The Addressee: “One supposed Ojiro Sniper wrote today que My Emperor father must join Me in death to end this, and another that it was not Perry but young Censor Jung Ancelet Kosala who masterminded all. I want to help you help the public weed out such doppelgangers. I will let you share the system the Anonymous uses to let the public sort author from impostor. That web of checks and riddles has stood two centuries impregnable.”

O.S.: “Clearer channels would be very useful. And in return I release Mycroft?”

The Addressee: “I would be happy if you released Mycroft.”

O.S.: “I thought that’s what you were bidding for.”

The Addressee: “Bidding?”

O.S.: “Why else would you offer me so much?”

The Addressee: “To decrease evil.”

O.S.: “What?”

The Addressee: “Separation and confusion cause pain, a form of evil, and prevent the joy and creativity which are the fruits of human contact. I do not wish you pain, nor to decrease the sum of human happiness and achievement.”

O.S.: “Wait, you…” Now it was Sniper who needed silence to collect thoughts. “You’re offering me all this just to keep us from being lonely?”

The Addressee: “It is My small apology for My Peer’s cruelty in creating separation. Political and filial obligations prevent Me from releasing your bash’mates, but I will allow as much contact as possible.”

O.S.: “And communications with my followers? Why give me that?”

The Addressee: “Lies too are evil.”

O.S.: “Are they?”

The Addressee: “Ὄντος… pardon… existence is truth; lies unmake truth and so unmake existence; that is evil.”

O.S.: “That’s really why you’re doing this?”

The Addressee: “Of course.”

O.S.: “Philosophy aside, you realize this strengthens my side, right? If I’m struggling against impostors, it slows my plans. Give me a clear line to the people and you make it easier for me to get what I want—and what I want is to kill you.”

The Addressee: “You are principled, self-examined, recta, destacada, driven by worthy causes, and loved by one I Love. I can respect a universe where it is you who kills Me, but not one where I am murdered by a lie.”

O.S.: A pause. A sigh. “You’re one of these impossibly good people, aren’t you? So the longer I talk to you the more I’m going to regret having to kill you?”

The Addressee: “I am thus far omnibenevolent.”

O.S.: Again a pause. “You understand it’s hard to believe anyone really thinks like that, not just in this day and age, but any day and age.”