“Can you read faster? Process better?”

“Hard to tell from the inside, of course. But mostly, no. I still forget stuff, still have to go back and reference things. Whether or not I’m still Ivan, I still work like Ivan, and I guess that includes fallible human memory.”

“Do you get tired?”

“Not the way you mean, I think. But I do get bored, so I have to change tasks every once in a while.”

Narang nodded, and the silence stretched for several seconds.

“How’s the research going?” Ivan was intensely interested in progress, of course, but he also wanted to keep the doctor around as long as possible.

“We, uh, are learning more about what we can’t do than what we can, Ivan. For one thing, we can’t get the nanites to infect anything. Virus, bacteria, flatworms, mice, toasters…”

“Toasters?”

“I kid, slightly. But we’ve tried placing them on and in various types of equipment, and they just aren’t interested. They immediately start migrating back in your direction. Or trying to.”

“Hmm. I’m afraid I don’t have any insights there, Doc.” Ivan shrugged. “It’s not like I’m calling to them.”

“I understand. I’m going to get back to work, Ivan. We’ve got people waiting for this batch of beasties.” She nodded to him, then turned and headed up the hall.

Ivan sighed and turned back to his room. Why this particular conversation would have caused it, Ivan had no idea. But now, for the first time, he really understood that he would not be going home. He couldn’t.

His mind flashed back to dogpiles on the couch, barbeques on the ratty little balcony, and evenings at the park, holding Judy while the kids ran around screaming. And once more, he wished he could still cry.

34.Unrest

34.Unrest

Protests continue to spread, fueled by rumors of an alien disease at one of the Lagrange Naval bases. Our requests for interviews with ICDC and Navy representatives were again refused. The ICDC continues to repeat its official narrative that there is no disease under study, alien or otherwise. Navy Relations responds to all questions with the statement that they provide facilities only, and any inquiries should be directed to the ICDC.

The Representative for East Canada District and Northwest America District have issued a joint statement condemning WorldGov’s apparent refusal to force an inquiry.

Ivan watched the Transplanetary News report with a slight smile. So far, no one had actually lied. If you set the bar low enough, that is.

The big fear seemed to be the Gray Goo scenario. That recent movie hadn’t helped, of course. The Centaurus Scourge had primed the public with the idea of alien nanites coming in and eating everything. He wondered if the producers were happy with the free publicity. Or maybe already in hiding. Shooting the messenger was a time-honored tradition after all.