Title: DK Author: Avi Zajac (@_llzes) The Danish had won. Minimalist shell chairs of metal and light coloured wood scattered throughout the empty and spacious one-way privacy glass walled room, looking out at a landscape of other similar privacy concealed metal and glass buildings. A white sheepskin rug in the center of the room laid under a glass table with vintage decorations of glossy paper magazines. Blurry glimpses of dark olive skin and plum coloured hair reflected in the metallic sheen of the steel panel, illuminating buttons that disappeared with a touch for new perfectly rounded rectangular halos of options. Please stay in the waiting room until your number has been called. We provide refre- Juliet, stop. Juliet’s voice, warm and pleasant, faded out softly on the last word she was on at the command. Complaints of her stopping abruptly and unnaturally had PetitTrue scrambling years ago after customer complaints spread on social media. The office was using an old enterprise PetitTrue Juliet assistant installation. Consumers flocked to the newest and latest intelligent Juliet as she used micro cameras installed throughout rooms; from recognising and adjusting to profiles of people’s voices, microexpressions, and physiological gestures alone, she would respond accordingly. There had been protests initially, those accusing PetitTrue of being manipulative and deceptive by making Juliets’ near indistinguishable from humans. In the end the majority of consumers fell in love with Juliet, adding her to their lives in all manners whether in their homes, their devices, schools, offices, even in-person as companies worked quickly in producing custom robots designed to look like humans, albeit still not fully human passing yet. They praised her providing lonely school children a perfect friend that was always there to talk and play with; a companion for the elderly that also took care of their physical needs; calling emergency services instantly upon medical emergencies at home or on the streets; the awards and accolades for Juliet piled on. Juliet, the most prominently known machine, was the perfect voice of a new era dubbed the Great Rise of Efficient AI Technology (G.R.E.A.T.), as other machines began creating and created more crude versions of themselves, racing together and against one another. While PetitTrue, still human owned and led, remained at the top of the Fortune 500, companies owned by humans were slowly beginning to drop off the list in lieu of machine owned companies. After an overwhelmingly controversial 8-to-1 loss in U.S. v. G.R.E.A.T. Machines, trillionaires flocked to and funded machine made and led companies. We are now ready for number 11. Yes? Yes, Dua Kennen, please follow the illuminated arrows. Thanks, Juliet. Arrows began glowing and illuminating on the glass walls, ceiling, and floor, sprinkled in varying shapes and sizes throughout a short maze of hallways, disappearing shortly behind DK. How quaint, DK thought, walking through the halls featuring varying advertisements and public service announcements displaying perfect photos of different Areas and Houses. From bricks to clean metal finishes and glass, most cities had been rebuilt based on plans from what the best architecture and city planning machines had determined was necessary to efficiently accommodate the new systems and technology. Simplifying cities down to strictly Areas, each a 32km^2 area; and Houses, complexes in areas made up of everything humans would need to live comfortably without leaving their House unless they desired whether apartments, entertainment, food, office spaces, hospitals and emergency care services, and more; PetitTrue had won the contract to build each Area and House. Activists that tried to protest in public were quickly charged with felonies of failure to obey lawful orders by PetitLuv, the parent company of PetitTrue contracted out by the U.S. for maintaining law and order. Those who feared their every movements were being secretly captured by undisclosed hidden cameras, stored, and monitored 24/7---claims PetitLuv and subsidiary PetitTrue vehemently denied---moved overseas to Malta, the last place in the world covered by the eon old GDPR. Other countries had raced rapidly to embrace the technology in the new G.R.E.A.T era so as to not be left behind. Guided to an office door, DK was surprised opening the door to a large relaxed office consisting simply of two opposing Wegner flag halyard chairs, maybe originals DK thought, and a small low to the floor loop stand round table, on top of an extremely large white sheepskin rug. A man with impeccable long holographic hair wearing a tailored suit with playful floral graphics greeted. Hello, DK! My name is Alec, Director of Area and Housing here. Welcome to my regional office here, please sit down. Sitting down while dumbfounded, it was difficult to not stare at Alec who, outside of simply also broke societal norms of appearance, was nonetheless the Director of Area and Housing at PetitTrue. Today we will be discussing your placement into a new Area and House. I see you’re moving in from a historical suburb nearby? Yes, from the old District. I’ve heard that the old Potomac River has flooded it recently again? Yes, it has. It sunk three more landmarks recently including the old Supreme Court Building. That’s quite unfortunate. I can’t imagine what life in the suburbs must feel like. But life inside of Areas and Houses is remarkably safe, secured, and free from natural disasters! You’ll feel at home again in no time. Let me check your file to confirm our details for you. Thanks, Alec. And he talks a lot, DK noted, watching Alec lounging in his chair staring intensely at invisible objects to DK within his field of view. Iris and pupil enhancements displayed information in user’s surroundings, aiding from identifying products to watching movies to quickly accessing files. Ah yes, I remember this now. We found and secured a spot for you. It may be in a location that you may have questions about hence your visit to my office. DK was at unease to this visit already. Typically after applying to a new Area and or House, details of assignment locations were returned immediately. Instead a minimal FURTHER DETAILS TO BE SENT SOON - PETITTRUE page opened after applying, several days later an invitation for an in-person meeting was delivered in the Mail, another unusual event. What do you mean? You have been assigned to Area #1983, House #26. What? The blood from DK’s face must have drained quickly as Alec quickly sat up from his lounging position concerned. Could I get you anything to drink? A cup of hot apple cider maybe? Or ginger beer? DK’s profile was quite consistent, always drinking either hot apple cider or ginger beer, which Alec clearly had seen. Ginger beer please, thank you. Alec stood and walked over to a wall, opening a cleverly hidden fridge grabbing two crisp Binary Tree ginger beer bottles, bringing them back to the chairs and table. A clear favourite for DK. Not a problem, here you are. Exceptionally crisp and aromatic, a gulp of cold Binary Tree ginger beer hit a satisfying note in DK’s brain, relaxing the muscle tension from DK’s automatic fear response. You may be wondering as to your assignment but I can promise you that, regardless of what you may have seen or heard, you are still covered under PetitTrue’s guarantee to a secured environment free from natural disasters! You didn’t say safe just now, DK dryly noted to Alec, still remarkably eccentric and engaged in the conversation. I really had hoped for and applied to Area #1223 at the very least to be near friends of mine in Houses there. While I would have loved to have assigned you to your first choice Area, it was determined by a board that an alternative fit was best at Area #1983, House #26. Ignoring DK’s safe comment, Alec continued. Please do not hesitate to ask me any questions. Can I ask why? Yes you certainly may! After our systems analysed your profile with your hobbies, interests, and skills, you were most compatible with the residents of Area #1983, House #26. A superb example would be the bubble incident when you found an exposed credential for the Dupont Circle Fountain online and, instead of reporting it to PetitLuv authorities correctly, maxed out the water pressure after adding a bucket of dish soap in. Additionally, after PetitLuv upgraded their systems to a new major version with the latest in new AI capabilities, from automatic re-scanning of footage from several public CCTV cameras we received a security alert shortly after their reboot to a new 97% positive match to your profile from a list of unidentified suspects leaving several protests. I’ve given up on all of that, that was nearly three years ago now. After inadvertently self-incriminating and confirming the details, DK went silent. Alec casually continued on seemingly indifferent to DK’s inadvertent admittance to crimes that equated to felony charges with indefinite detention before trial in a PetitLuv Hug Facility, detention centers notoriously known for disappearing suspects. While those activities unfortunately fall underneath our five year guideline for activities that are flagged in our system, leading to the delay you’ve had with your application for an Area and House assignment, fortunately we were able to find an alternative to your first choice Area that was suitable for your profile! DK groaned. Area #1983, House #26, opened 26 summers prior, was infamously known for their chaotic and disruptive residents of hackers, activists, and general misfits. Whether a general refusal to buy and install Juliets’ to constant outbursts from residents allegedly claiming to have found hidden cameras and microphones---claims PetitLuv and PetitTrue vehemently deny---while playing their game of Find The Petits, to countless other activities including frequent explosions, accidental or not, there was no stopping the majority of its residents from their activities. Many of the residents had been placed into Area #1983, House #26 forcibly by PetitLuv. Small groups of residents would occasionally band together in a mutiny trying to destroy PetitLuv and all of its subsidiaries, all while knowing the gated and armed Area #1984 with the PetitLuv base located in the center of it was right next door. DK, along with everyone else, did not understand why PetitLuv didn’t simply throw all of their residents in Area #1983, House #26 into a Hug Facility. I’ve changed since then. Is there really no way to change this? I’m afraid not. You have increased your scores in several promising areas that show clear indication of improvement! However, you still were quite far from a profile match with Area #1223 to say the least. Alec gestured to DK’s plum coloured hair, along with DK’s softly fading in and out grey triangle tattoo that disappeared and reappeared in various locations of DK’s left arm. DK walked and turned away from Alec, staring out the view available from the room. Due to your background, supporting your fellow residents to see and understand things the way you do now is encouraged! I guess this is it, isn’t it. You are always welcome to re-apply to a new Area and Home in a year from today for a small fee! Thanks, Alec. Smiling warmly, Alec guided DK back to the elevators where the afternoon had begun. The steel panel glowed HAVE A GOOD AFTERNOON, DUA KENNEN, not forgetting DK’s original command to Juliet and preference for text-only over voice. —— Welcome to Area #1983, House #26! DK was whacked by the hidden doors that suddenly flung open, the person behind the voice was revealed to have bright pink hair and holding a tangled bundle of ripped and torn up cables. My name is Princess Leah- -and my name is Frozen Fox! A second resident with dark blue hair announced themselves while walking out, the door shutting behind them. The outline to the door disappeared and hid its existence upon closing. We’re here to introduce you to your new home! The two joined in unison. Another resident came into the lobby, with the three now exclaiming about the newly installed cables that Leah and Fox had discovered, forgetting for several minutes that DK had just arrived to an abrupt start. DK realised this was going to be the new normal but upon hearing the conversation quickly joined the small circle that had begun to grow in the lobby. Ah! We haven’t forgotten about your orientation at all. Princess Leah said while embracing DK in a friendly hug, introducing dozens of residents who filtered in and out of the group. We’re all going to be such good friends by the end of today I promise! You fit right in already. I do? You’re here with us aren’t you? That was true, DK realised. DK in the end was sent here involuntarily, fitting in with many of the residents. I guess I am. Plus we remembered your face from the time you accidentally gave away a stolen watermelon from some of our residents to another group of residents here after waking up that entire neighbourhood in the morning. That was great! DK laughed and sighed. Some things were never forgotten: ever. —— Due west the sky shone in a brilliant fire o’er the horizon at the line where the sky and ground met, engulfing magnificently upward at the baby blue sky into dusky rose, purples, and hints of the night sky reaching through. DK quietly sat on the ground against the bed watching it all, finally plopping down onto a comfortable soft bed, designed off of DK’s profile, now staring at the heavily armed and well lit Area #1984. They were always watching, DK was warned by the others, and told to always have the window blinds closed. The view was too stunning, DK thought, to follow through with though. It had been a busy first day. DK was introduced to just about everyone at Area #1983, House #26. An eclectic group of residents, DK came to early disagreements with some of the residents but got along with several quite fine. One such group DK joined near immediately after the tour began was QC, a group of hackers that DK felt at home with instantly. Princess Leah and Frozen Fox ran DK everywhere notable, whether areas designated for residents to lockpick at; to work on crypto puzzles together; to hardware hack at at soldering stations and metalworking in areas fireproofed by residents; to rooms littered in just rows of worn down tables with cabinets filled to the brim of varying equipment and materials ranging anywhere from components to old computers that only came with terminals. As a welcome gift Princess Leah also provided DK with a lesson on knitting, departing with DK a pair of knitting needles and a basket of colourful yarn. It was the first time DK had ever felt so welcomed and comfortable since DK’s protesting days. Yet DK couldn’t help but keep staring at Area #1984. DK had never been this close to Area #1984 before. Unless one had an official business with PetitLuv, no one who ever entered Area #1984 nonetheless went anywhere inside the PetitLuv headquarters was seen again. While this may have been a concern before the G.R.E.A.T. era nowadays it simply was forgotten about with the never ending stream of entertainment available anywhere and everywhere. Everyone was happy. So why was DK not? Hard knocks on the door jolted DK up in the bed. Hello? Hey DK, it’s Bun from earlier at the lockpicking hangout room. Can I come in? Sure, let me get the door. Opening the door DK was greeted by Bun. Bun grinned at DK entering the room past DK. You still haven’t closed the blinds yet? Bun giggled, his blue hair bouncing as he jumped onto the bed. Ahhh you’ll learn soon don’t worry. This is such a soft bed it’s so nice! Thanks. DK wasn’t expecting any visitors after dark. So a group of us were thinking, and only if you want to, that you might be a good fit and want to go out with us tonight! Bun was lying down on his back, playing with the knitting needles now while pointing it around the room. We’ll get you back before dawn I promise. I thought there were strict rules here because we’re right next to Area #1984? Yeah nah don’t worry about that, we all got your back. You’ll have me, Macaron, Cache, and LsLa with us tonight. We’re just going to have some fun tonight, we won’t get caught. DK knew the consequences were high, remembering what happened to DK’s friend Nash from the last protest they had attended together. Sure, lets go! —— How many felonies and misdemeanors is this, DK wondered while feeling partly frightened and partly exhilarated at the activities already done tonight. Whether from Bun and Macaron bypassing and opening several alarmed doors and gates to outside of Area #1983; LsLa finding several PetitTrue vehicles, Cache looking them over for a specific one then hacking one to life without letting it connect to the PetitLuv network; Macaron driving maniacally while they all laughed and chattered the entire way driving to another Area, the adrenaline rush from the risk they all faced kicked in and DK felt freer than ever. A pang of realising of where they were hit DK when they passed the Area #1223 sign. Inside of Area #1223 they drove in silence, stopping at a glass wall that constantly displayed a smattering of various ads related to G.R.E.A.T. using various marketing terms that made even those who knew some of the technical details at a high level roll their eyes. From a duffle bag Cache grabbed a long tube and rolled out a re-usable transfer outline of a large roughly edged rectangle, applying the transfer onto the glass wall advertising G.R.E.A.T. technologies, LsLa handing over DK a canister. Want to do us the honours tonight? She asked. I’ve never done this before. DK looked around terrified of being caught. Just press the nozzle down a little bit away from the wall. It’s okay, we won’t get caught. We’ve already mapped all the cameras, publicly known and hidden from PetitLuv. So long as we’re in the blind spots we won’t get caught. DK wasn’t reassured but began pressing, the canister expelling sky blue in the empty space of the stencil. Great job! She exclaimed along with the other members of the group. DK painted the rest, hyperfocusing on the canister and the way the paint expelled to distract from the overwhelming dread of being caught. That was great! Bun called out at DK while getting another outline ready. Once DK was done with the baby blue they peeled back the stencil for a rough rectangle. The next stencil went over the blue that had already dried. Bun later explained the paints had been designed and developed by the group, perfected over time, to dry fast and stick indefinitely to most glass surfaces designed by a PetitLuv glass making subsidiary. Dark rose paint was sprayed on quickly, LsLa going over the stencil quickly to ensure they had time throughout the night to cover more public spaces. Peeling off the outline the words were revealed: THE GREAT HUMAN RECESSION HAS BEGUN. DOWN WITH PETITLUV. JOIN THE RESISTANCE AGAINST G.R.E.A.T. As the night came to a close DK became comfortable with the gravity of the situation as the beliefs were similar to what DK had prior to the last time DK had been nearly arrested by the authorities from PetitLuv. Maybe this time the resistance really would win, DK thought, as the group drove back to Area #1983, House #26, greeting the sun as it came due east with them. —— A chuckle arose from the lips of a man staring at a ceiling while lying back in a Wegner flag halyard chair, one hand feeling the soft sheepskin rug underneath him, the other hand brushing back on his holographic hair.