Twilight Chaos

The Twilight Chaos was a period of unrest in Stolc that stands as a turning point in the history of Galtern itself. It arose after a heavy-handed attempt to solve a housing shortage in the city created a night-shift population without the full benefits of citizenship. Eruptions of violence over several nights threatened to end the experiment until one of Stolc's Worthies, Besi Galiasollei, held a series of twilight meetings with the night shift's leaders. Those meetings established the Cooperative Council and the first set of rules that governed the equitable division between daytime and nighttime populations.

Background

Around 1550 Vol, when overcrowding became a serious issue in Stolc, the Worthies addressed the problem by establishing a dual living system. People were offered excellent jobs and housing if they would sleep during the day and work at night. Those who accepted moved into homes already occupied during the day, with the promise to contribute to the upkeep. This program faced resistance in the early stages, and for fifty years it remained in place only in the densest urban areas. Even on that small scale the results were good, clearly reducing the unsheltered population, and the program began to expand. The small night-shift communities grew and developed political strength.

After another ten years had gone by, they requested the use of schools at night so that the rising number of children could live on the same schedule as their parents, and that began the controversial battle over the rights of night citizens. In the end the Worthies decided it was necessary to open the entire city to night habitation, but barred anyone living at night from membership in the Worthies. This condition infuriated the night citizens, and in response they created their own valuation hierarchy and corresponding Worthies.

That decision marked the separation of Stolc into two distinct yet wholly symbiotic sociospheres. An uneasy equilibrium existed between them for another three decades, but also a slowly growing animosity, and increasing prejudice against night people.

The Conflict

Prelude

In the years leading up to the riots, an aggressive faction of the day shift formed a vigilante group calling themselves the Security Patrol and wandered Stolc after sunset, confronting anyone they saw and demanding proof of legitimate occupation. As these incidents increased, members of the night shift began going outside in groups for protection. In response, the Security Patrol escalated from verbal to physical intimidation. Injuries occurred on both sides as the night shift armed themselves for self-defense.

The incident that sparked the three days and nights known as the Twilight Chaos was a confrontation between a patrol and a group of night shift workers. One of the patrollers laid hands on a worker, who retaliated by hitting the patroller with a club. The rest of the patrol swarmed the worker. The other workers fought off the patrol and carried their friend to safety, but injured several patrollers in the process. Two of those workers were found dead the next day, and the patrol was accused of snatching them out of their worksite and murdering them.

The Engagement

The night after the deaths were discovered, a crowd of night shift gathered weapons and went out hunting down patrols. At least five day shift were killed, and many more injured. The patrols retreated, but came back in greater numbers just before dawn, as the night shift workers were going home. Dozens died before the attacks tapered off around midday. Fearing mo.re incidents in the evening, the Worthies contracted for enforcers to escort the night shift to work. Unbeknownst to them, many of the responders were themselves members of the Security Patrol, and the violence only escalated.

That second day of fighting came to an abrupt end with the intervention of a contingent of Water Seekers. They dropped thick blankets of water over crowds, and dispersed individuals with powerful streams. The Seekers did not stay once Stolc was quiet, and the Worthies were hopeful that this would be the end of the trouble. But the next morning a few pockets of fighting sprang up again. They were minor and short-lived, but proved that the tensions remained.

Besi drafted an invitation to the night shift's Worthies to meet with the day's Worthies at the Wall during the next morning twilight. To ensure the word would spread accurately, and to reduce potential sabotage, she and several friends spent the night posting copies not just on the Wall, but at every major crossroads in Stolc. As the sun rose, more than a hundred members of the day and night shift gathered for the first formal meeting of Worthies in the city's history.

Outcome

Besi opened the meeting with three proposals:

• First, an immediate and universal curfew. Those citizens of Stolc assigned to the day shift were not to appear out of their homes between sunset and sunrise. Likewise, the night shift must remain at home during the day.


• Second, the formation of a parallel unit to the Security Patrol composed of members of the night shift, to provide safe escort to workers. Both versions of the patrol would be active during their waking hours only.


• Third, that the day and night Worthies would meet again every five days, alternating between the evening and morning twilight hours, until they reached an agreement that provided and protected equivalent rights for both shifts. Thereafter, a subset of Worthies would continue to meet regularly each month to discuss problems and policies relevant to both shifts, in a body to be called the Cooperative Council.

Aftermath

Out of the Cooperative Council arose strictures to be observed by all inhabitants of Stolc. People were allowed in their houses only to sleep, with new facilities such as recreation buildings and public eateries built to accommodate them while they were awake. Night and day citizens were not to be in the same house except at dawn and dusk, already referred to by then as cross-hours.

The transition was made with difficulty, but in the end it was considered a success. With the practice now thoroughly accepted, it spread to other cities on Galtern. At present, the night shift population is a little more than half that of the day shift, and no one on the island thinks twice about the dichotomy.

Battlefield Type

Urban

Location

Galtern