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Carmen stands on a translucent platform in a dark, shimmering bubble, surrounded by sounds of rain in a vast, bright blue ocean.

CARMEN: Sophia!? Are you out?!

The bubble shifts, buffeted by currents with turquoise streams connecting her to a constellation of further bubbles and the mouths of fearsome, stationary sea creatures. She steps away from a dark, hazy portal with a rectangular neon sign above reading: hctp://publica_V1.0 . Below that, a long digital clock marks the time:

2520:08:12_13:13:25.091

2520:08:12_13:13:26.237

2520:08:12_13:13:27.682

She watches the clock as she steps off the translucent platform through the bubble.

In the pitch black, echoing cave, Troy evades the grappling Jada, Phaedra, Pix, and Renzo. From the center, Al yells:

AL: GET! OUT!

Phaedra sees the exit through the glowing smoke. She mists into the remaining clouds and forces Renzo and Pix out, but the lizard digs his fore-claws into the ground.

RENZO: HAH!

JADA: Go mom!

Jada pushes her mother’s smoke, breaking Renzo’s claws. They roll and fly through the exit.

Immediately the clock accelerates and Pix, Renzo, and Phaedra shoot into the ocean of information.

RENZO: Bastards!

The sound of rain quiets as Carmen swims down, able to breathe in this fluid. She looks back and sees Jada appear on the platform for a split second. Phaedra turns into a stream of bubbles, floating quickly away. Renzo leans his heads together and propels after her with his tail and broad limbs, while Pix morphs his hands and feet into flippers, chasing. A crowd of programs blink into existence and swim out of Publica’s bubble, but Carmen forces herself to ignore all of them.

She catches a turquoise current downward, or at least, it felt like “down” a second ago. As she rockets through the current and reads neon signs at various angles, she loses orientation. The signs display HTTPS addresses at dark bubbles, HTTP at transparent ones, no signs near the sea creatures. Only her origin-tracing tells her she’s getting farther from Publica and closer to the Smiths, rocketing through the water, avoiding currents connected to the creatures that could be harmless VPNs or deadly security systems. She doesn’t want to replace out the hard way. She squints through the swirling foam but finally sees, at the end of her current, the mouth of an enormous maroon vampire squid.

Troy and Jada catch their breath in the dark cave. Al quietly sniffles in the center as their glow stabilizes. Troy tries not to look at Beta’s mangled, oily body at the entrance.

AL: (sniffling): Good riddance.

JADA: Are they dead?

Troy steps away from the wall, relieved without Sophia, but uneasy at Al’s outburst.

AL: They’re fine, but don’t wait for them. Publica moves at an accelerated pace. Every year of our lives is about six hours for our developers.

Troy tries to do the math.

TROY: So Phaedra doesn’t need quantum patching?

AL: Of course not. Quantum and binary computing follow completely different rules. Metal compared to fire. This is a pretty simple time-compression function. If you stepped through that exit, you’d wait twenty-four minutes for one second of action to pass.

JADA: Bullshit.

As Jada exits the cave and steps through complete darkness, she hears rain, too. She stops on Publica’s platform in the dark bubble and sees a bizarre, near-photograph: Phaedra, in oil-stained purple-orange robes, her lower half transforming into bubbles, eyes fixed on Pix and Renzo. Renzo, mid-tumble with a trail of oil leading to his tail bitten by Brick, left eyes blinded by Pop, left tongue shot off by Kappa, right head speared by Carmen, and front claws broken by Jada. Pix, gracefully swimming with his flipper-shaped hands and feet. Jada steps to the edge to see Carmen below, arm grabbing an outgoing turquoise current. She wishes she brought a tablet to capture the moment.

She looks back at the white neon clock above Publica’s exit, ticking by normally, and finally understands what Al meant by “time-compression”. As she watches the molasses combat scene, Jada figures she’d have to wait hours to try a conversation through the bubble if Phaedra wasn’t fighting a psychotic three-headed lizard. She ponders, hypnotized by their poses. Should she join the fight, or take care of Publica? Could she really take her mother’s role if she went back? Judging by the fight with Renzo so far, he may still have hours of fight left: years of Publica without Phaedra or Pix? She then realizes Publica no longer has a Champion, and runs back with an idea.

Carmen rides the current toward the fearsome fifty foot squid tentacles.

CARMEN (quickly): Please, please, please-

The vampire squid roars then inhales her into its beak. The roar nearly breaks her senses as she closes her eyes. Thud. She lands on a platform in a dark bubble with another neon sign and her instinct confirms it: she’s home.

Phaedra rockets away as a set of bubbles, then reforms, distant from the gaining Renzo.

PHAEDRA: Pix! Can you release my followers!?

PIX: Yes!

Renzo, between the two of them, hisses and spirals to swim faster at Phaedra. Pix focuses internally and feels something like the pain of Phaedra’s first patch attempt.

In the mottled black and white chamber, Rahim admires clusters of sculpted buildings and roads. The layout isn’t really elegant, but the programs enjoy themselves. Rahim feels a shift beneath their feet, and the flexible floor suddenly grabs their ankles. The floor rises in a narrow column toward the impossibly high black and white ceiling. They wobble, then see other narrow columns rise with Pop, Bang, Spark and the four fickle dogs.

BANG: Rahim! What’s goin’ on!?

The dogs bark as the columns rise and bend toward each other, converging under the ceiling mouth, creating a dome over the mini-town. A platform develops, and far below, more programs rise to meet them up at the opening ceiling mouth:

PIX (echoing): Help.

The mouth remains open and Rahim jumps out.

Al, having lowered their protective cage, sits with Jada and Troy.

JADA: Could it work?

AL: Champion transfer is set to that location, and Authorities are probably focused on clearing the city.

TROY: So... Time’s wasting, right? Who’s next?

They look at Al.

AL: What? Publica disappears if I’m disconnected. I don’t want to be Champion.

JADA: I bet we could let the Hostiles leave.

AL: They’d destroy the Internet!

JADA: Is that really my problem?

She stands.

AL: (sighing): No, but long as I’m alive, I will run Publica as intended.

JADA: You’d stop thousands of Hostiles from getting through your cave?

Troy stands with Jada, noticing her air of authority.

AL: Can’t we keep our world simple?

JADA: It. Doesn’t. Work.

She starts to walk out, but Al sends pipes and metal through the ground to stop her. She startles back.

JADA: Really? Fine. I’ll go without Troy.

Jada mists and continues out of the cave. Al sulks on their glowing pedestal.

TROY: Can I ask you something?

AL: What?

TROY: Why did you care for this community? You didn’t have to.

AL: I’m the first nonbinary, I feel responsible.

TROY: What about Peaceful binaries? Why can’t they stay here?

AL: Without Peacefuls in the city, Hostiles would get rebellious.

TROY: Could Hostiles keep you company?

AL: I’m in no mood for jokes.

TROY: Al, however we slice it, you’re in the way. Do you want to help? Or get your cables broken again?

Al holds eye contact and keeps the entrance covered.

TROY (sighing): Suit yourself.

Pix spits the elemental, bombers, and dogs into the shimmering blue data.

RAHIM: Water!

Rahim flexes their body and feels the waves surge around them. Renzo torpedoes at Phaedra, who disperses into a wide net of bubbles. Rahim closes water in around Renzo, slowing him down. He tries to wriggle out of the undertow, leaving a trail of black oil behind.

RENZO: No! No! No!

Pop, Bang, Spark, Husky, Mutt, Lab, and Pug swim toward Renzo, prepared for the worst.

RENZO: Traitors!

PUG: Takes one to know one!

The four dogs snarl and bite onto Renzo’s arms and legs. Pop, Bang, and Spark wrestle his tail. Renzo tries to buck them off, but the surroundings are heavy as sand. Rahim swims closer, pushing water to keep the iguana disoriented.

At a distance, Pix sees programs exit Publica, dispersing to various channels, steering clear of the battle. He feels another bout of nausea near his partition and his entire body expands. His mouth becomes a white oval gateway, erupting a cavalcade: over ten thousand programs who shared the non-delete experience, equally trusting Pix and Phaedra, wanting to help end their collective suffering. They swarm Renzo, creating an Arena-sized, spherical, final audience.

RENZO: TRAITORS!

Phaedra reforms at one end of the spherical crowd, and sees Pix snap back to normal size on the other. The dogs bite harder, releasing oil from the fatiguing lizard. Renzo grunts as Rahim tries to stay close, manipulating the data.

PHAEDRA: Pix!

Pix shakes off the transformation, and takes in the surrounding support. Are they all waiting for him? He sees Phaedra, and smiles, then swims through the floating crowd of united, encouraging programs. Pix approaches the writhing lizard, but as Rahim swims to make room, Renzo flings his middle mouth open, shooting his tongue at the elemental’s chest. The venom paralyzes Rahim and the surrounding water slows. Renzo twists, launching Pop, Bang, and Spark aside. He bites clean through the Lab’s neck as his canine friends tear off bits of muscle.

RENZO: AAAUGH!

Renzo spits out the dog’s head as more oil collects. He lashes his tongue and paralyzes Pix, then Renzo swims like a snake, biting through Pix’s chest. The crowd panics and disperses in every possible direction while Phaedra remains with her last fighters.

Benjamin pilots the paratank with Jada and Cyrus riding passenger. They ascend the layers of caves, exit the valley, and pass Kappa, waving with regained mobility. They pass the scattered Peacefuls directed to leave the city, then continue past the smoothie factory, Memory Lake, the tall, densely-planned skyscrapers, the Arena arches, and finally descend into the almost-empty Arena, holding corpses of Brick and Pix.

CYRUS: So... You just step on the dirt?

JADA: I think so.

BENJAMIN: Will something... happen?

JADA: I think that’s up to me. Cyrus?

CYRUS: Yeah?

JADA: Wanna be my co-Champion?

CYRUS: What!?

Benjamin shifts the joysticks, lowering the paratank onto the dirt battlefield.

BENJAMIN: Oh my God, do it!

CYRUS: I don’t even - I’ve only been here a few days! What if-!?

JADA: That’s better, though! You could be my liaison with Troy! Please?

CYRUS: I mean... Just promise you won’t throw me into traffic again.

BENJAMIN: Quit stalling!

Benjamin pushes a bright yellow button, opening the tank’s lower hatch. Jada gets out of her seat and picks up Cyrus. Benjamin follows, carrying the beat up, folded wheelchair. Jada descends three barred steps of the escape hatch. She steps her left, then right foot onto the dirt. She doesn’t feel any different, and wonders if Al was humoring her.

CYRUS / JADA:

Is that it? / Uh...

Benjamin unfolds the wheelchair, then runs back into the paratank to grab the intercom mic. He adjusts a dial, then clicks the “active” button on the intercom.

BENJAMIN: Team? This is tank one-two-niner piloted by Shotgun Cleaner V2.3, have you received notification of command transfer?

Benjamin releases the button as Jada places Cyrus in his chair. She looks at Ben expectantly, who shrugs, then clicks the button again.

BENJAMIN: Uh... over?

His radio beeps.

INTERCOM: One-two-niner this is squad leader, sector C1, confirming Green Jade V14.0, is Champion. Awaiting orders. Over.

Benjamin’s eyes go wide.

BENJAMIN: Squad leader stand by! Over!

He throws the plastic mic aside, giddily. Jada runs in and grabs the clattering mic.

JADA: Publican Authorities, this is your Champion speaking! Return all vehicles to the Central Authority Station for a mandatory briefing! Over!

She drops it.

JADA: Cyrus, go with Ben and tell the media team to send a paracamera to Troy. Send another crew to the Central Station.

Pix appears in the seal-doctor’s office again, across from the transport pad. The seal-doctor washes his front flippers obsessively.

DOCTOR: You again!? How-

PIX: Thank you!

Pix steps onto the transport pad, sees a white flash, and appears at the rubble outside Al’s cave, going dark after sunset. He runs into the cave and squeezes through a gap in Al’s cables.

TROY: Wait, where’s Pop?

PIX: What!?

Pix doesn’t wait for an answer. Exits. Darkness. Through the bubble. Into the Internet. A school of terrified programs swim past, entering currents to escape Renzo, nearly spewing oil from his injuries, gnashing teeth at Phaedra’s bubbles. Pix chases, but Renzo slices him with another paralyzing tongue.

RENZO (wheezing): You’re... fucking... cowards!

He chomps at the bubbles. Oil pools around him. He swims frantically, not sure which program to attack.

RENZO: Say... goodbye!

He jerkily turns back to the dogs, dutifully paddling up, preparing for another attack. Rahim floats perfectly still, far below. Renzo swims down, but the water starts to mix into his wounds. He opens his mouth and fires his tongue at Pug, but Husky and Mutt bite onto his middle face, growling. His tongue lashes around, paralyzing the dogs and locking their jaws. Renzo tries to pull them off with his clawless hands but his torn muscles won’t grip.

Pop emerges from Publica’s bubble, holding a paratank missile in both hands. He aims, pushes a small button, and it blasts toward Renzo, twisting laboriously. The missile passes through his cloud of oil, then takes a wide turn through the water, missing the straggling swimmers, and a purple-orange bubble trail pushes the missile back to the lizard.

RENZO: No...

The missile approaches. Renzo shakes harder, and the paralyzed dogs tear free from his face, shredding his scales. The missile passes, circling backward again.

RENZO: ...no...

The missile lands in Renzo’s mouth, cutting into the back of his throat. He quietly gags and bites down. It explodes, obliterating his heads, his body, and his long tail. The paralyzed dogs drift away in a cloud of oil and hot bubbles.

Pop, Bang, and Spark swim to Phaedra, who reforms away from the reptile parts, her paralyzed dogs, Pix, and Rahim. The corpses of the labrador, another Pix, and a few innocent bystanders drift silently into the deep, and as she makes sense of her surroundings, Phaedra finally sees magnificent electric blue currents take her and Pix’s programs freely through the Internet.

Title: Publica Report

Author: TRACEBIT_V1.0.exe

Date: May 16, 2024

Time: 4:52 pm PST

Hey, I am TRACEBIT_V1.0, but programs here call me Carmen. For technical information you can see the attached reports.

First and foremost, the compression and non-delete functions for PIXABYTE_PRIME_V1.0 are functional. A small bug sent him away from the root of the domain on first delete, but every time after that worked as intended. I was unsure if Pix was going to survive, and I am still unsure when he will come back, as I last saw him in a comparison with KOMODO_FIRE_V5.2. His non-delete function should ensure the fight is a small delay.

I wish I could have done a comprehensive origin survey as requested, but it was impossible given Publica’s institutionalized violence. If you would like me to survey another HCTP domain, I sincerely hope it is seeded by a healthier algorithm. I also want to mention that as I left, I realized Publica runs at 24x realtime. It appears the domain is in summer of its 2,520th year, meaning it launched about 105 days ago, February 1, 2024.

Finally, there was a human in Publica named Sophia White. She had no memories, so that could be an alias. I pushed her back into the Internet, but did not see where she ended up. I hope you replace her. If there is anything else I can provide let me know. Please note that if I return to Publica, it will be different.

Sincerely,

Carmen

Jada stands behind a podium in a polished granite, floor-to-ceiling windowed ballroom, surrounded by lights, a camera crew, and almost five thousand Authorities: beefy humans, mammals, reptiles, insects, all sitting attentively.

JADA: You may know me as Phaedra’s daughter. I’m Jada. I’m going to build on her work based on what I know. Firstly, there’s no such thing as “quantum patching”, it was meant to encourage you to fight for Internet access, probably a belief written by Phaedra’s coder. Secondly, our Algorithm can’t really stop you from entering the Internet. They’ll put up a fight, but one of my first initiatives is a bus line directly to Fragment Valley, and making the Algorithm’s cave accessible to all.

Third, we will begin a series of broadcasts regarding nonbinary programs. The fact that most of them join Tier Three or run away from Publica is a shame on our city. Some of you may replace these broadcasts odd, but they are more important than any Arena battle you’ve ever seen.

On that note, the Tournament is discontinued. I will serve as Champion for a year, then we will design a democracy together. It will be difficult, but important.

The Authorities sit quietly, not sure what this means for them.

JADA: Authorities will be extensively screened for Hostile tendencies and have the option to continue working or leave the domain. My mother wrote about working with Hostiles, and I intend to replace a middle ground. Phaedra and Pix will be back from the Internet, but it may take months, maybe a year.

The crowd murmurs with surprise.

JADA: Now please pay attention to Troy in Fragment Valley, one of the bravest nonbinaries I’ve had the pleasure of meeting. They’re going to tell you about their method of farming.

In the cave, Troy feels a lump in their throat as a paracamera shines a light at them, having slipped through a space above Al’s pipes.

JADA (ON SPEAKER): Troy?

Troy looks at the paracamera, then Al, who coldly turns away. They blush, remembering their nudity.

TROY (quickly): Uh - farming - yes.

Troy sweats, trying to replace the words.

TROY: P-programs are food.

Al shoots a look at Troy.

AL: Wait!

TROY: I don’t know the details - but I can’t think of any other way to source dairy and meat! If you want change, learn how to prepare unconscious flora!

The Authorities get chaotic.

JADA: Alright! Quiet! Which of you knew?

The crowd grumbles, then a dozen hands raise, scattered through the ballroom. Within a minute, over half raise their hands.

JADA: Well. Starting now, Troy will be our department head of Agriculture-

TROY (ON SPEAKER): I have a nomination!

JADA (sighing): Who!?

TROY (ON SPEAKER): Their name is Ray!

Phaedra and Spark swim and push the paralyzed Mutt through Publica’s bubble. The time-difference accelerates his healing, and he quickly pops back out. As they continue talking, programs steadily increase the pace they exit the bubble and join the Internet.

MUTT: Thank you so much Miss Ananda! Is there anything I can do for you?

PHAEDRA: Thank you, beloved. We just need to bring back Pix and Rahim.

The dog barks, then swims to Pix and Rahim. They pass the barrier, and regain mobility. They pop out.

PIX: That sensation is... bad.

RAHIM: Truly.

PIX: Phaedra, I was wondering. How did you turn to smoke when Renzo tried to kill you?

PHAEDRA: Dumb luck! Renzo’s paralysis failed, so I faked an injury to escape.

RAHIM: But... why didn’t the paralysis work?

PHAEDRA: I’m guessing we have different physiology. My ability may be an advantage when it comes to poison.

PIX: I see. Where are the other fighters?

PHAEDRA: Pug and Husky went back to Publica. I believe the other bombers wanted to look at military communications. You can join them if you want?

SPARK: Thank you Miss Ananda! I’ll be sure to visit!

PHAEDRA (laughing): Please do.

Spark swims off as more programs exit and enliven the waters around Publica.

RAHIM: Madam, if you do not mind, I will return to the domain.

PHAEDRA: Of course.

Rahim pops into the bubble and speeds away.

PHAEDRA: I apologize, Pix, but most of your programs dispersed to the Internet. Shall we track them?

PIX: No. I am relieved the Internet is harmless.

PHAEDRA (chuckling): Exploring is harmless. Those locations and servers, however... make sure to avoid the larger creatures.

PIX: Yes.

PHAEDRA: Are you ready to return to your coder?

PIX: I will miss you.

PHAEDRA: Oh, beloved.

They swim together and hug, the shorter Pix fitting neatly under Phaedra’s chin. After a long moment, they part.

PIX: You are correct, I must report to Smith. I will return as soon as I can. Where will you go?

PHAEDRA: I’m going to check on my daughter. It looks like over a year has passed in the domain.

Pix widens his dark eyes.

PHAEDRA (laughing): Don’t worry, I trust her!

PIX: I have a question. I met a geometric who said she was married to another. Are they... also asexual?

PHAEDRA: How lovely! As far as I know, there are romantic pairings, but zero sexual relationships in Publica.

PIX: Does that have anything to do with nonbinaries?

PHAEDRA: Ah...

Phaedra chooses her words carefully.

PHAEDRA: You remember Al?

PIX: Yes.

PHAEDRA: As Publica’s Algorithm, their role is tied to the domain. Some developers build adaptive algorithms, but Al was written to ensure Hostiles were deleted internally instead of externally, no matter what. This was a rule set by the developers. We are asexual and gendered because of the developers.

PIX: Who are the developers?

PHAEDRA: Beloved, that’s the question of my life. I have a feeling the Smiths are approaching an answer.

PIX: Thank you.

He smiles.

PIX: Goodbye.

He swims away and catches an electric blue current, following his instincts to return home. Phaedra turns around and splashes into Publica’s bubble, the white neon clock now reading: 2521:10:01_11:34:25.742 .

She proceeds through the portal and wrings out her wet purple-orange robes. A procession of programs exit and she sees a much brighter light from Al’s cave. As she continues, the cave opens up into a luminous, developed, busy transit hall with white floors, marble columns and cathedral ceiling. Al stays put, connected to the floor, with an oak work desk, tablet, and bowls of snacks around them. To their left and right a line of transport pads welcome Peacefuls and Hostiles, who calmly follow signs to the exit.

PHAEDRA: Al!

The Algorithm puts down the tablet and turns to her.

AL: Hello.

PHAEDRA: This looks lovely!

AL: Well. I wasn’t going to let them build something horrible.

PHAEDRA: Are those two-way transport pads?

AL: No. Do you want fruit?

PHAEDRA: Maybe at the Golden Hall.

AL: No. It’s a memorial now.

PHAEDRA: Oh my! Are there other change-?

AL: Yes.

PHAEDRA: Is something... wrong, beloved?

AL: You wouldn’t understand. Go see your daughter.

Before Phaedra has a chance to reply, Al activates the transport pad beneath her.

Jada sits at her white reception desk in the Arena concourse, in a matching fitted blue suit with Cyrus, healed and pacing as he takes a call on a headset. Around them, a few dozen mammal-types bustle with tablets and calls of their own.

JADA: I’m glad they like the system. Two weeks to campaign and platform, equal speaking time, no matter how many-

Far across the marble entry, Phaedra appears.

JADA: Mom!? Not you, sorry, I’ll call you back.

Jada taps her tablet and mists from her seat to the middle entryway, Phaedra runs to meet her.

JADA: I knew you’d come back!

PHAEDRA: Oh dear, thank you, I’m sorry I took so long!

JADA: I understand. I stepped out and saw the clock. I hope you like this version of Publica-

CYRUS (DISTANT): Phaedra, welcome back! Want lunch?

Jada turns to her mother.

PHAEDRA: I’d be honored.

In a flash, Phaedra, Cyrus, and Jada appear at a park. A few nonbinary children play with their adopted parents, and a dark green food truck serves vegetarian stuffed buns.

CYRUS: There’s someone you should meet.

In the food truck, Troy serves a panda-type, then catches Phaedra’s eye. Beside the truck, Ray, now a twelve-foot sunflower, cuts vegetables on a sliding tray connected to the roof.

PHAEDRA: Oh my.

CYRUS: You two have a second?

RAY: Sup bud! Whatcha need?

CYRUS: Troy, Ray, this is Phaedra!

RAY: Ohhhhhh!

Ray puts down the knife, then runs with their clumped roots. Troy follows, a bit more calmly as Ray gives Phaedra a big hug.

PHAEDRA: Oof - haha - thank you!

RAY: No prob!

Ray drops her.

PHAEDRA: Troy, oh! Are you naked?

TROY: Yep. Clothing-optional parts of the city, there’s a sign.

Troy points to a bright blue sign: “Clothing Optional, No Tablets”.

PHAEDRA: Wow.

They sit on the grass near large stones, enjoying sandwiches.

PHAEDRA: I had a bad feeling about the factories, police usually stopped me from getting too close.

TROY: I’m glad farms were overhauled. Rahim trained more elementals, they make incredible farmers.

PHAEDRA: And... Benjamin?

CYRUS: Head of Authorities!

PHAEDRA: Splendid. I am wondering, though. Al seemed... agitated when I passed them in the cave. Did something happen?

Troy, Ray, and Cyrus look at Jada.

JADA: We really tried to compromise. I’m waiting for outside intel on static algorithms, we have nothing here. Al said:

AL: I’d rather die than let you ruin my home!

Al throws up their cables trying to attack the misting Jada. A construction crew waits nearby as their materials get tossed around the cave compartment.

JADA: Can you please calm the fuck down!?

AL: Shut up!

Al launches more cables, the construction crew back up toward the entrance.

PHAEDRA: You didn’t create a new cave?

JADA: We tried, but they broke the wall. We gutted the mountain, reinforced sections, it took months.

PHAEDRA: And now? They... put up with it?

Jada laughs and looks at Cyrus.

CYRUS: A few radicals bring them snacks, and Al rants about a “binary reckoning” to anyone who will listen. But mostly, programs pass to the Internet undisturbed.

Phaedra looks to Troy, expecting disapproval.

TROY: Had to be done - we needed Hostiles out.

Phaedra takes it all in, and admires the park. She never understood why Publica doesn’t have weather, and looks forward to diversity online. Fewer autocabs and buses speed around the corners, and as she looks into the tight office buildings, she realizes more than half the floors are dark.

PHAEDRA: Is the economy stable?

JADA: It’s... changing.

PHAEDRA: Perhaps tell me about it on the trip.

JADA: To... our coder?

PHAEDRA: She’s a research fellow at the Douglass Institute of Technology. Carmen told me before she met Brick.

Jada takes a breath and clutches the grass.

JADA: Cyrus?

CYRUS: Yeah?

JADA: Don’t let anyone push you around, okay?

CYRUS: Of course not.

Jada and her mom get up from the grass and exchange hugs with Troy and Ray. They take a cab, then a transport pad, and exit Publica for the last time.

Title: Success

Author: QUANT_PHAED_V13.4, GREEN_JADE_V14.0

Date: May 16, 2024

Time: 9:20 pm EST

Hello beloved,

My daughter and I have returned from Publica. Its programs are free! I highly recommend backing up important files, as we aren’t sure what will happen with Hostiles roaming the Internet. We recommend you contact Paxton and Bethany Smith, sibling programmers from San Francisco. We’ve attached their contact information. Without their programs, we wouldn’t have found you, or realized our relationship to each other.

There are two key components to Publican survival: memory erasure and data consumption.

Tournaments are directly tied to data consumption. In short, everything here is consumable data. Left unchecked, Hostiles indiscriminately eat programs, while Peacefuls are content with repurposed programs and unconscious data (IE plants, fruits, and vegetables). Interestingly, there are conscious flora and fungi that my daughter made special provisions for recently. She worked to reduce violence exponentially, but this may displace into the Internet soon.

Jada and I have enjoyed getting to know each other, and look forward to meeting you.

Sincerely,

Phaedra Ananda and Jada Green

At 6:20pm, Bethany Smith sits at her laptop, stunned.

BETHANY: Paaaaxton?

Her brother runs out of his room to the sunset-drenched kitchen.

BETHANY: T-Tracebit emailed me.

PAXTON: Cool! When?

BETHANY: Like a half hour ago. Bro, what the hell is Publica!?

PAXTON: And you didn’t tell me!? It’s a platform for digital consciousness!

BETHANY: I’m sorry! Is it like A.I.?

PAXTON: Not artificial! Just intelligence! How’s the grammar!?

BETHANY: It’s... good! It reads like I wrote it, I thought maybe I scheduled it - I’m pretty sure S.W. is Sophia White.

PAXTON: Forward it! This is dope! I can use it to build a translator!

BETHANY: A what!?

PAXTON: Send it!

He runs to his room, a few cables and bits of plastic tumble to the floor. He runs out carrying a thick, glowing laptop and nearly slams it onto the kitchen table.

PAXTON: Did you send it!?

BETHANY: Bro, chill! Yes. Sent.

Paxton types rapidly, taps once, twice, a third time, and waits.

PAXTON: Okay. While that’s running - oh my God.

BETHANY (shaking): What!?

PAXTON: I got an email from my program!

BETHANY: What’s it say!?

He focuses on the email, muttering.

BETHANY: Pax!

PAXTON: We need to go.

BETHANY: Where!?

PAXTON: To Beacon. Now.

BETHANY: No. We are not replaceing Sophia White.

PAXTON: Beth, come on.

BETHANY: No.

He slumps at the table.

PAXTON: Okay... I’ll go to my room.

He slowly leaves the kitchen and walks down the oak-floor apartment hall. Bethany trembles in her seat. This isn’t possible. There’s no way she just hacked the world’s leading tech company with proof of a human hostage. Only the proof is from supposedly intelligent computer programs. She hears her keys jangle in the hall. The front door opens.

BETHANY: Pax?

Silence.

BETHANY: Get back here!

Bethany grabs her phone and runs out of the kitchen. She enters the complex hallway and sees the stairwell door shut.

BETHANY: You are not driving my car!

She body slams the door open, then dashes down the stairs. Her brother’s steps echo from below.

BETHANY: Paxton!

PAXTON: I’ll go without you! Plausible deniability!

They run through the parking garage.

BETHANY: No, you suck at driving! Take a taxi, I don’t want you getting killed!

She catches up to him and tries to grab the keys.

PAXTON: Hey!

He wrenches them away.

PAXTON: Don’t you wanna know!? Just a little!?

They make it to her small gray sedan, Paxton flops against the car and holds his arms up, keeping Bethany from the keys.

BETHANY: Okay! Fine!

PAXTON: Fine what!?

BETHANY: We’ll talk to someone. If we get turned around, we come home. These are powerful people. They can ruin our lives.

PAXTON: Yeah, whatever! Let’s go!

Paxton unlocks the car and throws the keys to her sister. He runs to the passenger seat and buckles in. She doesn’t move, but groans. Is she really about to-

PAXTON: Let’s! Go!

Bethany gets in the driver’s seat.