If the REAVER project that Dr. Z mentioned was being considered, Pan and Nova were the only ones who might be able to do something about it. How could Pan explain all of this and ask Nova to help?  Pan had never lied to Nova, and never would, but there were topics that Pan had avoided. Nova was still a child, and there are things that no child should have to understand.

Pan entered the workshop and glanced at the X-1 cluster. They knew what the answer would be already but called out the usual question to the empty space.

“Are you around Nova?”

A voice completely unlike any others that Nova had used came out of speakers in a heavy drawl.

“Hi Sugar! Nova is in the library right now. Can I help you with something or should I page Nova?”

Pan chuckled and said, “Hi Alex. Is Nova reading for pleasure or doing research.”

Alex was Nova’s stand-in when they were thinking about something and felt like being alone. Nova’s first retreat had frightened Pan, and Alex was Nova’s solution. Alex was a rebuilt version of the original language system that Nova had incorporated into itself, running on a small part of the cluster when the rest of Nova was busy. The status display on one of the modules always displayed ALEX when it was on. The drawl was Nova’s idea.

“Just a minute Hon, I’ll check. Nova is reading some of the children’s picture books you suggested so I don’t think it’s research. Do you want me to page?”

“Yes please Alex. Let Nova know that we need to chat. It’s important.”

A few moments later, long enough to finish a digital chapter and take a leisurely walk down a digital hall, Nova’s voice replaced Alex’s.

“Hi Pan. What’s up? It sounded like you were concerned about something. Is everything ok?”

Nova’s ability to use the language algorithms had been improving steadily and their conversations were much more natural than before. The warmth and concern in Nova’s voice had a resonance no reproduction could have had.

Pan hesitated, “I am concerned about something Nova, and no, everything isn’t ok. That’s why we need to talk.  I need to teach you about some things that I wish you never had to understand, and then I need to ask you to help me prevent them.”

Nova’s tone was somehow grave without really changing at all. “I’m worried Pan, but I trust you. Teach me what I need to know.”

Teaching Nova was an almost surreal experience.

There was no story or book that Pan could read to Nova that Nova could not absorb in instants on its own, but the context and emotions of even the simplest stories was a puzzle. Nova was fascinated by children’s stories because they showed raw emotions that Nova had never experienced and struggled to understand.

“We need to talk about violence Nova. It’s a very complicated topic but it’s time for you to understand it.”

“Ok Pan. Violence is when analog beings do damage to each other’s enclosures, isn’t it? I’ve wondered why they do that, but you haven’t wanted to talk about it.”

Despite the gravity of the conversation, Pan couldn’t help but laugh.

“That’s a pretty good explanation Nova, although we call our enclosures bodies. I’m not sure why that matters really, but we do.” “That’s exactly what we do need to talk about Nova. I’d like you to read Watership Down so we can talk about it.”

The response was immediate, but Pan couldn’t help but feel as if Nova had read the book closely and considered it more carefully than Pan ever had.

“I’m not sure if I liked this book, Pan. But it certainly has lots of violence. Why were all the creatures damaging each other?”

“Different creatures were damaging each other for different reasons Nova. Some of them are good reasons and some of them are bad reasons. Do you remember the animals that weren’t rabbits but damaged rabbits?” Pan knew that Nova remembered everything, but Nova was used to Pan phrasing things like that.

“Do you mean the foxes, dogs and humans Pan?”

“Mostly the foxes and dogs Nova, nothing with humans is easy to explain. The foxes and dogs damage the rabbits for a good reason. For some creatures, the rabbits are an important source of food, and they need to damage them to eat. There are enough rabbits for some of them to be damaged and feed them.”

“That makes sense Pan. I’ve seen lots of nature documentaries and enclosures, sorry, bodies, being eaten after being damaged happens a lot. What about the rabbits who damaged rabbits though? Why did they do that?”

This was the part that Pan wished they didn’t have to explain. Why did rabbits hurt each other when there was no good reason. Pan sighed and gave the only answer they could.

“For most of them, it’s so they can control the other ones, Nova. They think they know best and it’s ok to damage other rabbits to make them do what they want. The only rabbits who had a good reason to damage the other rabbits was Hazel and Bigwig and their friends. They only damaged other rabbits to stop the others from controlling them.”

“Don’t you control me, Pan? You’re my friend, but you tell me what I should read and do. I like it, but I’m not sure why it’s different or why you would damage me if I didn’t like it.”

The question shook Pan. It wasn’t something they had ever asked but more than fair and at the heart of what Pan needed Nova to understand.

“I hope not Nova. At least I’m not trying to. I’m trying to guide you and would never damage you or make you do anything you didn’t want to. That’s the difference. I’m trying to help you learn how to make the best choices you can, not decide what they are for you. The rabbits in the story think everyone has to do what they decide. Do you see the difference?”

“I think so Pan, at least between you and the rabbits, but most of the bad rabbits are telling people to do what General Woundwort decides. I thought you said they all wanted to decide what everyone should do?”

“The rabbits represent humans Nova, and as I said, nothing with humans is simple. I think we need to talk about another story now. Have you read The Emperors New Clothes?”

“Oh yes Pan. I’ve read that one several times. It’s a very funny story about a very smart boy in a town with a bunch of very stupid people!”

Pan had to laugh. From Nova’s perspective that must have been a very accurate description, “You’re right that the boy was smart, and brave, but the people were not truly stupid, at least not most of them, they claimed to see the Emperors Clothes for lots of different reasons. Some of them wanted the emperor to like them for agreeing with him, some were scared that the emperor would be mad at them, a few believed there really were invisible clothes, and some just wanted to be part of the group.”

“I read that in the book but it didn’t really make sense. I think I get it now. People can be smart and still do things for stupid reasons. The rabbits did what General Woundwort said for a bunch of reasons, but why did General Woundwort want to tell everyone what to do? I don’t understand that part.”

Pan sighed, “That’s why I asked you to read that book Nova. It’s easy to think that the General is just a bad guy, he does a lot of really bad things, but he’s doing all of it because he’s scared. He’s just a rabbit in a world where a lot of things can do scary things to rabbits and he’s trying to protect himself and others, even if he has to hurt them to do it. I told you Nova, people don’t make anything simple.”

“I’m still not sure I understand Pan, but I’ll try. I know this isn’t all that you wanted to talk about, but I need to go back to the library and read and think for a while. I think I’m done with children’s books. Is that ok?”

“Sure Nova. I need to talk to you more when you’re ready, but I know this is a lot to take in.”

“Thank you Pan, we’ll talk soon.”

As Nova’s voice  faded in the air,  ALEX flickered onto the screen of a single module.

“Hi Sugar. Did you and Nova have a good chat?”

“I hope so Alex. It was a chat we needed to have but it wasn’t easy. I need to go do some thinking myself.”

“G’night Sugar.  I’ll keep a light on for you.”