" "I'm not a stranger," Halloran said on the overhead speaker." "I'm not a stranger," Halloran said on the overhead speaker. "You're a stranger to me. You were doing my job, using my voice." "And I did an adequate job of it, Miss Majors." "Anyway," Rowan said, looking back towards Ember, "I was used to being an AI, then I was organic, and now... well now I'm both. I can feel, I can see, I can hear, and now I'm absorbing all the data that I usually did as an AI. It's so strange." "But can you handle it?" "Sometimes. It scares me sometimes, the demands and distractions of having a body." Hal's voice came over the speaker. "Excuse me, M'Riah, but you have an appointment at 3 lome' at the Arc." M'Riah glanced at the clock on the wall and said, "I almost forgot. I'll be back later, if it's not too late. Excuse me." "Bye," Rowan said. M'Riah leaned over and dutifully kissed his sister on the cheek. Ember watched her brother leave, feeling uneasy suddenly at being alone in the same room with Rowan. "So," she said, trying to restart the conversation. "So?" Rowan asked. "How are you feeling?" Rowan seemed to be thinking for a few seconds. "Rowan?" Ember asked, interrupting the pause. |