An investigative report based on field interviews that records the unknown side of life as a stowaway — a marginalized minority in Penacony.
Part I
A Study on the "Everyday" Lives of Stowaways This book aims to shift the public perception of stowaways from mere condemnation to a brief and focused look at their daily lives. The author seeks to foster cross-group communication in order to find new solutions to the enduring issue of stowaways spanning several Amber Eras.
Note: This report solely investigates organic beings and Intellitrons who entered the Synesthesia Dreamscape through neighboring starships without applying for proper authorization from the Reverie Hotel.
Chapter I: Even Stowaways Have to Work
Stowaways from impoverished galaxies often exhaust their savings to board ships that can conduct interstellar warps. They rest in bare-bone rudimentary cabins, evading The Family's oversight to sneak into the Dreamscape.
Contrary to popular perception, unemployed stowaways represent only a tiny proportion in the starships. Faced with the pressures of survival, most stowaways strive to find employment in Penacony. While the job-seeking process is typically difficult for these marginalized individuals, sustaining a daily existence in the thriving Dreamscape can be achieved through simple labor.
Meanwhile, unemployed stowaways have their own alternative means of survival, often teaching others in their smaller group something akin to begging. They employ a variety of techniques to beg for Alfalfa credits from visitors in the Penacony Dreamscapes and use the money earned to cover their expenses in reality. Rumors suggest that a revered stowaway, known as the "Great Sage," befriended the legendary Watchmaker through the simple means of begging, thus ascending the social ladder. However, this is likely a sales pitch used by human smugglers to attract potential stowaways.
Some stowaways struggle to adapt to the Dreamscape society and continue working in reality, such as in interstellar deliveries or repair services for passing starships. However, the meager income from low-paying reality often falls short of supporting their indulgence in Penacony. Consequently, these stowaways occasionally resort to criminal activities, such as extortion or blackmailing guests.
According to the laws established by the Oak Family, stowaways are strictly prohibited in Penacony, as they often face dire consequences when apprehended by the Hounds. However, compared to The Family's pursuit, the damage caused to their brain and psyche by counterfeit Dreampools is even more alarming. Prolonged exposure to high concentrations of unprocessed memoria can result in severe physical and mental degradation, with many stowaways succumbing to debilitating psychological disorders in their later years.
I have covertly inspected the stowaway ships, but unfortunately, by the time I arrived, a prominent special guest had already left the ship. Rumors suggest that these enigmatic stowaways possess substantial financial resources, using Dreampools no less opulent than those in the Platinum Suite. Some may choose to stow away to conceal their identities from The Family, as even the most notorious criminals in the cosmos can easily alter their appearances and find refuge within the Dreamscape in Penacony.
Some stowaways go to great lengths just to catch a glimpse of the Dreamscape in Penacony and then depart on a small vessel afterward. During a private conversation, the captain of a stowaway starship informed me that these stowaways comprise the majority of their clients, as diving into the Dreamscape in this manner proves much more cost-effective than covering the exorbitant rates charged by the Reverie Hotel.
As I pen down these words, I find myself marveling at the allure of Penacony. For several Amber Eras, people have been willing to give up everything, just to visit this splendorous dream of Harmony.