Love is infrastructure

Mainspring and St.

Barnabas are two cities located about an hour apart by car, sharing a regional identity but maintaining distinct personalities.

Mainspring is described as a practical, corporate-focused city with strengths in technology, healthcare, publishing, and transportation.

St.

Barnabas, in contrast, is portrayed as a cultural and academic hub with three universities, small biotech firms, and a vibrant arts scene.

Despite their proximity, the cities rarely interacted closely.

For years, they exchanged only brief greetings, with residents engaging more with distant neighbors.

Their relationship was marked by mild rivalry, competing for events like football games, baseball teams, and even the location of a shared airport.

The cities also held differing views on governance: Mainspring’s City Core relied on public voting via Quills (a system for submitting opinions), while St.

Barnabas emphasized local democracy and cultural vibrancy.