The Quantum Connection

YOU DID WHAT! Tatiana screamed in my mind.

I couldn't tell you, sweetheart. It's deeply classified and I didn't know what I should or shouldn't talk to you about, sorry. But our lives depend on it now. I will fill you in later. 

Steven? 

Yes, Mike? 

I have completed an analysis and sensor sweep with the ship's sensors. There is no way that we can modify the miniature warp systems to withstand the force available by the system they are using. 

I thought so. Thanks, Mike. 

You are welcome, sorry. 

Then I recited the conversations that took place in Virginia as swiftly and as accurately as I could. I finished up with: 'Listen to me. We were stranded on that alien ship for months and learned how to use their technology. I fear that Dr. Daniels and Lieutenant Ames were hurt badly. We can save them very easily if you will let us.'

'We are still not certain we can trust you!' Anson Clemons replied.

Tatiana, I think we should surrender to them. 

What? Why, Steven? They tried to kill us. 

They thought we were aliens. What would you've done? 

I would've tried to kill us. 

Okay then? 

'Okay. Please don't kill us, but we are going to turn off our warp bubbles now!'

Tatiana, turn it off! 

I don't know, Steven, they'll crush us! 

Tatiana, turn it off now or they will crush us! 

No, Steven! I . . . I'm afraid. 

Tatiana, if you love me and trust me you will listen to me now. TURN OFF YOUR WARP BUBBLE ARMOR, NOW! 

She did it. I wasn't sure she was going to. It seemed that the only thing in the world she trusted was her ability to act—and, fortunately, me. Who could blame her, after dealing with the Grays?

I turned my warp armor off and Dr. Clemons lowered us to the ground. Tatiana held my hand and I could tell she was shaking slightly. I told Mike to calm her down. Something didn't make sense. Mikhail should have been able to suppress her fear better, but Mike got her under control.

We settled on the ground at the edge of one of the cul-de-sac streets just in front of Dr. and General Clemons.

'It's his face, Anson! I don't know though, he has lost a lot of weight and is in better physical condition,' General Clemons said.

'Y'all just keep your distance, son, until we get to know you a bit better!' Dr. Clemons warned and touched on personal warp fields around the two of them.

'Look, I can explain why I appear so different! The Grays use nanomachines that are controlled by those Quantum Connected Central Processing Units that you have been trying to reverse engineer. We figured them out. That is how we stole the ship from the Grays. Watch this,' I told them, and stood straight up in front of them and had my clothes change through several different styles and colors. Then I started to bend over and Dr. Clemons stopped me.

'Now let's not make any fast moves, son!'

'You don't understand. If I wanted to, the nanomachines have made my reflexes so much faster than human that I could move and you wouldn't even be able to see it. But don't worry. We really are just glad to be home, or —well, you know! Please allow me, I promise no swift moves.' I slowly knelt down and took a knee on the asphalt. I placed my hand on the street and caused the asphalt to rise up from the ground into a statue likeness of the general. I could tell that several years ago she was very attractive and I made the likeness of her as a younger— Tabitha, as I recalled—more vivacious astronaut. Then I had the asphalt statue move and blow them a kiss. This sort of amused them.

Make it salute, Steven. 

Nice touch, beautiful! 

I then made the statue salute.

'Allow me,' Tatiana said and followed my lead. She was standing on the asphalt so there was no need of bending down to touch it—she always did grasp this technology quicker than I did. A statue of Dr. Clemons rose up from the street beside the General Clemons statue. Then she had the two statues hold hands and we let it rest at that.

'Well, ain't that some shit!' Dr. Clemons whistled.

'Please, it's nothing but millions of nanomachines working overtime. That's why we both are superhuman the way we are. It's simple nanotechnology enhancements to our bodies and minds. We have complete control over them and we can damn near heal anything. Please let us help your wounded,' I pleaded.

'Okay son, I've read comic books that are older than you are that have this idea in them. There was that Crichton book and The Black Hole Travel Agency series, and a shitload of short stories that described similar magical technologies, so I get it. Just, it's purty damn difficult to be certain that y'all control the nanomachines and not the other way around,' Dr. Clemons explained his position.