The Unknowing War (Optimum Project sequel)

Chapter 20

Back on the Titan

I kicked my heels up and set them on my desk in my bunk room, tilting the chair back and crossing my arms behind my head as I did so. The long, relieved sigh that followed was me venting all the exhaustion I had experienced the past few weeks, which was a lot, if I may say so myself.

I reached over and picked up my tablet, reading the status report on the asteroid base. All systems were operational, and the scientists that had kicked me out were all hard at work. When I had landed back on the Titan earlier this morning, Pix had greeted me and complemented me on my work with the base and my new generator design, after we talked for a little bit about what had occurred on the ship (basically nothing) he suggested I take the day off and grab some well deserved rest, who was I to argue?

My mind began drifting as I started winding down, contemplating random things like ship designs, building architecture, technological advancements, things that could be greatly improved with the use of nanites. People could build buildings that would last thousands of years, trash elimination units that just broke down people's junk into basic compositional elements and used somewhere else, plumbing that never rusted, unlimited energy, the possibilities for good were endless... But so were the possibilities for bad. Nanites used for untraceable sabotage, nanites that ate away buildings with people still inside, nanite based weapons, bombs that constructed themselves at the target before they detonated, unbreakable knives, 100% bullet proof armor, things too terrible to describe... I suddenly didn't seem that tired, and nanites for one-and-all seemed like a bad idea.

"You've failed to realize something." Tom interjected.

"What is that?" I asked softly, I was still in a bit of a funk considering the path my brain seemed to wander down.

"It is not the tool that causes bad things to happen, it is the user, or rather, his intentions." he stated.

I nodded slowly, that made sense...

"Consider it like this," he continued, "you have a gun, you load it, shut off the safety, and then walk back and forth in-front of it. If no forces act upon it, will it go off and kill you?"

"No, obviously not, someone would have to pull the trigger." I answered, lightening up as I saw what Tom was getting at.

"Exactly, similarly, nanites are a tool, not a WMD that shoots rainbows from one end and actual black-holes out the other." he stated matter-o-factly.

I leaned back in my chair and suddenly my vision seemed to dim, "Here," Tom said, "let me show you."

With that I lost consciousness.

*****

I found myself standing in front of a kitchen sink, not the weirdest start to one of my dreams, but still strange to me. I looked around and noticed two young children sitting at a nearby table, crayons and colored pencils littered the top as they both grabbed the various utensils they needed to achieve a certain color. The boy appeared to be the oldest, about six or seven years old, he had strangely familiar blond hair that stretched down to hide his eyebrows, which I assumed were just above his similarly familiar blue eyes. The younger of the two, the girl, looked to be about five years old, and had long black hair and soft hazel eyes.

I was about to speak when I heard a familiar voice call out, "Noah? Could you start with dinner? I'm still messy from working in the garden."

My mouth seemed to work of it's own volition and I replied, "Sure thing, Honey."

I looked down and watched as nanites began to form a kitchen knife in my hand, and working on it's own that hand went about chopping vegetables and placing them in a boiling pot on the nearby stove. I was slowly catching on to what was happening, this was supposed to be a fictional experience that Tom created, though I couldn't remember why...

I felt a tug on my jeans and looked down to find the little girl looking up at me with her beautiful hazel eyes, strikingly familiar...

"Yes sweetheart?" I asked automatically

She smiled and handed me the picture she had been working on, "Look at my picture, do you like it?"

I looked at the picture and found myself trying to decipher the four stick figures portrayed there, "I like it very much darling, care to tell me about it?"

She giggled, "Well, that's Christopher," she pointed to the figure that shared similar traits to the boy still hard at work at the table, "That's me," she pointed to her stick-figure look alike, "and that's Mommy." The mom looked like a mix between Christopher and the girl, and somehow it seemed like I should know exactly who it was.

I pointed to the fourth person, "And who's this?" I asked.

The girl giggled again, "That's you daddy!"

It suddenly dawned on me why I thought I should know who the mother was, and when she walked in, face streaked with some dirt and looking prettier than ever, I wasn't surprised that Sarah came in and gave me a kiss on the cheek.

As if everything was perfectly fine...

and maybe everything was.

******A/N*****

Booyah! One down, one to go! Though really I don't know how many chapters I will truly be doing, I'm one closer to reaching my goal of two before August 11 (when I start school).

I give Special thanks (and dedicate this chapter) to apocolips18 for helping me look at the facets of nanite-based abilities and how people use them, thanks for showing me the light, and letting me steal your kitchen knife ;)

--till next time,

Gmoney