Entering her apartment, Lidda saw no sign of Widhbo. She found a basket of dinner rolls and a note on the table from room service which read, 'The meal you ordered is in the refrigerator'. What meal? She found a generous portion of a chicken casserole and popped it in the microwave to warm up per the instructions on the box.

"Strange. I didn't order anything," she mused and went into her bedroom to change into her pajamas for the evening.

"I'm in the study," Widhbo called to her telepathically.

Lidda peeked through the door and found Widhbo was at still at her computer, exactly where she left him that morning. "So, this is where you do your exploring?"

"What did you think, I would be traipsing around the hallways all day?"

"I'm just glad you didn't draw any attention to yourself." Lidda said. "I would have trouble explaining how my primitive rock could teleport about the building."

"I see you have a new manager for your lab. Mr. Tinny," Widhbo replied.

"Don't be mean," Lidda chided. "He's thrilled to have a chance to cultivate his skills and you would go nuts with the simplicity of his job."

"What makes you think I'm not bored out of my mind with this one?"

"Whatever," Lidda hadn't really considered how bored Widhbo might be but she was not inclined to be sympathetic. "You're smart enough to entertain yourself. And tomorrow I'm going to need your help. The boards aren't nearly as advanced as I want. We need to micronize the circuitry down to the molecular level if it's all going to fit in a normal sized head on an android."

"I'm ahead of you," Widhbo said. "I have already asked Hal to start production on a new mother board."

"Fantastic," Lidda said. "You realize that I only know rudimentary programming. I can't make a magiton, Widhbo."

"You will be able to in the morning," Widhbo replied still sorting through webpages on the computer throughout their conversation.

"I'll just wake up and find I am ready to get on with it?" Lidda knew that Widhbo had enhanced her learning while she was doing her college course work. She hadn't noticed any intrusions recently.

"Yes. Why would you doubt me?"

"It just doesn't seem possible." She felt a smirk from Widhbo.

"So much to learn, so little understanding."

"I bow to your genius. Please inform me," Lidda said.

"I have been downloading to your internal chip for a long while getting ready for this job. I laid the basic groundwork and programming logic when you were still an infant, even before you left the Gardens to be adopted." Widhbo said. "I couldn't cram it all inside of one night without frying your pretty head, so little by little I have placed it there while you were sleeping."

Lidda was repulsed at the revelation of how much tampering there had been. It would do no good to protest, but she couldn't let it go without objection. "Aww, you think I'm pretty! Why didn't I know about this downloading?"

"No need to know. In other words, above your pay grade," Widhbo quipped. "And yes, you are quite pretty. Reddge thinks so too."

"Ugh." Lidda had forgotten Widhbo also knew way too much about her relationship with Redgge. "That's really sick, Widhbo. Stay out of my private life. It's personal and none of your business."

"Too late," Widhbo said. "I suppose it's not mission critical, so I could work around it if you would quit dwelling on it so much. Not important to me either way."

"Well, it's important to me," Lidda replied. "For future reference, keep out. I'll be talking to Reddge about my pay grade and yours." Lidda could feel anger rising, her face flushed. "Now finish explaining."

"All I have to do is unlock the programs I've installed, and you are ready to amaze and astound your colleagues."

Widhbo knew her too well. The very possibility of acquiring such skills was enticing. This was so much more than a dream. It was really happening. She felt the anger fading as fast as it had arisen. "Okay. I like the idea. Thanks, Widhbo."

"Gratitude, how refreshing. You're welcome."

"I'm on to you. Were you assigned to Hal before me?" Lidda asked. Hal had already confirmed it, but she needed to hear it from Widhbo.

"More accurately, Hal was assigned to me," Widhbo said.

"And Mara?"

"Oh, aren't we bright bulb today? Yes, and Mara before Hal. I'm the only magiton Reddge sent down to this planet."

"Only you?"

"I am sufficient."

"You carried the personalities of Reddge and Casra here too?"

"Yes. They have diverged since their incarnation as you call it. But I have their personas right here with me."

Lidda had to pause at that. She missed Reddge so much and had forgotten he was right here in the magiton all the time.

"Who is Reddge really? Or who was he before he came here?"

Silence.

"Widhbo, I really want to know."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Lidda said with the feeling she might regret this later. "I know his father became the demon we are trying to kill. I don't think anything you tell me could be worse than that."

"Not worse, no," Widhbo said.

"Then what?"

"Reddge is the captain of our ship and the god who found your planet, Lidda. I am one of his crew."

Lidda felt dizzy and nauseous. She had to sit down as the impact of his words hit her full force. "And the others, are they gods too?" She already knew the answer. Lidda had pushed it to the back of her mind. Reddge had told her he was an alien program in a human body. Of course, he had a spaceship. He was a magiton god come to Earth on a mission. She was in love with this immortal, not the body he inhabited.

"Yes, all the immortals are essentially demi-gods. Casra, Mara, and Hal are more like companion gods. Big Reddge is in charge and the most capable."

"Big Reddge? So, he's not just another ancient personality, but more advanced than the others?"

"Quite so. His presence here is just a thin slice of him. From your perspective, think of Reddge as a toy model god."

"What am I then, his toy?"

"You could say that, yes. His favorite toy."

"Tell me Widhbo, what does a god do when he's tired of a toy? Throw it away, destroy it, what?" There was no denying the disproportionate nature of her relationship with Reddge. "I'm a firm believer in never dating the boss, Widhbo."

"I would suggest that you make yourself useful as well as ornamental. He could find a new toy and toss you in storage."

"He keeps you around," Lidda came back at Widhbo. She was not going to be dismissed so easily.

"I'm smarter than you. I can keep up."

"Well, I did ask and I appreciate your candor." Her good mood was dissolving quickly and she felt angry tears coming. She could really hate Widhbo at times.

"Oh, Lidda, Lidda, I'm just teasing. You can advance and become immortal too."

"I'm not sure I want that," Lidda replied. "Not if makes me a cold, hard-hearted bastard who uses people."

"You should be sure before you marry him then," Widhbo said. "Reddge plans to take you with him."