Jason’s nanobots were the next step. She knew that he’d been able to enter that other universe with them, via some kind of “portal” effect. But how did that work?
It wasn’t too hard to figure out. She was powered by a device called a Casimir fractal. It’s common enough super-inventor tech. Go small enough, and fundamental particles just sort of happen. Particles like electrons. Why? No one really knows. Scientists say “quantum fluctuations”. Philosophers are divided.
I know. It’s because the universe can’t help but exist. Everywhere, at every scale, potential is present.
There’s a barrier there between worlds, between the classical and the quantum. Like the fractal, the nanobots are small enough to take advantage of it - to create the necessary bridges to other realities. The Keynome just made it easier. She practiced, and trained, and built and built and built. And then she was ready.
One of Doctor Infinity’s first duties as a hero was to play traffic cop. She went back to that time, to that space between realities. She saw the Phoenix coming in. She’d try to warn the occupants. Sometimes - sometimes - it worked.
After a time, she couldn’t do it. Couldn’t stand to watch the outcome.
If only Adam hadn’t made that stupid selfish wish.
Could she change history? The math said yes. But not this history. Adam had to give her the Keynome. Otherwise there was a paradox. To give her the Keynome, Adam had to have regretted his decision to make the wish. The wish was absolute.
Was it?
I never stopped being a hero. I was trying to save lives. I was always trying to save lives!