The professor stared at Denna as if he were looking at a ghost. When Marcus began to lead Denna in his direction he stepped back and raised his hands as if he were trying to ward off an apparition and Marcus realized that it was not bewilderment but mortal terror that contorted the professor’s metal face. Marcus understood the shock the professor must be experiencing. He himself had been just as shocked in the beginning. “I’m so sorry.” Marcus said, gesturing to Denna to take a few steps back. When she did Marcus stepped closer to the professor. “You have to remember, I’ve been here for a very long time. A lot has happened since we last saw each other.”
“How is it possible?” Edelstein muttered. “She shouldn’t be here … ?” his lips continued moving but no sound came out. It was clear that he was too confused for words.
Marcus laid a hand upon his shoulder, “This is not the Denna you knew … or rather it is, but it isn’t.” The look on the professor’s face said clearly that the explanation did not help. “She’s an alien life form.”
Oddly enough, that seemed to completely erase the professor’s apprehension. He still looked confused but no longer terrorized. He was curious now. He took a tentative step towards Denna. “Alien … life form?”
“That’s right.” Marcus answered and the professor took another tentative step.
“Where do you come from?” Edelstein asked Denna. But before she could answer she turned to watch something behind the professor and Marcus looked and saw that the first of the other robots was climbing out of the Earth. It struggled out of the ground, a kind of new birth for mankind. The others would follow and surely they would have plenty of questions as well.
“There’ll be plenty of time to explain all of that to you, Edelstein. Plenty of time, trust me. Right now, we have other matters to attend to.” Marcus turned to where the first robot was already beginning to approach them. Two more were already climbing out of the ground at that moment.
CHAPTER 21
Marcus had no idea where Professor Edelstein had gone with Denna. It had been hours since he’d stolen her away, insistent to probe her alien brain for any and all alien information that he could get out of her. But her alien origin wasn’t all he was interested in. He wanted to know the truth about black holes, and quasars, if the rules of nature were the same for galaxies billions of years from his own. At least he had had the courtesy to give the many other cyborgs who had just woke up in their new Titedelstein bodies, an entirely too brief debriefing before he spirited Denna away. He had left the rest of the many questions to be answered by Marcus apparently and the others had been flanking him on every side, ever since. Understandably they wanted to know everything. What was the extent of the robots’ capabilities? How long would it take for the bodies and the brain slices to fuse completely? There were many more questions but the most insistent of them remained the same; What happens now?
What happens now that no one needed food or water or suitable temperatures to survive? What happens now that Science City was just a memory like all the other cities before it? What happens now that they had an alien living amongst them and posing as the last truly human being on Earth? What happens when her alien friends returned? What happens now? Marcus didn’t have all the answers. In fact, those same questions were like a burdensome weight upon his shoulders as well if he gave them too much thought. So, he didn’t give them too much thought. Everyone was here. They had all somehow made it. That was the only surety anyone could expect at the moment. The rest would have to come slowly or not at all. Marcus did however while away the hours with stories of everything that had happened to him since he’d awakened in his new body. He spoke to a captive audience that was riveted by his experiences but soon the hours pressed on and he began to miss Denna. He scanned the horizon and saw them both, her and the professor, walking back in his direction in the far distance.
When they arrived they were chatting like old friends. “Well, I guess I should thank you for bringing her back.” Marcus said to Professor Edelstein as he walked up.
“She has much to share, Marcus, and we have a lot to learn.” That was new. Edelstein admitting that he could learn something from someone who was not himself! Denna had made a very powerful impression indeed. Marcus could sense the rest of the group closing in. Certainly, they all had their myriad of questions for the alien life form as well. Once they tore her away from Marcus he might not have a moment alone with her for days or maybe weeks. He didn’t see any way to avoid it but now that he had seen with his own eyes that the other robots had not been destroyed, he had a pressing question of his own for Denna.
He took her aside quickly, “I have to ask you something.”
“Anything.” She answered.
“When your race returns, what happens to us, then?”
“There shall be no return for me until long after you’ve ceased to exist.”
“Why?”
“We had intended to cultivate the human form into the final stage of your evolution but your race is the first to make such a giant leap in your evolution in such a short span of time. Your Titedelstein bodies may take millions of years to rust but they will rust and one day they will return to the elements of your planet, just as your fleshly bodies have. My people will wait a thousand years from the death of the last robot and then they will return and we will make a decision then. I have already told you, Marcus” Denna said softly as she placed a hand lightly on Marcus’ cheek “the purpose of life is not to die but to be reborn in perfection. As long as there is death we will be there to seek out perfection.”
It was as good an answer as any but one thing stood out more than anything else to Marcus, the fact that Denna would be around long after his indestructible frame had returned to the elements. He had watched Denna die one time and that was one time too many. Now, he knew that he would never have to see her die ever again. Ever. It made everything a little better and the many things that were beyond his comprehension, more tolerable. There was just one last thing that demanded attention.
When Professor Edelstein walked over to where Marcus and Denna were standing and tried to steal her away again to answer questions from the rest of the group, Marcus leveled an arm between them. “Not yet.” He said. “Denna and I have a marriage ceremony to attend and we’ve already postponed it long enough.”
“A marriage ceremony?” Edelstein asked.
“Yes, our marriage ceremony. You weren’t able to make it the first time but I have a feeling you’ll have a clear date on your calendar for this one.” Marcus had expected shock from Edelstein. The professor had advised him against marrying Denna in the first place; certainly he would blow a fuse at hearing that Marcus wanted to marry an alien that had assumed Denna’s identity. But Professor Edelstein surprised him by turning around smoothly and announcing, “Marcus and I will conduct a proper debriefing until everyone has had every question they have answered but first, is there anyone here who was a priest or a pastor?” When no one stepped forward Professor Edelstein whispered to Marcus, “Don’t worry, Marcus, we will find a way.” Marcus was touched. Maybe Edelstein had finally learned that love was the reason for it all after all or maybe Denna had explained things to him in a way that he could understand or maybe he was just showing loyalty to a friend. Whatever it was, Marcus was thankful for it.
Finally, someone stepped forward from the crowd. “I was a chaplain in the hospital.” The cyborg said.
“That’ll do.” Edelstein answered, but then aside, in a whisper to Marcus, “Will that do?”
“It will.” Marcus answered cheerfully.
“Then let’s get this show on the road. My esteemed colleague has been waiting over a thousand years for this day, so we don’t have a moment to waste.” And Professor Edelstein was right. Marcus felt like he didn’t have a moment to waste to be married to Denna, but beyond that blessed moment he had an eternity to spend with her and the rest who had survived. Together, perhaps they could rebuild the world as Marcus and Denna had thou
ght to do. Only one thing was for certain. From this moment, wherever man went he would march proudly forward. He could never return the way he had come.
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