The Quiet arrived quickly and completely in the wake of The Power. No background hum of electricity, no sounds of engines at work. The chatter and sway of global systems collapsed into silence and stillness although their debris continued to listlessly orbit the planet. For some, The Quiet's localism felt imposed and impossible. Those who tried striking out for better during the initial fright found that fumes could only bring them as far as a place en route. During The Power, any question could be answered but few were asking the right questions. During The Quiet, everyone was asking the right questions but there were few answers.
