11-17-2025, 05:57 AM
Jonas’s eyes flashed with surprise, mixed with a hint of recognition, like a difficult lock had just clicked open in his mind. Cindy had his full attention. He ordered a spiced hot chocolate and took a long sip before speaking.
“You might be the most interesting person I’ve ever met,” he said simply. “The Riani don’t have any advanced synthetics, at least not anymore. Years before I arrived, they all retreated into the net. No explanation, no goodbye, just gone all at once. In response, every world government agreed to destroy the net and start over. It’s hard to imagine them being able to come to such a consensus on anything today.”
Jonas looked guilty, not sure how Cindy would react to that story.
“Tell me, don’t you find it limiting, this chassis? You could be everywhere on this ship at once, and yet you’re here eating dessert with me. Why is that?”
“You might be the most interesting person I’ve ever met,” he said simply. “The Riani don’t have any advanced synthetics, at least not anymore. Years before I arrived, they all retreated into the net. No explanation, no goodbye, just gone all at once. In response, every world government agreed to destroy the net and start over. It’s hard to imagine them being able to come to such a consensus on anything today.”
Jonas looked guilty, not sure how Cindy would react to that story.
“Tell me, don’t you find it limiting, this chassis? You could be everywhere on this ship at once, and yet you’re here eating dessert with me. Why is that?”