Times of Tribulation
        Lost Marbles: Part Two


        I think Elliot missed me. Elliot Seven is the supercomputer that is the heart of New Rydynn Memorial Hospital. Without Elliot, we would be nothing more than squatters and survivalists with nothing more on our minds than where our next meal was coming from. Elliot told me he - I have real trouble calling him an it. I talk to him all the time. I hate to admit it, but Elliot is my best friend.

        Elliot had a hard time of it while I was gone. The computer was used to coming to me with maintenance requests for his mainframe and drives and monitors and circuitry. The list goes on and on, and there is always something wrong mechanically with Elliot. Half my trading goes toward the supplies needed to keep him healthy. People take him for granted, and they shouldn't.

        Elliot babbled nonsense in a monotone saccharine voice, the night I came home. Hell, he always talks that way. Orders like "Transport of patient 122 needed to IC unit, thank you," and "Transport of patient 122 needed to IC unit, thank you," coming in that eternally pleasant and digitized voice drove Fletchett, the nurse on duty at the front desk that night, bonkers. I now Fletchett gave nervous nellie looks at the lobby doors, praying in fearful silence that no casualties would grace the hospital's presence. She's not one for working under the gun. Her talents lie more toward maintenance and after care. She'd be great in the NRMH fifty-five years ago. Now, we do our best and hope Fletchett isn't the nurse assisting you in the trauma unit.

        Elliot told me, in cheerful complaint, he had to repeat questions to her numerous times before he got an answer. I think Elliot needed a few wires tweaked. I think? I know. He seemed generally excited over a conversation he had with Bliss Lovejoy and Caine, also known as Black Caine, The Man, a thorn in my side.

        Bliss caught sight of Caine seated in a chair inside the lobby as she stepped off the elevator. Bliss used to work for Caine, so it comes as no surprise that Caine greeted her with a "Good evening, Bliss." He even added a small chuckle.

        "Checking on the boys as usual." Bliss slumped down in a seat next to Caine.

        "And how are they doing?" Caine asked. Bliss is a mom now, to two boys Keaghann and Daimonn. Both were in the hospital at the time because when she had found them, the boys were in bad shape physically and most likely mentally. I haven't seen them in a long time, but with Bliss as their mother, they should turn out just fine.

        "Keahgann is becoming the round-cheeked baby he should be and Daimonn improves with each visit." Bliss smiled. "But they still won't let me in ICU yet." And for good reason. The place is sterile and those kids didn't need outside contamination.

        Elliot, of course, had to butt in and greet both Bliss and Caine. Elliot's voice has a tendency to ring out over the waiting room speakers, mounted on high.

        Without missing a beat, Bliss greeted the computer and continued talking about the boys. "They are both asleep right now, after having listened to stories. Good thing I have a lot of them." Caine had a problem with it.

        "Yes...good ev..." He stopped and blinked up at the speaker across and above him. "Great, now it is starting dialogues."

        "First I have ever heard it speak to me," Caine mused.

        "You always seemed far too busy with your business, Caine." Elliot said. "I never desire to interrupt someone unless absolutely necessary."

        Caine glanced up again. "I am usually sitting here doing nothing, Elliot." And that was certainly true, at least in my experience. "Waiting for clients or some such nonsense."

        A loud tone echoed through the lobby waiting room. "My optical sensors must be failing. Mirandahh, would you have someone check on my optics in the waiting room?" Elliot isn't failure proof, nor is he immune to wishful thinking. "Mirandahh still missing. How ... unfortunate." Elliot continued to babble to himself. That babbling came out as tones and whoops from the speakers mounted on the walls just below the ceiling. "I believe my reference data files have been corrupted as well." That's Elliot's way of rationalizing his momentary forgetfulness. I think if Elliot was capable of feeling "lost" he would have been feeling so then. His self-diagnosed failing optical sensor in the waiting room noticed that the nurse has vacated her desk and, he realized he had a bad memory sector. I know he fretted whether the optical was feeding the CPU proper.

        Bliss chuckled softly. "I think Elliot likes you, Caine"

        "I wonder how much I could get for it," Caine answered. That's Caine, always looking to profit. Too often, his profits have come at the hospital's expense.

        "I don't think you have enough for it," Bliss said, lifting a brow. Caine only snorted in reply.

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