Testing success

After a number of hours with the staff celebrating how they had made their breakthrough in the dining area. The nanobots had replicated to a large number. All the material the bots needed was left in the containment chamber for them to do what they needed, and within hours they had replicated from four to over 2000 units. When Ellen re-entered the lab she terminated the replication command. The rest of the staff came back in and marvelled at the numbers they saw.

Individually, the bots had very limited intelligence. They could carry out simple commands as well as replicate using their own design as a platform to do so. In their tens, they could do what they were intended for and save lives. What they didn't know was, that in the numbers that they had, the bots had become a collective intelligence capable of questioning their own surroundings. They watched the humans with great curiosity and learnt.

Toward the end of the day. Ellen asked Bill to stay a while. After everyone else had left, She turned to Bill. "I have an experiment I want to try and I need your assistance." The bots listened carefully. They wanted to know exactly what was planned for them. They knew that the life forms on the other side of the containment area where different to them and were still uncertain of everything. "I want to know if this truly is the success we looked for or not."

"What do you want me to do Ellen?" Bill was apprehensive. He had no idea what Ellen was planning

"This whole project was built on the premise of saving lives. I have to know if they can really do what we hope they can do. So, I'm going to do something risky."

"What the hell are you talking about Ellen? Risky. That's a rather wide area so you're going to have to make things a bit clearer than that."

"I want you to get some of the nanobots out of containment. While you doing that. I'm going to cut myself. Deep."

"You can't do that. What if they fail? What if you cut too deep and they can't repair you. You could die." The nanobots at this point had learnt what humans where made of and just how **** their bodies are. They also understood what Ellen had said. They also collectively decided that she was worth saving. She was their creator after all and as such would protect her from harm.

"Do it Bill. I have to know. To many lives could be lost if I don't do this" Bill looked at her like she was mad, but understood what she meant. Better to try here and now and not cost an innocent person their life if the bots were not capable of doing their intended purpose.

"Ok I'll do it. Lets just hope you're correct about this Ellen. I'd hate to lose you."

Ellen looked at Bill, For the first time in their working relationship, she looked at him as a man instead of a colleague. For the first time in a long while she allowed herself to think, He's a handsome man. "Get that thought out of your head Ellen. He's a work colleague. And married." She admonished herself. Turning toward the desk. Ellen opened the top draw and retrieved a small but sharp knife. When Bill returned to her, he had a small glass jar in his hand containing some of the nanobots. "I have instructed them to repair an incision when they are in place to, so. Are you sure you want to do this?"

"I have to. I can't let someone die thinking everything will be fine and not making sure." Ellen took the knife to her arm. "Place the bots on my arm, just near the knife."

Bill proceeded to empty the small jar onto Ellen's arm and the bots fell onto her bare skin waiting for the task they had been instructed to follow. But the bots had now amassed so much knowledge that they had now decided on their own path. Some would repair the cut on Ellen's arm, the others would use some of her cells to replicate more bots. They wanted a life free from the lab. They would remain as individuals but with a collective intelligence.

When they detected the blood from Ellen's arm they immediately went to work. Even though Ellen's blood run freely. The pain from the cut subsided very quickly and both Ellen and Bill could see the cut closing slowly and the blood flow come to a halt.

After a short while. "They done it Bill. Ten minutes and it's practically healed. Just some minor scarring. We've done it. We've actually bloody done it." They both jumped and cheered the success. "Phase one down. Now we just have to find a patient in a nearby hospital. Put the little guys back and then go home and sleep. Or get more drunk if you prefer." Either way, both could not hide their joy. What they didn't know however, was that the bots that Bill put back in the containment area had enough time in those ten minutes to replicate another 64 units using Ellen's own cells as the raw material. Those 64 stayed inside Ellen's body and started to learn how biological life worked first hand. As well as find their own path. They considered Ellen to be a Queen to them as she was their creator and would never allow any harm to come to her. Ellen decided to call it a night and went to her bunk in the facility, she was too tired to go home. It wasn't long before she drifted off to sleep, and experience some rather strange yet pleasantly erotic dreams.