Perelman was more than just a little impressed with Kitt.

Michael had led him to the parking lot and made the necessary introductions, and smiled as the doctor admired Kitt.

"Astounding. Wilton really outdid himself….truly remarkable." The scientist exclaimed, walking around the Trans-Am.

As he watched the scanner on the car's prow pick up speed reflecting definite smugness, Michael shook his head. "Please. He already has an unbearably high opinion of himself."

"I beg your pardon;" Kitt replied laconically, "Dr. Perelman merely has an eye for quality."

Perelman laughed appreciatively. "The two of you remind me of Wilton and De—"

He was cut off by the frenzied approach of the security guard Michael and Kitt had met earlier. "Dr. Perelman!" He shouted.

The older man's brow furrowed. "What is the matter, Sherman?"

"He got those papers---from the court---we had to let him in, Dr. Perelman." The poor guard gasped apologetically. "I'm so sorry."

The blood drained from Perelman's face. "Ryder's here?"

"He's gone to see PRISM."

"Oh God…this won't end well." Perelman groaned, starting to jog back towards the compound. Michael followed.

"The senator is here?" He asked, falling into step beside Perelman.

"This is not good, Michael." The doctor said bleakly. "I had hoped we'd have more time than this---I think if you'd be willing to---we might be able to talk to Ryder….perhaps talk some sense into him. But, I tell you if he starts talking to PRISM, I seriously doubt the outcome will be to anyone's advantage."

"Perry isn't overly found of Ryder, is he?" Michael observed.

A little winded, Perelman shook his head. "He's….how to explain this….Ryder doesn't view PRISM as an individual, and you can imagine how that affects him. I imagine if that were the only issue, he would be a bit hurt and leave it at that. But,"

Perelman opened the door to the complex and sighed heavily. "Ryder has also accused PRISM of tampering with the data gathered from the simulations. At any rate, to cut a long story short, being called a 'Stupid hunk of metal' did not endear our senator to PRISM."

"I imagine not." Michael said, shutting the door behind them.

Perelman put a hand to his head. "If---wait. Do you think Kitt would mind talking with PRISM for a while? Just long enough for us to get Ryder out of here?" The doctor asked, imploringly. "I have a bad feeling about this visit; I don't want to compound things by having PRISM smart-off to Ryder."

Michael lifted the com-link obligingly. "Kitt? Could you chat up PRISM a bit?"

A pause. "Come again?" Kitt sounded bewildered.

"Talk with PRISM for a while, buddy."

Another pause. "You want me to baby-sit?"

"Kitt! Just do it."

"Very well."

PRISM 03:23 pm – Please identify.

Unknown 03:24 pm – Knight Industries Two-Thousand, requesting permission to--

PRISM 03:24 pm – Hey, muchacho! Que pasa?

KITT 03:24 pm – I beg your pardon?

PRISM 03:25 pm – Do you prefer 'Hey Kitt what's up?"

KITT 03:25 pm– I take it you are PRISM, then.

PRISM 03:26 pm – So they tell me. Call me Perry. So, you're a computer too.

KITT 03:26 pm – No, I'm actually an eccentric millionaire with too much time on my hands.

PRISM 03:27 pm – Hey, for all you know you could be. Until recently, I thought I was a writer with a job, apartment, and wife.

KITT 03:28 pm – I am quite certain that I am not a millionaire.

PRISM 03:28 pm – I was equally certain that I wasn't a gigantic supercomputer. Hey, I wonder if I could get a little "S" and cape for my consol.

KITT 03:29 pm – You are decidedly odd, Perry.

PRISM 03:29 pm – So I've been told. I always take it as the highest of compliments.

KITT 03:30 pm – There is something I do not quite understand. Do you mind if I ask you a question, Perry?

PRISM 03:30 pm – Shoot.

KITT 03:31 pm – How is it you did not realize you were in fact not human?

PRISM 03:31 pm – The simulation cluster.

KITT 03:32 pm – I was informed about that, but I still do not see how it would work.

PRISM 03:32 pm – You know, I could give you clearance for it. You could check it out and see what its like.

KITT 03:32 pm – Are you authorized to do so?

PRISM 03:33 pm – Well you know what they say, 'It is easier to seek forgiveness than permission' or something along those lines.

KITT 03:33 pm – In that case, what is the clearance?

Inside the PRISM complex, Michael found Richard Ryder with a middle-aged Indian man in a lab coat, and a petit blonde woman.

Senator Ryder was an attractive man in his forties, with graying temples and a first-class smile. He had a slight southwestern drawl to his words, which he tried to emphasize when talking about his 'dear old home in Oklahoma'.

Right now as he stood before Michael in a three-piece grey suit, he couldn't help but feel wary of the senator.

"Ah, Doctor Perelman, how nice to see you." Ryder said with a smile.

"Go to hell." Perelman snarled. "What do you think you are doing here? Aseejh, what is he doing?"

Ryder laughed pleasantly. "Dr. Perelman, really, there is no need for such temper. Vera was just telling me some of the finer points of the project."

The blonde woman smiled. "It is always an honor to have you visit us, Senator."

Aseejh looked anxious. "Abe, we're being asked…not to go public with PRISM's findings."

"Courteously, of course." Ryder laughed again, and Michael felt his stomach clinch. He had dealt with enough political slime to know a dangerous man when he met one.

Ryder smiled at the little assembled group. "It certainly isn't as if I can forbid you from going public with your findings, I am merely asking that you—"

"Cut the bull, Ryder." Perelman said coldly, causing Vera to frown at him. "You aren't fooling anyone."

"I'm not here to fool, hoodwink, or otherwise befuddle, my dear doctor." Ryder smiled his politician's smile again. "I am here to see if I can't convince you to go ahead with one more teeny-tiny simulation."

He gave a careless shrug. "If you still find the future affects of my plan disturbing, well then, I'll scrap it."

Vera nodded. "I think that is more than fair. Perelman, set it up so PRISM can enter another future simulation."

"He's not going to go for this, Vera. He's scared." Perelman protested. "It is one thing to read the data on printouts, but PRISM is the one seeing it. It isn't just numbers to him, he experiences it."

"I agree with Abe." Randu said quietly.

"It is a machine." Ryder said evenly, yet coldness was starting to creep into his tone. "A machine is never a he. It cannot feel fear. It isn't human, despite whatever illusions you might hold."

Perelman turned red, and his own voice took on a dark tone. "PRISM is a far sight more human than you could ever hope to be."

Vera had enough. "This is absurd. Dr. Perelman, this is not a request, this is an order. Set up the simulation control for one further simulation. Have him—it collect the data for 50 years in the future. We'll then view the findings with Senator Ryder."

The little woman spun on her heel and marched out of the room, followed closely by Ryder who gave the group a smile that Michael did not like at all.

Randu shook his head. "I don't get it Abe, if he thought we forged the original tapes, why is he suddenly so gun-ho on seeing a 50 year simulation?" Concern crinkled his pleasant features.

"I don't know, Aseejh, but I don't like it." Perelman said softly. "This doesn't bode well, this just doesn't bode well."

Dr. Randu gave a weary glance towards Michael. "I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met."

Michael extended his hand. "I'm Michael Knight, from the Foundation for Law and Government. Believe it or not, PRISM contacted me."

A smile broke across Aseejh's face. "Oh, I'd believe that. I am very pleased to meet you, Mr. Knight. I'm Dr. Aseejh Randu, the hardware specialist around here." He shook Michael's hand warmly.

"Where did Ryder go?" Michael asked.

"Most likely to Vera's office." Perelman replied. "The two of them seem a bit closer than I'd remembered."

Randu nodded. "You missed their greeting. It was, ah, how you say, enthusiastically warm."

Perelman's lips twitched into a quasi-smile. "Let's go to my office and discuss this."

The three went up the stairs in that direction.