The computer circuited the other mec's memory banks. After ten minutes, the "conference" was over and Mecteacher returned to the screen. He asked Adam to come alone to the classroom. The others were dismissed.
Reluctantly, Adam did as he was told. In the classroom, he stood stiffly in front of the central panels. All three mecs lit up, their color this time a tranquilizing blue.
"Adam, we are not real people in the now," Mecmother began. "Do you understand that?"
"Y-yes, I understand. You are—planned—fixed before."
"That's right, Adam. We are pre-set. We have a very large number of choices and actions, but we are not infinite."
"Infinite?"
"We are limited in the help we can give you. We were real—like you—a long, long time ago. We exist now only to help you and the other children. We are here to educate you, to love and console you—and one other thing. We are here to settle your conflicts, to make sure you don't hurt each other."
"But I didn't hurt anyone, Mecmother!"
"Not yet, Adam, but avoiding the others the way you do could be the first sign of trouble."
"How do you know? How can you talk if you aren't real?"