End Game

More than The Council of Materials Management is tasked with allocating precious remaining resources in order for the universe to better experience itself.

The council room of Materials Management was sixty feet across. The floor was a circle with a thin donut-shaped desk that sat atop it. Members sat around the desk in high chairs and exuded an aura of intimidation to whomever found themselves in the recessed middle - a place of having to endure councilmen and women passing judgement from all sides. It didn't intimidate everyone. For instance there was Cannor Dawks, who yet again brought himself before the committee to ask for more. As if what had been given had not been enough.

It was never enough, for anyone. It used to be one could conjure things from their imagination for no price. There had been more than enough material to convert starmatter to conjure vast worlds for yourself. There is not enough now. Now, the council is focusing its efforts on conserving what little remains in the hopes that one day they might think their way out of a dying universe.

"What is the purpose of conserving existence in the universe if quality of experience isn't worth experiencing?" asked Dawks.

"Dawkes, we are tasked with figuring out how to best appropriate materials so that we, the universe, can better experience itself. Are you suggesting we give up on our future?" said councilwoman Meed

"What hope is there? We have had 12 billion years to find a solution, what chance is there we will find a way to escape this universe in a few hundred million years?" responded Dawks raising his hands.

"1.1 billion years if conservation measures are taken into effect," replied Meed.

"Conserving existence will make you less likely to find a solution," stressed Dawks.

"what makes you say that?" asked Meed

"For the first time since the dawn of history we've had our conjuring devices taken away from us. First we were asked to share starsystems, and now planets - I assume in a few hundred million years we'll be asked to share just one. Why do you have us live through this misery, why can't you allow, as people demand, to go out with a bang?" demanded Dawks.

"We have to weigh our options, we could weigh a few million years of bliss by giving back everyone's conjuring devices, as they turn precious matter into energy, or we could concentrate our resources into finding an universe where we may experience an eternity of bliss," said councilwoman Meed.

"but councilwoman.." Interjected Dawks

"...Representative Dawks, your time has expired." countered Meed.