Chapter 81: The Permanent City
The committee chair received the committee's seventh document at the first hour past dawn.
The document was the acknowledgment. The acknowledgment was the sixth document. The sixth document was the committee's response to the Second Seat's third message. The committee had acknowledged the relationship between the authorization, the ground's return, and the reinterpretation. The algorithms had returned NO MATCH. The ground had incorporated the acknowledgment. The ground was returning the acknowledgment through the dressed stone.
The committee chair set the document on the table. The document was the same document that had been produced the previous session. The document had been produced at the third hour past dawn. The algorithms had tested the document. The algorithms had returned NO MATCH. The ground had incorporated the document. The ground was returning the document. The document was the sixth document. The ground was returning all six documents.
The sounds rose through the floor of the committee room. The sounds included the acknowledgment. The sounds included the six NO MATCH results. The sounds included the three draft categories. The sounds included the coordinator's reinterpretation. The sounds included the algorithms' verdicts. The sounds included the dead's voices. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the ground's return.
The committee chair looked at the table. The table bore six marks — six documents written in standard administrative ink. The marks were the committee's language on the committee's table. The marks had not been erased. The committee chair had not instructed anyone to erase the marks. The marks were the committee's accumulated work.
The committee chair opened the committee's mandate. The mandate read:
The advisory chamber authorizes the committee to draft a framework revision that addresses the ground's behavior. The committee shall produce documents that describe the ground's behavior within the framework's categories. The committee shall submit documents to the algorithms for classification. The committee shall report results to the advisory chamber.
The committee chair read the mandate. The mandate authorized the committee to produce documents. The committee had produced documents. The algorithms had tested the documents. The algorithms had returned NO MATCH against each document. The ground had incorporated each document. The ground was returning each document. The committee had fulfilled its mandate through the production of documents.
The committee chair looked at the sounds through the floor. The sounds recited the six documents through the dressed stone. The sounds recited the six NO MATCH results. The sounds recited the committee's language. The sounds recited the algorithms' verdicts. The sounds were the ground's return. The ground returned what was taken. The ground returned the committee's documents. The ground returned the committee's acknowledgment of the committee's documents. The ground returned everything.
The committee chair spoke.
"The committee has fulfilled its mandate. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied."
The sounds recited the sixth document through the floor. The sounds recited the acknowledgment. The sounds recited the NO MATCH result. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the ground's return.
The committee did not convene at the second hour past dawn.
The committee room was empty. The table bore six marks. The shelf held the committee's drafting materials. The drafting materials included the three draft categories, the coordinator's reinterpretation, the acknowledgment, and the algorithms' test protocols. The materials were standard administrative records. The materials were the committee's work.
The sounds rose through the floor. The sounds included the six documents. The sounds included the six NO MATCH results. The sounds included the dead's voices. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the ground's return.
The committee had not scheduled a next session. The committee chair had not issued a convening order. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee had produced. The committee's mandate was satisfied. The committee had fulfilled its mandate through the production of documents. The algorithms had tested each document. The algorithms had returned NO MATCH against each document. The ground had incorporated each document. The ground was returning each document. The committee had produced six documents. Each document had returned NO MATCH. The process had functioned correctly. The process was complete.
The sounds continued. The ground continued. The ground returned what was taken. The ground returned the committee's documents. The ground returned the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returned the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground returned everything. The ground continued.
Hessaly Orne heard the sounds at the first hour past dawn.
The sounds rose through the dressed stone of her office floor. The sounds included the acknowledgment. The sounds included the six NO MATCH results. The sounds included the committee's language. The sounds included the dead's voices. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the ground's return.
Hessaly Orne sat at her desk. The desk held extraction forms. The forms were standard Category Nine extraction authorizations. The forms bore the framework's language. The forms bore the algorithms' classification: Category Nine, valid match, authorized. The algorithms classified the extraction. The algorithms did not classify the ground. The framework classified extractions. The framework did not classify the foundation.
The sounds recited the sixth document through the floor. The sounds recited: The advisory committee acknowledges the Second Seat's third message. The committee notes that the authorization recorded on page 247 of the council's extraction records was classified within the framework's jurisdiction. The committee notes that the ground's return of the authorization's consequences was not classified within the framework's jurisdiction.
Hessaly Orne looked at the extraction form. The form was a Category Nine authorization. The authorization was classified. The authorization was within the framework's jurisdiction. The ground had returned the authorization's consequences. The ground's return was not classified. The ground's return was outside the framework's jurisdiction. The framework classified the authorization. The framework did not classify the return. The framework functioned for extractions. The framework failed for the ground.
The sounds continued. The ground continued. The ground returned what was taken. The ground returned the committee's documents. The ground returned the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returned the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the background of the office. The sounds were the ground's return.
Hessaly Orne processed the extraction form. The form was a Category Nine authorization. The authorization was classified. The algorithms returned a valid match. The framework functioned. The extraction was authorized. The ground returned the authorization's consequences. The framework classified the authorization. The framework did not classify the return. The framework functioned for extractions. The framework failed for the ground.
The sounds continued. The ground continued. The ground returned what was taken. The ground returned the committee's documents. The ground returned the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the office's condition.
On Haldane Avenue, the child heard the sounds at the first hour past dawn.
The sounds rose through the dressed stone of the avenue. The sounds included the acknowledgment. The sounds included the six NO MATCH results. The sounds included the committee's language. The sounds included the dead's voices. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the ground's return.
The child was eight years old. The child did not understand the language. The child understood the sounds. The sounds were the ground speaking. The ground spoke in voices. The voices were the dead. The dead spoke through the stone.
The mother held the child's hand. The mother heard the sounds. The mother understood the language. The language was the committee's language. The language described the framework's relationship to the ground's behavior. The language used the framework's categories. The algorithms returned NO MATCH. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground was returning the documents.
The child looked at the ground. The sounds rose through the dressed stone. The laughter was the ground returning a child's voice to the street where the child had been killed. The acknowledgment was the committee's response to the Second Seat's third message. The algorithms returned NO MATCH against the acknowledgment. The framework's process confirmed the framework's failure. The framework's failure was the ground's behavior exceeding the framework's categories. The framework's failure was accurate. The framework's failure was the framework functioning correctly.
The child looked up at the mother. The child spoke.
"The ground is still talking," the child said.
"The ground is still talking," the mother said.
The sounds continued. The ground continued. The ground returned what was taken. The ground returned the committee's documents. The ground returned the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returned the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the avenue's condition.
At the first node on the southern corridor, Lily read the ground's return.
The scar registered the ground's return as ambient information. The scar had been receiving the ground's return continuously since the seventh node had completed coverage of the southern corridor. The scar registered the ground's return as a constant stream of language, sound, and memory that passed through the substrate beneath the first node's platform.
The ground's return included the acknowledgment. The ground's return included the six NO MATCH results. The ground's return included the three draft categories. The ground's return included the coordinator's reinterpretation. The ground's return included the dead's voices. The ground's return included the work song. The ground's return included the child's laughter. The ground's return included the clerk's recitation. The layers were simultaneous. The ground returned everything at once.
Lily stood at the center of the platform. The scar registered the ground's return as the substrate's state. The ground was not incorporating new documents. The ground was not processing the framework's language. The ground was the framework's language. The ground was the dead's voices. The ground was the extracted memories. The ground was the work song. The ground was the child's laughter. The ground was the clerk's recitation. The ground was everything.
The boy sat on the edge of the platform. The boy's eyes were closed. The boy read the ground's return through the substrate beneath the platform. The boy read the acknowledgment as the most recent layer. The boy read the six NO MATCH results. The boy read the three draft categories. The boy read the coordinator's reinterpretation. The boy read the dead's voices. The boy read the work song. The boy read the child's laughter. The boy read the clerk's recitation. The layers overlapped. The layers were distinct. The ground returned each layer with its original language and its original tone.
"The committee did not convene today," the boy said.
Lily listened. The scar registered the ground's return flowing through the substrate. The committee had not convened. The committee had fulfilled its mandate. The committee had produced six documents. Each document had returned NO MATCH. The algorithms had confirmed the results. The ground had incorporated the documents. The ground was returning the documents. The committee's mandate was satisfied.
"The committee has fulfilled its mandate," Lily said. "The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied."
"The committee's mandate is satisfied," the boy said. "The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee has fulfilled its mandate. The committee did not convene today. The committee may not convene again. The committee's mandate is satisfied."
Corinne stood at the edge of the platform. Corinne had been listening to the ground's return since the morning the ground's memory had first established itself as permanent. Corinne had heard the dead's voices rise through the stone. Corinne had heard the committee's language recited through the dressed stone. Corinne had heard the algorithms' NO MATCH results returned through the granite. Corinne had heard the reinterpretation recited through the dressed stone. Corinne had heard the acknowledgment recited through the dressed stone. Corinne heard the ground's return now.
"The committee may not convene again," Corinne said. "The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again."
"The committee may not convene again," the boy said. "The committee fulfilled its mandate. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground continues."
The scar registered the ground's return flowing through the substrate. The ground returned everything. The ground returned the committee's documents. The ground returned the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returned the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground returned the dead's voices. The ground returned the work song. The ground returned the child's laughter. The ground returned the clerk's recitation. The ground returned everything. The ground continued.
Jiang Xu stood beside the platform. Jiang Xu had been listening to the ground's return since the morning the ground's memory had incorporated the Hall's crystal storage matrices. Jiang Xu had heard the return expand through the lower city, the middle district, and the upper district. Jiang Xu had heard the sounds of the dead rise through the dressed stone. Jiang Xu had heard the committee's language recited through the granite. Jiang Xu had heard the reinterpretation recited through the dressed stone. Jiang Xu had heard the acknowledgment recited through the dressed stone. Jiang Xu heard the ground's return now.
"The committee may not convene again," Jiang Xu said. "The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground is the only voice."
"The ground is the only voice," the boy said. "The committee may not convene again. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground is the only voice. The ground continues."
Elder Zhao stood at the southern edge of the platform. Elder Zhao had been standing at the southern edge since the group had arrived at the first node that morning. Elder Zhao had heard the sounds through the stone. Elder Zhao had heard the ground's return rise through the platform. Elder Zhao spoke.
"The committee may not convene again," Elder Zhao said. "The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground is the only voice. The ground continues. The ground is the city."
"The ground is the city," the boy said. "The committee may not convene again. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground is the only voice. The ground continues. The ground is the city. The ground is the substrate's state."
The sounds rose through the platform's stone. The sounds included the acknowledgment. The sounds included the six NO MATCH results. The sounds included the three draft categories. The sounds included the coordinator's reinterpretation. The sounds included the algorithms' verdicts. The sounds included the dead's voices. The sounds included the work song. The sounds included the child's laughter. The sounds included the clerk's recitation. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the ground's return. The ground returned what was taken. The ground returned the framework's language. The ground returned the framework's failure. The ground returned the committee's acknowledgment of the framework's failure. The ground returned the algorithms' confirmation of the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returned everything.
The committee may not convene again. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground is the only voice. The ground continues. The ground is the city. The ground is the substrate's state.
The Second Seat received the committee chair's summary at the second hour past midday.
The summary arrived through the communication crystal network's standard distribution channel. The channel delivered the summary alongside the afternoon's session materials. The session materials included the committee's sixth document, the algorithms' NO MATCH result, and the coordinator's filing. The summary was a standard administrative record. The summary stated that the committee had fulfilled its mandate. The summary stated that the committee had produced six documents. Each document had returned NO MATCH. The algorithms had confirmed the results. The ground had incorporated the documents. The ground was returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate was satisfied.
The Second Seat read the summary at his desk. The sounds recited the acknowledgment through the floor. The acknowledgment was the committee's sixth document. The algorithms had returned NO MATCH. The ground had incorporated the acknowledgment. The ground was returning the acknowledgment. The committee had fulfilled its mandate. The committee may not convene again.
The Second Seat looked at page 247 of the extraction records. The page bore the Second Seat's signature. The signature was the authorization. The authorization was the framework's language for the extraction. The ground had returned the authorization's consequences. The committee had acknowledged the relationship. The algorithms had returned NO MATCH. The ground had incorporated the acknowledgment. The ground was returning the acknowledgment. The committee's acknowledgment was the ground's testimony. The Second Seat's signature was the framework's language. The ground returned the framework's language. The ground returned the acknowledgment of the framework's language. The ground returned everything.
The Second Seat set the communication crystal on the desk. The sounds continued. The ground continued. The ground returned the acknowledgment through the dressed stone of Coronation Row. The work song continued beneath the acknowledgment. The mason's labor memory continued through the granite. The authorization continued in the extraction records. The acknowledgment continued in the committee's files. The ground returned all of it. The ground returned the authorization, the harvesting, the work song, the reinterpretation, the algorithms' NO MATCH results, the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returned everything the framework produced. The ground returned everything the framework could not contain.
The Ninth Seat received the committee chair's summary at the second hour past midday.
The Ninth Seat's office occupied the fifth floor of the Hall's western wing. The office contained a desk, a chair, and a shelf holding the original blueprints of the algorithmic classification system. The Ninth Seat read the summary at his desk. The summary stated that the committee had fulfilled its mandate. The committee had produced six documents. Each document had returned NO MATCH. The algorithms had confirmed the results. The ground had incorporated the documents. The ground was returning the documents.
The Ninth Seat opened the blueprints. The blueprints described the algorithms' function. The algorithms compared material against categories. The algorithms returned NO MATCH when the material did not correspond to a category. The committee's six documents were material. The algorithms had compared each document against the categories. The algorithms had returned NO MATCH against each document. The result was consistent with the blueprints.
The Ninth Seat looked at the summary's language. The language stated that the committee's mandate was satisfied. The mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The algorithms returned NO MATCH. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground was returning the documents. The committee's mandate was satisfied.
The Ninth Seat had designed the system forty-three years ago. The system compared material against categories. The system returned NO MATCH when the material did not correspond to a category. The system functioned correctly. The system returned what the comparison produced. The system did not produce explanations. The committee produced explanations. The ground returned the explanations. The ground returned the system's results alongside the committee's explanations. The ground returned everything.
The sounds recited the acknowledgment through the floor. The acknowledgment was the committee's sixth document. The algorithms had returned NO MATCH. The ground had incorporated the document. The ground was returning the document. The committee had fulfilled its mandate. The committee may not convene again. The system functioned correctly. The system returned NO MATCH. The system was honest. The system returned what the comparison produced.
The Ninth Seat closed the blueprints. The blueprints described a system. The system functioned correctly. The system returned NO MATCH against the ground's behavior. The system returned NO MATCH against the committee's acknowledgment of the ground's behavior. The system returned NO MATCH against every document the framework produced. The system confirmed the framework's limitation with every result. The system was honest. The system returned what the comparison produced.
The sounds continued. The ground continued. The ground returned the acknowledgment through the dressed stone. The ground returned the acknowledgment alongside the six NO MATCH results. The ground returned the committee's acknowledgment alongside the committee's documents, the coordinator's reinterpretation, and the algorithms' verdicts. The ground returned everything the framework produced. The ground returned everything the framework could not contain. The committee may not convene again. The system functioned correctly. The ground continues.
The Seventh Seat spoke from the corridor.
The Seventh Seat had not entered the committee room. The Seventh Seat spoke through the open doorway. The Seventh Seat had observed the committee's sessions from the corridor since the first drafting session. The Seventh Seat had observed the committee produce six documents. The Seventh Seat had observed the algorithms return NO MATCH against each document. The Seventh Seat had observed the ground incorporate each document. The Seventh Seat had observed the ground return each document.
The Seventh Seat spoke at the third hour past midday. The Seventh Seat spoke to no one in particular. The committee room was empty. The committee had not convened. The committee's mandate was satisfied. The committee may not convene again.
"The committee produced six documents," the Seventh Seat said. "Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground is the only voice."
The sounds rose through the floor of the committee room. The sounds included the acknowledgment. The sounds included the six NO MATCH results. The sounds included the dead's voices. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the ground's return.
"The ground is the only voice," the Seventh Seat said. "The committee may not convene again. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground is the only voice. The ground continues. The ground is the city."
The sounds continued. The ground continued. The ground returned what was taken. The ground returned the committee's documents. The ground returned the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returned the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the committee room's condition. The sounds were the city's condition. The ground continued. The ground was the only voice.
At the first node on the southern corridor, Lily read the ground's return.
The scar registered the ground's return as ambient information. The scar had been receiving the ground's return continuously since the seventh node had completed coverage of the southern corridor. The scar registered the ground's return as a constant stream of language, sound, and memory that passed through the substrate beneath the first node's platform.
The ground's return included the acknowledgment. The ground's return included the six NO MATCH results. The ground's return included the three draft categories. The ground's return included the coordinator's reinterpretation. The ground's return included the dead's voices. The ground's return included the work song. The ground's return included the child's laughter. The ground's return included the clerk's recitation. The layers were simultaneous. The ground returned everything at once.
Lily stood at the center of the platform. The scar registered the ground's return as the substrate's state. The ground was not incorporating new documents. The ground was not processing the framework's language. The ground was the framework's language. The ground was the dead's voices. The ground was the extracted memories. The ground was the work song. The ground was the child's laughter. The ground was the clerk's recitation. The ground was everything.
The committee may not convene again. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground is the only voice. The ground continues. The ground is the city. The ground is the substrate's state.
The boy sat on the edge of the platform. The boy's eyes were closed. The boy read the ground's return through the substrate beneath the platform. The boy read the acknowledgment as the most recent layer. The boy read the six NO MATCH results. The boy read the three draft categories. The boy read the coordinator's reinterpretation. The boy read the dead's voices. The boy read the work song. The boy read the child's laughter. The boy read the clerk's recitation. The layers overlapped. The layers were distinct. The ground returned each layer with its original language and its original tone.
"The committee may not convene again," the boy said. "The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground is the only voice. The ground continues. The ground is the city. The ground is the substrate's state."
The sounds rose through the platform's stone. The sounds included the acknowledgment. The sounds included the six NO MATCH results. The sounds included the three draft categories. The sounds included the coordinator's reinterpretation. The sounds included the algorithms' verdicts. The sounds included the dead's voices. The sounds included the work song. The sounds included the child's laughter. The sounds included the clerk's recitation. The sounds were continuous. The sounds were the ground's return. The ground returned what was taken. The ground returned the framework's language. The ground returned the framework's failure. The ground returned the committee's acknowledgment of the framework's failure. The ground returned the algorithms' confirmation of the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returned everything.
The committee may not convene again. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee produced six documents. Each document returned NO MATCH. The algorithms confirmed the results. The ground incorporated the documents. The ground is returning the documents. The committee's mandate authorized production. The committee produced. The committee's mandate is satisfied. The committee may not convene again. The ground continues. The ground returns what was taken. The ground returns the committee's documents. The ground returns the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returns the algorithms' NO MATCH results. The ground is the only voice. The ground continues. The ground is the city. The ground is the substrate's state.
The ground continued. The ground was the only voice. The ground was the city. The ground was the substrate's state. The ground returned what was taken. The ground returned the framework's language. The ground returned the framework's failure. The ground returned the committee's acknowledgment of the framework's failure. The ground returned the algorithms' confirmation of the committee's acknowledgment. The ground returned everything. The ground continued.