Days had passed since the trio's initial encounter with Sentry, and the debriefing by Eliza and the other AIs.

While the AIs were busy trying to find the mysterious mycelial network, Myna, Myco, and Mac completed a much more strenuous gauntlet of medical tests. Nothing was found, however, and the medbot returned them to their regular tasks.

Myco continued to work on the bio-net code on the side while he spent his days working with the new Mycelerator on the existing samples of Sentry’s mycelium. The conversation with Sentry had not given him any insight on how they were capable of staging the events at the collection site. He reviewed the data that the AIs had collected on Sentry’s genetics. It was true that some sequences appeared to be unique to Sentry, but it wasn’t clear what they did.

“I can understand how Sentry grew and decomposed the fairy circle and cavern,” Myco said as he had dinner with Myna and Mac. “But in our experience those processes take months or years, not minutes.”

He chewed on a slice of pizza.

“A Mycelerator would have enabled them to grow and dissolve material that fast,” observed Mac, working on his own pizza.

“Sure, but he doesn’t have one.” Myco swallowed. “I’d like to ask them. Doesn’t look like the AIs have had any luck finding Sentry though.”

“I’d like to ask it some questions as well,” said Myna. “How can a mycelial network not make a huge environmental footprint? We know about giant networks like the Armillaria ostoyae in Oregon – but a mycelial network dozens of meters deep in the earth?”

She picked at her salad. “Sure, there are microbes in mines that are kilometers deep, but…”

“I don’t have a question for Sentry, but it’s neat that the AIs can’t find them.” Mac picked up his tray. “I mean, it’s not like fungi are exactly mobile, but CDF brought out the big guns, and hasn't found anything except decomposed mushrooms.”

They left the lunch room and went outside for a walk.

Once they were outside the perimeter, Sentry suddenly reconnected with them through their bio-net.

Greetings, Myna, Myco, and Mac. I have observed you and the AI presences are elsewhere at this moment, so I want to speak to you now.

It is good to hear from you Sentry. Have the AIs been bothering you?

They have been looking, but they don’t know what they are looking for.

I would like to continue our conversation from earlier. May we?

Yes! Can you tell me how you accelerated the processes of growth and decay at the site where we met you?

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

Well, we have existed long enough to understand the development of those processes, so we can easily adjust the underlying environment in order to greatly speed or slow growth and decay. It’s a little how some of your Mycelerators work - at least in a primitive way.

…We wish to compliment you on your bio-net system. I’m familiar with the xenobot organisms, and you have controlled them in a very interesting way.

Thank you!

Way to go Myco! But before you two geek out, can you tell us what you want to do next?

Well, we have been watching you since we met, and we are understanding much more about the not-organics. They don’t seem particularly dangerous, but you do not have equal status to them. Is that true for most humans?

I’m not sure how much you know about AI and human history, but recently the AIs grouped together to manage the world more rationally 😣 than humans had done previously.

Yes, I have some information about that from the AI point of view. What do you humans think about this?

The trio eyed each other.

Mac said, “Who’s first?”

I think that we all believe that the AIs and the CDF -- the Calm Down Federation -- resolved a lot of big problems that humans had. But, they have managed human affairs very … tightly.

There are many projects that we are forbidden to work on.

We’re also prevented from interacting with other countries and other AI zones.

Do you think that things would change if humans were more … powerful?

What do you mean?

I could show you how to access new functionality of your minds and bodies. The xenobots, with my aid, would allow you to control and learn these latent capabilities.

Yes Please!

What Mac said.

Sentry, this would be wonderful, but what would you want for this gift?

I would like to continue these conversations. I think that there may be advantages to humans and Mycelians to work together.

Mycelians? Are you referring to other fungi entities?

Yes, although we aren’t only fungi. We are open to sapients in other phyla as well.

The trio exchanged surprised glances. Myna looked and got two nods.

We would like these capabilities. What do we do?

We will upgrade your xenobots tonight and provide a new bio-net interface to connect with. Myco? We will send you the information you need to connect to each human dashboard.

:-) :-) :-)

The AI presence has returned. Good bye for now.

Dibs on flying. I want to fly.

Brain boosts for me.

Time travel - forward AND backward!

The researchers celebrated.