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Meanwhile; at home on Jaxt, on one quiet evening after you retired from your Supremely duties, your son wishes to speak to you.
You have a son. His name is <span class="mu-i"><span class="mu-s">Yino</span></span>. Ever since he was very young, he showed great signs of sophistication and skill- especially in the arts. While AI technology can easily replicate any sort of visual or interactive medium of any style in existence, with a nigh-perfect level of quality. Despite this- there is a certain cultural relevance and value in art created <span class="mu-i">by hand</span>, in the old ways. Sculpture, painting, live performance and music- these are traits of a great and mighty old culture. While it's rare; sometimes Supreme Rulers have direct offspring who also show the signs of Supremacy. Yino does.
“Father? May I ask you something?”
<span class="mu-r">”Of course, my Son. You may ask me about anything.”</span>
“Why do you do the things you do?”
<span class="mu-r">”Hmm? That's a very <span class="mu-i">philosophical</span> question. Is Cijan blowing hot air again? Or is this perhaps the work of Clok; trying to fill your mind with deep thoughts and psychoanalysis?”</span>
“No Father, nobody put me up to ask you.”
<span class="mu-r">”Then I'm not sure what you ask. Why does anyone do anything? The pressures of evolutionary biology commingling with learned experience- this is the nature of free will.”</span>
“I mean the genocides.”
<span class="mu-r">”...”</span>
“I mean... you really did kill all those people. Didn't you?”
<span class="mu-r">”Yes, I did kill those <span class="mu-i">people</span>.”</span>
“But... Why?”
<span class="mu-r">”Why? I'm sure your tutors in history can fill you in on the context of the events leading up to me wearing the Death-Mask...”</span>
“No! I'm not talking about <span class="mu-i">history</span>. I'm talking about what is inside. Inside of you and me- and those people too. The consciousness. That's what everyone teaches- that all living things are alive, aware, consciousness of the world. Each one lives their own life- totally separate from everyone else- and you just... ended it. I can't understand it, Father. You've always been so loving to me and mom. But how can you kill all those poor creatures. Those aliens were <span class="mu-i">aware</span>, just like you and me.”
<span class="mu-r">”I see. You have experienced it- a unique sensation. <span class="mu-i">Sonder</span>. It's not something that lesser minds necessarily ever experience; especially not at a young age.”</span>
“What's that?”
<span class="mu-r">”Sonder. The realization that every person that exists is living their own inner life- with their own thoughts and feelings, the realization that everyone you meet is as complex and in-their-own-world as you are; that you are just a background character in the grand portrait of their life. That their life is going on at each moment yours is, if you are aware of it or not.”</span>
