Pip liked being useful. He liked the way the clock neighbor chimed on the hour and how the cloud would whisper when a backup finished. At night, when the room dimmed and the screen saver came on, Pip told stories quietly to the other icons. He spoke of places messages had come from — a friend on the other side of the world, a cousin with a new job, an old teacher sending congratulations. The shield liked those stories; they reminded it why it stayed vigilant.