At this point Murray arrived in the clinic room toting his portable microwave relay and a computer link up interface.  “I understand we have a visitor,” said Murray.


    “And a talkative one at that” Russell replied.  “Before I leave you with Murray and his kit, ADAM, I have a few more questions for you,” Russ paused, “What star do the sphere builders come from?”


    “Your designation is Alpha Lyrae and the layman’s name is Vega” ADAM replied.


    “Just as you thought,” said Murray, “A blue white with more reds and blues nearby, Russ.”


    “That much followed if the green was outside their visual spectrum” Russ agreed.


    “I was monitoring the sphere’s inhabitants during your attack Captain Carlin,” said ADAM, “your ship and its beams were invisible to them.  Only your mass projectiles could be seen.”


    “Your sure of that ADAM?” asked Russ.


    “Positive Captain,” ADAM replied, “you saw tham flee your assault.”


    “I was tricked by them into fighting an empty husk, from my viewpoint” said Russell.


    “Yes,” said ADAM, “Their shift took you be surprise.”


    “Excuse me ADAM, what is their shift exactly?” asked Russell.


    “When they realized you could harm the core ship, they shifted into your (past) to avoid you.”


    “And back into (now) again, near Mars?” Russ asked.


    “Precisely” ADAM answered.


    “Of all the injustices so far, this is the worst, the enemy has time travel and a light drive” Russell barked.  “Anything else?” Russ asked more calmly.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    “Your agitation is understandable Captain, but you conclusions are wrong.  Their drive is slower than yours, and only by shifting temporally do they appear to command speed.  When my creators fought the enemy, they also thought them capable of trans-light speed.  They accomplished this illusion by temporal displacement or shift as they call it.  If you will permit me to explain?  They can barely achieve six hundredths of light speed, but some time before they will enter a system, they shift into the past and then proceed to advance appearing to arrive at trans light speed,” explained ADAM.


    “The results are the same,” said Russ “so what’s the difference?”


    “You can follow them, Captain,” said ADAM.


    “I’d sure like to know how!” Russ blurted.


    “I know how” ADAM replied.


    “That really doesn’t reassure me ADAM, your creators had temporal displacement and they still lost!” said Russell.


    “No Captain, after tapping into the enemy’s computer records, I modified myself!” said the globe.  “My creators were already defeated by then.”


    “Can this ship be modified? ADAM”


    “Any metal hulled vessel is adaptable to the system Captain,” said ADAM.


    “Why modify yourself, ADAM?  You were inside the sphere anyway,” Russ asked.


    “True, but not able to hide for eternity.  I needed their time shift ability to avoid discovery onboard, and to follow them.  I can also help to upgrade your beam and missile systems.  With the information from their own data banks and your ship’s invisibility the next engagement will be different.”


    “Murray, get everything recorded for us and transmitted to Earth.  Delay should be slight, we’re over half way there by now” said Russ.


    “Will do Captain,” said Murray.


    “ADAM, I want you to give Murray and our computer every scrap of information you’ve collected about the enemy and how your creators are imprisoned aboard the sphere?” Russ looked at the little machine almost fondly, as he asked.


    “I can not comply quickly enough Captain,” the globe replied “after four hundred and sixty two of your years I will once again be able to execute my primary function.”  Russ believed if the little robot had limbs, it would have danced.  As Murray connected the voice pickup to the interface, ADAM floated above his shoulder and asked, “Does your computer require sound transmissions to receive data input?”


    Murray sat back, scratched his head and answered “no, but can you interface with the system directly? ADAM.  Circuit to circuit, I mean.”


    ADAM, floated back a little and came to rest on the g-bed, then asked “what, technician Murray, is a circuit?”