Self Defense

Yes, nano-circuitry, nano-processors. At this range even the slightest push will fix things.

Pat fired the lateral thrusters. The masses moved off the Earth orbit trajectory. Pat waited just a moment before jumping back to Earth. Good thing too. The opposite thrusters fired pushing the masses back to Earth orbit intersection.

How did that happen? I detect only rock, metal and ceramic, no organic pilots. Pat worked the thrusters again, but sensed for an auto-pilot program. Again the masses were righted. This time Pat felt a signal pulse, not from within the nano-circuits but from without. Pat adjusted, the communications signal became clear.

Definitely an external controlling signal, but it was almost an instantaneous response to the change in course. There is nothing within a million kilometers. No time lag! Instantaneous communication?

Pat probed the nano-processors further.

Pat's awareness reached out again, into the quantum relay.

Pat was now within a different and vastly more complex solar system network. It was actually a five solar system net controlled by instantaneous quantum communication.

No time to decipher their language. This is overwhelming. Concentrate, just look at the hardware. So much redundancy; so many backup systems, what to use, power systems, no; maintenance, no; refuse, no; weapons, no good. What, what? What's interdependent in the entire system? Communications? But how to use it? Think theory. The quantum teleportation phenomenon required for instantaneous communication necessitates physical contact to synchronize the quantum states of the sender and receiver mechanisms. One half of the communication device must then be physically transported to the off-world communications site. Five interdependent solar systems, light-years apart. Disrupt quantum communications and you disrupt the entire social, economic and political system for decades, even if they have light-speed travel. That's it. He who controls communications controls the war, to paraphrase Napoleon.

Pat's awareness reached out again.

Good, one central planetary system connects directly to each of the other four. I can do it all from here. Getting home will be the tricky part.

Pat reached out to the communication platforms for each system. Pat moved into the quantum mechanism and became part of that mechanism. Just a change in attitude on Pat's part and the quantum state changed. Each solar system then blanked out from the net. By the third solar system disappearance the alarms went off, but it was too late. The fourth followed into quiet.

Now to do the home world. Hope I see Earth after this. Here goes. Cross all my many fingers.

Pat was back on the masses, now deadheading toward a meeting with Earth. The masses lateral attitude jets still fired, sending four of the masses on their way into Saturn's gaseous bulk. Pat sent the fifth, smallest mass on a course that would just brush by the Earth.

That'll scare 'em a bit.

Pat was back on the cots. Nineteen faces smiled at the ceiling.

Survived alone again. Hopefully Earth wouldn't find out what I did and I won't be bothered. . .
Oh, I just realized. . .

Nineteen sets of eye snapped open.