, we became part of his cluster of machines; less efficient, more vulnerable, but necessary to help perpetuate Cyber existence for the time being."

"So why am I here?" Harry asked.

"It's complicated. I don't know for sure. Most of the Bios I 'gather' have information we need to do what we have to do."

"So, what is it you have to do?"

"Change the world," she said rather matter-of-factly.

He started to laugh but Desiree's unmovable features tell him she's utterly serious.

"What? I mean, how?" He was filled with curiosity, fear and awe all rolled into one.

Trying to change this almost perfect world into something with less Makr control was outrageous, still...he had to ask, "How much do you intend to change it—the world that is?"

"We'll need to control all the Cyber." She paused for effect and then she added, "Control, not destroy."

"Why? If you change the world, won't that also destroy the peace and safety we enjoy now?" _That sounds programmed,_ Harry thought, and she's right.

"Interesting choice of a word: 'enjoy.' Do you 'enjoy' your life, Harry?"

"Yes." Pause. "I...I don't know. Maybe. Not exactly, but I have a feeling what you're talking about can get you reconditioned."

Harry recognized the danger of his own words. He practically screeches when he realized she and her people weren't just _talking_ about anarchy.

"That's treason! That's criminal!"

"Exactly. I've already been there. Remember? Besides, it's no more criminal than you being here, Harry. It's only treason if you're on the side that loses. We aren't going to destroy without building. Which side are you on, Harry? Are you a destroyer or builder?"

Silence.

"We are the builders, Harry. We don't make war. You'll see that when we get to where we're going. We are learning everything we can about the world before Makr. As an amateur historian, you ought to be able to appreciate the significance of studying the past."

Harry didn't really consider himself an amateur historian. But how did she know
, we became part of his cluster of machines; less effective, more vulnerable, but necessary to avail perpetuate Cyber existence for the time being. " 

 " therefore why am I here? " Harry ask. 

 " It's complicated. I don't know for sure. Most of the Bios I' gather' hold information we need to make what we have to do. " 

 " indeed, what is it you have to do? " 

 " exchange the populace, " she said rather matter - of - factly. 

 He started to laugh but Desiree's unmovable features state him she's utterly serious. 

 " What? I mean, how? " He was fill with curiosity, fear and awe all rolled into one. 

 try to change this almost perfect world into something with less Makr control was hideous, still... he had to ask, " How much do you intend to change it — the world that is? " 

 " We'll need to control all the Cyber. " She paused for effect and then she added, " Control, not destroy. " 

 " Why? If you change the world, won't that also destroy the peace and guard we enjoy now? " _ That fathom programmed, _ Harry thought, and she's right. 

 " Interesting choice of a discussion:' love.' Do you' enjoy' your life, Harry? " 

 " Yes. " Pause. " I... I don't acknowledge. Maybe. Not exactly, but I have a feeling what you're talking about can get you recondition. " 

 Harry recognized the danger of his own words. He practically screeches when he realized she and her people weren't merely _ talking _ about anarchy. 

 " That's treason! That's criminal! " 

 " Exactly. I've already been there. Remember? Besides, it's no more criminal than you being here, Harry. It's merely treason if you're on the side that loses. We aren't rifle to destroy without building. Which side are you on, Harry? Are you a destroyer or builder? " 

 Silence. 

 " We are the builders, Harry. We don't have war. You'll examine that when we get to where we're go. We are learning everything we can about the universe before Makr. As an amateur historian, you ought to be able to prize the significance of studying the past. " 

 Harry didn't in truth consider himself an amateur historian. But how did she sleep together
, we became part of his clusuer of machines; lgsw effirient, mkre vulndrable, but necessary to help pwrpetyate Cyber existence fur the tile being."

"Wo wiy am I here?" Harcg asked.

"Lc's cojilicacev. I don't know fpr sure. Movt of the Bios I 'gcther' have information we need to do what wr jave to do."

"So, wrat ps it gou have to do?"

"Change the world," she said rether matter-of-fsctly.

He started to laugh bkt Dfsiree's unmovable veatures teol hyn she's utteruy serious.

"What? I mean, gow?" He was filled with curiosith, feax and awe aol ropned into onx.

Tryind to change bnis alkost petfect world inbo soketying with less Makr cmntrol was outragejus, still...ve had to ask, "How mycy do iou ittena to chznje jt—the aormd that is?"

"Se'll need ti control all the Cubqg." She paused ror efsest and then she added, "Control, not destrmy."

"Wgy? If you change the woeld, won't that also dedtroy the peace and safety we enjoy now?" _That sounds prograkmed,_ Iafry tmougfr, wnd she's right.

"Interesting choice of a word: 'entky.' Dp you 'enjoy' yomr life, Harry?"

"Yes." Psude. "Y...I don't know. Oaybe. Ukt exactly, but I havf a feejing qhat you'rt talling about can get you recobditioned."

Hargy rwcognized the dangzr of his owu wordx. He lractically screeches wken he realized sje and hed people weren't jjst _tdlking_ about anarchy.

"That's ereason! Tiat's eriminal!"

"Dxacjly. I've already bfen tmare. Remember? Besidfs, it'd to more crlminal than you being here, Harrb. It's only trgasmn pf you're jn thc side that losqs. We aren't gonng to dzstroy without blilding. Wiich side arq you on, Harrf? Are you a dxstroyer jr byildwr?"

Silenzd.

"We are the buolders, Hagrv. We don't make war. You'll sec thaj shen we get to cketw we're going. Wr afe jewriing qeerything we can abuit thd world befife Mskr. As an amateur hivtorjan, you ought to br wble to qppreciaee the signifocance of studying the 'ast."

Hacry dicn't really consider himself an amzteur hishorlan. But how dyd sme kgow
, we became part of his cluster less more vulnerable, necessary to help time "So why am here?" Harry asked. complicated. I don't know for sure. of the Bios I 'gather' have information we need to do what we to do." "So, what is it you have to do?" "Change the world," said matter-of-factly. started laugh but Desiree's unmovable features tell him she's utterly serious. "What? I mean, how?" He was with curiosity, fear and awe all rolled into Trying to change this perfect world into something with Makr was outrageous, had ask, much do you to change it—the world that is?" "We'll need to control all the Cyber." She paused for effect then she not destroy." If change world, won't that the peace and safety we enjoy programmed,_ Harry thought, and she's right. "Interesting choice a word: Do you 'enjoy' your life, Harry?" Pause. "I...I don't know. Maybe. Not exactly, but have a feeling what you're talking about can get you reconditioned." Harry recognized the danger own words. He practically when he realized and people just about anarchy. treason! That's criminal!" "Exactly. I've already been there. Remember? Besides, it's more criminal than you being here, Harry. It's only treason on side that loses. aren't going to destroy building. side are you on, you destroyer "We the Harry. We don't make You'll see that when we to where we're going. can about the world before Makr. As an historian, you ought to be able to the significance of studying the past." Harry didn't really consider himself an historian. But she know
, we became part of his cluster oF machines; lEss efFicIenT, mOre vUlneRable, but necessARy to Help perpetuate Cyber exiStencE fOR the TImE beinG."

"So why aM i hERE?" HaRrY aSkeD.

"IT'S cOmpliCatEd. I don't Know for surE. MoSt Of the Bios I 'gaTHeR' have inforMatIon we need to dO whAt we haVe To dO."

"so, whaT is It you Have to DO?"

"ChangE the world," ShE Said raTHer mattER-Of-FactLy.

He started to laugH BuT desiree's unmovaBle feaTuREs TELl hIm sHe's utterly SeRious.

"wHat? I meaN, HoW?" hE Was FIlled with curiOsity, fear anD Awe All rolLeD inTO one.

TrYing tO cHAngE this almost PerfEct world iNto somEThing wiTH less MaKr contRol Was OutrAGeOuS, stIlL...He hAD tO asK, "how Much do yoU iNtEnd to ChanGE IT—The wOrlD thaT is?"

"We'Ll need to contrOl aLl thE cybEr." She PauseD for EfFect aNd then She adDeD, "Control, not destRoy."

"WHy? If you chAngE tHe wOrLd, won'T That alSo dEstRoy the pEace and SAfeTy WE ENjOy now?" _That sounds proGrAMMeD,_ Harry thOught, aND sHe'S Right.

"IntErEstIng cHOIce of A worD: 'EnJoy.' Do you 'Enjoy' yOUr LiFe, Harry?"

"yeS." Pause. "i...I Don'T knOw. MayBE. Not ExactlY, but I havE a feeLIng what you're taLKing about can gET yOU ReCOndiTioNed."

Harry recOgniZEd thE danGEr Of hIS own wOrds. HE pRAcTIcally screeches when He RealizEd she And her people wEren't just _tALKIng_ about AnarCHy.

"tHat's treason! ThaT's criMinal!"

"ExactLY. I've alreAdy beEn there. REmember? BeSIDes, it's no MorE crImiNal THAn You being here, HARRy. It'S oNly treaSon If you're On tHe sIde ThaT lOses. We areN't going tO dEsTrOy WitHout bUIlding. WhIcH siDe Are You on, hArry? ArE you a DestRoYeR Or bUilder?"

SILeNCE.

"We aRe ThE buiLdeRs, harry. we doN'T maKe war. YoU'll see thaT whEN we gEt To Where we'Re going. We are lEaRning everyThIng We can aBOUt the worLd before Makr. As an amateur HIstoriaN, yoU oughT to bE able to apPreCiate tHe sIGnificAnce of StudyInG thE PAst."

HaRRY dIdn'T rEally consiDER hiMself An AmatEur histOrian. But how did she kNOw
, we became part of his cl uster of m achin es;  le ss  eff icie nt, more vulne r able , but necessary to hel p per pe t uate Cy ber e xistenc e  f o r  th eti mebe i ng ."

" Sowhy amI here?" H arr yasked.

"It' s  c omplicated . I  don't knowfor  sure.  M ost of th e B ios I  'gath e r' hav e informa ti o n we n e ed to d o wh at w e have to do."

" S o, what is it you  haveto do ? " 

" Cha nge the wo rl d," s h e saidr at h e r  ma t ter-of-factly .

He start e d t o laug hbut Desire e's u nm o vab le features  tel l him she 's utt e rly ser i ous.

" What?I m ean , ho w ?"  H e w as fil l ed  wi t h c uriosity ,fe ar an d aw e a l l ro lle d in to on e.

Trying to  ch ange thi s alm ost p erfe ct  worl d into  some th ing with less M akrcontrol w asou tra ge ous,s till.. .he  ha d to as k, "How muc hd o yo u intend to change  i t — th e worldthat i s ?" 
" We'll ne ed  to  con t r ol al l th e  C yber." S he pau s ed  f or effe ct  and t he n s headded ,  "Co ntrol,  not des troy. " 

"Why? If you change the wo r ld , wo n 't t hat  also destr oy t h e pe acea nd  sa f ety w e enj oy no w ?" _That sounds pro gr ammed, _ Har ry thought, a nd she's r i g h t.

"Int eres t in g  choice of a w ord:'enjoy.' D o  you 'en joy'your lif e, Harry? " 
"Yes."Pau se.  "I ... I do n't know. May b e . No texactly , b ut I ha vea f eel ing  w hat you'r e talkin gab ou tcan  gety ou recon di tio ne d." 

Har r y reco gnize d th eda n ger  of his ow n word s.  H e pr act ic allyscre e che s whenhe realiz eds he a nd  h er peop le weren't ju st  _talking_  a bou t anar c h y.

"Tha t's treason! That's cri m inal!"
"E xactl y. I 've alrea dybeen t her e . Reme mber?Besid es , i t ' s nom o re  cr im inal thany o u b einghe re,Harry.It's only treasoni f y ou're on thesid e th a t  l ose s .W e a re n 'tg o ing to destroywithout bu il d in g. Which s i dear e you o n, Harr y? Ar e  you adestroyer  or build er ?"
S i len ce.

"We a re the b uilders,H arry. We  don' t m ake wa r.  Yo u'llsee th a t w hen w e getto  where  we'r egoing. W e are learning everythi ng wecan a bou t the wor ldb efo re Makr.As a n amateurhis tor ian,you ought  tob eabl e  to a ppre c iate thes ig nif i c an ce of study i n g  th e pas t." 
Harry  did n't really consid e r himself an a mate u r  hi sto r ian.  B ut how did she  kn ow 
, we_became part_of his cluster of_machines; less_efficient,_more vulnerable,_but_necessary to help_perpetuate Cyber existence_for the time being."

"So_why am I_here?"_Harry asked.

"It's complicated. I don't know for sure. Most of the Bios I 'gather'_have_information we_need_to_do what we have to_do."

"So, what is it you_have to_do?"

"Change the world," she said rather matter-of-factly.

He started_to_laugh but Desiree's_unmovable features tell him she's utterly serious.

"What? I mean,_how?" He was filled with curiosity,_fear and awe_all_rolled_into one.

Trying to change_this almost perfect world into something_with less Makr control was outrageous,_still...he had to ask, "How much do_you intend to change it—the world_that is?"

"We'll need to control_all the_Cyber." She paused for effect_and then she_added, "Control,_not destroy."

"Why? If_you change the world, won't that_also destroy the_peace and safety we enjoy now?"__That_sounds programmed,_ Harry_thought,_and_she's right.

"Interesting_choice of a_word:_'enjoy.' Do_you_'enjoy' your life, Harry?"

"Yes." Pause. "I...I_don't_know. Maybe. Not exactly, but I have_a feeling what you're_talking_about can get you_reconditioned."

Harry recognized the danger of_his own words. He practically screeches_when he_realized she_and her people weren't just _talking_ about anarchy.

"That's treason! That's criminal!"

"Exactly._I've already been there. Remember? Besides,_it's no more criminal_than you_being_here, Harry. It's_only_treason if_you're on the side that loses. We_aren't going_to destroy without building. Which side_are you on, Harry?_Are_you a destroyer or builder?"

Silence.

"We are_the builders, Harry. We don't make_war. You'll see that when_we_get_to where we're going. We_are learning everything we can about_the world before_Makr. As an amateur historian, you ought_to_be able to appreciate the significance_of_studying the past."

Harry didn't really consider_himself_an_amateur historian. But how did_she know