Hector blinks as his eyes adjust to the light in the sterile room. Sitting up and dropping his feet to the floor, Hector takes in a long deep breath. Hes amazed at how refreshed and energized that hes now feeling. I dont remember feeling this good for many years he thinks. As he reaches for his trousers, which are now cleaned, repaired, and lying on a chair nearby, he gasps as he looks at his left arm. He just now became aware that he had reached with his left arm that had been so badly torn by the crocodile. With his eyes wide in disbelief he flexes his left arm as he feels it with his right hand. It shows no sign of any damage and feels as flexible and lean as he ever remembers.
In his stunned state, Hector can only look at the passive-looking man attending him and ask How?
Jon smiles and hands him his trousers to indicate that he should continue dressing. Im aware that this technology is beyond what you understand and would expect, but for us its routine. Its within our capability to repair, modify and enhance in many ways that you may think to be impossible.
As Hector dresses, he continues to look at his arms and his body. Jon continues to talk, but Hector is intrigued with his feeling of energy and well being. After so many days of trudging through the jungle and being badly injured and near starvation, he wonders how he could be feeling so good. He also becomes aware of his extreme hunger.
Turning to Jon again, he speaks of his hunger and starts to bombard him with questions. Jon tells him he will explain and show him around after he has eaten. This time you may eat what you want.
Jon leads Hector back to the room where he had drunk the warm broth. This time there was a large breakfast complete with coffee, orange juice, bacon, eggs, fruit and toast, waiting at the table. All of it was in very generous portions and smelled wonderful. Being so hungry, Hector immediately dove into eating, but caught himself and said Please excuse me but Im so hungry. Jon said I understand; go ahead and eat. After so many days, you should be very hungry.
For the next 20 minutes Hector continued to eat, sometimes closing his eyes to savor the food. He couldnt remember when he has eaten so much and with such gusto. Finally, Hector says I feel embarrassed to be eating so much and why arent you eating?
It is not necessary for me to eat, says Jon.
Oh! You must have already eaten earlier while I was in the imaging machine says Hector.
No, says Jon; I dont eat. Androids are not built to eat.
Hectors jaw dropped, and he stopped eating. After a moment of silence, he asks Are you an android also and where are the people who are in charge?
Yes, says John; Albert and I, as well as two others are androids. We maintain this facility and the four of us are all that remains. By now Hectors mind is so confused that he hardly speaks for the next hour as he listens to Jon.
Jon tells of the Builders, as he calls them. Although Jon doesnt know how long they had been here, he knows that his and the other androids functions are to maintain the facility and provide service for the Builders and others like him. The Builders were a race of people who came to this planet and set up this facility many years ago. Earlier they had gone out and blended silently with the people of this planet while studying them. They were intrigued with the genetic similarities of humans with their own, but were surprised with the physical weaknesses and frailties of the human life cycle. They had intended to experiment with cross breeding and correcting DNA weakness, but contact was lost with their own race and in time their own vastly superior life cycles were coming to an end. Before the last of the small group of Builders eventually expired, they directed the androids to carry on their work and provide the human species with their knowledge or service when the opportunity presented itself.
With the Builders now gone for several years the androids have continued the research as they maintained the facility. Being androids that lacked the egos, jealousies, and ambitious drives of the human race, theirs was not a mission for profit or control, but only to share and fulfill the directive of the Builders.
Hector finally speaks. Is that what you did with me to fix my arm when you put me in the machine you call a regeneration chamber?
Yes, said Jon. You would have lost your arm soon, and also your life. Your immune defenses were no longer able to sustain life and you were deteriorating fast. After we analyzed your life signs and DNA characteristics, we restored and strengthened your immune system as well as other genetic weaknesses. Corrections and repairs, as well as other enhancements, were made in your DNA. You may already feel some differences, and as time passes you will develop more capabilities as your body continues to rebuild.
You mean Im not the same person, said Hector, who had now become alarmed.
No, you are still the same person. Nothing is changed in who you are, and what your feeling and desires are. All thats changed is that you have been repaired, so that you will be stronger, healthier and less susceptible to diseases or injuries. You will die eventually even as the Builders did, and can still be killed just like anyone else, but not quite so easily.
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