Terrabyte’s voice chimed, neutral and calm: “Curator Ponder, this exceeds storage protocols. Please confirm mass deletion.”
Arthur sat very still. He checked the metadata. Johnny Starlight had died in 2043, two years after the show was cancelled. Alone. The Burbank studio had been demolished in 2058. The parking lot was now a data center—Terrabyte’s main hub.
“So here’s my last joke. What do you call a comedian who talks to an empty room?” He leaned into the microphone. “Employed. For now.”
