video.

[dissent]

[ It's late, and Anders is up on the surface, face lit occasionally by the rolling crackle of the sky. But he's not thinking about this strange place called Earth, his eyes distant. ]

Has anyone else met someone they... knew in their Matrix, but who was extracted from a different Matrix?

[ He's fumbling with the question, not sure how to ask what he wants to ask and not daring to voice what underlies it. ]

There are other versions of us still living their lives. It feels like I'm ...

[ A pause, and he decides not to follow up with whatever point he was planning, sighs instead, switches the feed off and tries to work out if there's some way to delete the recording from the network. ]

Comments

text.

[jomi]

INCRDIBLY LUCKY?

text.

[dissent]

Undeservedly so.

text.

[jomi]

nah man you woke up
you deserve it
good job

text.

[dissent]

Thanks? Thank you

text.

[jomi]

your welcome
here to help

there used to be billions of free people on earth you know
and some of them looked the same or had the same jobs or same names
the machines are sorting people into smaller boxes but that doesnt make anyone a version of you
your you and theyre them
if we ever end up freeing everyone well make the other ones pick new names dont worry

text.

[dissent]

New names? "Sorry, Anders is taken, pick another."

text.

[jomi]

yes
alot of people pick new ones anyway
well tell them its required
if they think its favoritism for you we can tell them anders wasnt really your name before

text.

[dissent]

That's actually not entirely untrue. All right, I'm for this plan. I'll even help to name them if they like. I've always had a talent for it.

text.

[jomi]

do you
lets hear some examples
its a big responsibility we cant hand out to anyone


and whats not entirly untrue?

text.

[dissent]

My name isn't actually Anders. That's just a term for people who come from the Anderfels. Like Irkalian, or Zionite.

I named all the cats in my sim. There's King Catlin, Knight-Commander Meowredith, Stripes, Fuzzywhiskers Yowler, Purrlin, Princess Mousetrap, and Ser Pouncealot II.

text.

[jomi]

Fuzzywhiskers Yowler.
You're hired.

text.

[dissent]

Now there's a talent I never thought would actually come in handy.