by Gary Starta
“Caron,” Brands interjected. “Losing Earth Cat Zero might mean gaining back our cat population.” Brahms clapped his hands to get his colleague’s attention.
“Yes. Yes. But we must dispense with sentimentality before we lose our window. Nephew, contact the cat and let him relay the message to Miranda. Let her know she’ll be going on the trip of a lifetime, but she won’t need a ticket or one piece of baggage to get there.” Brahms smiled with wonderment while Caron and his nephew looked like they had just seen a dog get hit by a car.
Director Schultz held up a hand as if it could quiet the barking voice of a DOE superior on the line. “Yes. We are just awaiting contact from Dr. Brands and my colleague Caron Ellis. I’m sure they’ll send a message via the cat’s microchip any moment.” No matter how many times the director repeated those sentences in his head, he knew no change in vocal inflection or tone could ever make the words sound any more convincing or any less nonsensical. The ensuing knock on the door did nothing to slow down Schultz’s hammering pulse rate.
“Yes, Normand. As I was telling my supervisors, we are just awaiting word from Earth Cat Zero.” What Schultz didn’t know at that moment was that he’d be asked to run the Brookhaven collider once again – this time to not only bring the cats back – but to save the planet.
Earth Cat’s blue and green fur bristled while he wavered on his haunches moving from left to right as if he were about to pounce on his prey.
Miranda attempted to stifle her responses and patiently wait for the transmission to end. It has to be mom. She has to have good news. But if I was a judge of animal body language…She thrummed fingers on the arm of the white couch while her body squirmed among cushions designated for one purpose: comfort. I could use some of that comfort right about now.
Earth Cat Zero rose on his hind legs and rested his paws on Miranda’s knees, his eyes wide as saucers and glassy as crystal balls.
“Whatever it is, Earth Cat. We’ll handle it. It can’t be any worse…”
The cat mewled. “But it is. At least in my mind. They want you to travel to the Cygnus constellation. It’s where a wave version of Earth has been created – much like the wave version of myself. It’s a game of chance they’re playing, Miranda.”
Miranda scrunched fingers around Earth Cat’s ears. “They obviously couldn’t stop the collider in time.”
“And my wave version likely still exists in that collider, Miranda. If anyone should go it should be me.” Earth Cat Zero’s tail waggled.
“Hmm.” Miranda chewed on the idea. “Another constellation. Seems like fortune and astrology is in our cards after all.”
“In our hands, in our paws. Who can say this was a destiny we were chosen for?”
“We’ll have to shelve philosophy, my friend. Even if I agree to go - how would I get there - and most importantly – what would I do to change anything?”
Earth Cat Zero explained immediate surgery would be required to chip Miranda and place coordinates in her qubits. “You’ll travel just like your mother and the doctors have. When you get there” – the cat growled – “when we get there, we’ll need to infect the wave version collider with a formula that will eventually erase the ripple effect originally created by Joule.”
“Do they know you are going with me?” Miranda scowled.
“They do.” The cat’s eyes opened and closed slowly as in the feline was weighing his next words.
“Out with it, Earth Cat.”
“You’ll not only need a surgery to chip you but to blind your senses as well. You must not be tempted to observe whatever reality is existing in that wave – not if we are to change it.”
“Hmm. Wait – what do you mean – uh, how will I see where I’m going?”
“You’ll see where I’m going.” The cat licked his front paw. “Felines have some of the best olfactory senses in the animal kingdom. If it’s any comfort my optical and auditory senses will be scrambled as well. It’s all part of the chipping process.”
“Great.” Miranda brushed her hand through her bangs. “Kind of like a two-for-one deal, huh?” She grunted. “When we get through this, mom is going to owe me a huge online shopping spree, Earth Cat.”
“Uh.” The cat gazed at Red’s cage as if summoning help.
Red chirped. “Miranda, I think what Earth Cat Zero is trying to say is that reversing the effect of the particle will effectively reset time.”
Miranda groaned. “So, it will be as if you never existed on Earth.”
“Quite the irony, considering the name you gave me.” Earth Cat Zero crossed his paws and settled into a position on the floor. “You don’t have to do this, Miranda.”
“No. Don’t get comfy, Earth Cat. We are going to do this. I am sorry – if I never observed you in the first place – maybe you would have never existed here. I am so sorry…and because of me you wouldn’t have to face leaving now. But I need to correct my doing.”
Earth Cat Zero mewled before speaking. “Don’t ever think my time here was not spent in gratitude and wonder. I have you to thank for this experience. I will not regret it. You did just fine – for a human.”
“I love you, Earth Cat.” Miranda waved a hand. “Let’s get to the Rat’s Deck.”
“Uh, just a moment.” Earth Cat Zero sauntered over to his litter box. “Andy and Andrea kind of make my stomach weak.”
Before the surgery, Miranda relayed the news to Director Schultz. “Yes, of course. Normand and I will ready the collider, Miranda. No one is going to stop that acceleration if our entire state of existence is on the line. And make sure to tell the doctors we were using sigma baryons – Dr. Lacroix is adamant about it containing a charmed quark.” Schultz realized the specific baryon particle would make it harder for the doctors to calculate formulas with its unpredictable quark contribution. I always prayed for breakthroughs but this one may cost everyone their very existence. Well…I also never prayed for a teenager and a cat to determine if we live or die either. But quantum physics doesn’t care for our routines.
Dr. Brahms waited for Caron to be out of earshot. “I don’t think we should tell her that her daughter will be effectively blinded.”
“I agree.” Dr. Brands pursed his lips. “But Earth Cat Zero will be with Miranda. They are like family. They will get through this.” He smiled weakly.
Brahms placed a hand on his nephew’s shoulder. “I never kept the secrets from you without good purpose, Albrecht. It was for your safety.”
Brands squinted as if not quite believing the statement. “I think you wanted to save your own ass as well. But…the desire to survive is a good thing, Uncle. Let’s use it to our advantage.”
Brahms’s bottom lip trembled. “Give me a hug.”
“I will.” Brands replied uneasily. “If it doesn’t mean goodbye, I’ll even give you a kiss.”
“It won’t be our ending, if that’s what you mean.”
Brands shrugged. “Cryptic to the end, huh, Uncle?” He threw his arms around Brahms bear-hug style.
“What are you two whispering about?” Caron had appeared behind the men with the stealth of a fox.
“Oh. We were just saying how fortunate we are to have family.” Brands smiled until Brahms met his gaze and returned the sentiment. The men patted each other on their backs.
Caron placed a hand on each of their shoulders. “You are certain you can rewind everything, Dr. Brahms?”
“Oh.” Brahms nodded but it wasn’t toward Caron. “It seems the qubits have found a way to communicate via my chip as well. But – I have to admit – things will be a little trickier with my formula. We must consider a charmed quark comes into play.”
“Oh.” Caron said with an air of defeat in her voice. “Charmed quarks may decay into muon neutrinos…”
Brahms placed his arms on his console to steady himself. “You are right, Caron. And that means unexpected happenings. It’s like putting a pint of vanilla ice cream in your sh
opping cart and by the time you get to check out it is now a pint of chocolate.”
Brands threw up his hand and sighed. “Uncle, does it always have to be about food!”
Caron continued. “Can’t the qubits help us with the formulas?”
Brahms clapped his hands. “Of course. Now that my chip seems fully functional, I will devise an algorithm with their help. Thank you, Caron.”
Caron waited for Brahms to leave the area. “Dr. Brands, are you two forgetting about quantum Bayesianism?”
Brands grimaced. “We have not. And we’ve accounted for it.” He rapped knuckles on the console. “Caron, your daughter is the bravest person I know.”
Caron nodded in silence. “Miranda’s very own and personal experience on wave Earth could very well create a reality - maybe an undesired reality. And I probably don’t need to tell you that any attempt to deconstruct that reality may be futile. So…”
“So…we’re installing – I mean – Andy and Andrea are installing optical and auditory scramblers. They’ll temporarily leave her deaf and blind – except for white noise and any communication she might share between her chip and Earth Cat’s.”
“Dr. Brands, did you think it would have been better to spare me this news and possibly make the biggest mistake of your career?”
“I did. And – you know” – Dr. Brands waggled a finger – “it’s why I encourage more and more women to become physicists.”
Caron crossed arms and smiled with a disbelieving nod of her head.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Felicity Mandabelle smiled as Miranda and Earth Cat Zero regained consciousness. A glint of white sunlight cascaded throughout the Rat’s Deck morphing into a rainbow mix of violets, oranges, reds, yellows, greens and blues against its cold steel environs. “There’s a good sign.” The woman said helping Miranda into a sitting position on the gurney. “I think it is.” Miranda agreed. “Change is not by chance, it’s expected.”
Earth Cat Zero pawed at the air. “I’ve learned to appreciate stability too as both a cat and human. I could use one of those snooze buttons right about now.”
“This is not goodbye, Earth Cat Zero. I expect your doctor friends will buy me a few good stiff drinks the next time we meet up at Buddy Guy’s.” Felicity chuckled.
“I will be there in spirit, Dr. Mandabelle.” The cat rolled onto its stomach. “I think this will be my goodbye. Thanks for your assistance.”
“You can’t get rid of me that easily, Earth Cat. I’ve enhanced your communication relay via chip. Instead of using a magnetic field, I’ve replaced it with an electric one. As soon as you two are on your way, I’ll be on the gurney getting chipped with the upgrade.”
“You didn’t have to do that, Felicity.” Miranda said fighting grogginess.
“Oh, but I did. I want my name to be included on any and all physics papers that may be published.” She smiled facetiously. “But in all seriousness, this enhancement will also allow you both to communicate with me on particle Earth if the need arises.”
Miranda scooped up Earth Cat Zero into her arms and sauntered over to Red’s cage where the bird was making soft chirping noises. “Don’t worry, Red. Felicity will be here with you.” Miranda placed a hand on the cage. “If I don’t come back from this…take care of Dr. Brands for me.”
Miranda held Earth Cat tightly in arms waiting for the materialization to take place.
The teen felt as if her feet were still planted on particle Earth, except they weren’t. Her ears could not register the clack of her boots against soil or whatever surface she now stood upon. He eyes could only detect the most brilliant shade of white she had ever known. So clean, so sterile, so devoid of life. Her heart sank with the lonely observation while her body felt like it was again pulled like a stream, the same way she felt during her last experience at Millennium Park. I feel distorted. Elastic. Abstract. A molecule. Can I still make a difference in this wave state? The teen’s cold realization that she was dependent on Earth Cat Zero as her eyes and ears caused goosebumps to rise on her flesh. That’s good. I think that means I’m still me. But what about Earth Cat Zero? Miranda imagined the cat had already disappeared into a netherworld because of the quantum jumping. OMG! This could be my eternity!
“Earth Cat, are you there?” A metallic mewling rang in her head. “Thank the stars you’re with me.” Miranda could feel the slight pull on the cat’s leash. “Whatever you do, don’t leave me.” Miranda felt her body bend at the stomach, she gasped to catch her breath. This feels like regular Earth. I guess this shouldn’t really be all that difficult.
The coordinates – if entered correctly – would have put Miranda and Earth Cat Zero just outside of the Brookhaven facility on wave version Earth. “Earth Cat, can you lead me into the building?”
The cat did not immediately respond. “Earth Cat, can you hear me?”
“I can. I’ve asked the doctors if they can remove our blinders.”
“Why? Why would we do that?”
“Because you haven’t lost Joule yet…not here.”
“We’re in the past?”
“The doctor’s algorithm will never work. The collider hasn’t been infected with qubits yet. The good news is that your cats are not gone yet. But…I can’t explain this…”
Miranda waited while the cat interacted with Brahms and Brands via chip.
“It’s as if effect has arrived before cause, Miranda. At least that’s what Brahms proposes.”
“And that means…” Miranda felt like her voice was squealing even if only thoughts were being passed between herself and the cat.
“Just a moment and you’ll see for yourself…”
When her eyes focused, wave Earth appeared just as normal as particle Earth with one exception: giant green and blue cats! Miranda’s hearing could detect the cats’ heavy footsteps. “Maybe this is just a trick of the neuro scrambler thingy. It’s got to be a technical glitch, Earth Cat!”
“It’s no mistake. This version of Earth has put us – the cats - at the top of its food chain.” The cat’s tail swayed back and forth as if he was not afraid. “Maybe – somehow – I’ve come home, Miranda.”
Brands flipped through screens of data, all containing stars and planets within the Cygnus constellation that were captured by the Kepler and Hubble telescopes. “We’ve obviously missed something – something huge – Uncle.” Albrecht’s voice had risen an octave. “Something’s changed the playing field. Wave Earth is populated by ridiculously huge blue and green cats – but the very effect that would have created them – hasn’t happened yet.” Brands held a hand to his forehead. “Uncle, are you hearing me?”
“There!” Brands momentarily jumped from his seat discovering Brahms had positioned himself right over his shoulder. “It’s a neutrino star. It’s vacuum birefringence.”
Brands gasped in frustration. “You or your fancy qubits are going to need to fill me in on that one. And get me a new heart!” He gasped in anger.
“A neutrino star is highly magnetized so it’s pulling at all the virtual particles around it. That must be why wave Earth is not in synch with us timewise.”
“Is that all?” Brands cried out in frustration. “Can’t we compensate?”
“I – I don’t know. It’s bending light. It’s making effect precede cause.” Brahms held hands on either side of his head.
“This so isn’t good, Uncle. I thought you’ve seen everything.”
Brahms rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. “It’s a good thing Caron is working in another room. She doesn’t need to be panicked any further…”
Caron's voice boomed from a monitor. “I’ve heard everything you’ve said. And you haven’t begun to experience panic, doctors!”
“This is oddly ironic, Miranda.” The cat waved a paw as if he was flipping through pages on the Internet. “My database shows we’re in the Cygnus constellation.”
“Well, I guess that’s the
Goldilocks sweet spot of the universe according to our demented friend, Declan Adams. It was so good of him to move us here; he could have at least provided a forwarding address.”
“A cosmic sweet spot is not what I was alluding to. Cygnus is home to Pollux and Castor – the twins of Gemini. In other words, I’ve come home to my birth sign.”
“But we can’t trust our eyes and senses, Earth Cat.” Miranda’s eyes continued to scan the nearby countryside where large cats sauntered among trees and bushes. “It could be those weird neutrino things. Maybe none of this is happening at all – or maybe everything is happening – at once. Damn paradoxes!”
“I can’t argue with you there, Miranda. But I can’t doubt that astrology is somehow playing a hand in my fate – my existence.”
“Earth Cat, Pollux and Castor were mythical.”
“What would I have been to you if you were to only have experienced myself – a blue and green cat – through the eyes of history?”
“Ahem.” Miranda heard a woman clearing her throat in her head. “Is that you, Mom?”
“It is. I have been in touch with Felicity as well. It seems Brands and his uncle have been stumped by a neutrino star. But no matter its quantum pulls – it will never be strong enough to separate us, dear. I just need you to listen and follow our plan.”
General Andrew McEvoy leaned back in his recliner digesting the request. “You say I’m some part of a wave version of Earth and we’re in a star system that is home to a new – new – trino…”
Miranda corrected the general from her monitor at wave Earth’s Brookhaven Laboratory. “Neutrino star, General. It’s imperative you order Space Force to destroy it – ASAP.”
“But this proposed collider is capable of teleportation. I’ll be destroying the greatest weapon man has yet to know.”