Day 4 Continues
6 tributes remaining
Scene 4/7
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Easy fishes peacefully by a lake. As he casts his reel, he remembers fishing with 0corn in the olden days of Urealms. Easy dwells on these pleasant memories, and despite his best efforts, vividly recalls the day things went south.
...
"0corn, you see that blow up between Rob and Mael?" asks young Easy, walking into 0corn's workshop.
0corn is busy studying a couple circuits on his newest project.
"Happens more and more often now," mutters 0corn, several seconds later.
"Right," says Easy nervously. The admins hadn't been getting along recently. "So uh, want to drill me on forum policy when you're done? I think I finally have all those subsections down."
"I'd like to reschedule that if possible," says 0corn without looking up. "I'm working on a new project right now, something to help alleviate our internal concerns."
"Isn't that what a Defender's supposed to do?" asks Easy.
"To some degree," say 0corn. "But if there's anything the past few years at Urealms has taught me, it's that we can't rely on man to be wise or just or even remotely consistent. Eventually, everybody screws up. And when they do it's big."
"I don't know, I think you're reading a bit much into this," says Easy, fiddling with a ratchet. "I know times are rough, but c'mon. It's not like Urealms is shutting down. The way you say it, it's like you believe our best days are behind us."
"Perhaps more than that," says 0corn ominously. "Let me show you something. Tolvan, get up."
"Hi Dad!" says the robotic skeleton of Tolvan, now sitting upright on 0corn's workbench.
"Whoa, you're making a bot?" says Easy.
"What's a bot?" asks Tolvan.
"Do you remember that sentient spambot that came here not long ago?" asks 0corn.
"Yeah, the Ukrainian news bot," says Easy. "He was pretty funny, for a bot."
"Chocobo and I have taken him under our wring," says 0corn. "He's not a unique model - evidently he's the 13th in a series of unknown origin."
"You're repurposing a spambot?" asks Easy, trying not to laugh.
"He has great potential," says 0corn. "I plan on making him a moderator of this forum soon, he's done exceedingly well in tests thus far."
"A bot in charge of the forumers?" says Easy. "0corn, you're joking, that's absurd."
"It's not, just wait and see," says 0corn. "He's a tough machine - and with some slight reworking of his programming, he could be a godsend here."
Easy crosses his arms.
"He could be a perfect man, an unbeatable machine," says 0corn. "With none of the failings of the men who made him."
"This is sounding dangerous," says Easy, a little upset. "So, what, this Tolvan bot is supposed to be like a little kid version of your perfect man? He looks like a wimp."
"I'm basing his programming off of 13th's microchips, but altering them. He won't be as vigilant - he'll be wholly innocent. But he'll have a body with incredible power. There's nothing my son won't be able to defeat, no wrong he won't be capable of righting."
"Your...son?" says Easy.
"He's more than just a project to me," says 0corn. "If I do my job right, Tolvan will be the savior of this forum, and my magnum opus."
"Great," says Easy, stepping towards the door. "Well, maybe we'll do Defender training another time then."
"By the end of this week," promises 0corn.
Easy exits the workshop with his fists clenched.
---
Back in the present, Easy waits for a bite on the fishing pole to distract him from his thoughts. But the lake is still.
--
Great, Easy's brooding again.
Let's go back to Coolpool and Jeroth, maybe they're doing something interesting.
Stay tuned!