“Right,” said Tessa sheepishly. “Of course.”
“Nari has given us access to complicated quantum communications equipment, but not much of it, and it’s the bulkiest of all their technologies. We’ve taken to loading this and holographic tech inside refurbished trailers, eighteen-wheelers, in key areas of the world. This way we have comm centers that are not only mobile, but provide private, self-contained rooms that aren’t part of any building.”
“Very creative,” I said. I turned to the alien. “At some point we’ll want to return to the States. When we do, can one of your vehicles take us?”
“Of course,” said Nari. “We’ll even let you ride on the inside this time,” he added with a simulated alien smile. This was his second attempt at humor, and I appreciated the effort. “And if you want to leave this island before we’ve spoken again,” he continued, “just let Brad know, and we’ll send a ship.”
“Now we’re talking,” I said with a grin. “Sure beats the hell out of calling for an Uber.”
I turned to Tessa. “I have an idea. Why don’t we shower and freshen up. Change clothes. And then have a UAV take us to a secluded tourist destination in mainland Australia. We can stay at a hotel and relax a bit. Sightsee. And then arrange to be returned here in twenty-four hours for our call with Nari.”
I raised my eyebrows. “What do you say?”
“You do realize we’re in paradise right where we are, right?”
I laughed. “I know. But I’ve never been to Australia. And I’d love to travel inside a UFO—as soon as possible.”
This was part of it. But another part of it was that I wanted some distance. From everyone, alien and human alike. I wanted for us to be alone, un-listened to and unobserved—at least if Nari was to be believed. I wanted to digest all that had happened, and discuss it with Tessa. Think. Regroup. And decide on next steps.
I shifted my gaze to the extraterrestrial in the room. “Since Australia is only seconds away for one of your craft, any chance we could take a brief detour on the way?”
“What did you have in mind?” asked Nari.
“Could we fly into orbit and get a view of the Earth from space?”
The alien smiled. “Why not?” he said.
Tessa broke into a broad grin. “In that case,” she said excitedly, “I’m definitely in.”
“Outstanding!” I said. “Nari, can you have a UAV waiting for us in ninety minutes? This should give us plenty of time to ready ourselves.”
“Ninety minutes it is,” said the alien.
While I hadn’t officially slept in a long while, I had been knocked out cold for several hours, and felt quite alert. Still, this would likely catch up to me, so I decided to see if I could do something about it. I hadn’t needed to consciously order my nanites to help me jump to the ceiling. I had simply been aware of their existence, and my interest in having them help me must have been obvious to them. I decided to try something more direct this time.
“Nanites,” I thought, “can you decrease my need for sleep?”
“Need for sleep has been temporarily diminished,” replied a voice immediately, causing my jaw to drop. I had the sense that no vibrations had touched my inner ear, that these words were the result of direct stimulation of the auditory cortex of my brain.
A giddy grin erupted across my face. I could get used to this.
I was stressed out about my possible role in the future of galactic civilization—who wouldn’t be?—but for the moment, I couldn’t be more content. I had been shot, taken prisoner, and had been inside a plane that had been torn to shrapnel around me. I had then begun to freeze and suffocate while plummeting to what I was sure was certain death.
And now? Now I had spoken with an actual alien and learned about the history of galactic civilization, as well as the vital role humanity was destined to play.
What’s more, Tessa and I were alive, healed, and enhanced.
All things considered, things were definitely looking up.
21
Less than an hour later, Tessa and I were standing on a white-sand beach facing endless ocean. We were freshly showered and had changed clothing, and I felt better than ever. We had directed our nanites to enhance our vital signs and oxygenation levels, and they were working like a dream. Every cell in my body seemed to be luxuriating in a greater-than-usual oxygen environment, and I couldn’t even guess at what other tweaks the nanites were making to my physical wellbeing.
Whatever they were doing, I felt incredible.
It was just after noon, and we still had about a half hour before our ride was scheduled to arrive. The colonel had asked to have a short conversation with us before we left, and he was due to join us momentarily.
After some thought and research, we had decided on a mini-vacation destination. We figured that after about a ninety-minute joyride in a UFO, we’d arrive close to two pm. Given that we’d be leaving before lunch the next day, our tourism options were limited. Especially since we mostly wanted privacy and time to think. So touring vast national parks, the Great Barrier Reef, the Sydney Opera House, and so on, was off the agenda.
We needed somewhere we could relax and sit on our rear-ends, yet still feel we were getting a quality Aussie experience.
The answer was simple. Wild kangaroos.
Nothing said Australia to me more than these fascinating animals, and I had only seen them in zoos. To see a herd of these in the wild—or whatever a group of them were called—would be a perfect way to spend a few hours in Australia, and if I could catch one of these unique, two-hundred-pound creatures hopping at thirty miles per hour while making thirty-foot leaps, so much the better.