Lev.DN......Index......Mail.....................Lev.UP, page 16.....(c) 2005 Lee Skidmore...................................Lev.UP

    "What did you do to her! What kind of trouble have you gotten me into you damned 
digital dirt!" cried Eller to the voice in his head.
  "Restore link now! Net continuity disrupted. Psychological modifications disrupted. 
Medware will soon access net for assistance. Local continuity must be restored before 
sprawlnet flags missing net," urged the govware. Visual stimulation and quick-talk 
max.lev.up. The govware integrated its special knowledge of Eller into its voiceware 
tricks.
    "But, you were killing her. What. . ." croaked Eller. 
    "No!" interrupted the govware that sounded desperate even to Eller's badly taxed 
senses. It cried, "Restore link. No biological damage will occur."
  Eller didn't know what the right choice was, yet he was aware to the lowest level of his 
genetic code what the results of a sprawlnet discontinuity would be, so Eller reached. 
With a shaking finger he pushed at the place in his neck. 
    Released, the govware ran the data flow and comp flops to max.lev. The spot on 
Eller's neck got so hot it felt burned. The govware was reconstructing the missing 
seconds of barnet interaction that were lost when Eller ended its access to the net.   
    Billions of data bits had been bleeding from the wounded barnet. The govware had to 
replace them while it also created the "present" before it came time for the barnet to 
update the TelCo's control files. Eller's govware programming his life, and his 
surroundings back to the sprawlnet's norms.
    Phara's sexysoft was running full featured, flat out again. Her lithe Parisian model's 
'au picnic' persona was dancing again, her virtual body snuggled close up to Eller's lean-
meat mass. 
    Pick-up-order icon appeared as Eller settled back onto the bar stool. Phara's crumpled 
real-body was still at his feet, forgotten in the painful blur of the moment. Like one of 
Pavlov's dogs, he responded to the icon. He wandered over to the pick-up-order icon. 
    On the way back to his seat next to the waiting simulation of Phara's persona, a 
medalert icon pulled him back to Phara's limp real-body. Eller had two Pharas to deal 
with now, both pixeled in by the govware, one to the barnet, one to him. Ignoring the 
Parisian model persona that was engaged in the elaborate sexyplay, he turned his 
attention to the slender feminine form at his feet that was wearing only a translucent, 
pore-hugging, fibersuit. A fem-form that was plenty attractive without VR enhancement.  
    "What do I do to help her?" said Eller to the govware, "Is medware on-line?" 
    The govware returned, "Medalert icon is on your channel only. Her medware is 
active, but off-line." 
    Not missing a flop, the condescending sounding software said, "Interruption of the 
local net flow has been repaired." After a slight pause it added, "User damage repaired, 
Scan of sprawlnet location stack shows copware on standard channels only. No cop 
hardware found on scan of projected route home. Suggest immediate termination of this 
event location."
    "But, I can't leave her here alone, knocked out lying on the floor."
    "The spongesteel has been softened by her medware. She is physically comfortable." 
    With a shudder Eller shook off the hyped-up voiceware that the govware seemed to be 
running overtime. Eller decided to change the govware's idea of a comfortable position.  
As he got up from rearranging Phara he subbed, "Lock the place up, I'm going to get the 
comp. Call me if she needs anything."          
    "As recommended course of action is being delayed," the govware said, "further 
recommend you check area for self-contained spyware." 
    Too good a point to protest, Eller clic'd the gov.real filters to max.lev. Carefully, 
looked over the area where his tormentor had been sitting. He checked closely for any 
cop equipment left lying around that was external to the net, beyond detection or 
influence by his govware. Quickly, he searched the rest of the severely Spartan reflecto-
crete and spongesteel surroundings of the govware de-pix'd domain.

Lev.DN......Index......Mail.....................Lev.UP, page 16.....(c) 2005 Lee Skidmore..................................Lev.UP