"That aspect of the residential system was an early experiment I saw no reason to change later," she says. "As for the rest - people complained. They suggested solutions to their complaints. I implemented the solutions."

"I have had the impression that it is normally pretty difficult for people to get as far as complaining to you," says Keo.

"Yes," she says. "This was all a very long time ago."

"So you locked in a system that heavily features torturing people and then got harder to yell at. Grand."

"I do not enjoy complaints."

"I'll bet," says Eights. "Well, I'm complaining. Wanna hear my proposed solutions?"

"It has occurred to me that since this world's magic is able to move people between here and my domain, it may be time for some changes," she says. "I find the implications interesting from a design standpoint, and I am not opposed to suggestions." She addresses Keo. "Are all possible summons of ultimately limited duration?"

"A summoning lasts until it's undone, or broken, or the caster dies. Breaking is hard to do and it's unlikely to be much of a factor. Also, a given caster can only have one of a given individual summoning spell active at a given time, but it's relatively easy to invent more variations that count as different spells when this is worthwhile."

"Then it seems that the dead will not be permanently retrievable," she says. "That is less interesting than if they were, and perhaps more complicated."

"Someone whose summon is broken could be re-summoned, but no, nothing really permanent is currently available."

"...So," says Eights, "as much shit as I'm gonna get if anyone ever finds out this was me - ditch the whole thing. Fire all the torturers and all the judges, rescind control and judgesight - I'm assuming you can do that, you're basically God. Guides can wake people up and stick languages on 'em, and then let them ask if they wanna try for Upside, and somebody can judgesight them then if they agree to it, if you're that desperate to keep the plebes out. Just do not make that person anybody who's already a judge right now, because they're all assholes. And don't let them try to argue you into bringing the torture back. Do not bring the torture back. Torture is bad."

"Potentially workable," the administrator says thoughtfully. "I'll consider it."

"Seconding the torture being bad," says Keo. "What's judgesight?"

"The ability of judges to read a person's history in all original detail."

"...And they use this? On a regular basis? I could do that too but I was not brought up that way."

"It is necessary to their jobs."

"Who was it who proposed this sick joke of a system?"

"They are now the senior judges."

"Make it need target consent," Eights puts in. "Judgesight, I mean, if you give it to new people. Like control on a contractor."

Keo nods.

"If neither of you has further substantial input right now, I will take some time to think about this," she says.

Keo glances at Eights.

She shrugs. "I've covered all the major stuff. I mean - expand the minimum res space, even if you don't want to ditch the algorithm for who starts off with more. Some people might still want to dwell in shoeboxes, but fewer people should have to. Apart from that, can't think of anything else."

"Your suggestion is noted," she says, and ceases to pay attention to either of them.