. My Vision- Seal

UFOtext=
Beta flipped up her Georgio shades and followed the red heat of her
hologram. A deadly bank of storm clouds glowed red just offshore New
Daytona. She glanced left to see a menacing black horizon over the
rapidly approaching ocean. She disengaged autopilot, veered left to
trak a straight line to the coast, dropped altitude to tree top level
and rapidly increased speed. And then she was over the hard deck of
water.

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Falling Star

Falling Star

1. Once In A While- Smashing Pumpkins

UFOtext=
Astira beheld the stars and felt the cool air of night steal through
her window and embrace her heart. But not the knowledgable heart of a
woman, but rather the trusting heart of a child who didn't understand.

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Descent Of The Magicians

Descent Of The Magicians

Music=
1. Terrifying- Gabriella Cilmi

UfOtext=
Count Bling strolled through the streets of Naples, blending into the
crowd of tourists and natives. Deja vu walked by his side, guiding his
every step. And then, in one instant, deja vu vanished as if the count
had wakened from a dream of great significance.
"Count Bling, I cannot believe my eyes- tell me, is it really you?"
"Doge Kasanova- I cannot believe my ears or my eyes," and then the
count checked his breast pocket and felt for the fullness of his
travel wallet.
"Count," said Doge, "still you do not trust me?" And Doge feigned a
look of injury.
At this the count smiled and said
"I trust that you have not changed any more than mankind itself has
changed!"

Later that evening Doge asked
"Count, what brings you to Naples?"
"Actually," explained the count, " I am just passing through Naples
enroute to Pisa. I wish to see the renowned SuperNaturalist, Don
Gregor," and the count took another drink of his wine.
"Oh yes, I think he creates devices of excited light" said Doge
thoughtfully.
"Exactly, now have you heard of traders from the edge of our galaxy,
traders who have small yet powerful devices that work by a form of
magic without magic?" inquired the count.
Doge thought for a moment, " there was a trader who came by last year
who said he belonged to some sort of foundation, Yes, I think he must
have been one of these magicians you speak of."
"Very interesting," said the count, "I have never seen one myself, but
I would like to some day." And the count took one more drink of his
wine.
"But count, before you go, could I ask of you one small favor?" and
Doge appeared sincere.
"Of course" said the count, "my service of good will shall never end."
"There is to be a great Carnival in Rome, including an underground
auction of fresh Turkish slaves. Could you attend?" And Doge appeared
hopeful.

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Giro Or Cheque?

Giro Or Cheque?

Music=
1. Year of the Cat- Al Stewart

UFOtext=
The Count of Monte Sano turned from the fresh mountain panorama of
Valloire and retraced his steps from the balcony to his room. A soft
tone from his travel display gently urged a response- the Count
obliged & the screen came to life. Before the Count appeared the
visage of his financial ingenue, her almond eyes framed by silky brown
hair.
"Good morning Sayjil, how are things in Paris?"
"Better, but there's a problem with your short position."
"How can that be? The market is technically overextended, everyone
says so."
"The buyers are out of control- they cannot stop themselves," and
Sayjil appeared somewhat urgent.
"Sayjil, just relax, the buyers will run out of money and come to
there senses- then the market will pull back"
"How do you know this?" she said, not amused.
"Sayjil, this is a Doge Kasanova trade, it is money in the bank."
"My dear Count Bling, it is not money in the bank, it is money in the
back pocket of Doge Kasanova! I would not be surprised if he is on the
other side of the trade, and you are his dupe!"
"Then I will challenge him to a duel, and take back what he owes me"
said the Count, with an eerie lack of humor.
"What does Doge owe you?" asked Sayjil.
"Doge Kasanova owes me his life, as do you." And Sayjil remained
quiet, as if she would cry.
And the mind of Count Bling left the scene of this small crime and
travelled back in years to the glittering waters beneath Monte Vesuvio
where his unguarded words wrought an iron chain of truth.

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Spring Promise

Spring Promise

Music=
1. Untitled- Smashing Pumpkins

UFOtext=
4 some the reality of Autumn fulfills the promise of Spring. Toran
flipped on his hologram.

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Imagination

Imagination

Music=
1. Just My Immagination- The Cranberries

UFOtext=
Toran applied more effort and reached the plateau where he spied the
Far Star. Whether on Misty Mountain, the Strip at New Daytona or here
on Valloire, the rewards of constant effort were identical & tangible.
Every day was another step up.
In similarity, Beta remained tangible & real, a woman whose ideas &
realities overlaid one another just as the software & hardware lived
together in her silver applet.

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Kochac Bidrogi

Kochac Bidrogi

Music=
1. Everlong- Foo Fighters
2. Learn To Fly- Vitamin String Quartet

UFOtext=
Astira extended her middle finger-
"This 1 is 4 U!" she said.

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Training Wheels

Training Wheels

Music=
1. Sweet About Me (music video)- Gabriella Cilmi

UFOtext=
It felt odd- after running & hiking up the mountain for two days along
a wilderness trail of treacherous steps, Astira felt concerned about
the final trilogy of steps crafted by the First Foundation. Why? What 4?

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Back 2 iWork- 52,009

Back 2 iWork- 52,009

Music=
1. Don't Let It Get You Down- Spoon

UFOtext=
Astira looked at Tarin & said "These steps look like tricks 2 me- U go
first!"

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Table Wine

Music=
1. Extreme Ways- Moby

UFOtext=
In the dark space between the candles, Aristarchus beheld an intimate
constellation of faces. And then the candles receded into the black
night and became stars in the skies of Samos- and there Athena swam
closer in the waters of their home, rising from the sea in a veil of
moonlit pearls.
"Northern man, you have departed from our company," said Kelly Divine,
breaking the hypnotic spell, gazing intently with his keen brown eyes.
"Your thoughts are but the footsteps of your heart- and your heart
lies hidden, trapped in a complex maze of thickets," said Lanae, her
face revealing a warm sympathy.

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House Of Cards

Music=
1. Me & The Bean- Spoon
2. The Infinite Pet- Spoon

UFOtext=
Without warning an outline of bright light appeared on the side of the
Far Star.
Astira blinked & a ramp appeared- a thin card of composite
nanomaterial with three molded steps leading to the mountain outdoors
beyond- & within, an optical illusion?

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