“What do you mean?”

“You’re not going to need that hyperdimensional matrix unit, ”

Makepeace said. “You’ve already got one.”

“I don’t understand.”

“You know about Al personality matrices?”

“The programs that assign identity to a computer?” Wyrdrune

said. “Make it behave like a male or a female, give it emotional

responses, that sort of thing?”

“Exactly. Well, it turns out that the hyperdimensional matrix

unit at General Hyperdynamics is female. And she fell in love with

Archimedes.”

“You’re kidding.”

“Nope, ” said Makepeace with a chuckle. “The little fella’s got

himself a girlfriend. And she’ll give him anything he wants. You

won’t have any trouble accessing any database you want, anywhere

in the world. If Archimedes can’t handle it himself, Mona will be

glad to get it for him.”

“Mono?” Kira said.

“The G. H. computer, ” Makepeace replied. “Smart lady. Very

sexy, too.”

“I don’t think I’m ready for this, ” said Kira.

“You look like you’re ready for some sleep. I’ll stop by with Pirate

in the morning and we can introduce you to the lovebirds.”

He got up and left.

“Lovebirds?” Kira said.

Wyrdrune shrugged. “I guess computers need love, too.”

“Well, I don’t know about you, but what I need is some rest.”

They went into the bedroom. She washed up first, then stripped

down and got in bed. It felt good to be back in her own bed again.

And it felt strange knowing that she would wake up in the morning

and not see Modred.

“Kira?” Wyrdrune said.