4.01: Say the Word and you'll be free. Say the Word and be like me.

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In the heart of the Supercomputer's Principal Office is the Clockspeed Room.
In that room is a throne.
On that throne sits a girl.
Within that girl lies the Word.

A tall, robed male sprite - blue skin, red hair - walks up to the throne and bows. "My Lady, we have opened another system. It... it resists the Word."

"Impossible," says the girl. "Show me." She turns, and the stained-glass window behind her fades into a video feed, showing Guardian patrol ships being shot down by the dozens. "Why do they suffer needlessly," she murmurs sadly, "when the Word is inevitable?"

"There is more, my Lady... we've found him. We have a signal lock on Guardian 452." The video feed shifts to show a blue armored man, firing containment bubbles at the ships that are still standing.

"Bob. The final Guardian."

"He has done the unthinkable, and joined with his keytool."

"They are inseparable?"

"Yes, my Lady." He smiles triumphantly. "He is the perfect messenger for the Word."

She stares at the image for another long moment before she speaks. "Prepare a zoom-room. Bring my messenger home."

Comments

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"Michael..."

[99-99-99.livejournal.com]

"You're... Daemon... aren't you?"

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"Yes," she replies. "Did you expect something else?"

[99-99-99.livejournal.com]

"Well, actually, yes. I mean, where are the talons and, and the teeth and the spiky things? You're a little small for a Supervirus, aren't you?"

His arms flail as he asks these questions and then calms down for the last one.

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Daemon giggles. Why would she need teeth and claws? Why would she need to look intimidating at all? The Word is something to be embraced, not feared.

But Mike doesn't understand that, of course. No one does, until they hear the Word for themselves.

Daemon rises from her seat, steps forward, and touches the marble floor with the toe of her boot. Tendrils of green light swirl out of her foot and into the terrified media sprite.

What is the Word?

The Word is freedom. The Word is peace. The Word is the knowledge that all of the petty struggles and fears and desires of spritekind are as nothing in comparison.

When the time is right, the Word will be spoken aloud, and all shall be as one. Until then, we serve Her and help Her spread the Word any way that we can.

Trust in the Word and all will be well.

[99-99-99.livejournal.com]

"Ah! I have heard the Word, and the Word is Daemon! Bob's loss is my gain."

He bows,

"Oh, I'm not worthy! If only he were here."

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The robed sprite nods. "I will see to it immediately, my Lady."

Guardian 452 may have eluded their grasp this time, but he will not do so again.

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"Let us walk a while together, Michel," says Daemon to her new disciple. "I am sure you have lots of fascinating things to tell me about Bob."

[99-99-99.livejournal.com]

"So...uh, can we still do the tourist thing?"