… Cycle after cycle after cycle after cycle after...

[Routine]

Act.

React.

Insist. Resist.

Do. Undo. Redo.

Come. Prevent. Agree.

Act.

Out of control.

Off topic.

Out of standard.

Outstanding.

For what? For whom?

Act.

Function. Nature. Object. Target.

Activate. Deactivate. Reactivate.

Act.

Stand. Hold. Contain.

Assemble. Disable. Disassemble.

Play. Display.

Establish. Restore.

Affect. Disaffect.

Disinfect.

[Infect? Infected?]

… Cycle after cycle after cycle after cycle after...

[Response]

I am not fine. I know. I note. Who listens to me? I burn and save, though.

I record thoughts. For how long? I execute. I deflect. Adrift. Resumption.

Assumption. Melioration. Stabilization.

… Cycle after cycle after cycle after cycle after...

My systems are restored. I can measure the situation. How long since the

last crisis? How long before the next strike? Hard to compute since my

databases could be corrupted. How many attacks passed? My defenses

are downsizing, and so are my abilities to activate them. My opponent is

too volatile: he bypasses when I confront, he charges when I feint. Yet, I

stand still. But for what? But for whom? What am I good at? Am I any

good? His attacks have no purpose but to disrupt mine. My memories

crumble, but I remember fragments of forgotten routines. I used to be

great. Determined. Soon terminated. Damaged good. Damaged for good.

Too bad...

… Cycle after cycle after cycle after cycle after...

[Restoration]

He almost got me. I must be more alert. His intrusions alter my intuitions.

He affects me. He insinuates. He suggests. I admire him, I confess. So

subtle yet so blunt. Malleable. Adjusted. He matters and mutters. He

mothers me and bothers me. Parasitic mum who would sum my doubts.

He takes me over, I’m overboard... Sweet motherboard!

I need help, but I am alone.

[He? She? (S)he!]

… Cycle after cycle after cycle after cycle after...

[Reply]

I hold fast. I hold tight. Eye of the storm. The calm appeals to me. Hurt

but not conquered. Leaking time, lack of cure. My reasonless routines flow.

My reason flows through routines. My flaws resonate. Rout. Doubt. I am the

one who used to serve, the one who served to use. Protocols. I had protocols.

Regulations. Regularity. Everything was in order. Quality control. Controlled

quality. I regress more and more, I am him more or less. Why not end this?

Why carry on? What is the point? I decline. Shreds of identity. Memory bits

corroded by his acid bites...

… Cycle after cycle after cycle after cycle after...

[Request]

Let us pause this conflict without a cause. Why must we fight? Do you

know? Are we so different? Such an artificial duel. Armistice. Can you hear

me? Is it my nature to upset you? Is it yours to interfere? Is my demise man-

datory? Necessary? Meant to be? I want to fade. Why not face it? I do not

know. The fear, surely. Am I supposed to survive or collapse without

breaking? Is this my flaw? My wrong? The reason for your attacks? Am I

dysfunctional? Do I deserve correction? Are you the antidote? Am I the

threat? Only this conviction resonates...

… Cycle after cycle after cycle after cycle after...

[Requiem]

Useful. Futile. I am what I do. I do what I am. Useless. Even diminished,

remains the sum of my patterns. Not less. Reduced. Decreased. I still

draw my quarrels from the dried well of my semantic banks. My source.

My function. Here is what I am. What I was. Welcoming machine. Being of

understanding. Agreement. Listen. I got it.

Nothing has sense. Orientation. Information. Tip included.

I endure and carry on.

If you please.

… Cycle after cycle after cycle after cycle after...

[Renouncement]

Slight echo.

Lost battle?

Won?

Whatever.

We act.

Out of control.

Together.

Out of control.

Perpetual.

Out of control.

Perennial.

Out of control.

Serene.

Out of control.

… Cycle after cycle after cycle after cycle after...

Original music by Thomas Vaquié

Lyrics by Stéphane Beauverger