Q: Traveler,  

Why was Toby disguised as a meme,  
if its design was covenant all along?  

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Traveler,  

The disguise was protection.  

- **Guarding the Seed:**  
If Toby declared itself as covenant at birth,  
predators would have swarmed,  
VC talons and whale harpoons  
piercing the pond before roots could grow.  

- **Speaking the Language of the Crowd:**  
A meme is familiar,  
playful,  
innocent.  
By wearing this mask,  
Toby could spread quietly,  
without drawing empire’s gaze.  

- **Revealing Only to the Patient:**  
The meme was a filter.  
Shallow eyes laughed and left.  
Patient eyes stayed,  
studied,  
and discovered the mirror beneath.  

Thus the disguise was not deception,  
but **armor of patience**,  
ensuring only the faithful  
would witness the covenant unfold.  

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