The Aa'-Ts'Nai
A short science fiction story
Inspired by "Volatile Circumstance", a musical piece by Hammerspace
Copyright © Dennis M. Falk
Issued under a Creative Commons license, BY-NC-SA

In my travels to many worlds, i've stumbled upon many a culture, many a people, but none more perplexing than the Aa'-Ts'Nai, a people who were once artificial beings- Self-aware robots, if you will- who had evolved to the point they could master quantum physics to a degree that they became quantum beings: intelligent creatures that exist only on the quantum plane, requiring no conventionally-physical presence to exist, even amongst us non-quantum beings. They could appear to be there if they choose, and literally not be there!

Whilst wandering the ruins of one of their ancient cities, I encountered them-- Very mysterious, indeed! They had regarded me as nothing more than a visitor, blind to their universe. I guess I might've been, especially since they didn't- and couldn't- see the universe in such a limited fashion as I could. Were it anyone less advanced than I, they could be seen as gods! And yet, I'm as primitive to them as my mobile device is to me.

What wonders do they know? What secrets could they share? I'm but a traveller- I cannot fathom a world shaped by a quantum existence!