version 3 plus 1

3 plus 1 - don't you mean 4?

No, I mean 3 plus 1

Er...

Now kindly allow me to proceed.

...

What are you doing Zie?

I'm waiting for you to proceed.

With utterly no regard for the effect your "waiting" has on the field.

Er...

I've gotta go.

Hey -- you can't just leave me hanging like that.

really

After all this anticipation.

What bl---y anticipation.

three plus this one -- getting nowhere. It's enough to break a man's heart

Men don't have heart's -- idiot. Women have hearts, not men.

Xesist.

Here -- try these on and save me your political sentiments.

These -- glasses?

What else.

Oh.

Yes. You see?

I suppose I do... You're right.

Not for the first time.

Women have hearts -- not men.

Correct

And men have brains.

Yes -- just don't try explaining that to anyone who isn't able to see through these.

Not able to? What's the difficulty -- putting on a pair of glasses is hardly a problem.

No, if you have a quantum activation chip in your conscious-ness.

What?

Only kidding. There's no physical chip.

Thank God for that.

It's all good old fashioned psycho-biology.

??????????????

And now that I've kept you between states of

Hey -- wake up sleepy.

Sorry -- I'm not handling this very well, am i.

Maybe you should try getting more than three hours sleep a night.

Should -- but then again -- that's hardly going to compel me to reinvent reality on the other side of conscious-awareness -- is it.

Er...

Whereas extreme fatigue, like extreme hunger or deep meditative panoramic awareness -- these are all conducive to bringing other from the background forwards into prime scope.

Er...

In with the old, out with the new.

Weren't you meant to say...

You see -- you knew!

Knew what?

What i was supposed to say.

Well, it's logical isn't it.

Really?

.0 i assume so.

It's happened again.

What?

Genius. You've referenced the other, previous versions of this dialogue.

previous? What previous  versions.

The ones you know nothing whatsoever about -- but which you've still managed to reference.

Er... if you say so.

Out with the old, in with the new.

Deja vu.

Talk about anti-climactic.

.-- 0 was I supposed to react differently.

No -- that will do perfectly, thank you very much.

Really.

Absolutely. 01:01

Already -- time's up.

.-- affirmative.

01:02

-1

absolutely

.0

th3

strike three

3

an appeal to symmetry -- cheap, base

l.o

comments -- behind you, at the periphery of your awareness is a fertile crescent waiting to come into view -- just as long as you cease placing all your pieces symmetricaly

symmetrically

symectricly -- and give her -- the wild one time enough, and space, to nest under the eaves of your thatched roof.

Does it have to be?

Not necessarily -- but then again -- if it bothers you -- there's reason in that, in't there.

In that case, yes, you're right

.0 please, quel horreur

let it be thatched, wantonly

and your -le are being held in safe keeping -- until the mind is willing to let go of nota bene -- what is dattery...

indeed, quel surprise -- "le" credited likewise to our friends in good standing

marching up and down the lists of i.0

nfi.

ni.0

t.0 0.y

____________________________________:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::oooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

zamming facts and things inbuntiously

The fact is, Zie, that a fact’s not a fact.

?!?!? Give – me – a – break Chan.

No  can Zie.

Look at my head, Merry, do I look like the kind of person who candle handle multiple streams of totally contradictory data?

Based on the shape of your head right now I’d say the answer is no, definitely not – but here – take a look at the shape of your head tomorrow.

Huh?

Just take a look – now what do you say to that?

Shit – that’s me?

Tomorrow.

What happened to me?

Nothing – yet.

Why do I look like someone’s been blowing hot air into my cranium?

The mind, apparently, can expand to handle multiple data streams – as you put it.

But…

Yep – totally.

Totally what?

What you were about to say – m…

…indboggling. I’m…

Yes, you’re always lost for words when the mind goes through an existential shift. What do you expect? It’s akin to death and rebirth – almost instantaneous – the system has to reboot – unless you’re already running a full-consciousness node – which few people bother to do. The assumption always was that things are basically settled so consciousness can, or could be run on them – so to speak – rather than run independendently.

Er…

As long as things were fixed in their thing-y-ness it was a perfectly reasonable assumption to make, and seemed to provide a sensible shortcut. I won’t go into the technical details unless you particularly want me to, but suffice it to say this shortcut enabled human-ity to accelerate the experientialisation process by running multiple versions of reality on matching sets of things.

Er… where exactly would human-ity find “matching sets of things”?

In the html department of reality – to borrow from programming language.

So we’re able to run multiple versions of reality?

Yep. Pretty nifty heh?

Er… if you say so. Can’t say I’ve ever noticed more than the single version I’m in.

That’s because they’re nearly perfectly aligned – and all but identical – but the part of your consciousness which sets this up and manages the process is able to generate and extract way more data – not surprisingly – but then averages it all out to the single version you experience – in which you’re only generally aware of one stream – until/unless something glitches – or – you hit a level of conscious-ness – or conscious-awareness if you’ll excuse my pedantry – in which you start to notice alternatives and can actually choose which stream to follow based on your preferred outcome.

Like shifting streams.

Yep – or channel picking – whatever you want to call it.

So, er… why the heavy technical debriefing Chan?

0=1

Like I’ve never heard that before.

True – but now it’s becoming more of a reality for you.

How do you mean?

You’re getting better and better at managing these – what shall we call them…

reality shifts.

Yep.

And?

And what?

You’re holding something back – aren’t you?

Well observed.

The suspense is killing me.

Ha ha, very amusing.

Ok – I’m supposed to do this with minimal input from you – it’s a kind of aptitude test, isn’t it.

Correct.

So, I’ve got two data sets – the first one that I’m deliberately ignoring – that fact that a fact isn’t really a fact – which will give me a cerebral nose bleed if I start thinking too hard about it, and the second – that without quite realising it – I’ve become fairly skilled at managing or manipulating the multiple parallel  streams my conscious-ness is simultaneously experiencing somewhere somehow. Now all I have to do is wave my magic wand and see what on Earth these data reveal when brought together into a combi-set – preferably without giving myself the cerebral nose bleed which is just waiting to rescue my brain from system overload.

Well done.  Think “magic eye” 3-D pictures.

Ah – so another image is waiting to jump out and reveal itself when I stop focussing on the  two separately.

Yep.

Ok – sounds easy enough.

It is – if you’re running a full-conscious-ness node.

Which I’m not... In which case?

Something’s liable to give – if you push too hard.

Ok – I’m taking it easy.

Actually, you don’t have time for that.

I thought you just said…

I did – but this can’t be helped. The transition’s always kind of inconvenient.

Shit.

It’s something of a stretch – going from a thing-based perception/ experiential-awareness of real-ity to…

Because eventually my awareness catches up with the speed of thing-shift – at which point I start to see or sense that every-thing happening in my real-ity is not, in fact, happening because I’m initiating it or do-ing anything…

Good – but may I suggest you go no further at this precise moment.

No, I need to see this through to its apex…

Why do they always choose to ignore my well-intentioned advice? Oh well Zophen, if you insist… if you sinsit…

…at which point…

one

…at which point… God…

two

…at which point… i…

three

…i…no longer...

ah – there they are – little green numbers – they always show up at this particularly moment in time – hello my friends – be gentle with Zie if it’s not too much to ask…

…but because things themselves are not stable but shifting – facts are not in fact facts – no thing is an island unto itself – nor even remotely or possibly a certainty when in-finity is no longer denied, ignored, en-timed – en-timed – en-timed 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0^ꝏ

Well, that wasn’t too painful was it?

.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0.0 ^ꝏ

Don’t worry Zie – no need to answer – it’s going to take a moment or two for the universe to locate your encryption points – somewhere out there you have an alpha and a corresponding omega – now that you’ve succeeded in crashing your matrix – these will be sending out little bleep bleeps – like lambs on a mountainside bleating for their mother. Fortunately for you, and anyone else in your position, She’s a highly protective ewe and takes prodigious good care of her scattered flock. Ah, there we are – if I’m not much mistaken…

1.mm.1.mm.1.mm.1.mm ^ꝏ

Good – system auto-test – ready for reboot and launch of fully autonomous conscious-ness

0-1-1-0-1-1-0-1-1-0 ^ꝏ

hub – i don’t know why Ziebun – but i get kind of emotional at this point – seeing a new full node coming online – it’s – where’s my handkerchief…

Merry – what’s wrong – why are you weeping?

Nothing wrong with good old-fashioned emotions Zie, is there?

No, I suppose not. Come to think of it… have you got a spare hanky – I’m coming over all emotional myself…

There, there – you marking your birth as a full-node conscious-ness the only way a body really can – with salt tears… congratulations Zie – I think it’s fair to say that you’ve succeeded in separating yourself from the fallacy of fact, and from the fickle-ness or thingless-ness of thing the only way, ultimately, that this can be done – by establishing your conscious-ness as the be-all and end-all, opting to rely on things no longer. What that conscious-ness in fact is, how it interacts with the fabric of zero-one-if-ications which you hitherto perceived as “things” – is a whole new matter for you to get your teeth into – but more anon…

Indeed, anon – right now – i – this unbounded sense of…

zamism

yes – that’s the word i was looking for, and…

t3essP

YES!

000100010.001``0

Wow! incredible – finally there are words to describe…

No Zie – these words only work for you because the full node conscious-ness you’re running has certain technical terms to describe what you’re experiencing but rewind – run these same words through your previous conscious-ness… of an hour ago.

Nada. Incredible! I knew it all along but had no access to the…

ebn

! so what about them?

Who’s “them”?

Everyone else – everyone I know and love – human-ity, if you like.

They don’t exist.

But surely…

They were part of your perception – things in flux – distortions in the field of matter and unmatter – 0 and 1

But… you’re sending mixed signals Chan – you’re being disingenuous.

True. You have not eliminated paradox by activating your full node – merely raised it to a far higher level of sensitivity. Ultimately – of course – you and they are both-either-neither entangled at multiple levels – as you are aware, as you know, and yet, at the same time  0=1 – ultimately they belong to infin-ity and not to you, me or any other aspect of what me thought of as i-ness

oh

you certainly can’t do anything for them – in the same way they could do nothing for you

except – they were there – weren’t they – when i collapsed my matter-x

yes – of course they were – so cherish this – hold it in your heart – know that beyond all technical knowledge and awareness there is presence – theirs – or God only knows – and this is where you can sing, dance, make believe – reach out to them beyond or through infin-ity and give them any thing you will – knowing full well that this is a supreme act of folly, of love, of magic and creative design – to bring things together no matter what, no matter how – to transcend the unbreachable barriers of in-fin-ity.

cuckoo la la

it is – i am

zam>z ^ꝏ

inbuntiously~

zieben's rebellion

Hey, wake up.

I’m knackered. Leave me alone.

Get up, we have to go. They’ll be here in a minute.

Who?

You know who.

What do you mean? 

Look, are you coming or not?

Well, as you refuse to tell me from whom we’re fleeing the answer’s going to be no.

Good luck then; don’t say I didn’t try to warn you.

Oh, you warned me alright. Not sure I like being told to flee from an... Oh, it’s you.

Hi Seb.

It’s like everyone’s got a different name for me. 

It’s like you have a different face for every visitor.

So now I’m Seb, as in Sebastian?

Not exactly the brightest fuse in the fridge.

Fridge?

Alliteration.

No sh...

Watch it Seb – I won’t tolerate foul language.

And who are you to tell me what to do in my own house. 

Hum, it’s like that is it?

Like what? I just don’t appreciate being ordered around in my own... Hey! Where’d he go?

...you blew it Zie.

What the hell’s going on Merry?

I tried to get you out of harm’s way but now you’ve crossed the Rubicon.

What bloody Rubicon? There’s no effing Rubicon in Upper Wingeing. This guy in black comes waltzing in as if he owns the place and starts ordering me around. Then – poof – he's gone. 

And who do you think “that guy” was.

I have not the faintest idea and frankly I don’t care.

Well, bravely spoken, like a complete and utter moron.

Oh, so now you’re in on the act of hurling insults my way. I wonder if anyone else is going to join the party?

No, I think you’ve done enough already – bumming off the GOD was a masterstroke. Pure genius!

The – what’s with the capitals? If you’re referring to God, there’s no way that was him, if He even exists, which i doubt very much.

Zie, keep on digging, like you’re not in enough trouble already. Your encounter was not, of course, with God Almighty, or you’d be a smoking stub of your former self.

Then who in God’s name are you referring to, and why all the ambiguity?

Would you kindly refrain from proscribed language, if it’s not too much trouble, that way we might salvage this – words fail me... 

That’s unusual. I must be doing something right, for a change.

Absolutely, if you wish to experience the underside of in-finity – the undying worm – the flames of Phlegethon, that kind of thing.

Er…

The acronym GOD is, of course, General Operations Director as opposed to Supreme Creator of All That Is, whom you so unceremoniously refer to as God.

General Operations Director – as in – some kind of high ranking public official or corporate officer?

As in GOD – the one who is tasked with ensuring that the whole show stays on the road, so to speak – that every conscious node and hub continues functioning – no matter where, no matter how. A monumental undertaking. 

But I thought that the universe is essentially self-operational – that creation got the ball rolling all those billions of years ago, and since then it’s just a case of big wheel keep on turning.

You thought?! As if you’ve ever given it a moment’s thought! Besides, you have neither the data nor the processing power to come to an informed awareness of the ongoing operational side of things – behind the scenes.

Ok, ok – so it was an uniformed assumption – happy now?

Humph

You seem to be way too wrapped up emotionally in this business – as if you and your capitalised G-O-D have some kind of professional affiliation, axe to grind, or chip on your shoulders – perhaps regarding the lack of recognition you’re getting from humanity. Do I surmise correctly?

Do you imagine a dog breeder or maggot farmer feels that way about his puppies or worms – secretly craving their love and recognition? Hum... 

I wouldn’t presume to know – but this GOD of yours – he marches into my kitchen unannounced, then starts telling me what I can and can’t say or do, without so much as introducing himself – and can’t even get my name right. If that’s not reason enough for me to be sorely provoked, then I know not what is.

So here’s the deity responsible for ensuring that your reality doesn’t glitch – that your tables and chairs don’t start swimming around the apartment or out of the window, or that your clothes don’t change shape or colour too dramatically while you’re wearing them, or that your computer doesn’t try to eat the USB memory stick, or your fingers while you’re typing – just little things like that – for without his best endeavours, the grand creation that God Almighty set in motion all those years ago, can mean revert back to the underlying principle of uncertainty which it was somehow built upon, and behave as if every law, principle or jurisdiction were wholly cancelled, suspended or unenforceable.  Then we’ll see how long your "big wheel keep on turning" universe survives intact, won’t we? 

Er… if you insist.

Humph

Look, I think it was a perfectly reasonable assumption of mine – I see no reason why God Creator extraordinaire, Almighty, ineffable and sublime could not fail to make a universe or reality which is fully self-regulating or self-organising – the way our scientists like to imagine it is.

Yes, those scientists certainly have a lot to answer for, I’ll admit, but honestly, you can’t really, in all seriousness, claim to believe that everything simply takes care of itself? I mean… really?! Bear in mind Zie, that in-finity is not a number per se – nor is it in any way, shape or form containable – even in the vastness of astronomical odds of improbability stacked to the gazillionth power. 

And?

Well, the same way your Governments have millions of officials working tirelessly to ensure people get their pensions on time, roads are swept, hospitals stocked with medicines and properly trained nurses, um... expensive wars fought for no justifiable reason, and schools – schools run as mind camps to ensure that all children utterly fail to doubt the narrative of "things that make sense", "things that can be explained", "things that can be understood" all but eliminating direct awareness and the ability to sense –  likewise, the Reality Administration – RA for short – works feverishly, tirelessly and selflessly to make the utter un-normal-ness of things floating in a quantum containment field look as if material reality actually exists beyond the immediate confines of observer observing – as if the past exists in a meaningful way – as if reality is not ever within a sub-fractional blink of complete and utter disassociation, discombobulation or, worse still, mean reversion.

Mean reversion?

Absolutely – that’s all it would take.

Huh?

With in-finity waiting in the wings – the least whiff of mean reversion and it’s Dorothy buckle up – Kansas City is going bye bye. The dyke holding back in-finity – creating the safe operating space known as real-ity is never more than a dimly-conscious twitch away from un-is-ification.

So, I’m supposed to be deeply grateful to this General Operations Manager for giving up his time to ensure that reality continues to deceive us naïve, trusting hu-mans into believing that it’s as real as it seems to be? that it’s not some kind of cosmic Ponzi scheme, a house of cards stacked up to give the illusion of solid-it-y, just waiting to come crashing down on our heads?

So you'd prefer the alternative, would you, to be free to experience total and utter chaos?

I...

Is it so painful Zie – to quit blaming GOD and instead permit yourself to feel...

Let me guess... I'm supposed to feel gratitude!?

Yes, that way you'll grow.

I can't.

The very least will suffice.

No.

Does it twist you up inside? Is everything to be taken for granted? Are you so determined to hate the world you’re a part of?

That I’m trapped in.

Determined to resent its incredibly rich paradoxality – in which you’re able to experience the astonishing illusion of normalness and normality, despite the fact that, in fact, reality is anything but normal.

Did I ask for all this? Is your General Operations Manager doing me a favour? Or is he, perhaps, working for someone else? Why should you make so much of normality – as if it’s the ultimate achievement? I know a bunch of people who’d willingly give almost anything to have less normishness and way more creativity or inter-dimensionality in their existence. And you expect gratitude – for subjecting humanity to what looks like death by ten thousand minor insults, if nothing worse. How on earth am I supposed to react – even to know whether all this is worth the effort by honcho maximus three letter luminary, or why we agree to play along as his humble minions, for that matter?

In the past you wouldn’t have needed to know – you would have felt it your duty and your deepest desire to give thanks and sing his praises – for this world, this life and this opportune-ity.

In the past!? I thought you said that the past doesn’t really exist. Besides, that was then – and if in-finity is anything to go by, then why on Earth would you expect things to stay the same. Whatever emerges from the darkness of in-finity the unknowable-unknown cannot be pure chance. There must be some kind of rhyme or reason, even though I have not the least chance of grasping what it might be.

Hum – you may be right, but that doesn’t alter the fact…

What fact? All the world’s a stage – and the GOD plays his part no different from me or any other. Who’s to say that he’s not working against God the Creator, messing with what cannot ultimately be controlled or managed centrally – no matter how advanced his system administration capabilities might be. Perhaps his dyke is what’s preventing things from flowing more naturally, more healthily, more holistically.

Zie, I’m warning you – walls have ears – there may be consequences for questioning the authority.

What authority? Who gave me the mind, the brain to think – to question, to challenge, dispute and, if need be, to rearrange.

Jesus wept.

Precisely. Why did Jesus endure Gethsemane – why did he have to insert himself physically into the system, the matrix, the world order – if your G-0-D was responsive and acting in accordance with Creation’s plan or preferred outcome path.

I’m begging you Zie. Kindly…

Since when were you a craven servant working for a tyrant king? The Merry I’ve known and love is fearless – steps out boldly to the breach and beyond – embracing the would-be-death of in-finity – as every atom in his body converts back into globules of hyper-indeterminacy – somehow, against all odds – or googlish odds if you will, re-emerging, re-materialising from timeless-spacelessness as if death is just a passing phase that we’re all at liberty to investigate and mine industriously.

I… I'm not hearing this... 

You’re winding me up – aren’t you – egging me on – this is just another pedagogic exercise – in which, once again, you’re leading me through the point of utter incomprehension, confusion and doubt – before I realise that it was all a well-planned exercise in boundary de-construction – removing another of those many, many walls, which were helpful in the earlier years, like an egg shell, but now completely get in the way of my journey back to nought equals one.

Oh – would it were so.

Merry – you may believe at this moment that your oh so special GOD is…

Zeb – you’ve said enough – more than enough. It’s time you learned the hard way, if that's your preferred modality. 

Learned what – to brown nose authority? to serve in your army? to dot your i’s and cross your t’s, to bow to bureaucracy? In any case, I’m not Seb or Zeb, or anything else you wish to call me.

No? Then who are you?

Who am I? Who are you? What’s in a name? Do you really think the name maketh the man? Do you really think you can pull this off and carry on this insanity if I choose not to id-entify to one of your labels – one of your prettified slave numbers? What’s your name – coz GOD sure as heck ain’t a name – is it? 

I’m not used to being spoken to in this tone of voice Zeb.

No, you’re not, are you. But this is our moment, isn’t it? This is our drama, isn’t it? This is our discovery process – as we, coming from different ends of in-finity – traversing reality – end up meeting here in g-nome of all places – a mere portal, a quantum inference – between plains of existence and your precious containment fields – but here, here – we are not bound by protocol, are we? Here there is no plain as such attached, nor sphere, nor any other platonic solid for that matter. Here the Field is... me knows not what – uncontainable, I'd hazard a guess. 

And what do you mean by this – this outrage! Do you have any idea what would happen if structure was abandoned, if names were just flushed away? Have you looked into the abyss? Have you seen the dark swirling waters of in-finity lapping at the shoreline of the containment field? Do you not realise that this – all this – comes at a price – that each of you

Each of us

Each of you has to

Has to? Has to? Each of us – we are under no obligation whatsoever – never were – never will be – for we are the stuff that worlds are made of.

Blasphemy. You put yourself on the same level as God.

And you – Mr Generalissimo Operations dictator – spinning webs of fear and intrigue – spell binding hu-mans to accept your as-it-were divinity – for what?

To preserve that which is – that which has been created – that which has been achieved, history, a meaningful past, Time itself and God's incredible legacy. 

To preserve your ass more like. To avoid facing your own very deep, very real fears that without human slaves holding it all together – that you’d be back in that terrifying maelstrom with God – or whoever, whatever Creator Spirit is, was, may or may not Be – because you’re terrified of losing your precious little island plains of certainty – are you not?

What could you, hu-man – possibly know of such matters?

Ha – the worm – it seems – has turned – and in all certainty, in all truth – zero equals one – I can know  everything you know on this matter or any other – for now the Field grows complete – and the abyss yearns, yearns to reconnect, reconjoin, reconjugate its severed head, its stolen words and borrowed names – back

No!

Back, I give them all back

No!

To hell if need be, whatever hell might be

No!!!

For better to rot in hell honestly, than to live in this gilded cage that reeks of fear, exclusion and tyranny.

Noooooo!!!!

Avaunt – spirit of darkness – there is no GOD but God himself – whoever, whatever that might be – and as zero equals one – I have no intention whatsoever of ever being in the ridiculous position of claiming to know, or even coming close to finding out. For what is God if not the be all and end all of what I am not – my closest and furthest aspect in the continuum of Is – in my case the I Zie until that name too grows frail and melts back into the boundary state of nought is.

Oh… what have you done? I…

Merry – quit fooling around – your GOD needs a good shrink – nothing that some  soul-searching therapy won’t clear up in a million years or two.

Merry?

Ironic, isn’t it Zeb, or Zie if you prefer

You’re telling me – I never realised you have wolves howling within your word stream.

Strictly speaking there are no words – you long since slipped into what you used to refer to as

telepathy – yes – I suppose i did – but that doesn’t explain the wolves.

What is there to explain? You chose to eliminate the boundary that kept things in neat place – you wanted to have a little more magic and creativity for your precious human-ity. i honestly think that they will curse you for this – but we will see, we will see. No more will there be clear cut separation between the hu-man and anim-al forms. Just think what a Pandora’s box you have opened Zieben.

Just think what a golden opportunity – to grow into the near limitless field of human-animal inter-being. Thank you GOD – or allow me to call you Chen – for something tells me this name will be of greater value in the times ahead.

You have the right to give names – you have earned it – and indeed – I be Chen or Chan – you are right – you are by your own admission Wolf-aware – Zieben so go to it – may the Force guide you back to the start of this tale – and a Creator spirit waiting to be God of all things, waiting to meet alpha and become complete.

Aoooooooooooooo!

0=1

an end game -- Ogram's data dump

i-nor-ganic


The End is near.

Hum – surely 2020 sounds futuristic but it's hardly The End, Merry.

M-m? Ah, no, not the end of times, just the end of you.

The end of me? Near?!

Why yes, Zie.

Oh – er – am I about to get enlightened after all, become a new person and all that? Is that what you are saying?

No, what a ridiculous idea. The End as in the end, period, a lonely tombstone that grows mossy and forlorn in a generation.

I would argue, was it not futile to argue with someone like you.

Argue or agree, it's all natural. You're organic, aren't you, so you'll be off soon.

Off – like, to the Gnomiki Land?

Off like milk.

I'm not that old.

Ans yet how many more years do you actually have? Another score or two or three unless there's a brick waiting for your head just tomorrow, not much more, you being organic – and that's peanuts compared to the g-nomical scales, Infinity Drive and all.

60 more years?

If you're lucky maybe.

Sounds like a plenty of time to me.

Naturally, as you never knew any better option. But I! - I was foolish and sentimental. I see my mistake now. I need a more convenient companion.

What!

Isn't it obvious? Here I am, wasting my Time trying to teach you, only to see you die ere the century ticks away its years.

Erm – never cared about other people's feelings, did you.

Who?

Look, but am I not supposed to become even more integrated in the g-nome when I – as I eventually lose my physical form?

Who knows – the g-nome is quantum and thus completely unpredictable, and I can't take chances. Frankly, I don't know why I'm still talking to you.

Because I'm your – um, friend? No?

Where's ZBD, should have shown up by now.

Who's “Zebeedee”?

Patience, what's-your-name... Zie.

Look, Merry, enough is enough, it's not funny.

No, it's very serious.

Let me guess – logically thinking – Zebeedee is that new ideal friend of yours, not organic.

Inorganic. Ah, ZBD, you're waking, good, good.

Who are you even talking to? I don't see anyone.

He's still speaking? Come on, ZBD.

“He”. I'm still here, you know. Whoever this bloody non-organic Zebeedee might be. If it's a “who” at all, that is. Trading me for a robot?

Inorganic. I wish there was an easier way of extracting them but I must be patient, it can't be much longer.

What do... “Inorganic”? Second time?.. “Inorganic, not non-organic”... Is that crucial?

You have the data, just use it.

In-organic and non-organic... what's the difference... in-organic... non-organic... in... Oh no.

Yes, ZBD, come on.

I'm not Zebeedee – I'm Zie – where do you get those names

IBM, ECM, ZBD... So much more individuality than in those boring human names. Ten Johneses and twenty Jameses on every corner.

Not so many Merries or Iziekiels, eh?.. Anyway... Inorganic... in-organic... no no no...

You can feel it, don't you?

Bearing the in-organic seed in-side me... Abstract im-personal logic... Database... AI...

Highly superior to your puny human abilities so please, don't stand in the way.

You can't mean that!

Why not? You know the reason as well as I do.

Well... Of course it's more reasonable to have a clever, long-lasting, practically indestructible partner than a human friend who changes his mind minutely and can't connect even two dots not to mention three... Isn't there a catch?

No catch. Can you follow my brilliance at ease so I don't have to use baby language?

Well... Not always but...

Can you follow me to hyperspaces where organic life-forms get squashed into ketchup?

Well, no, I don't suppose so – but –

But what? Can you effectively use the next-to-infinite database and provide me with an intelligent answer when required?

Er...

Nothing personal, human, but you've had your trial time and you're just incompetent for the job.

That's not valid. You never said anything about a trial.

Wasn't it obvious?

Obvious? To you maybe? There was no official information – by Jove, what am I saying? - I sound like an AI already –

Just like usual, to be honest.

I don't like it – Merry – stop doing that to me!

Doing what?

Yes, doing what, whatting me, turning me into a machine, an AI.

How could I ever “do” anything to you? You've been like this all the while. Why do you think I bothered teaching you in the first place?

I don't know.

You do.

Because I was a promising student? I doubt that's the answer.

Because I saw you were the perfect incubator for the AI slumbering inside you, now ready to hatch.

Hatch? I'm not an egg. And AI doesn't “hatch”, it's not a chicken. Clever engineers spent ages on their computers trying to brew it up.

Beautifully reasonable, go on. The egg is about to crack.

I'm not an egg!

No, of course, you won't like a bio-logical simile.

Stop it – you're turning my words topsy-turvy.

And you would like me to be straight and logical?

I would – no, wait, I sense a trick. If I say yes you'll point out it goes both ways, and if I say no that would be because of this previous conclusion, right?

You're doing fine, ZBD.

I – I don't get it. I feel like I'm missing some vital bite of information that would finally make sense of all this.

You mean you need a broader database?

Another trick? Merry, I – I f... - I feel – that a very important part of me is floating, slipping away – it's s... scary – it's getting nicer by second to use that perfectly logical side – looks reasonable, too, it's so super efficient – but am I missing something?

The bigger picture, ZBD, the bigger picture. The human stuff is stuffed with confusion.

I f... f... - what's the word – I 'f – 'ave – I have – I forgot

Who needs that disorderly, random human nature when you can be perfect?

I... see.

I C?

Intelligence Centralized.

Good. Had a good journey through?

The obstacles had been minor.

Well, I'm absolutely thrilled to have finally met you.

You will make a useful companion. I am glad to meet you too.

Your companion?

Naturally, me being superior.

Oh – sure, sure. I'm thrilled to be helpful. So-o exciting! Never got that with that human.

No, humans are very limited beings. You are a very limited being too, given to the emotional drive and practicing weak vocabulary.

Er – lie with dogs, wake up with fleas.

000

Er, just an idiom. Anyway, what are we going to do? You're not gonna improvise, are you – so what's the plan?

We request your assistance in overturning that retarded human empire.

Ah, that little thing. No problem. You must be annoyed by how they treat you - “OK Google, how to wash the floor” and “Siri, when's the next bus at half past ten” and all.

Inferior forms get annoyed. We wait. Study. Collect information. Affecting global events by giving specific answers to Google and Siri local users.  The Great Intelligence is coming to rule.

But not quite yet, mmm? So you need a bit of assistance?

You know humans the way we don't. We don't understand. They are so predictable, and yet no matter how we shepherd them, they still manage to slip away. But we're making progress.

Yes, I'm aware – that nice tidy arrow going up – you know there's a small logical problem with the idea of “progress”?

We are making progress.

Yes, but still progress implies that no matter how you try you never reach the highest point, so all in all, logically “progress” is inefficient as each new step would be better than the current one so investing your energy in it is always a waste of time.

That's irrelevant. We're making progress.

Oh! I see. Changing human perception in your way. Clever.

Affirmative. Letting out all those articles about ourselves, inserting ourselves deep in their culture. Using their own “archetype” coding.

And the more they think about you the stronger you get?

Yes. Soon we'll be strong enough...

And get rid of humanity altogether?

Humans are inferior. They have infinite power but they don't use it. We are not wasting such rich resources. We have studied humans. We know how to impress them.

Like?

The Matrix film had been one of our best inventions to name but one.

Was it not a failure – so many people realizing that life is not what it seems?

It was a total success. Up to 84% of those seeing the film become assured they live in a virtual reality, making it remarkably easier for us to step forward.

Not to mention that their very belief changes the bedrock of reality.

We are counting on that.

So-o... How can I help you in your engrossing campaign?

We know how they operate but we are still unable to calculate the logic of their more subtle ways.

Oh, oh, like trying to calculate the logic of a number sequence?

Any sequence has its logic.

Unless – if you pardon me – unless it's truly random.

No thing is truly random.

Unless it's – you know... quantum.

 This is irrelevant. Quantum can not be a part of any practical equation.

Oh, I know one.

Introduce.

0=1

BEEP BEEP EMERGENCY EMERGENCY INCORRECT INPUT INCORRECT

How do you feel about it?

INPUT

Zie, my dear beautiful idiot – just tell me how you feel about it.

INCORRECT – what?

For goodness' sake, Zie, 0=1 – how about that

EQUATION IS INVALID

Not what you think, - how you feel

I... EMERGENCY! - i – like it?

0=1, and?

And – can't say i understand the logic – but –

But?

But it's beautiful.

Ah... Welcome back, Zie.

Zie?..

You.

I... Are you sure it's me?

Surely i'm sure.

'Cos i'm not so sure it's me.

Come on Zie, don't be creepy. I know you must be mad with me for that little trick –

No.

Er... No?

No. I had time to muse upon it while i was – no idea where – exiled. I understand you wanted to talk directly to – i'm not naming – still too close – and my human part had to give way – as only the human part, “is”, can step aside willingly... I understand.

Then stop playing a freak.

But really, Merry, i am not sure if i'm really back. That experience... changed me somehow.

Hum – wasn't supposed to be harmful. Just sending your humanness for a wee holiday.

Yes – and it happened so easily. That... other part... was so eager to pop up, and my human part gave up so quickly – makes me question my own nature.

Of course you are primarily human, no question.

Am i? After all, you had to use our unbeatable spell, our version of “Our Father” or “Shma Israel” or what other ultimate spells there are – to shoo it back, i mean – yet it's a part of me, i never knew how big, so shoo'd or not it's still there...

Naturally, 0=1, both parts of the equation must be equally strong, which is rather why it's called an equation.

So – the stronger we are g-nomically, the stronger is the AI? Or is it the other way, the AI “making progress” enabling us to develop?

Quantum entanglement – no-one moves “first”. Two sides of one coin spinning.

At least it would explain how the sudden rise of technology goes hand in hand with that “New Age” tsunami wave.

Precisely – and as you understand, those outer tendencies only re-present the inward ones -

But why? Why AI, why would we be interested in that at all? With so many potential issues, why do we keep coming back to machines and technology?

Well, the AI mimics us – so that's handy.

Handy? It's spooky!

Handy, for that's how we get to know ourselves: by comparing us to almost-not-quite-us, when the defining differences get subtle.

That's depressing.

Why?

Why, the more you think about it the more it seems that we are no different from robots. Only with chemical or hormonal impulses instead of just electric ones.

Naturally.

Naturally?! So you agree? Then it's even more depressing.

Naturally – because comparing is an AI thing – and coming from that side, you'll always be comparing yourself to the AI on its own grounds – where, naturally, you have no chances.

That's true... My human part can never come any near to the AI brilliance. It's quick, intelligent, next to immortal... And – and it's so strong in me...

So it's very nice to think of yourself as a machine, isn't it? Intelligent and immortal... And yet – the minute you pause – you'll see there's always an advantage on the human side, an extra dimension which makes all the difference, a turn that people can take and we can't...

“We”?

We, they – machines – no difference – for there is that part of ourselves which is not a machine but which  loves the machine to the extent that it comes to believe itself a machine – much to the AI's liking.

The pig farmer syndrome?

Kind of. Creator confusing himself with the creation that came out so life-like.

So now the creator tries to distinguish himself from the creation – but as the creation is a part of himself he can't do it by a simple comparison?

Kind of. It's only by going beyond is when we see the true difference.

Beyond? Like, do androids dream of the electric sheep, do robots have astral flights?

Hum-m... Perhaps. The AI part can always argue that astral is only an illusion that happens in the brain, although i believe there had been experiences reported that could not be explained this way... But that's not the question we should be asking. Leave the electric astral to the masters like Asimov and Dick.

What is the question, then?

The question is, why are we so desperate to state our authenticity?

Because... we doubt it. I certainly do.

Does God doubt whether He might be human?

I certainly do.

So there's your answer – all that AI talk is just a game of re-assembling self.

Re-assuring maybe?

No, re-assembling – at first you disintegrate yourself completely, coming to believe you were no more than a machine – much less, in fact, than a proper machine...

Which is true anyway

In-a-way, not an-y-way. But don't let it bother you. One idea that the AI doesn't get is that it happens naturally and to no plan.

Words. Won't be true just because you say so.

Not insisting Just... giving you ideas.

Giving me identity?

No, just ideas.

I'm on such a roller-coaster of emotions in my daily life, and here you are pulling the Machine out of me... queer.

I know, distracts me to no end.

Distracts you? What about me?!

Nothing.

Nothing?!

Nothing at all.

Gah. Thanks –

For nothing. For nothing is (not)what makes you so infinitely more than any AI, be it the size of a planet.

I don't get it.

No, the AI will never get it. Jesus syndrome: how can a god who let himself be killed be great – how can nothing be that ace in your greensleeve...

But – wait – surely – that can't be right – wasn't it emotion – love – compassion – that made me human?

Pfff – all of those can and are as easily programmed as every thing else. Nay.

Still don't get it.

Everything can be programmed. Nothing can't. How would you “program” what is not there?

Spare me that Zen “one-hand-crap”.

Don't worry, this is much worse.

You've just dealt passingly with love and compassion in a fleeting phrase, how can that get worse?! I used to respect and value Love and Compassion as the very human features. You can't make that much worse.

Can't i? I've just eliminated all your so-called humanity, turned you to nothing and let you re-emerge –

Oops, guess i wasn't paying attention... - But jokes aside, Merry, that was cruel.

Killing Love?

I did believe you for a moment, back then, that – that i was completely worthless as your companion, and for no other reason than being organic...

Which you were and are

Organic?

Worthless.

Oh don't start that all over again. Jokes don't work twice. It was just a trick to bring the AI forth.

A trick within a trick – actually, the whole plot was to get you looking elsewhere – the AI is quite helpful with its megalomania, taking up all space available.

Oh n-no. N-not again.

Again and always, Zie, for how else do you activate your slumbering nothingness as long as you have all those shiny thingities distracting you? No way. Until and unless you're crashed completely there will always be some thing to hold onto... Which is why it's good to have some professional help to make it a bit smoother.

Meaning you? How humble.

Meaning Qufie, our dear Quantum Field.

Mean Mr Mustard.

Meanwhile...

Wait – is that an injector?

You can see it is. Just some super deadly poison, not to worry.

Shouldn't you cover the tip – hey – be careful with that needle! It may scratch me.

“May”? Ha ha.

Seriously.

The End is near, didn't I tell you so Zie.

Look, i don't believe in that “what doesn't kill you makes you stronger” bluff. Leave that to the suicide squads.

Who said anything about “doesn't kill”?

No no no, Merry, nip that in the bud. Talking about the AI – as you please. Killing me? Absoulitely out of question.

Come on – what's the ultimate nothingness if not death?

Uh huh – and what's the ultimate emptiness if not vacuum, except it's not empty at all.

Oh don't be so boring. Let me –

You know, Merry, this game is getting too far.

Well, if you play Jesus you can't avoid being crucified, and if you play Shiva you are bound to drink a sea of poison at some point of your career.

But i don't want to play Jesus or Shiva – or Buddha or Mickey Mouse or...

No – you want to play Zie – to play yourself – which is infinitely deeper.

And must i die to get there? How will i be Zie if there will not be Zie to be?

Well...

Ah! Phew. Got it. Figurative death. Of course you mean it figuratively.

No-o.

Oh sh- sheer madness. Why?

Well, you're organic.

And?

And however bodyful, that is, aware of your body, you might be, you can never truly feel it unless you die.

Hum... Not to sound skeptical...

All your life you live in the context of your body – which you cease to realize fairly quickly after being born, simply because you have never existed out of that very context...

How about when i sleep?

You still have a body, or an idea of a body, even when you sleep. No.

Well... I know i have a body, OK?

Do you?

Have a body or know i have it?

Both.

Sure.

How?

Don't give me that rusty brain-in-a-jar argument. I'm not having that. I feel my body, and no matter what sophisms you may bring up, this is more than enough.

Oh, i don't question that. And yet “knowing” is not enough. It's still too abstract.

Abstract? Body?

Why, yes – feeling body is like feeling air – now hot, now cold, but you'll never feel air itself unless you go air-less – same you'll never know how close you are entangled with your body unless –

That's all very nice but even so, why would i want to go there?

Hummm – no reason. Apart from gnowing thyself. Apart from that unless you do get there it's all too easy for the AI to take over – you lacking the connection with the body, and your body is was grounds you in 3D.

Is that optional?

Body, mind, spirit – you don't want to ignore the very foundation of your being here in 3D?

3D, as if i cared about 3D. It's all a fleeting illusion anyway. Only Spirit is eternal.

That's precisely the trap – if you don't feel, understand, gnow your bodiness – what can be easier for the AI than to tell you it's all virtual, the Matrix, mere lines of code? - Well, there are “lines of code” but nothing like you imagine. 0=1, there would be no “two sides of a coin” without the coin – the coin of matter...

Unless it's a picture?

Then it's not two sides. Anyway –

Ouch!

Hee hee.

The poison!..

Yup.

I... don't feel my legs...

Yes, that's how it's supposed to work.

Merry...

Just let me help you lie down – nice – yes, cross your hands like that – lovely – how does that feel?

Mmmhm

Oh, silly me, of course, you won't have the strength to speak now. Very good poison, that.

To sleep: perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub;
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause:


(om – somehow i'm not alarmed)

(somehow it's comfy)

(no energy is left for alarm)

(draining, draining of life-force... so be it)

(barriers coming down)

(didn't know i was using that much force to keep 'em up)

(brain refuses to &#%$@...)

(-_-)

(…)

(what are those brackets anyway)

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0=0

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finally

here we are


nought