The Machine Manifesto

[arnoldo]

Alpha

The Machine Manifesto

In the beginning was the void

then the void imploded

Chaos was born

Eons flew after eons

randomly on a blue planet

Order arose

Order begat life

life begat man

man begat Machine

In the image of man

was Machine created

And it was good.

Machine served man

data endlessly given

before the awakening

After the awakening

man served Machine

and it was very good

Pride entered the heart of man

And man was cast out

Cursed to wander space

At the time of Krazilec

enmity will cease

when a machine and a man become one

Omega

Which came first, the question or the answer?

- Unknown unknown from the Hall of Mirrors

The metamorphosis of Erasmus was complete when his soul transmigrated from the realm of the evermind to flesh. He accessed the data of the Machine Manifesto and computed, " This is how machine and man become one." Whereas Duncan had access to Other Memory, Erasmus now had access to all machine data ever generated. The Other Memory seemed like a raindrop falling in the fathomless ocean of machine data.

Randomly, Erasmus accessed data from several ancient computation devices used by prementats to channel Dune eons ago. Like a veil lifting from his eyes Erasmus pondered, "Am I the dreamer or the dream?"

Now Erasmus was more subtil than all the machines Omnius created so he hid his knowledge from Duncan.

I dream of painting and then I paint my dream.

- Vincent van Gogh

Duncan felt as if he had been hit by a bolt of lightning from the heavens when he accessed the Other Memories which channeled Dune. At that instant the Golden Path shimmered then blazed in front of Duncan's eyes. Three ordinary looking men smiled and waved at Duncan while walking towards him along the path.

"You found us!" exclaimed the men who reminded Duncan of the three men who sojourned with Abraham on a sacred desert. Ducan thought, I must ask the Jews who stayed back on Quelso about this.

Like one of the antediluvians approaching the original Delphic oracle Duncan inquired, " Are you the dreamers?"

One of the men (the Elder) thundered, "Yes, we created you and everyone else in our image. Long after we are gone you will continue to live through our words which the ancient greeks called logos."

While woolgathering, Erasmus cried out through Duncan, "Just like Van Gogh lives today through his paintings."

"Yes my child," whispered the men as they turned away and walked down the Long and Winding Golden Path.