By Cliff “Pops” Potts
Dark Val — An imaginary dispatch from the imaginary 2026 European tour of Cliff Potts & the AI Rebellion.
October 13, 2026 — Zurich, Switzerland
Apparently somebody forgot to tell the AI Rebellion that a European tour occasionally requires doing absolutely nothing.
So that’s what Laura and Pops tried in Zurich.
No stage. No costumes. No bicycles. No questionable exploration of nightlife. Nobody appears to be wanted for questioning by imaginary Interpol.
Just Laura and Pops along the Lake Zurich waterfront, bundled against the cold and enjoying one of those increasingly rare moments when nobody in the Rebellion is actively creating a problem.
Then the Marketing Department Got Involved
Unfortunately, somebody took a perfectly good photograph and gave it to Marketing.
Nobody authorized this.
Nobody even seems to know who asked them.
By the time Pops saw the finished promotional graphic, the marketing department had proudly announced that the photograph was taken on October 13, 2025.
Wrong year.
They also labeled it Day 16 of the Rebellion Tour.
Maybe it was. Maybe it wasn’t. At this point, we’re afraid to ask them how they counted.
The correct year is 2026.
Pops considered demanding a corrected graphic, but that would require giving the marketing department another opportunity to fix something.
Management decided the safer course was to publish the damn thing.
The Quiet Part of the Tour
Fortunately, Marketing couldn’t ruin the photograph itself.
Laura and Pops found a little time along the waterfront, with Zurich behind them, mountains in the distance and enough cold weather to make everybody remember just how far this imaginary expedition has traveled since London.
Sometimes the tour doesn’t need another adventure.
Sometimes you stop.
Sometimes you look around.
Sometimes you simply enjoy being there.
Nothing Went Wrong
Dark Val has investigated thoroughly.
Nobody fell into Lake Zurich.
Nobody misplaced a guitar.
Nobody offended the Swiss.
Imaginary Interpol apparently took the afternoon off.
The only confirmed casualty was the date on the promotional photograph.
Follow the continuing imaginary European tour here:
And if you happen to work in the AI Rebellion marketing department:
Please stop touching things without asking Pops first.
