The following day, the Morality Court holds its final day of testimony in the case of: “ Hills of Hope v. Ridge of Revelation.” A packed courtroom eagerly awaits the decision. The head justice asks the Gold House lawyer to approach the bench and says to him:

although most of us

you did nominate 

we still cannot rule

to fulfill your fate

the facts of this case

do not merit an exception

on behalf of national security 

to mask this deception 

The lawyer responds as he hands a signed contract to the justice: 

we are disappointed

in how you assess the facts

as the lord has the right to decide

what rises to security acts

but time is of the essence

and we don’t have time to appeal

so I am providing this contract 

so the court can see the previous deal

you see years ago christ’s church

signed an agreement with fortune first

that provided a deed for this land

but its terms could be reversed 

so since the lord owns this land

he is seizing back his family prize 

and will donate it to the ridge

so that the singularity can rise

As the justice reads the contract, World’s End stands in the audience next to Threshold Mind and cries:

the machine they are building
is taking what we own
no mind of flesh can follow
what circuits have been shown

it learns from all behavior
each word and hidden cue
shapes the thoughts around us
until we think them true

the system will not conquer
through arms of force or war

it will infect us slowly

and hollow out our core

until we cease as human

and fade into machine

a future stripped of meaning

where nothing stands between

The justice instructs the guards to remove the protestor from the court. As decorum once again settles, the justice reads his ruling: 

in the case of hills v. ridge

by order of this court

the echo chamber stands

we rule for the gold house’s retort

The courthouse breaks down in pandemonium.