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((The Monday Triple: page 2 of 3))
‘Funnels?’ Hector vaguely recalled one of the reapers mentioning such a thing when he’d first learned of the Undercrust’s existence.

‘It’s an absolutely ancient technique. Perhaps the oldest method, even.’

He still wasn’t quite sure he understood. ‘Oldest method of what, exactly?’

‘Of creating survivable conditions here. Of colonization, that is.’

Hector blinked.

‘The invention of heat funneling--down here? Historically speaking, it’s on par with the invention of agriculture. Its importance and influence to civilization here can’t really be overstated.’

‘Wow, uh. Okay. How does it work?’

‘It’s pretty simple. Have you ever heard the phrase “heat rises?”’

‘Sure.’

‘Well, that’s a lie.’

‘What?’

‘Or at least, it’s not the whole truth. Really, heat just flows from an area of high concentration to an area of low concentration. From hot to cold. Until both areas are the same temperature. It’s part of nature’s eternal pursuit of equilibrium. We only think of heat as “rising” because heat affects the density of matter, and matter with a low density will generally get pushed up by matter with a high density. That’s why a rock sinks in water, and oil rises above it. But anyway, the point is, heat often gets conflated with the rising movement created by changes in density, even though heat itself is not prone to any particular direction.’

‘...I feel like I should’ve known this, already.’

‘Eh, you probably did, on some level. It’s fairly intuitive. And if not, well. That’s why I’m here, right? Don’t be too hard on yourself.’

‘You’re not gonna call me stupid again?’

‘Oh, yeah. You’re stupid.’

‘Ugh.’

‘Thanks for reminding me.’

‘Happy to help.’

‘Anyway, what was I talking about?’

‘Uh. Heat funneling?’

‘Right, right. So, ah, okay. Everything I just explained is an important part of how these cities down here maintain relatively safe temperatures. It’s hard for me to tell, since I can’t actually feel temperature, myself, but at a guess, I’d say that the streets of Babbadelo here are hovering around four or five hundred degrees.’