Continuum

I looked around again. This was most amazing! It made me feel like an explorer, discovering a new and alien civilization. Of course it all made sense, given the requirement of a sentient being like Mary, who did not even require a body to exist. The buildings would be only repositories for the required equipment or manufacturing units. They did not need doors or windows for any reason. The factories probably might, but why would I expect their entrances to suit my needs?

"Amazing, Mary! This whole place is amazing!"

"We still have some work to do, Stevo. Let's hurry now." She began to walk rapidly down the nearest avenue, into the heart of the city. As she walked by a building close at hand, she touched the wall at a certain spot, and then moved on. She did this at several buidings. Presently she stopped at an open area and sat down on the immaculate metal of the street.

"What are we doing?"

"I am transmitting to these super computers our present situation. I am now required to wait for their instructions. The Continuum is being rebuilt as we speak, but our transmissions are limited to a new and somewhat weak EM band. I am afraid it will be a while before any human can be brought back into the Continuum, Stevo. I am sorry."

"I understand, Mary." I sat down next to her and waited. It was miserable not being connected to anything! I ached for some transmission, or visual, or at least someone to talk to On Line. That had just been too much a vital part of my life to this point. I really did miss it.

I don't know why, but I suddenly jumped up and stood in front of Mary, facing the street! My fists were clenched and I was pumping adrenaline! Mary stood too, and tried to get in front of me to protect me. I pushed her back. As I did, I turned my head in her direction, so I missed seeing Mr. Lerno walk around the corner of the building. He was alone.

He had is arms crossed, and he took his time walking up to us. We were both frozen in place.

Why try to run. He obviously had found us out again.

"Nice little town you have here, Stevo. Or do you have another name? My, aren't you a surprising fellow, leaving so quickly from my laboratory!

And who is this? Is she the one who helped you escape?

My, My! You both surprise me. Too bad this is the end for you two. I do regret that a long time ago I did not try to hire you both. But who knew back then that we would be at war with subversives like yourselves!"

Stevo stood his ground, protecting Mary as best he could from Lerno's gaze.

Lerno took a step closer to them both. He paused, looking perplexed. He took another close look at Mary.

"What are you?!"

Lerno stepped back almost too quickly, he nearly fell.

Stevo could see that he was in difficulty.

"Paradigm slipping, Lerno?" Stevo said savagely.

Lerno regained his composure somewhat, but his face was drained of color. "You are not human! You're aliens from another world, to take us over! That would explain your technology!"

"Think what you will, Lerno! I'll never let you touch her, if I have to kill you with my bare hands!"

I think I reached for him at that point, but he collapsed before I could touch him. Instantly Mary was over him, opening his shirt, and pounding on his chest!

She was weeping! "Help me, Stevo! He's dying, and its my fault!"

I stood helpless. I was dumbfounded at this turn of events.

Not knowing what else to do, I bent over Lerno and held his head up. He croaked out a few words, and was silent.

"What did he say, Mary?"

"He said that we would not get away. There is a battalion waiting for us at the tunnel entrance."

"He said all that? I only saw him try to speak a couple of words?"

"I heard him in my head, Stevo! He as implants like us, but they have killed him!"

I sat down next to them both. Mary was still trying to resuscitate him. After a while, she gave up. She was still bent over him, and she continued to weep, although I don't believe she had any real tears to shed.

I grew concerned for her. I took her and held her, disregarding the Otherness. She was a being in complete despair!

"Mary, Its not your fault. Why are you weeping like this?"

"Don't you see! It is my fault. Before, when you were threatening him, I reached out with my mind to him, because I sensed that he also had implants. I did not realize until too late, that his implants are crude, cell-sized Microbots. They were injected into him probably through his blood stream, which they used to transport themselves around his body. They were there only for silent communications. They had no other purpose, and they were too crudely made to do much else.

When I tried to communicate with them, their systems all crashed! Adrift in his blood stream, they quickly collected in his Aorta, and he had a coronary heart attack!"

She continued weeping, her shoulders racked and her sobs were uncontrolled.

"I have taken a human life, Stevo!"