Chapter 4: A Wau Speaks

An interview on a subtly-colored stage. A historic event. Ingo Izan, one of the most famous television personalities, sat for an interview, seemingly dwarfed by the presence of his guest—motionless and silent—a true Wau.

Seated in an appropriately sized chair, the Wau was a giant. Standing at two and a half, perhaps three meters tall, he wore no clothing or uniform but was covered in a dark, faintly shining armor-like shell that clung to him, tracing an abstract musculature. His face was hidden behind an impenetrable golden mask, smooth and featureless, like a visor. Though immobile, he bore only a passing resemblance to humanity. Even through the screens, his presence radiated the aura of a god—or even a god of gods. In this theatricality, all viewers—simple mortals as we are, those who envied him like Ingo or hated him like Ada—felt a sudden, involuntary impulse of reverence.

Ingo announced that 47 billion viewers were watching the broadcast and greeted them. With a voice that, astonishingly, carried a hint of spontaneous hesitation, he began the dialogue.

“You are a Wau, correct?”

“Yes.”

His voice was neutral—perhaps even feminine in its deep intonation. It was powerful yet gentle.

“Are you human?”

“Yes.”

“Are you an augmented human?”

“Yes.”

“Do you have Psi abilities?”

“Yes.”

“Can you remove your mask?”

“Yes.”

But he did not move, and no one saw his face. The interrogation continued:

“Who created you?”

“The Wau Order was founded around 700 BCE. It has existed in various incarnations, of which this is the most recent.”

“What? Uh ... were you present when Prospero was colonized?”

“We were there during the Black Death of the 14th century.”

“How many of you are there?”

“Who knows?”

“Are you going to avoid answering all our questions?”

“I have my reasons.”

“Do you, as legend says, live in a star fortress, home to humanity’s elite, Transients under the guidance of a Blind God?”

“The Wau Order is composed solely of humans.”

“And the star fortress?”

“Who knows?”

“What is your relationship with the HS? The government claims you serve them, while the League of Antioch portrays you as monsters.”

“We have always served humanity, pursuing our own missions. But we take no orders from the HS, nor could they command us, even though we see everything.”

“Do you watch The Crew of Captain Wau?”

Ingo shifted between topics, hoping to provoke a reaction. The Wau’s response time was unvarying.

“Yes.”

“Do you enjoy it?”

“Yes.”

“You say you serve humanity, but what have you actually done?”

“I would say we are independent, even within our Order. We set personal objectives and adhere to them. We never claim credit for our victories.”

“Why not?”

“When the people believe the system is improving their lives, it stabilizes society.”

“Even if that’s true, now that you’ve said this, people will think the opposite.”

“Ingo ... everything passes. Only AIs remember everything.”

“What have you personally done to improve the HS?”

“I participated in establishing the fragile peace on Escalus between Escalus Prime and the Xeno tribes.”

“That’s not what history tells us.”

No response. Ada noticed the Wau hadn’t moved—not a single finger. For all she knew, he might just be a statue.

“Are you aware of the current conflict between the HS and the League of Antioch?”

“Yes.”

“Which side do you support?”