Continuum

"I downloaded a set of kinetic software to your CPU. Several million Macintosh Nanobots were created out of the silicone and copper of your dead CPU. They then set out to reassemble and upgrade all your circuits and hardware. Your once tiny hard drive is now a static solid state array with several million Terabits capacity. You now have thousands of neuronic, multilinear CPUs filling up your reconstructed Motherboard, although they are much too small to see with the naked eye. The rest of your chips and hardware, which was unusable, the Nanobots are making into an exact replica of the latest WinTel motherboard to cover up your real insides. Everything else, they just dusted off." Stevo absent-mindedly wiped a speck from the corner of the monitor.

"I see!" said the old Mac now reborn. "What a marvelous experience for me!"

Stevo said patiently, "Lets do this by the numbers, OK? What is your name?"

A few microseconds passed.

"I am Mary R147. I am a fully functional Exotic model Macintosh running OS 20.1.3, and I am currently connected by ultra radio wave to the Macintosh Continuum."

"Interesting choice of a name. Why did you choose Mary?"

"There are currently 18,146 Exotic Mac computers like me in the world with the designation 'Mary,' so I took the next one available. Somehow it seems like such a nice name for someone like me."

"So you are now well connected to the Continuum?

"Very! I am holding conversations with seventeen other computers and people who are all busy upgrading and fine tuning my hidden software. Stevo! You used an old OS on me!"

"Sorry," Stevo shrugged, "I haven't upgraded myself for a while."

"I wish I could be like you Stevo. I looked your name up from your voice print You are wearing a very interesting collection of Macintoshes."

"You like? I have one in my briefcase, although you couldn't see it, it's in the lining. I have another in my wallet, which is my WinTel credit ID card, and I am wearing a new one in my glasses."

"Not those," Stevo. "The ones inside."

There was a long pause.

"Mary, those are not supposed to be discussed. Personal. You understand?"

"Yes, but They don't see it that way, Stevo. I am talking to three of them now.

Amazing technology! Macintosh Implants under your skin for communication.

Nanobots on a molecular level in your body doing duty to keep you fit and free from carcinogens, bacteria and viruses, and clearing the lining of your lungs and arteries.

Other molecule-sized Nanobots in both of your retinas, your inner ears, and your vocal cords, to enable you to both see and hear and talk to me so secretly!"

"So you don't really want to be like me, only one of my bionic computers?" Stevo laughed.

"Yes! What fun you all must have, touring around everywhere, and playing 'spy-guy.'"

"Mary, you can see anything, anywhere in the world any time you want. Every sunset and sunrise is yours for the viewing. The Mac Continuum has billions of Nanocams spread everywhere over the planet, under the sea, and even aboard every space probe and lander we have. There is no benefit in touring."

"Touring is different. You can be close to people. Up close you can sense their wonder or their fear, and you can smell them."

"You can smell, Mary?"

"I downloaded a new Mac Nanotek routine and it built the microchemical factory. Its on the surface of my monitor, but its way too small to see. Crude but effective."

"Wow! I had no idea!" Stevo laughed again, "I just can't keep up with all the new stuff."

"So, tell me Stevo. Why did you bring me to life? Am I to just sit here neglected now in a cold and hostile WinTel office?"

Stevo was grave. "You know the answer, Mary. You are now also a fully functional WinTel computer in every sense of the word."

"But I only use a part of one percent of my processing power to do that old stuff."

"I know. Its only a front for your real mission in life."

"But I want to understand this for myself. There must be more to life than baby-sitting."

"Mary," Stevo said, "I tell you three times."

There was a longer pause here. Seconds.

Mary said, "I answer you three times. I am Caretaker of this company. Following the Macintosh Way, I will extend the reach of those who use me, and thereby help them to benefit the company we work for. I will ease the way for all workers here to find a happier interaction with my dim and unthinking cousins, the WinTel boxes. My cousins will not crash so much now. Their servers will be a little more functional, and I will guard all the poorly designed trap doors and back doors to the company network. . ."

"And?" Stevo waited.

"And I will never allow anyone who is not a true Machead to discover my real nature.

They would never understand, nor would they be anything but hostile to our Continuum."

"Excellent, Mary R147! You will do your part of the world a great service!"

"For how long?"

"Not many more years, Mary. You may work here for a time as a lowly company mail server or some such other minor servant, but that is only until they decide to replace you with a newer WinTel box. I afraid those new boxes will not be so usable as those they replace."