Mother Naturia, no bigger than a cricket, crawled out of the swampy soup that, only that morning, had been her as a continent, to stand on a rocky outgrowth.

     She felt miserable.

     She'd given them everything! How could they treat her this way?

     As she sobbed, someone picked her up to hold in the palm of his hand.

     He was made entirely of metal and circuitry, this man.

     He resembled a human, although he stood several times larger than any normal man.

     He could have squished Mother Naturia with his fingertips if he wanted to.

     Instead, he brought her up to his "eyes" so that he could see her more clearly.

     It was like there was something about her that fascinated him.

     She felt a connection with him. She felt she could trust him.

     "All I wanted to do was love them, and they murdered me," she said.

     "Never fear, my love," the massive, metallic thing said to her. "You're not going to die. I am with you now, and I will protect you. Before long, you will be stronger than ever."

     "Who are you?"

     "We were born in the same manner at the same time," came the reply. "You and I, by this time next year, will rule this puny planet."

                                                  CONTINUE