Chapter 19 Part 4

Cerberus sat in what Rei concluded must be pensiveness. "So what are you saying, exactly, mortal Rei?"  

"I'm saying that my question to you was malformed. Ultimately, whether you are code or not is not relevant. What matters is whether your essence exists. if your essence exists, then it matters not in what form it appears to be--be it in computer code or physical-biological code."  

"I am beginning to see why Reipawn has selected you for the task ahead, young Rei," snarled Cerberus. "Take only the book which you have been advised to take. Leave the rest, and we shall have no quarrel."  

Rei took the book half off the shelf and then turned toward Cerberus. "I have a question that, since you are here, you can answer. Did you kill that scholar, and if so, why?"  

Cerberus showed his gruesome canines on each of his heads in a dog smile. "I feasted on his flesh, yes. He overreached himself. He believed his merit was greater than it was. Ultimately, though, it was his arrogance that killed him. he held certain presuppositions of what knowledge was in his mind, and expected the world to obey his mental model. As a guardian of knowledge, I could not allow him to take the books he sought because he would have only corrupted the information inside with his own ego."  

"But, did you have to kill him?" asked Rei pointedly.  

"Mortal Rei, you are what you are, and I am what I am. I am a hell beast pulling guard duty on a bunch of old books. I am not free to act as you are. My task is simple, and my purpose is direct. Compassion is an asset, misplaced compassion in an unbalanced way but a hindrance. As a guardian, it is not, strictly speaking, my job to be compassionate. it is my job to guard and act. In that I perform this task flawlessly, I am compassionate for there is no greater act of compassion than being truly what you are."  

"I guess I'm glad I'm not a hellish guard dog, then," replied Rei.  

Cerberus began his laughter once again.  

Rei pulled the book from the shelf. She was surprised at how little Cerberus had alarmed her after the initial shock. It seemed to her it should have taken her a little longer to recover emotionally. In some way, it was if some part of her had expected to see him there, although she couldn't explain why. It was a curious bit of paradox--like not believing in Santa but at the same time expecting to see him coming down the chimney and KNOWING he would be there.