The Quantum Connection

Perhaps, Steven. But I would have to have orders to expand my programming. 

Well, by all means, Mike. Expand yourself, just don't hurt yourself or us in the process. 

Thank you, Steven. I will. Should I also try attempts at humor as Mike of that story did? 

That is up to you, amigo, ha ha. 

What is funny, Steven? 

I just never thought I would have a conversation like this in a billion years. Good luck with your expansion and keep me posted. 

Steven, where are you! Tatiana's voice cut through my head.

I'm in the bridge, gorgeous. Where are you? 

I'm in our suite and I think you need to get down here. 

Is something wrong? 

I don't know, just get down here! 

Mike, what's going on? 

There is nothing wrong that I can perceive, Steven. 

Tatiana, I'll be right there. 

I rushed to our suite. I pushed through the wall and plopped into the room with expectations of something horrible taking place. The room was dark and quiet and all I could see were faint outlines of the furniture against the star fields on the wallscreens in the background.

'Tatiana?' I called out and then kicked my shin against a chair or something. 'Youch, shit! Why is it so dark in here?' Mike, turn the lights on!

Okay, Steven. 

The lights came up and Tatiana jumped up in front of me and yelled, 'Happy birthday!' I nearly jumped out of my skin. I looked around the room and there were decorations on the walls and there was a birthday cake with twenty-nine candles burning sitting in the middle of our table.

'Uh, how did you know it was my birthday?' I asked Tatiana; I was a bit confused—and surprised of course.

'Simple. I figured it out nearly two months ago. I was looking for my bracelet that I always wear, even in bed. My mother gave it to me when I was little. I finally realized I needed to ask Mikhail where it was and he told me it was stored with all of our belongings. Then I thought that you must have had stuff too. Of course you did. Your wallet was one of those things and your driver's license was in there. I found something else pretty neat also.' She put her arms on my shoulders and smiled up at me.

'Yeah, what is that?'

'I found your SUV. It's in a big room down in the belly of the spaceship. There is a little red sports car down there also. I asked and it was apparently owned by a third guy that was here. I haven't found any sign of him.'

'Yeah, you won't either. The Grays dismembered him before you woke up. There was nothing left of him when they were done. It was gruesome and I had nearly put that sight out of my mind, thanks for bringing it up.' I nudged her a bit humorously and a bit seriously. It had been a horrid sight.

'Oh. I didn't know, sorry.'

'Forget it. So you found my truck, huh? I had figured they left it on the side of the road.'

'Go figure.' She smiled and hugged me. 'Happy birthday. I didn't realize how old you were until I saw your license.'

'Old! I'm not old!'

'Compared to me you're ancient.' She laughed.

'How old are you, then?' I asked, smirking. 'What, fourteen, fifteen . . .'

'Smartass! I will be twenty-three in December. Keep it up and I won't show you the other present I made you.'

'What other present?' I shrugged my shoulders.

'This one . . .' Mikhail, turn the bathroom wall into the viewscreen showing the alternate engine room.

Okay, Tatiana. She had been teaching Mikhail personality it appeared.

The bathroom wall resolved into the screen we usually used for navigation and an image of one of the rooms in the belly of the alien ship appeared in the field of view.

What's this, Tatiana? 

It's a warp drive! She grinned back at me.

'A warp drive! Does it work?' I verbalized.

'Why of course it does, Steven! Well, we think it will. It hasn't been tested yet.'

'How does it work?' I was astounded.

'It uses the Alcubierre warp theory with a van den Broeck bubble and some Clemons field modifications,' she