The Quantum Connection

A video image of a young red-haired Air Force lieutenant appeared in front of us. 'This is Lieutenant Ames of the United States Air Force Space Wing. You will stand down and prepare to be boarded or we will fire upon you.'

'What a small universe,' I muttered.

'Hunh?' Tatiana looked over at me.

'Never mind. So, do we let them board us or what?'

'Doesn't matter to me,' Tatiana replied.

'Okay.' Mike, will one of those ships fit through the bay doors?

All of them will, just barely, Steven. 

Can we cycle the external bay doors safely? 

Of course. I am doing it now. 

'Lieutenant Ames, this is Steven Montana, captain of the . . .' Tatiana?

How about the Phoenix since it is where we were reborn and reinvented?

You don't think that's too cliche? 

NO I DO NOT! 

Uh, you don't have to scream.' . . . uh, the Phoenix. We are opening the external bay doors on the lunar-facing side of the vessel. One of your ships should be able to land there and then we can close the bay doors.'

'Roger that,' Lieutenant Ames replied. 'Uh, did you say Steven Montana?' she asked.

'That is correct, Lieutenant. It is good to see you again.'

'How in the hell? No, I'm sure this will take a while. We will see you in the bay of your vessel.'

You know her? Tatiana's thought sounded a bit jealous.

Not really. I met her in a meeting once about nine months ago. I told you I worked for the Air Force Research Labs. Well, she and her mother, a general and an astronaut, were both involved somehow or other and I never knew how. Now I do. 

Hmm. 

Think we should be armed or anything? 

You know her; why should we be? 

Well, think about it. They are soldiers fighting aliens. How do they know we aren't aliens in disguise or being controlled by parasites or something? 

Good point. But we don't want to provoke them either. 

Well, how about this: We can have Mike or Mikhail build us any firearms we want in a matter of a second or two. Let's just be prepared for that. 

Sounds good. Tatiana stood up and all of her clothes vanished and then she was wearing a skintight long-sleeve black bodysuit and I noticed that I was also wearing one.

What's this? 

It's armor. I've been thinking about this for a while. Mikhail and I designed it. It should resist damn near anything from fire to bullets. 

I looked at her and thought that the material must be amazingly strong because she basically looked naked in the thing. So did I. I made me a pair of loose-fit jeans and hiking boots that fit just right. I topped it off with a light red short-sleeve button up.

You know you look naked. Not that I don't like it but . . . 

Prude, ha ha. 

She was suddenly wearing multi-pocketed baggy low-rise jeans and a pair of white aerobics cross-trainer shoes. She didn't add anything on top. Images of JackieZZ's computer persona popped in my head. Tatiana also had a three-section chain for a belt and I guessed that there were knives and other various weapons in her pockets, and her hair was pulled into a ponytail with metallic six-inch-long pins—each of which could be a nasty weapon.

I wasn't worried. Anything we needed in a hurry, the nanomachines could provide. And unless the humans had figured out how to prevent the nanomachines like the Grays had, we could just use them to stop any human attackers. My hope was that there would be no need for self-defense. After all, the U.S. Air Force should be on our side.

Tatiana and I reached the external bay of the Phoenix.

Mike, are they in yet? 

Yes, Steven. I have closed the doors and the room is at one atmosphere. 

Good. 

You ready, Tatiana? 

Yes. She said something else to Mikhail but I didn't pay close attention.

Okay, Mike. Open the door. 

The door dissolved away and Tatiana and I walked up to the impressive little spaceship. Tatiana started to