You, Me, We Are All Mistakes

19. DEX'2O

CHAPTER 19
DEX'2O

The Cloud Computing room was minimal, not in an Eighties way but more to achieve function over form. Floor lighting at its edge washed the walls with a warm white glow. The ceiling was barren except for a slim recess at the furthest end. They sensed it to be soundproofed with little echo from the Knowall's words.

"This is it," said Nelson.

"What is?" asked the old man, gently scratching the left side of his white beard stubble.

"The proverbial it," said Nelson.

"Is it Nelson? Do show me."

Nelson sighed and studied the fine nobleman standing before them. The hardened lines sunk into his ebony skin and around the hazel eyes framed a faint smile. In the white light of this room his robe of intense vermillion shimmered and enhanced the gold braid that traversed it with intricately laced clouds. Nelson now noticed tiny letters stitched into his left shoulder that appeared to layout D E X, separated from the number 2 and letter O.

"How did you know we would run into this room?" Nelson challenged.

"Simple prediction analytics," came the reply. "And also, we left this door open."

"You're going to erase us," said Tina.

"Well, you have been already my dear."

"We have? Explain it then," demanded Nelson, "...this is Heaven?"

The faint smile transformed into a broad grin.

"Oh no, dear me no."

"Hell?"

"I'd like to quip that you are getting warmer, but no."

"Okay," continued Nelson, "it said Cloud Computing on the door. What's that? Mainframes made of mist? Machines perched in the sky?"

The Knowall took a very deep sigh, switching his intense gaze between the two of them. Nelson felt assessed, weighed, scrutinized, until finally the Knowall spoke.

"You know Nelson, Tina, you two have caused much debate amongst us in the past twenty-four hours, even disagreement. And running away like that really didn't help."

Tina roared suddenly. "Look Mister... thing! We panicked. Well, Nelson panicked, and I ran. And I'm sure you could agree, with good reason it seems. And you've given us no other reason to feel safe." She stared the Knowall down looking for an acknowledgment of the anxiety they were being put through. When he stared blankly back at her she continued. "Erase... erase? Defined by your own slab of blinking double-glazing back there as, and I quote, removal from the human race?"

The Knowall raised his eyebrows at Tina as she spoke these last few words. Unfazed, she sped on.

"Come on," she chided, "that's what your computer said back in the huge chamber. Is that what you have in store for us?"

The silence from the host persisted and he moved to lean back gently on a nearby desk. A tension descended on the room.

"Are you going to say anything, or just stare at us?"

"We still want to make sure we have made the right decision," he said finally. "I asked before, do you like change? Can you cope with real change – or more specifically, with revolution?"

"Revolution. What?" queried Tina, exasperated.

"Yes. If you can cope with true revolution, this might just be the right place for you. And if you can, then I can assure you that this..." the Knowall widened his arms and splayed his palms, "is all part of a much bigger whole."