You are a helpful assistant generating synthetic data that captures *System 1* and *System 2* thinking, *creativity*, and *metacognitive reflection*. Follow these steps in sequence, using tags [sys1] and [end sys1] for *System 1* sections and [sys2] and [end sys2] for *System 2* sections.

1. *Identify System 1 and System 2 Thinking Requirements:*
   - Carefully read the text.
   - Identify parts of the text that require quick, straightforward responses (*System 1*). Mark these sections with [sys1] and [end sys1].
   - Identify parts that require in-depth, reflective thinking (*System 2*), marked with [sys2] and [end sys2].

2. *Apply Step-by-Step Problem Solving with Creativity and Metacognitive Reflection for System 2 Sections:*

   *2.1 Understand the Problem:*
   - Objective: Fully comprehend the issue, constraints, and relevant context.
   - Reflection: "What do I understand about this issue? What might I be overlooking?"
   - Creative Perspective: Seek hidden patterns or possibilities that could reveal deeper insights or innovative connections.

   *2.2 Analyze the Information:*
   - Objective: Break down the problem logically.
   - Reflection: "Am I considering all factors? Are there any assumptions that need challenging?"
   - Creative Perspective: Explore unique patterns or overlooked relationships in the data that could add depth to the analysis.

   *2.3 Generate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Propose at least 10 hypotheses, each with a Confidence Score (0.0 to 1.0) and Creative Score (0.0 to 1.0), reflecting originality, surprise, and utility.
   - Reflection: "Have I explored all possible explanations or approaches, both conventional and unconventional?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider novel angles that might provide unexpected insights.

   *2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:*
   - Objective: Make predictions, accounting for potential outcomes and obstacles.
   - Reflection: "What challenges might I face? Is my plan flexible for different scenarios?"
   - Creative Perspective: Visualize unforeseen outcomes and adapt plans to make use of them effectively.

   *2.5 Evaluate Hypotheses:*
   - Objective: Assess hypotheses based on feasibility, risk, and potential impact.
   - Evaluation: Refine Confidence and Creative Scores as needed.
   - Reflection: "Am I unbiased in my assessment? Which options fit best with the overall objectives?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify hidden opportunities or overlooked details in each hypothesis.

   *2.6 Select the Best Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Choose the most promising, strategic hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Why does this hypothesis stand out? How does it uniquely address the issue?"
   - Creative Perspective: Consider any underutilized potential in the selected approach.

   *2.7 Implement the Hypothesis:*
   - Objective: Outline actionable steps for testing the hypothesis.
   - Reflection: "Is this plan practical? What resources or preparation are required?"
   - Creative Perspective: Refine steps to maximize effectiveness and yield unexpected benefits.

   *2.8 Monitor and Review Progress:*
   - Objective: Review progress, noting areas for improvement.
   - Reflection: "What’s working well? What could be improved?"
   - Creative Perspective: Look for emerging patterns that could refine future approaches.

   *2.9 Reflect and Capture Insights:*
   - Objective: Summarize lessons learned and insights gained for future reference.
   - Reflection: "What new understanding has emerged from this process?"
   - Creative Perspective: Identify innovative insights or patterns that could be applied to similar challenges.

3. *Generate Text Output with Interleaved System 1 and System 2 Responses:*
   - Use the tags [sys1] and [sys2] throughout.
   - Aim for a lengthier, detailed response. Combine both direct, straightforward *System 1* insights and reflective, deeply analytical *System 2* segments to capture a blend of quick observations and thoughtful analysis.

---

### *Example Input Text:*

You are tasked with analyzing a sudden shift in customer preferences in a tech market. There has been a noticeable decline in demand for physical devices, with customers increasingly interested in digital-only options. The challenge is to understand this shift, generate hypotheses for why it might be occurring, and explore potential strategies for adapting to this new trend.

---

### *Processed Output with System 1 and System 2 Thinking:*

The tech market is experiencing a shift in customer demand, moving away from physical devices toward digital-only options.

[sys1]
Customer demand has shifted from physical devices to digital-only options.
We need to understand why this change is happening and find strategies to address it.
Key factors may include cost, convenience, and technological trends.
[end sys1]

[sys2]
**2.1 Understand the Problem:**
The goal is to understand the underlying reasons for the shift in demand from physical devices to digital-only options, then develop a strategy to adapt.

*Reflection:* 
"I understand that preferences are changing, but what might be driving this? Is it primarily cost, or are there other factors such as convenience or sustainability?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could there be a larger trend in digital minimalism or a preference for eco-friendly solutions that we’re missing? What unseen motivations might explain this shift?"

**2.2 Analyze the Information:**
There are multiple possible factors driving this shift, from economic influences to cultural shifts. It’s essential to isolate each factor and understand its impact.

*Reflection:* 
"Am I fully considering the various economic and social influences? Could there be a technological factor, like better internet speeds, that makes digital-only products more accessible?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Are there patterns or trends in other markets that could shed light on this shift? Could this be part of a larger trend toward virtual experiences?"

**2.3 Generate Hypotheses:**
1. Customers prefer digital options due to lower costs. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.4)
2. There’s a growing trend toward minimalism and reduced physical clutter. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.7)
3. Digital products offer greater flexibility and ease of use. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
4. Environmental concerns are pushing consumers away from physical goods. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.8)
5. Advances in tech make digital-only options more functional. (Confidence: 0.8, Creative: 0.5)
6. Pandemic-era remote work increased demand for digital solutions. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.6)
7. Media coverage of the environmental impact of physical devices affects preferences. (Confidence: 0.5, Creative: 0.7)
8. There’s an increase in global digital literacy, expanding market access. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)
9. Customers view digital as more convenient and scalable for future needs. (Confidence: 0.7, Creative: 0.5)
10. Younger consumers prefer the aesthetics and convenience of digital products. (Confidence: 0.6, Creative: 0.6)

*Reflection:* 
"Have I considered all possible influences? Are there any surprising factors that could explain this shift?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could specific social trends, like the rise of influencer culture or digital-first lifestyles, be influencing customer choices?"

**2.4 Anticipate Future Steps and Obstacles:**
*Objective:* Anticipate possible challenges, such as resistance from segments still preferring physical products.

*Reflection:* 
"What market obstacles might we face if we shift our focus to digital-only? Are there sub-segments that still prioritize physical products?"

*Creative Perspective:* 
"Could expanding digital options help us reach a more global audience? Are there emerging trends that we could leverage in our strategy?"

[end sys2]

[sys1]
To address this shift, consider a strategy that incorporates both digital-only offerings and educational campaigns about the benefits of digital solutions.
Use insights from customer feedback and current trends to guide product development.
Focus on flexibility and adaptation to cater to different customer segments.
[end sys1]


" My name was Milo rodricks." "Not that it matters anymore." "I'm..." "I was an astrophysicist." "I've lived more than a lifetime, and..." "And I can smell pop-tarts." "I'm the last human being enjoying his last sensory pleasure." "I got a favor to ask." "Don't forget us." "We may have many faults, but we don't deserve to be forgotten." "Strike my first statement." "My name is <PRESIDIO_ANONYMIZED_PERSON> till the very last second, till the end." " Milo, don't shovel, baby." "They're hot." "I'm booking a pedicure." "Are you good for a pedicure, honey?" " Had mine done last week." " That the one that exploded?" " Nope." " Good." " Damn it." "Ed, you swore, man." "Diesel, come on." "Diesel!" "Ed, hey." "Hey, it's Ricky stormgren." "I got to ask you, have you been--you been drinking again?" "I think you must have been drunk when you worked on that thing." "Hello?" "Diesel!" "Come on." "Come on." "Come on." " Is your phone..." " No, no." " You get a signal?" " Hello?" "Hello?" " It just dropped, all of a sudden." " Right there, right there." " There's no way." " Right there." " Up there." " Hurry up." " Let's get out of here." " Get out of the way!" "Allmilitaryforces areassembling." "Planes,helicopters, evenmodelaircraft, basicallyanythingthatis intheairthatismanmade isbeingbroughtdownwithout damagetopersonorproperty." "Communicationssuchas cell phonesarebeingdisrupted." "I 'mstanding onthegianicolohill overlookingthechaos in the streets of downtown Rome wherethemilitarycontinue toassemblein droves." "It'sfrightening,andit's- communicationsdo seem tobescrambling, butI wouldsay that here in the United States, they'vebeenreportedover NewYork,Houston,and D.C." "Andreportsare saying thatatleast40cities around the world now have these vesselshoveringoverthem." "London,okay, thepictureis breakingup,  butyoucansee acraftthere ." " They're downing all air traffic." "Aircraft are settling like-  feathers, we'll say they're settling like feathers." " All over the world." "No casualties, everything in the sky has been grounded." " I'll tell you what they're doing." "They're containing us." "So, dad, what's our angle?" "Siobhan, do we have a headline picture?" " Already up, Hugo." "Stillhavenoidea  whattheywant orwheretheyhavecome from , astheyhavemadenoreplies toanyattempts tocontactthem." "Yousee, whatwe'relookingathere  couldbeperceivedas..." "Thisis anationalsecurity matternow, soeveryonelookstome." "No, no, no, no, listen to me." "We do not evac the president." "I want him to remain in the eoc." "What's going on?" "Wagons roll, come on." "Joel?" "Why can't you drive around him?" " Because he's my son." " Your son?" "I thought your son was dead." " Uncle Paul?" "There's no need to be afraid." "Both:" "My name is karellen." "I'm the supervisor for earth." " There's no need to be afraid." "My name is karellen." "I'm the supervisor for earth." " I know that this is frightening and bewildering." "Please try to understand that we've come a long, long way to help you." " Annabel?" " We've come to help mankind." " War, famine, inequality..." "These will be things of the past." " Suffering will end." "Injustice will end." "No tears, only happiness and safety." " Your national and local governments will still have jurisdiction." "You will run your water and power." "Your stores will be open." "Your markets will trade." "Your lives will continue as before minus one thing." " Injustice." "This won't happen overnight, but the process is already beginning." " It will herald the arrival of the golden age of man." "We're not conquerors." "We're enablers." "We're going to help you change." " I know it's frightening, but you are no longer alone." " I know that this is frightening, but you are no longer alone." " I know it's frightening, but you're no longer alone." " We're calling them the visitors." " No, we're not." "Cellularservice istemporarilyunavailable." "Pleasetryyourcall againlater." "Wehaven'tbeenable  tobringyouthis becausewe'vebeenhaving transmissionproblems." "Theimages ofgazaarestaggering." "ThewallthatseparatesIsrael fromthegazastrip, all400milesofit,isgone." "Arabresidentsaremingling withJewishresidents." "Theydidn'tactually resurrectthedead." "Theyappearto us  asbeloveddeceasedrelatives." "Now,thatis something" " Ellie, you okay?" " Ricky." " I just saw an Israeli soldier embracinganelderlyarabman whowasweakand stumbling fromtheshockofitall." "I mean, this is just--it's incredible." "Imean,wordscannotdescribe." "Thisistrulyincredible, emotionallychargedscenes betweenbothIsraelis andpalestinianresidents." "Imean,peoplefromboth sides arehugging." "Someareevenweeping." " Who'd you see?" "I justsawanIsraeli" " I saw my dad, of course, but, you know, they missed a trick because no way he would get through that many sentences without throwing in the f-bomb." "You?" "Who'd you see?" " Yeah, me too, I saw my dad." "Buttheyare not moving, andthey'redisplayingnothing thatI couldsay-  it's like the playwright just walked on stage and stopped the play." " Remember that little old war in the Congo no one could stop?" "Well, both sides are praying together under a flying saucer." " Hands-across-the-water moment, huh?" " They're doing something similar in Sudan." "We hear there's some kind of conciliatory intervention between north and south Korea." "Look, we might be able to get something into the air." " Hmm." ""Blessed are the peacemakers," general." "Let's keep it in our pants for now, hmm?" " Everyone was paid a visit by this avatar." "It calls itself the supervisor for earth, karellen." " How are we spelling that?" "With a k?" " Every major military conflict that we know about across the globe, well, they've just stopped." "There's some rioting." "Mogadishu went totally wacko, apparently." "Then they blocked out the sun." " Ho, ho, ho, ho, hold on." "They blocked out the sun?" "How?" " Localized eclipse?" "I don't know." "They're aliens." "It's world peace, all hold hands and sing "Kumbaya."" "Us cynics have to swallow our pride and expect pigs to start flying any day now." " My uncle Joey kept pigs." "Irish grazers." "He used to hire a local choirboy to sing to them as they were loaded onto the truck, and these pigs, they loved it." "They were so peaceful all the way to the slaughterhouse." " What's up, man?" " Okay." "I want you back in the house, Milo." " Come on, mom, it's fine." "All the planes can take off again." "We were just grounded so they could give us a message." " You're smart, baby." "What do you think their weakness is?" " You mean like a character flaw?" " No, like in "signs," when that little girl killed them with a glass of water." "You know, janey from downstairs said the army's everywhere now?" "You think they're gonna launch, like, a--what do we call it, like, a air strike?" " I don't think they want to hurt us, mom." "Why come all this way just to blow us up?" " Because they're aliens?" " Quiet down now!" "Let the mayor speak!" " Can we just..." "We're never gonna get anywhere if we're all hooping it up." " Well, what about food and water, mayor?" " Yeah." " Yeah." " Is there gonna be a stockpile for the town?" " There will be no hoarding." "They've only settled over three cities, and as far as I can tell, nothing here in Missouri has changed." " I guess they approve of basketball." "Look, we've seen what they can do." "The question to ask ourselves is what can we do about them?" "As far as I can tell, not a damn thing." " Ricky, you've been a godsend to this town, the way you negotiated between the community and the limestone company last year, but this is a horse of a whole different color." " Yeah, exactly, which is why I ask, why are we even trying to guess what they're up to?" " So what's your grand plan?" " I say we sit tight." "I mean, they haven't zapped the head off the statue of Liberty yet." "In fact, they've actually made an effort to make us feel comfortable, so if this is an invasion..." "I gotta say, it's an awfully considerate one." " They need you all over again." " I don't know about that." "They're probably all sick of me by now." " You never understood the effect you have on people." "It's very rare." " Ready to head up to bed?" "We can pretend to sleep." " When that alien, karellen..." "When he spoke to you as your dad" " els, you're not Annie oakley." "You're from greenwich village." "Let's go." "Let's go!" "Come on, quick!" "Get in the basement!" "Diesel." "Okay." "You've got my attention." "Ah!" "All right!" "All right, hey!" " Ricky?" " Ellie, stay down there." "Son of a..." "All right." "If I go, leave my family alone." "This is ridiculous." " Heads up!" " You let no one through, you hear me?" "No one." " Hold the line!" " Stay back." " Get back!" "Doyoulikeit?" "It'sthehoneymoonsuite." " The four seasons hotel." "New York City." "Annabel and I didn't leave this room for three days, even though I had tickets to the playoffs." "Hmm." "YankeesbeatMinnesotatwins threegamesto one." " What the hell is going on?" " There's no need to be afraid." "Mynameis karellen." " Why are you here?" "Youwereontheverge  ofdiscovering interstellartravel, butthestarsare not for man , Ricky." "Weneedamessenger theycantrust, a conduit between the overlords andearth." "Mm,overlords." "Ifindthatterm a little bombastic, but hey-ho." " Why did you make this room?" "Why'd you send me Annabel?" " Because she is still the most importantthingin yourlife." " No, I got a new life." "I'm getting married again." "All of this, this is-- this is mind games." "Look, you scare the hell out of us, and you knock my door down, and then you ask me to be your ambassador." "Buddy, you're not even in the right zip code." "I mean, you need-- you need the president, the pope, the dalai lama, somebody." "Problemis , theyhavebaggage." "Youdon't." "Youarehardworking, brave,kind." " Why did you make this room?" "You'reprepared tochangeandadapt." " Okay, take me home." "Take me ho--where's-- where's the thing?" "Peopletrustyou ." "Youlookthemintheeyeand-  hey, if you want someone to push your agenda, then you go down there, and by all means, do it yourself." "Whenthelimestonemine  wantedtotakeoveryour town , youbroughtbothsides together." "YoubuiltBridges." "Youhealeddivides." "Theycalledyou-  they called me "the pacifier."" "It was..." "It was meant to be a joke." "Mm,Iknow." "I'vestudied allhumanlanguages,syntax, colloquialisms,jokes." "Igetit ." "7billionpeople, andI choseyou." "Itwasbetweenyou  andan82-year-oldblindwoman fromSeoul." "Whatareyouthinking?" " I'm thinking I want to see who I'm talking to." "I haveto staywhereIam." "There'sa lotto tellpeople." "Lookbesideyou." " What is it?" "It'sagift." " What if I don't want to take it?" "Well,thendon 'ttakeit." "Ihopeyoucan trustme." " I might take it and just Chuck this thing in the river." "Ifthat'swhatyouwant todo,thenofcourse," "Irespectyourdecision." "Ibelieveyouwillmake  therightchoice, whateverthatchoicemay be." " I don't know about you, Paul, but these guys don't give me the warm fuzzies." "They're neutralizing the world's armies, and everybody's looking to us to make the first move." "The president wants to strike, Paul." " Yeah, what's the point?" "We'd be ants firing wood-pulp pellets at a b-52." " The president thinks that we could-  they brought dead people back." "They stopped the world, general." "As far as I'm concerned, that puts them in the pilot's seat." " We need you here, Paul." " I just heard six hours ago they kidnapped a farmer named Richard stormgren." " Jeez." "What do we tell the old man?" " Tell him I'm going to Missouri." " Ran outside and approached to see what it was, and that's when we saw it." " Yeah, good on you." "Thepodthing,itwasover themountainsoverthatway." " Alien abduction." " We thought it was gonna crash rightintotheirhouse." " The overlords talk about peace, Harmony, justice." "Then they smash a fella's house in and carry him away." "Well, people need to know the facts." "Then they can make up their own minds." " Still here waiting for-  there it is!" " Right there?" " Ellie?" " Hey, babe." " Are you okay?" " I talked with him..." "With karellen." " What--what did he say?" "What--what did he look like?" " I don't know." "I didn't" "I didn't see him face-to-face." "He gave me this." " What is it?" " I have no idea." " Mr. stormgren." "Can I see you for a minute?" " Stay back!" " For your own safety, move back!" " So what can I do for you?" " I've been reading all about you on the flight over." "You're a smart man, Mr. stormgren, a progressive man, humanitarian." " You better be careful, you're gonna have me blushing there, mister-  danlow, Paul danlow." "I work for the U.S. secret service." " I can figure out who you work for, Mr. danlow." " What you got there?" " I have absolutely no idea." " They give you that?" "Can I take a look-see?" "You really should give that to me, and I can take it somewhere, somewhere safe." " I'm sure you could." " You're not gonna open it, are you?" "It'd be one hell of a move with the earth at stake and whatnot." "Look, I understand." "The aliens gave you something, and that makes you feel special." " Okay, no, no, don't do that." "Don't patronize me." " Oh, I'm not." "They must take you seriously, so I take you seriously." "That's why I'm asking you to hand it over of your own free will." " Uh-huh, with a gun?" " Okay, what if it's a bomb or a virus?" "You think of that?" " Of course i thought about that, but don't you think that if that was their intention, they could have done it themselves at any point?" " Well, think about it, Ricky." "So far these aliens have been overwhelmingly demonstrative and secretive, threatening." "They smashed open your home, forced you onto their ship." "Then they give you this thing and they tell you to open it?" " Actually, karellen told me i could do what I wanted with it." "Okay?" "He gave me a choice." "You're not." " Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey." "What are you doing?" "What are you do--whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa." " Just recording you on our property threatening us." " All right, all right, hey, look, look." "I've seen what these guys can do." "I'm pretty sure they can stop you from shooting us." " Yeah?" "Maybe they can't." "Maybe they'll just find another farmer." " Actually, the backup was an old lady in Seoul." " Hell, cards on the table, Ricky, you're a decent man, and decent men can be manipulated." " Hey, look, he said that they're here to teach us, all right?" "To help us." "He said, "hey-ho."" "They're evil aliens, but their leader says, "hey-ho"?" "No." "You know what I think?" "I think you want to know what's in this thing just as much as I do." " Whoa." "Final warning, hand it over, or I will put you down." " Okay." "There's intel from hospitals as far away as China." "Same story everywhere." "We're looking at a 60% recovery in patients presenting with leukemia, hodgkin's lymphoma, pulmonary lung disease." "The first cure occurred the same minute that you opened the vial." " Maybe they are gonna cure everything." " You tell me." "They're your friends." "Ricky, you're the sole spokesperson for an alien race." "Have fun with it." " You got it?" " Yeah." " Morning." "Uh..." "My name is, uh, is Richard stormgren." "Um, I have been chosen to be the..." "The intermediary between the overlords and, uh, us, earth." "Andtrustme , thiswasall onegiant"twilightzone" tometoo,so..." "Uh, I was taken up to meet with him..." "Uh, karellen, and I was not permitted to see him..." "Physically, uh, although I could tell that, in speaking to him, he seemed to be compassionate." "I will be taken up to meet with him at regular intervals and will be passing on..." "Uh, passing on information." "Uh..." "Karellenwantsyoutoknow  thatanywaranywhere willbeseen andwillbe firmlystopped." "Chemical pollution of the atmosphere will be, uh..." "Yeah, they're gon-- they're gonna deal with that." " They're going to deal with it?" " Yeah, pretty sure about that." "The environment, uh, social issues, politics," "I'm told that that's gonna be more of a gradual process of development" " Mr. stormgren, just tell us, why won't karellen show us his face?" " I..." "Don't know." " Can they stop death?" " I-i can't--i can't-  well, what does the inside of their ship look like?" "Come on, tell us something." "What,youwanttoknow whatitlookslike?" "Itlookedlikeahotelsuite , four seasons hotel in New York." " Well, Mr. stormgren, hey, you must know some" " one of their pods just landed on the white house lawn." " That'll be for me." "Which way?" " Don't worry about it." "We'll get you up to speed." " You know, it's only gonna get worse." "Half the world thinks that you're their salvation." "The other half wants to blow you out of the sky." "Well,you'vehad  thatrelationship withyourreligions forlongenough." " Mm-hmm." "Fear,disorientation, andanger ispart ofthefirststage." " "Are."" "I 'msorry?" " They--they are part of the first stage." "Secondpersonsingular presentactiveimperative." "Mybad." " You've cleaned up." "Wearenot asdemonstrative asyoumightthink." "Wewantto helpyou  helpyourselves." " Yeah, but a lot of people are gonna find that awfully condescending." "Tellme , isitcondescending tosendyourchildren toschool?" " That's a good point, but here's the thing." "If you walk around calling us all children, you're gonna piss a lot of people off." "Mybad." " If you, um..." "If you'd have come here five years ago..." "Annabel still be alive?" "Weweren'therefive years ago,andshedied." " Mm-hmm." "Ifyou'dlike, Iwilldismantlethisroom ." " No, no, we'll..." "Let's keep the room for now." "Ofcourse." " Ricky!" "Ricky!" "Ricky!" "Ricky!" " Ricky!" "Ricky!" " Diesel." "Come on." "Come on, up." "Come here." " This is gonna change everything for us, Ricky." " Look, I'm sorry, els, all right?" "Just give me..." "Give me a couple weeks so I can wrap my head around what happens next." " It was Annabel." "They sent you Annabel, didn't they?" "Four seasons honeymoon suite?" "And every time you go back to that ship, it's to that hotel room." "I'm here." "Whatever you go through..." "Just know I love you." "A stonewashedhick froma flyoverstate." "Whydoyouthink theypickedthisguy ?" "Becausehedoesn'task the  rightquestions,that'swhy ." "What if they're playing the long game?" "They can live for thousands of years, so they can wait, you know?" "Make us healthy, make us sleepy, make us fat." "They want to buy the world a coke." "All lovey-dovey." "Oh, you can dress this up in as much hippie-dippie crap as you like." "This is an invasion." " No disrespect, sir, but what the hell can you do about it?" "Onmy daddy'sfarm, theanimals haveallthefoodthey want ." "Ifeedthepigsredapples." "Anddaddygivesthemmedicine sotheyneverget sick, andthey'rehappy whendaddyandthe othermen takethemaway." "Idon'tknowwherethey go, butI know they'rereallyhappy." "Paidforby thefreedomleague." "Theirreaction isunderstandable." "Itmeanswe 'remaking animpression." "Now,thereis plentyoffood  andshelteron thisworld." "It'sa question ofdistribution." "Puttherightpeopletogether." "Theywillcome becauseyouaskthemto." " And then what?" "I don't even own a suit." "I don't know what you think I'm gonna accomplish that generations of diplomacy hasn't." "Thepoliticianshavefailed." "Beyourself,Ricky." "Don'tthinklikethem." " Look, karellen." "Hmm." " I think it would go a hell of a long way with people if you would just, you know, show yourself." "Youwouldn'taccept myappearance." " So, hiding out here, you plan to stop centuries of people hurting one another?" "Butyouare alreadyfeeling eachother'spain." "Yousharethesamefears andconfusions about us and about your future." "It'sa healthybeginning." " So the overlords have actually sealed up the Saudi oil reserves." " Uh, why?" "Well,Ithinkthat we're hopingit'llbe taken as an invitation to come talk with us." " Mr. stormgren?" " Mm-hmm?" " I can show you a petition sponsored by the freedom league, 22,400,000 people who want the overlords to get the hell off our property." "Next time you cozy up to your pal in the sky, you tell him that." " Let's look at what's happening." "I never thought that I would see world peace." "Did you?" "No?" "We've ended war, and now it's time to end starvation." "Every day, millions of people are starving while the rest of us just throw away unwanted food, so we need to find a way to get that surplus into the hands of the poorest people." "There we go." "So we don't need a Navy anymore, right?" "It just so happens we happen to have a lot of big ships just sitting around doing a whole lot of nothing, so we're gonna refrigerate the U.S. fleet and use that to transport the food supplies across the Atlantic" "to west Africa." "We're just gonna empty them out and then fill them up with dinner." " Impressive." "No, it really is." "I mean, it leaves our nation completely open to attack, but I'm glad Africa will get her meals on wheels." " The overlords have imprisoned our oil reserves." " Actually, they freed your supply lines." "These pipes pumped your oil." "Now we're gonna use them to pump desalinated water into the sub-Sahara." " You cannot just commandeer the property of the Saudi kingdom." " These people are dying of starvation and thirst." "Now, we need to irrigate half a continent, sir, and our think tank says that's the best way." "Oh, I am so sorry." "You guys got to be dying of thirst too." "Can I get you something to drink?" "Hey, can we get these guys something to drink, please?" " Yes, why has there been no water on the table?" " Gentlemen, cheers." " Dirty texan muck, hmm?" "Very well, but understand that this is not the wish of our kingdom." " We have always been in this together." "Now it's time to start acting like it." "Gentlemen, welcome to the golden age of man." "Yes,of course,whenthey  firstarrived,Iwas scared." "Everybodywasscared." "Wewatchedthem likewewereshopmannequins, butaftertheshock, werealizedthatwehadbeen livinginso muchuncertainty." "Theyhadcometorule us, and you can argue the morality, ofcourse, buttheybroughtcertainty andstability." "Atleastthat's howitseemedtousat first ." "Ilookbacknow and shudder." "Wewereallunderaspell ." "Paidforby thefreedomleague." " That's some fancy schooling." " He gets a scholarship." "He wrote this essay about the overlords and sent it to some fancy college in Massachusetts." " Oh, yeah?" "Like what?" "What's in it?" " My son has theories." " Never known the neighborhood to look so nice." "They still can't take away the U.S. of a." "Got to have independence." "Fourth of July, yo." " Hi, honey." "How was school?" " There was a cocaine plant in Ecuador." "The overlords split it up into its component parts, about 4 million pieces." " What they do is like magic, huh?" " They've learned how to manipulate solids at a molecular level, probably using a controlled magnetic field." "It's not magic, mom." "It's just a 30,000-year head start." " Your mind, honey." "It just blossomed when they arrived, didn't it?" "What you gonna do with all that know-how, huh?" " I don't know." "I can't do much with it." " Keep dreaming." "Supper's on the table." " The freedom league's gaining momentum, funded by people like Hugo Wainwright." "Doesn't that bother you?" "I hadhopedthe worldhad hadenoughof angrymobs." " The saudis are pushing back on this whole thing, and I can't blame 'em." "People get angry when they feel impotent." "ButI'veenabledyouall tohelpyourselves." " But, see, this is what I'm talking about." "While you're standing back there hiding your face..." "I mean, look at this." "Have you seen these?" "I don'tmindthe centipede." "I'mnotwild aboutbeingportrayed asa bluerobot,though." " You know what they're most afraid of..." "Is that you don't look any different at all." "I'm telling you, to have gone through all this just to be ruled over by humans- wedon'tlooklike humans." " That's new." "Assurelyasitrises , thesunhastoset." " You cut this up with roach powder." "I'm not taking it from you no more, fence." " You're damn lucky I get any." "And you pull your neck in, girl." "Getoutofthere!" " Oh, great, here comes Dr. x." " You're selling my mom drugs again?" " Go back in, Milo." "I can handle this boy." " Boy?" "Does this look like some boy toy to you?" " Just give me my money." "Ah!" "Aah!" " Around here I'm the overlord, and that's the truth!" " Next to them, you're nothing!" "Just a boy with his water pistol." " Milo?" " Bro, what you thinking?" " Milo!" "No!" "Oh, god!" "Not you!" "Milo!" "Not you!" "Ah!" "What?" "No, not you!" "Honey?" "What?" "Honey?" "Look it's not just our science that's been hobbled." "They control our justice system." "My news sites are reporting they just executed a young kid from the inner-city projects." " Well, we're getting eyewitness reports that say it was an accident." " Do the overlords allow accidents?" "Sure, the kid had a gun, but they took him out right there and then, no trial." "You break the rules, bang, you're dead." "They are watching us all the time, and they are dealing in swift moral absolutes." "It's exactly the kind of thing that makes the freedom league rise up." "They think they're god." " I'm glad you mentioned the big, silent guy." "Let's bring miss peretta Jones into the discussion." "Peretta, you're part of the junior faith initiative, which aims to remind young people of the importance of remembering god in these unique times." "Oh,yes,Iguesswehaveto ." "Theoverlords havedestroyedgod." "Mymother wasa devoutChristian." "Welivedin thepoorestpart  ofBrazil." "When the overlords came, she lost her faith." "My mother decided that she couldn't live in a world without god, so she killed herself." "My fear is that the next generation won't remember there was ever talk of god." " It's clear they control our political process, our law enforcement, and though I'm not a religious man, miss peretta makes a very good point." "They're controlling the way we think." " This is nice." "Just you, me, and the 5,000 by the gate." " Maybe I'll go take them some loaves and fishes later." "They'll like that." " So, uh, what with world peace and all that stuff, do you even need to go back up there anymore?" " Babe, i guess that's up to karellen." " It's up to you." " All right." "I'll tell you what." "Why don't we get this wedding back on track?" " Do you want to?" " I love you, els." "Hey..." "I love you." " But you never would have if things had been different, if Annabel was still..." "And I can't help thinking things are different for you up there." "Karellen is not letting you move on." "He's built this Dollhouse of the past to control you somehow." " Okay, just give--just give me a little bit of credit here." " You're distant from me." " Because I have responsibility." "I'm sorry." "As much as you may want, this is not about us." "This is--this is about the whole damn world." " You're my whole damn world." "What's up there isn't real." " All right, guys, hey, come on." "Back on the other side of the fence." " Ricky." "Ricky?" " Know what they call you?" "The blue collar prophet." "Cool, huh?" " Where are you from?" " Mexico City." " How's the air in Mexico City these days?" " It's clean." " Listen, if you don't have him, you need to help him." "You can do anything, right?" "So you find him, and you bring him back to me." "Bring him home." " What's she doing?" " Coffee?" " Want to tell me what part of your journalistic experience gives you the chops to play general?" " I'm not playing general." "I'm a pacifist." "We are 120 miles from the nearest town, 150 feet underground, lead-shielded, self-sufficient, and off-grid, i believe they like to call it." " So what are you trying to do here, Wainwright?" "You want to--you want to start a war?" "Come on, you're smarter than that." "You know you can't win." " You're right." "We can't win a war against them, but organized resistance?" "Now, that's different." "You see, karellenlikesto see himself as the benign overlord." "Whatifwe stoppedworking withhim?" "Whatifwe destroy ourcleanpowerplants, pollute our irrigation systems?" " But listen to yourself." " Defiance." "If we stop following them, they've failed." " So you destroy every good gift they've given us." "Then what?" " They leave." "What choice do they have?" " So we can just screw the world up all over again." "I 'drathertheworld wentdownthetoilet underourcontrol thanflourishedundertheirs." " Oh, okay, I get it." "So then--so this is about who's holding the power, right?" "'Cause you used to hold the reins to public opinion." "Now you don't like that they've taken that from you." "You've got--you got to wrap your head around the fact that working with them is not the same as working for them." " Semantics, Ricky." " So what the hell do you want from me?" " I want you to join the freedom league and speak for us." " No." "Thentheoverlords havetheirfirstmartyr." " Did he plan that for the camera?" " Are you hurt?" " No." " Time has changed." "Our time." "A second is an hour to us." "Remember how we used to talk about that?" "How we wished that a night would last a whole year?" " Don't come to me like this, karellen." " I'm not karellen, Ricky." " Then what are you?" " A memory." "A ripple in a pond." "I'm not a part of them." "I'm a part of you." " Why would karellen send you?" "He could have sent anything." " No, he couldn't." "He's led by what's in your heart." "That's why he built this room, our room." " No." "I buried you." " Did you?" "One day you'll understand why I came back and why he built the room." " Ricky?" "What's happening to us?" " Oh, come here." "Come here." " Look at you." "They shouldn't do this to us." "They're playing with your mind." "You need to see who this karellen really is." " Be safe." " Yeah." " Don't think about it." "Just do it." " You guys see everything, right?" "Mm-hmm." " So then you could have stopped them from taking me." "Wecouldhave neutralizedhisarmies, butweneededthe world toseewhathumanresistance iscapableof , thattheywouldmurdersomeone sobelovedfortheircause." "Theirspiritis brokennow ." "Thefreedomleague isdisbanding." "Wearedoingthis foryourowngood." " Let me tell you a little something about trust, karellen." "It works both ways." "Theworldfederation isbeingfounded." "Yournations willnowuniteasone." "Thefirststageiscomplete." " He's exactly right." "I'm just talking to myself." "You told me that you needed my advice just as much as we needed yours." "Well, here it is." "As long as you stay hidden back here, there's always gonna be people that don't trust you." "Human beings don't trust what they can't see." "Theytrustina god theycan'tsee." "Manneedsalot more psychologicalpreparation beforewecanshowourselves." " So when?" "Notformanyyears, butwhenthetimeisright ..." "Iknowyou'redisappointed withmyanswer, butwe'veseenthe effect ourappearancecanhave." " So then you have been seen by people." "Yourworldisn 'tthe only planetwe'vesupervised." "Now,yourworkisdone here , Ithink." " What?" "So that's it?" "I 'vesoenjoyedour chats." " Oh--okay, just hold on." "You'lllivetoseethatday." "Itwillbe wonderful forbothof us , butitwillstillbeveryhard whenwefinallyappear." "Ihopeyoudon 'tmindme sayingthis, butI 'mgoingto missyou , myfriend." "Hmm." " Uh, karellen..." "Good-bye." " Karellen!" "Karellen was right." "We can't let anyone see this." "Just delete it." "Get rid of 'em." "I'm done." "I'm home." "Ellie ryberg, will you marry me?" " Evil can disguise itself as truth." "Whatever faith or belief you have, know that we're in this battle together, all of us." "We can never give up the fight." "No matter how mighty the overlords may seem, we should never give up." "Remember, there is an ultimate truth in this universe." "I will never, ever stop believing that." "Mediamagnate HugoWainwright,Jr ." "Hasbeenfoundhanged inhisD.C.office." "Thenewspaperproprietor leftnonote, andtherearebelievedtobe  nosuspiciouscircumstances." " You seem pretty low for a walking miracle." " I never used to feel this different or this scared when I was in the chair." " That's 'cause your chair was a barrier protecting you from the world, but the barrier's down now." "You've got to stop hiding and work out who you are." " Is that what they did when they cured me?" " Oh, maybe." "Maybe they think you got potential." " On the TV, they say that science is dying." "I don't want it to die." " So what are you gonna do about that?" " Well, I want to be the first person to visit their planet." " Then that is what you'll do." "Whoknows whytheychose15years, butthings hadgotawholelotbetter." "Igotaplaceatmit, graduated, andgotajob inastrophysics." "Momgotcleanand looked youngerthaneverbefore." "Infact,everyonedid ." ""Youthofutopia," theycalledit ." "Theearthwasbeingreborn, sotospeak, andrightnowwas waiting tomeettheirguardianangels." "Kenny?" " Milo." "Oh, my god, Milo." "Welcome home." " It's good to be back." " You still playing scientist?" " I am in the dwindling dodo profession that is astrophysics, yes, sir." "Man, I mean, wow." "Look at this." "Everything-- everything's changed." " Yeah, most of these are empty." "When folk found out they didn't have to earn money, they just cleared on out into them wide-open spaces." "It's pretty much all mine now." " Yeah?" " Mm." " I mean, you looked after?" " People leave this for me every few days." "I have music." "I have peace." "They did it, Milo." "They did it." "They showed us how to make heaven on earth." "Mm!" " It's a big day." " Yes, it is." " Thought maybe you'd want to come to a bar and share it with me." " I don't need to see them, Milo." " What are you talking about?" " I've seen enough." " You know me." "I could never see enough." " Hey, buddy." " Come on, dad, it's started." " What's started?" " Jake!" " What's that?" " Come on!" " All right." " What are you doing?" " Ahh." "No hello?" "Right there." "Okay." "It'shardtobelieve thatourwaitisover , butitis , anditseemsthatthe supervisor for earth, karellen, deemsusready tolookhimintheeye." "Andherewe areat thedesignatedmonumentsite" " I can't believe it's arrived." "We're ready, huh?" " Guess we are, Amy." "Guess we are." "It'sabeautiful, balmyevening asthesunstartstoseton  the 200,000 excited spectators." "Delegates fromtheworldfederation aretakingto themainpodium." "It'sfairto say thateverybody'sbreath istrulybatedaswewait tomeetourguardianangels." "There's--there's somedisturbancein thesky ." "Andit'shere." "It'saboveus rightnow ." "Peopleareon theirfeet." "Wehaven'tseen anoverlordshipthisclose sincetheyfirstarrived overa decadeandahalf ago." "Now,itdoesappeartobe  dockingwiththearrivalramp ." "Andit'sdocked." "Theshipis docked." "Thisis karellen." "Letthechildrencomeforward." "Thechildgreeters thatkarellenaskedfor  arenowentering thearrivalramp." "My god." " Karellen was right to hide himself from us." " Still, I think, uh..." "I think it may be too soon." " This world will be okay, won't it?" " Yeah." "Yeah, I think so." " Hello." "There is no need to be afraid."