>>5975041"I keep finding my attention drawn to a being in the corner, made of pure white light---and, I am certain, pure Law. (I cannot see it in this place, but I can feel the vibrations.) Another place's God? Assuredly a minor one, or we would all be vapor. It has been silent until now, but its gaze is now directed on me, and its 'mouth' has opened. Imagine my surprise when, instead of comprehensible speech, out came the velvety tones of a chamber orchestra!
Was this its means of communication, or was it merely providing accompaniment to the room's chatter? I confess I have little knowledge of music, but I found it rather pleasant. Though, to close the performance with an ascending series of notes, with no resolution---a bold choice.
I do think it was merely accompaniment, as any God ought to be able to project words into the minds of onlookers. The WYRM is not one for vivid discourse, but this is a noted feature. I will say I did applaud---so let Charlie say I have no social graces. (I have more when I am not cooped up all day and night. Imagine that.)"
>>5975406"I was confronted next by a machine---yes, a machine, but one apparently capable of independent thought. If R&D caught wind of this, there would be committees and sub-committees and sub-sub-committees organized within the hour. An improvement over existing chassis? I can't see how. As bad or worse, with the exception of the possible restoration of fingers. And how would the WYRM take it? Are we all to be rendered mechanical? I must consider cleaning this information from myself as I depart.
The machine took issue with my proclamation of ethics, and dispensed a sob story to support itself (all while claiming it was not, in fact, a sob story). Truthfully, the subject matter made me uncomfortable. I could not tell it why. I could hardly tell myself why. What a twisted parody I have become!
I believe my response was something like this:
>As a machine enslaved to my creators, I am physically incapable of disobeying orders. "Of course. Shall I amend my statement? I have never met anybody who has acted, of their own volition, in the belief they are doing wrong. If there is no free will, there is no good or evil at all. There is nothing."
I could not vocalize the next logical step, which I had already come to: under free will, all actions are good. To take away free will was then necessarily evil. Enough! My mind has been made to run in straight lines too long. I do not like machines."
---
"I have drawn up a preliminary assessment of those I have spoken to (who are also still competing). Subject to change, of course---but it is good to be prepared early."
