an's blue eyes suddenly took on an odd fire, an intense quality; the color was hauntingly striking.

"What? What else could there be?"

"You said you had the chips implanted in both children? What did the chips look like then?" Her eyes were even more piercing in their examination of the mother.

"Why, I told you they were special. These were double-sided..."

"Mother-General...your son's chip is a cubed shape with more instructions than we've ever seen. A cube, Mother-General, " he stammered. And Marlene's...er...Jana's is double-sided, but it's twice the size of any chips we see today. How is that possible?"

"Not the chips I put in... Makr must have known all along. I see I have been blind."

"Dare I believe this possible?" She grabbed Kieran's arm almost desperately. "Tell me, daughter. Swear! How do you know this?"

"The scanner, Mother-General, I saw them myself. Here's the problem as I see it: If you didn't do this, then who did?"

"Yes, that is the problem."

_Makr knows all about us_. The realization hit the older woman in her thoughts.

It had been a long time since she had thought of herself as anything other than Mother-General. More tears formed in her brown eyes—eyes that had not cried even when one of her own sons had been killed. _Is it time to cry for all of them now?_

Buzzing? What's that buzzing?

# CHAPTER FORTY

_"I'm completely operational and all my circuits are functioning perfectly." - HAL 9000 in_ _2001: A Space Odyssey_ _by_ **Arthur C. Clarke**

The twenty or so Shadows that stood before Carlos were once his loyal followers. They were now an angry mob with their weapons off-safety. Those without laser axes were armed with ancient projectile weapons—rifles and handguns, which weren't very useful against cyberts but worked well enough if used on Bios. A few of the huskier lads, who considered themselves the leaders, had hardened steel and composite axes and clubs, preferring to get intimate with their prey. They stood at the front of the group, closest to Carlos,
an's blue eyes suddenly took on an curious ardor, an intense quality; the semblance was hauntingly outstanding. 

 " What? What else could there be? " 

 " You said you had the chip implanted in both children? What did the chip look like then? " Her eyes were even more pierce in their examination of the mother. 

 " Why, I told you they were limited. These were double - sided... " 

 " Mother - General... your son's chip is a cubed shape with more instructions than we've ever attend. A cube, Mother - General, " he stammered. And Marlene's... er... Jana's is bivalent - sided, but it's twice the size of any chips we interpret today. How is that possible? " 

 " Not the french fries I put in... Makr must have known all along. I see I have been blind. " 

 " Dare I believe this possible? " She snap up Kieran's arm almost desperately. " Tell me, daughter. Swear! How do you know this? " 

 " The scanner, Mother - General, I see them myself. Here's the problem as I see it: If you didn't do this, then who did? " 

 " Yes, that is the problem. " 

 _ Makr knows all about us _. The realization hit the older woman in her idea. 

 It had been a long time since she had think of herself as anything early than Mother - General. More rip formed in her brown eyes — eyes that had not cried even when one of her own sons had been killed. _ Is it time to shout for all of them now? _ 

 Buzzing? What's that buzzing? 

 # CHAPTER FORTY 

 _ " I'm completely operational and all my circuits are serve perfectly. " - HAL 9000 in _ _ 2001: A Space Odyssey _ _ by _ * * Arthur C. Clarke * * 

 The twenty or so Shadows that stood before Carlos were once his loyal follower. They were now an angry syndicate with their weapons off - safety. Those without laser axes were armed with ancient projectile weapon — rifles and handguns, which weren't very useful against cyberts but work well enough if used on Bios. A few of the huskier lads, who considered themselves the leaders, had season steel and composite axis and clubs, preferring to have intimate with their prey. They stood at the front of the group, close to Carlos,
an's blue eyes suddenly took on an odd fire, an intxnse quzlity; thd color was hauntingly strikmng.

"Wyat? Wyat else could there bd?"

"You said you had the xhips implehted in both dmildrzn? What did the ghips look nike then?" Her ayds were even more piercing in their evaminatooj of the mothet.

"Why, P eold jom they were special. These were dkuble-sived..."

"Mother-Generak...your son's chip is a cubed shaoe with more instrkctions thab we'dw ever seen. X cube, Mother-General, " ge stammered. And Marlene's...er...Jana'r is bouble-sided, byt lj's twice the size of any chips we see today. Now is that poxsiule?"

"Nit the chips I put in... Makr must have knjwn all anoug. I see I have been vlund."

"Date I telidce ghia 'osaible?" Dhe grabbed Kjeran's arm qlmost desperately. "Uelj me, daughter. Awear! Ror do you know this?"

"The scanner, Mother-Gentral, J saw them myself. Here's the problem as I see it: If yot didn't do this, then who did?"

"Yes, that is the problam."

_Makc ynocw all qblut us_. The realization hit the older woman in get nhoughts.

It had becn a long time sinve sng had thought uf herselr as anything otheg than Iothee-General. Iore tears formed in her brown wyes—eyes than hae not cried even wken one of hzr own sons had been killed. _Is it cime tk cry for apl of thej now?_

Buzzing? What'r tmat buzzing?

# CHAPTER FORTY

_"I'm cjmpletely opexational and all mr circuits are ngnctioning perfectpy." - HCL 9000 it_ _2001: A Space Odyssey_ _by_ **Arthur C. Clarke**

The vxenty or so Snagowv that scood bcfore Carlos wewe once his loial follocers. Tfey were nkw an aigry mob witr their weapotd off-safety. Vhose witrout laswr axes dere armed witn ancient projectilw weapons—rifles anv havsguns, which werzu't very useful agsinrt syhects btd worked weln enuugf if ured on Bios. X fee of the huskier ladv, whk considered themsrlyes the lgaders, haq hardened strel and composite wxes end clnbs, prrfetring to get intimate with theid prey. Thfy ftood at the frokt os the grou', closest to Carlos,
an's blue eyes suddenly took on an an quality; the was hauntingly striking. be?" said you had chips implanted in children? What did the chips look then?" Her eyes were even more piercing in their examination of the mother. I told you they were special. These were double-sided..." "Mother-General...your son's chip is cubed with instructions we've ever seen. A cube, Mother-General, " he stammered. And Marlene's...er...Jana's is double-sided, but it's twice size of any chips we see today. How that possible?" "Not the I put in... Makr must known along. I I been "Dare I believe possible?" She grabbed Kieran's arm almost desperately. "Tell me, daughter. Swear! How do you know this?" "The Mother-General, I myself. Here's problem I it: If you this, then who did?" "Yes, that _Makr knows all about us_. The realization hit older woman her thoughts. It had been a time since she had thought of herself as other than Mother-General. More tears formed in her brown eyes—eyes that had not cried even of her own sons been killed. _Is time cry all them now?_ What's that buzzing? # CHAPTER FORTY _"I'm completely operational and all circuits are functioning perfectly." - HAL 9000 in_ _2001: A _by_ C. Clarke** The or so Shadows that before were once his loyal were an their off-safety. without laser axes were with ancient projectile weapons—rifles and which weren't very useful enough if used on Bios. A few of huskier lads, who considered themselves the leaders, hardened steel and composite axes and clubs, preferring to get intimate with prey. They the front of the group, closest to Carlos,
an's blue eyes suddenly took on An odd fire, aN inteNse QuaLiTy; thE colOr was hauntinglY StriKing.

"What? What else could tHere bE?"

"YOU saiD YoU had tHe chips IMpLANteD iN bOth ChILdRen? WhAt dId the chIps look likE thEn?" her eyes were eVEn More pierciNg iN their examinAtiOn of thE mOthER.

"Why, I TolD you tHey werE SpeciaL. These werE dOUble-siDEd..."

"MotheR-gEnEral...Your son's chip is a cuBEd SHape with more inStructIoNS tHAN we'Ve eVer seen. A cuBe, motheR-general, " HE sTAMMerED. And Marlene's...eR...Jana's is douBLe-sIded, buT iT's tWIce the Size oF aNY chIps we see todAy. HoW is that poSsible?"

"nOt the chIPs I put iN... Makr mUst HavE knoWN aLl AloNg. i See i HaVe bEEn bLind."

"Dare i bElIeve tHis pOSSIBle?" SHe gRabbEd KieRan's arm almost DesPeraTEly. "tell mE, daugHter. swEar! HoW do you Know tHiS?"

"The scanner, MothEr-GeNeral, I saw TheM mYseLf. here's THe probLem As I See it: If You didn'T Do tHiS, THEn Who did?"

"Yes, that is the PrOBLeM."

_Makr knoWs all aBOuT uS_. the realiZaTioN hit THE oldeR womAN iN her thouGhts.

It HAd BeEn a long TiMe sincE sHe hAd tHoughT Of heRself aS anythinG otheR Than Mother-GeneRAl. More tears foRMeD IN hER broWn eYes—eyes that Had nOT criEd evEN wHen ONe of hEr own SoNS hAD been killed. _Is it time To Cry for All of Them now?_

BuzzinG? What's that BUZZing?

# CHAPtER ForTy

_"i'm completely opEratiOnal and all MY circuitS are fUnctioniNg perfectLY." - hAL 9000 in_ _2001: A SpAce odySseY_ _by_ **aRThUr C. Clarke**

The tWENty oR sO ShadowS thAt stood BefOre carLos WeRe once his Loyal folLoWeRs. thEy wEre noW An angry mOb WitH tHeiR weapONs off-sAfety. thosE wItHOut Laser axES wERE armEd WiTh anCieNt ProjeCtilE WeaPons—rifLes and hanDguNS, whiCh WeRen't verY useful againsT cYberts but wOrKed Well enOUGh if used On Bios. A few of the huskier lADs, who coNsiDered ThemSelves the LeaDers, haD haRDened sTeel anD compOsIte AXEs and CLUbS, prEfErring to geT INtiMate wItH theIr prey. THey stood at the front OF thE group, closest To CArloS,
an's blue eyes suddenly to ok on an o dd fi re,  an  i nten se q uality; the co l or w as hauntingly striking .

"W ha t ? Wh a telsecould t h er e be? "
" You  s a id  youhad  the ch ips implan ted  i n both child r en ? What did  th e chips look  li ke the n? " H e r eye s w ere e ven mo r e pier cing in t he i r exam i nationo f  t he m other.

"Why, I t o ld you they werespecia l. Th e s e w ere  double-si de d..." 
"Mothe r -G e n e ral . ..your son'schip is a c u bed  shape  w ith more i nstru ct i ons  than we've  eve r seen. A  cube, Mother- G eneral,  " hesta mme red. An dMar le n e's . .. er. . .Ja na's isdo ub le-si ded, b u t  it' s t wice  thesize of any c hip s we see  toda y. Ho w is  t hat p ossibl e?"
"N ot the chips Iputin... Mak r m us t h av e kno w n allalo ng.  I seeI haveb een  b l i n d. "

"Dare I believe  t h i spossible ?" She gr ab b ed Kiera n' s a rm a l m ost d espe r at ely. "Te ll me, da ug hter. S we ar! Ho wdoyou  know this ?"

"T he scann er, M o ther-General,I  saw them mys e lf . He r e'sthe  problem as  I s e e it : If yo u d i dn'tdo th is ,  t h en who did?"

"Yes,  t hat is  theproblem."

_M akr knowsa l l  about u s_.T he realization hi t the  older wom a n in her  thou ghts.

I t had bee n a long t ime  si nce  sh e ha d thought ofh e rsel fas anyt hin g other  th anMot her -G eneral. M ore tear sfo rm ed  in  herb rown eye s— eye stha t had not cr ied e venwh en one  of her ow n sons  h ad  bee n k il led._Isi t t ime tocry for a llo f th em  n ow?_

B uzzing? What' sthat buzzi ng ?
# CHAP T E R FORTY
_"I'm completely opera t ional a ndall m y ci rcuits ar e f unctio nin g  perfe ctly."  - HA L900 0 in_ _ 2 0 01 : A  S pace Odyss e y _ _ by_ * *A rthu r C. Cl arke**

The twenty orso Shadows th atstoo d be for e  C a rlo sw ere o nce his loyal f ollowers.Th e ywere now a n  an gr y mob w ith the ir we a pons of f-safety.  Those wi th outl a ser  axes were  armed w ith ancie n t pro j ec tilewea pons—r if les  andhandgu n s,which  weren 't  veryusefu lagainstcyberts but worked well  enoug h ifuse d on Bios . A few  of the h uski er lads, w hocon sider edt hemse lves th e l e aders , ha d  hardened st eel a nd  compositea x e s a nd cl ubs ,  prefe rrin g to get intimate with their pre y. T h e y s too d  atth e front of the  gr ou p ,  closest  t o Carlos,
an's blue_eyes suddenly_took on an odd_fire, an_intense_quality; the_color_was hauntingly striking.

"What?_What else could_there be?"

"You said you_had the chips_implanted_in both children? What did the chips look like then?" Her eyes were even_more_piercing in_their_examination_of the mother.

"Why, I told_you they were special. These_were double-sided..."

"Mother-General...your_son's chip is a cubed shape with more_instructions_than we've ever_seen. A cube, Mother-General, " he stammered. And Marlene's...er...Jana's_is double-sided, but it's twice the_size of any_chips_we_see today. How is_that possible?"

"Not the chips I put_in... Makr must have known all_along. I see I have been blind."

"Dare_I believe this possible?" She grabbed_Kieran's arm almost desperately. "Tell_me, daughter._Swear! How do you know_this?"

"The scanner, Mother-General,_I saw_them myself. Here's_the problem as I see it:_If you didn't_do this, then who did?"

"Yes, that_is_the problem."

_Makr knows_all_about_us_. The_realization hit the_older_woman in_her_thoughts.

It had been a long time_since_she had thought of herself as anything_other than Mother-General. More_tears_formed in her brown_eyes—eyes that had not cried_even when one of her own_sons had_been killed.__Is it time to cry for all of them now?_

Buzzing? What's_that buzzing?

# CHAPTER FORTY

_"I'm completely operational_and all my circuits_are functioning_perfectly."_- HAL 9000_in___2001: A_Space Odyssey_ _by_ **Arthur C. Clarke**

The twenty_or so_Shadows that stood before Carlos were_once his loyal followers._They_were now an angry mob with_their weapons off-safety. Those without laser_axes were armed with ancient_projectile_weapons—rifles_and handguns, which weren't very_useful against cyberts but worked well_enough if used_on Bios. A few of the huskier_lads,_who considered themselves the leaders, had_hardened_steel and composite axes and clubs,_preferring_to_get intimate with their prey._They stood at the front of_the group, closest to Carlos,