Vinge, Vernor - Rainbows End.pdf - Masterbatingphysics.com

The thin air said, "Actually, Robert, that's about all we intended to do today. You have a lot
to do over the next few weeks, but it will be less chaotic if we take things one step at a time.
We'll be keeping watch for any problems."
Robert pretended to see something in the air. "Right. See you around."
He heard friendly laughter. "Quite right! Reed can help you with that."
Reed Weber nodded, and now Robert had the feeling that he and Weber were truly alone
in the room. The physician's assistant packed away the glasses, and various other pieces of
loose equipment. Most were plain plastic boxes, prosaic throwaways except for the miracles
they had made. Weber noticed his look, and smiled. "Just tools of the trade, the humdrum
ones. It's the meds and machines that are floating around inside you that are really interest-
ing." He stowed the last of the bricklike objects and looked up. "You're a very lucky guy, do
you know that?"
I am in daylight now, where before it was night since forever. I wonder where Lena is? Then
he thought about the other's question. "How do you mean?"
"You picked all the right diseases!" He laughed. "Modern medicine is kind of like a mine-
field made in heaven. We can cure a lot of things: Alzheimer's, even though you almost
missed the boat there. You and I both had Alzheimer's; I had the normal kind, cured at earli-
est onset. Lots of other things are just as fatal or crippling as ever. We still can't do much with
strokes. Some cancers can't be cured. There are forms of osteoporosis that are as gruesome
as ever. But all your major infirmities are things we have slam-dunk fixes for. Your bones are
as good as a fifty-year-old's now. Today we did your eyes. In a week or so we'll start reinfor-
cing your peripheral nervous system." Reed laughed. "You know, you've even got the skin
and fat biochemistry that responds to Venn-Kurasawa treatments. It's not one person in a
thousand who steps on that heavenly landmine; you're even going to look a lot younger."
"Next you'll be having me playing video games."
"Ah!" Weber reached into his equipment bag and pulled out a slip of paper. "We can't for-
get that."
Robert took the paper and unfolded it all the way. It was really quite large, almost the size
of foolscap. This appeared to be letterhead stationery. At the top was a logo, and in a fancy
font the words "Crick's Clinic, Geriatrics Division." The rest was some kind of outline, the main
categories being: "Microsoft Family,"
"Great Wall Linux," and "Epiphany Lite." "Eventually you'll want to use 'Epiphany Lite,' but
in the meantime, just touch the computer type you're most familiar with."