Phil slapped his forehead.
"Don't tell me...we're in the future, right?" he asked dryly.
A sudden wave of absolute respect and awe washed over the entire crowd. And, it wasn't some form of emotional reaction they were having at the moment, or, even a brief eddy of delriousness brought on by hopping dimensional planes. It was artificial. Something....external....
It was a wave of awe and respect.......for Phil Smith.
Everyone stared at Phil, including his teammates, even as he frowned working out the loud chorus of footsteps coming down the wide, circular hallway.
They rounded the corner....a squadron. Each in perfect synch with others footsteps. Disciplined. Focused. And, in perfect formation.
They appeared to be soldiers of some type. All dressed in what the Vanguardians could only guess as being formal dress. Each with nearly the same trim of hair. Each broadcasting on a wide, passive telepathic frequency.....a network between them.
Thoughts, emotions, intent.....a swarm of information and feeling that trickled out among the other non-psychics.
The squad......seventy, at least.....came to a perfect halt, turning as one on their heel, to come faces-to-face with one, single Vanguardian....
|||Sir.....|||
The word crashed into every language center of those present.
|||....it is our deepest honor to think in your presence....|||
They all bowed, as one. And, even as Phil stared out over them, he realized they weren't straightening back up.
After a moment, he nodded....bewildered....but, accepting.
"Uhhh...thank you....I think...." he shrugged.
Nothing happened.
Phil looked back towards Quantos' group, the doctor just smiling.
"They cannot hear you." Quantos commented.
He glanced at the other Vanguardians, who were just as confused as he was. He looked back at the squad, who were still bent over in their formal bow. His eyes suddenly lit up as it dawned upon him....
"Oh..." he nodded, closing his eyes.
|||Thank you....I appreciate...ummm. this...|||
The squad rose instantly to attention at the mention of his thoughts, pride beaming from their minds.
|||Who....are you?||| Phil asked, splicing the telepathic transmissions into everyone else brain, as well.
|||By the Smith, we come to serve!||| they began chanting, barking their creed with gusto and courage. |||St. Phillip, he who gave birth to the thought! He was the one! We are the many! He was The Thought! We are The Mind!|||
A guttural "Hoo-ah!" bellowed once in everyone's head.
|||...The Mind?||| Smith asked.
"This....is The Army of One, sir...." Quantos explained. "...our...'military', if you will..."
"They're all telepaths..." Euro stated.
"Yes, The Army of One is a network of our best and brightest telepaths, each trained and groomed under the International Psychics Guideline Treaty..." Quantos continued, turning to look at Phil. ".....a treaty, I might add, that you developed, lobbied, and helped get signed into existence."
RoboSquirrel had been looking back and forth this entire time, trying to grasp all the information that was being passed.
Conversation is incomplete. Explain presence of hostile unit. the electronic voice chirped, absolutely no telepathic frequencies reaching the wiring of his own artificial brain.
"Model one! Model ONE!" one of the men behind Quantos began squeeling, pointing at RoboSquirrel. "Matta! Hymae! Get over here! Model one!"
Two other men, each of who could be scientists, rushed from the adjacent alcoved room. All three cooed with awe, circling around RoboSquirrel, not really daring to go to close. They continually punched things into handheld keyboards, alternating between being fascinated and crunching calculations.
"Look at the hydrogen exhaust....the semi-conductive rivets..." one of the scientist mumbled.
"...the A.I. is as calculative as we believed..."
"Oh my god, the prototype fibermedulla has to still be in perfect condition...."
RoboSquirrel studied their responses, and continued to whirl slowly in place.
RoboSquirrel approves the attention.
"Why do I feel like I'm going to see an entire flock of winged-people somewhere around here?" Brianna asked Grissom.
Rama grinned, turning to Quantos.
"Please....it is time for explanations, wouldn't you say?"
