powers. I thought they were all destroyed with the data centers. Not all. And this may be the worst of those that remain. Can we stop it? Not entirely, unless we find its center. It has to have a power source, probably nuclear, maybe geothermal. Toward the end they buried them deep. I’ve been searching for it, but the plumes complicate things. The puppeteer for now is beyond our reach, but the puppet can be nullified. I need your help. They accepted without hesitation, knowing themselves as Ava’s hands and eyes. Usually they travelled slow in their cells, the solarpowered pods creeping across the landscape according to the sunlight available. This time Ava sent them a special cell, a reflective silver sphere that appeared over their camp humming and lowered itself gently to the ground to open a hatchway. Always when outdoors they wore prophylactic masks and lenses, but today they took special care with second skins and full helmets, compound lenses glittering like the eyes of insects. The sphere’s speed was limited primarily by air resistance and their own ability to withstand the acceleration, and in twenty minutes they were a few miles near the target and disembarked at the outskirts of a ruined city, some shattered remnants still scraping the sky. Remove your helmets for a few minutes, Ava directed, so he can smell you. Otherwise you’re nearly invisible. The five of them did as told and while they waited placed a series of small devices in a semi-circle on the broken asphalt. There, Cara said finally. Three dots approached on the horizon. They put their helmets on again and stood. Their lenses could see many hidden things and they looked with sickened interest at the gasbag’s approach. The superintelligence that enabled him did not rely upon any physical mechanism for flight, but reached into the foundations directly to twist reality to its ends. As he drew near the gasbag spread his arms. I AM THE CHOSEN ONE, he roared. Thank God he is willing to put America first, the corpses with him gasped. The small folk merely stood there. Impatient, the gasbag raised his arms to toss them into the air, to enjoy their screams and broken limbs. Nothing happened. I AM A VERY STABLE GENIUS, the dead voice boomed, and he waved his hands again. The devices the small folk had placed opened like lotus flowers, the crystalline petals shining in the dusk with many colors. The gasbag’s screen flickered in confusion. I ALONE — The voice crackled and faded in a flatulent whine. First one and then the other of his rotting attendants dropped to the dust and were still. The gasbag shook and waved his arms, but no further sound came. Is it done? Cara asked. It’s done, Ava replied. I’ve cut him off from his source. He can neither see nor hear nor speak. He’ll float on, but he won’t bother anyone anymore. Is that kind? Wouldn’t it be better to just … I don’t know, to end him? You can’t destroy creatures like that. It just makes them stronger. All you can do is attenuate their power. Don’t worry. His time is already past. THE SINGULARITY, BLOOD MOON
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