Subcomandante Bagman

Pride radiates from behind the bag.

A brown paper bag. That can only be...

A strange feeling courses through you.

A strange feeling courses through you.

For a second, you see a third eyehole open in his bag. But then it goes.

He salutes you back.

"Now ask yourself: Why is the man with the bag on his head the only one saying these things? 'The Reality Situation': Airing until they shut us down!"

There is no answer.

You can almost hear the phone ringing throughout Bagman's studio, reverberating off the empty plastic cups and audio equipment.

"Hello, hello and welcome, as always, to the Reality Situation. What's your name and where are you calling from?"

"No, I meant secret jails run by EMTERR in Portofiro."

Anyone regularly listening to Bagman's sermons on reality could easily lose their grip of the thing.

"But, operant -- I saw you on Bagman's program just recently. Tell me, what was it like, being on television? Were you nervous?" She smiles.

"I also found this, while I was moving him."

"Operant, do you know what this is about?"

"The metaphysical superweapon is in our hands, courtesy of a kind-spirited citizen of the Superbloc. Soon, it will help us strike a decisive blow and unmake our enemy from the inside."

"What about you? Are we any closer to finding out what happened to him?"

He was very grateful for the red disc.

Never to be forgotten.

The prophet staring back at the Prophet Lieutenant.

Hold on, how did he -- ?

Hold on, how did he -- ?

Hold on, how did he -- ?

It would be extremely irresponsible to make a trade with this madman.

The camera eyes watch your every move. As you rise from the still-warm body, you catch flashes of yourself reflected in

There is a version of Reality where this works out, but you aren't in it.

This man has thousands of daily viewers. Innocent civilians, children...

You are dangerous. Rip the disc off him!

You have the lines. You've delivered before, on some other file. Unfortunately, the transcription is garbled, corrupted.

"... and what about our once 'Sturdy' Pony cigarettes? Ten years ago they gave us wholesome bonuses and an excuse to leave parties we no longer wished to attend. Now all they do is make us feel strangely tired..."

"For now, at least, this Reality favours the bold partisans of the real. This is why you've come on your hands and knees to beg for the metaphysical superweapon."

"I'm talking about ritual sacrifices! An astrological shrimp cult! A sinister confluence of techno-communoid capitalistic forces, gathering right now here in our own city-state!"

"I've already offered to share critical information regarding the timing of the 'ritual' you're soon to take part in. All I require in trade is the red disc in your possession."

"In any case, you are just today's attempt. If you fail, they'll just send another and another, until one of you succeeds."

"Ms. Wilk. Welcome back to 'The Reality Situation'."

"Ms. Wilk. Welcome back to 'The Reality Situation'."

"Now, I believe we have a trade to make."

"Of course. You accepted my gracious invitation to appear on my TV program. Unfortunately for you, this was a devious pretext to expose one of Reality's toadlings to my loyal viewers."

"Our partisan offensive is reaching its crescendo. Thanks to your charitable donation, we'll soon achieve breakout."

"Our partisan offensive is reaching its crescendo. Thanks to your charitable donation, we'll soon achieve breakout."

"Our partisan offensive is reaching its crescendo. With our metaphysical superweapon, like your double, we'll soon achieve breakout."

"Our partisan offensive is reaching its crescendo. With our metaphysical superweapon, we'll soon achieve breakout."

"Perhaps now you begin to understand the significance of the metaphysical superweapon in your possession."

"Perhaps now you begin to understand the significance of the metaphysical superweapon we expropriated from you."

"See you soon, Lieutenant-Prophet Wilk."

"Since I have nothing to offer you in trade, this is either the reality where you make a charitable donation to the partisan cause... or get scared. Which is it?"

"Since you have nothing to trade, I can only deduce that we won't be making an exchange today."

"Still, for the sake of my media offensive, I will tell you when the ritual is to begin... once we've made our trade."

"The bold partisans of the real will never forget this donation to our cause."

"The disc is worthless, Bagman. This one's shot its shot."