CLICK TO READ THE FIRST PAGE OF EACH CHAPTER Prologue: And Darkness came over the Earth Chapter 1: Welcome Aboard! Chapter 2: Home on a Mothership Chapter 3: The Higher Plan Chapter 4: Planning for a New World Chapter 5: Politics and Participation Chapter 6: Creating a New Geography Chapter 7: A Rural Ride Chapter 8: Home on a Hillside Chapter 9: Life in the Atrium Chapter 10: Growth and Learning Chapter 11: Work and Economics Chapter 12: The Rewards of Leisure Epilogue: Take heed of yourself For full ordering information please check the main page: PLANET EARTH: EXTREME MAKEOVER

Whenthe ancient prophecies of major floods and earthquakes are suddenly fulfilled, many of Earth's people are rescued by spacecraft and taken to huge mother ships, where they are received as honored guests while Planet Earth undergoes a complete restructuring. As they enjoy the enriching experiences of daily life on these giant spaceships, they debate and plan their New Society. Rejecting outright any form of aggression and planetary pollution, they develop new ideals of law and liberty based on one simple, all-embracing principle reflected in a full program of land and resources-use, economy, business, and personal liberties. Just as many intrepid souls once crossed the Atlantic from the Old World to a new continent and a new life, so the time finally comes when Earth's people return to their 'new' planet, now cleansed, refreshed and replanted. Take a full guided tour of a giant spacecraft 25 miles long and 5 miles high, follow the detailed policy and planning debates, and glimpse the ideal society we all dream of, yet never manage to create. Planet Earth: Extreme Makeover Chapter 9 – LIFE IN THE ATRIUM Passengers reaching the County Town on the Rural Lines arrive under the central atrium at a terminal bay, one of several grouped in a circle, with glass elevators in the center of the platform. Those passengers who plan to travel to another County Town or to the Regional Capital take the elevator down to a lower, square-layout platform where they can join the Inter-county grid, while taking the elevator up brings arriving passengers directly to the County Town's central atrium. The Atrium itself, with sunlight streaming in from its glass pyramid 300 feet above, is a huge tropical paradise of exotic plants and trees vibrant with life, their leaves shimmering with the excitement of the activity around them. The odd monkey or colorful bird can often be seen peering through the foliage, though there are special areas set aside for them where they have been asked, and generally agree, to remain. They are not of course 'captive' but here of their own free will and agreement. They tend to enjoy their interaction with humans and generally stay for long periods, often for life, though they will be returned to their previous habitat at any time they make a mental request to do so. This is the place to see and be seen, to enjoy the ever-changing parade of people, to make new friends or meet old ones, to read or relax, enjoy some light refreshment, work on a laptop computer, or play some table game with anyone who's interested (an ancient form of Chinese chess has recently been resurrected and is currently very popular here). One can take a leisurely stroll around the perimeter, pausing to watch the passing scene in one of the many sidewalk cafés or benches set in alcoves among flowering bushes. The beautifully tiled floors and surfaces, alcoves with small sitting areas surrounded by scented flowering bushes and the many small ornamental fountains recall some ancient Moorish palace.