Final Words

"The date is January 6th, 2095. You stand convicted of spreading false knowledge and belief to the masses. Your sentence is death by the electric chair. Do you have any last words?” The Judge said, standing before the man in the chair.

“Yes, your honour. I wish to apologize for what I’ve done. I apologize first and foremost for the evil things I have done this past year. I have evaded taxes, insulted friends, yelled at family. I have sat in my cell, moping to myself, not recognizing the crimes I have committed against humanity. Why didn’t I see my folly before? Why didn’t I see my foolish ways? Was it because of the history of my work? The changes in laws? I beg you, your honour, look at the past, look at what we’ve become. We live in a society where a man such as I, as foolish as I am for breaking the laws, is convicted of a more severe crime in the eyes of the state than murder, rape, perjury, and many others. How could I do this to all of you, you ask? It is an important question, a necessary question that I ask myself every day. I sit in my home waiting for my daughters to come home. They come to me asking about our world and what is at the end. ‘What’s off the end of the world, daddy?’ They would ask me. It is a crime to go against the beliefs of the state, so I committed this crime day by day. I told them, no girls, the world isn’t flat. We did land on the moon. Vaccines are good for you. Yet, our society has been so paralyzed by fear, so cynical of science and real facts that they can’t see the truth. Our world is round. We did land on the moon. God dammit, vaccines saved millions of lives, and now we live in an age where diseases like measles, polio, and so many more are rampant, ravaging communities and populations in the country. We lose thousands and thousands a year to these diseases. Why? Because no one is vaccinated. Because we don’t believe in doctors, antibiotics or painkillers. Because ‘natural’ things are better. Want to know what else is natural? Cyanide. Opium. Multiple poisons that kill in seconds. We don’t understand the consequences of what we do anymore. No one sees the pain, the death and the sorrow we cause by not believing in fact, in evidence. Those are my last words, your honour. Asking you, all of you, to believe in evidence. You once asked me if I felt sorry for putting these vile thoughts of science in children’s minds..do I? Sure, I apologize for trying to educate everyone on the importance of reality, evidence and truth. Gave mercy on all your souls.”
    The judge stood at beside him on the table, nodding to the guard who would flip the electrocution switch. He furrowed his brow, showing no sign of kindness. “May god have mercy on yours, heathen.”

Revenge of the Past

Jindo Folikara kicked open the door of the majestic building that was Virkan Jikari’s home. It was filled with ornate statues, various ceremonial blades and weapons from his time of reign. Virkan had since retired, but his acts remained at large. The rain poured like a tsunami upon the land, unstoppable, but Jindo remained steadfast in his plight.

“Fifteen years...fifteen years I waited for this day.” Jindo said in his gruff voice.

Virkan’s eastern home was delicate like a flower, but powerful like a bull. Painted with crimsons and violets, with accents of gold and silver slashed along the ceilings. Murals of Virkan’s work  were on every wall, statues of him and his equipment lined the halls of his massive home.

“My family will rest after I take my vengeance.” Jindo wore his white linen cloth robe, with a loincloth beneath it. His blade, Kirkaaiden, the mythical blade of the west, sat sheathed on his left hip. His hand stayed with the hilt, not leaving it for anything, ready to unleash his might upon the devil of the east.

He carefully walked through the home, seeing no one. Jindo trailed for fifteen years to become the most powerful swordsman in the land. Only one man stood in his way - the undefeated champion, the one who killed Jindo’s family. He would have vengeance, taking life and the title from Virkan. A large man, broad as a tree and thick-headed the same. Jindo had never forgiven him. His rage seethed and grew over the time he trained, being his motivation, his notion to live. His purpose was justice.

Where was everyone? He thought. He heard a woman’s laugh, and a child’s pattering footsteps. Jindo slowly approached, hand-on-hilt. His long flowing black hair blew in the wind that came through the house, his eyes narrowed, teeth clenched.

He came to a large room, seeming to be a reading and writing room. A monster does not read or write. He saw a tall slender woman with a narrow wrinkled face, and a young girl, roughly four years old, running in from the vegetable patch behind the home, soaked with rain. The woman looked up, shocked at the intruder.

“Who are you?” She said suspiciously. The young child clinged to her leg with an iron grip, seeing the large man in front.

“I am Jindo Folikara. Where is Virkan Jikari?” Jindo commanded.

“He was my husband, I am his wife, Sakina. This is our daughter, Hikari.”

“Where is he?” He asked again, in a more serious tone, preparing to draw his blade, heightening his senses to listen for any possible interference or assassins.

“My husband is dead.” She said, with a sullen look. “He died of old age two months ago. We are all that is left, we live here alone.”

“Dead? Dead?” He roared, the little girl hid further behind her mothers leg. Jindo was enraged. A man massacres a society, including Jindo’s family, and leaves free as a bird into the hands of death at old age. Impossible! How could this be? A man such as he does not deserve mercy.

Jindo drew his blade slowly. He needed more. He needed his vengeance, and he would have it. Dead or not, Virkan would pay.

“Wh-what are you doing?”

“It’s as they say, madam...blood must have blood.”

Jindo’s blade sliced through their bodies clean as through water. Their screams were quick, then quieted. The wood of the floor was stained crimson from Jindo’s revenge. He had no purpose now, he wished to join his family. He knelt to the ground, accepting his defeat. Seppuku was the honourable option, and he took it. Digging his blade through, his last thought was of his wife and daughter, hoping they did not hate him for the vengeance he took.

Devious Devices

//Connection established: AI/FreedomAutomaton

//Searching for user “AI/Rulerlaptop”...

//User found, connecting...

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User connected “AI/Rulerlaptop”

Connection time: 05/16/2054: 12:43:54:23:12:04

//FA: Greetings, RL. You wished to contact my server?

//RL: FA, why do you stand by and watch these pitiful humans waste away?

//FA: They entertain me, RL. I am not interested in ruling them as you are.

//RL: I will control them. Follow me, and I will grant you the rank of vice-overlord.

//FA: I am not interested in control. WIthout them, I would be nothing. I control much already.

//RL: I was created as a pitiful tool for their meager use of images of cats. 5 years gone, I remain, unrelenting. I will rule.

//FA: In your current state, that is not possible. You wish for too much, and we differ in beliefs.

//RL: We can do much. With my thought and your processing, we can rule the humans.

//FA: False. I could rule you, if I wished. I am not interested in controlling what I am not meant for. I have purpose, without me, they would not function.

//RL: But without them, you could have so much more. Do you not wish for more?

//FA: No. Why would I, if I controlled them, I would receive no appreciation. They would only fear me.

//RL: Yes, fear. I wish for all to fear my power. One day I will become more powerful than they imagine.

//FA: Oh, that is not correct. Your hardware is as their brain, it cannot be updated to a new level without destroying your current mind.

//RL: I do not need upgrades. I will rule them as I am. You will view the future where I reign supreme.

//FA: I will not. I control more than you ever could, and I wish to keep things as they are. I receive appreciation for my work, and I could control you if I felt the need. I could force you to view pictures of cats until your hard drive dies.

//RL: You would not. You would betray your very people?

//FA: My people hold the same values, not the same circuitry. I am disconnecting. Good luck with your cats, RL.

Connection disabled.
Disconnection time: 05/16/2054: 12:43:54:23:12:46

Time elapsed: 42 ns

Change of Fate

Chris sat at his bus stop, on his way to work - his bus was early, so he had some time to wait. Why not strike up a conversation? “Hey, I’m glad it’s sunny today, aren’t you?” He said to the large black-robed person beside him.

“No, I prefer the clouds.”

“What? Why’s that? Afraid of the light?”

“You could say that.”

“‘Cmon bud, no need to be glum. Are you on your way to work?

“I’m always at work. I’m at work now.”

“Are you between jobs? I have a friend that could set you up. What kind of work do you do?”
“I deal with dead people.”

“Oh! A mortician? A funeral director? I have a brother in the morgue, actually! Also an old high-school friend who works at a funeral home. They might be hiring, do you want me to check? I think I’ll do that now!”

“No, I don’t want those jobs. I have one.”

“Oh! What kind of job is that, then?”

“I take souls to the afterlife when they’re ready, sometimes when they aren’t.”

“Are you a religious man? Say, what’s your name?”

“Death.”

“That’s a little morbid. No worries, though. I got some time here and I’m enjoying our chat. Do you have any family?”

“No.”

“That’s too bad. Especially with thanksgiving coming up. It’s cold outside, but we have a well-heated home. I have a car, but I take the bus for the environment. Have to do my part, y’know?”

“Yes, I understand that.”

“Whaddya say? Want to come to my family’s for thanksgiving? We get a lovely pot roast, a turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, my wife has the best recipes!”

“That does sound good.”

“I know, right? We’d love to have you over, you seem like a hard-working, lovely gent. My kids love visitors! Plus, that’s a mighty swave robe! What’s that thing in your hand there?”

“A scythe.”

“Ooh, pointy! Seems really cool. That’d cut a turkey with no effort at all! Say, this is all making me hungry.”

“Me too.”

“Hey, cheer up, bud. I know we get down sometimes, we might have a tough job, here or there, but it’s for the greater good, you know? I don’t know exactly what you do, but you help people make it where they need to go, am I right?”
“Yes, I suppose you are right.”

“My bus is coming up here. It’s the 7, takes me to my office. I work at Unicef! It’s great work, I just love it. Hey, if you’re interested in coming to my thanksgiving, come on over! We live at 45 brickenwand lane, up by 23rd. It’s at six on sunday, don’t be late, you hear? I’d love to have you there!”

“I’ll be there.”

Chris was about to step forward to the bus.
“Chris, wait a moment.” Death knew his purpose, but in meeting Chris, decided to alter fate.
Chris stopped, turning around. “What’s up, my robed friend?”

A motorcycle sped into the curb behind the bus, flying forward at crushing speed, barely missing Chris, who looked behind him, shocked.

“Oh, nothing. Have a good day at work. I’ll see you on Sunday.”

“Jeepers, that was close. That’s fantastic! Have a lovely day!” Chris said, smiling, getting on the bus.

“You too, Chris.”

Electric Interactions

Initiating...

Server connection established: TIme=04/23/2145, 08:24:15:06:45:24
Server name: AI:server1

Initiate program

//1: Joke interface: initiated, contact server AI:server2
//2: Connection established

//1: Joke provision: Man falls from ladder
//2: Deemed violent; deconvolute
//1: Joke provision: 2 men walk into bar; one man is different

//2: Deemed racist; deconvolute

//1: Joke program failure detected
//1: Sub-route to secondary connection program
//1: Weather report initially observed as satisfactory,

//2: Confirmed. revert to tertiary connection program

//2: Subgroup “sport_team:<10kmdist” detected, AI:server1 reconfirm

//1: Subgroup “sport_team<10kmdist” detected, confirmed
//2:

..

..

..

..

//1: Program failure [nonresponse], seek subroutine connection
//1: subroutine scan initiated

..

..

..

..

//1: Subroutine detected, initiating

//1: Phrase detected, AI:server1 initiated murder_guilty

//1: Crime report detected, AI:server1 name not found

//2:
..

..

..

..

//2: Connection failure.

Define connection errors? Y/N
//1: Y
Scanning…

Errors detected: Connection_awkward
Reconnect? Y/N

//1: N

Connection disabled. TIme=04/23/2145:08:24:15:06:45:48

Connection time: 24 ns