“I know Ethan. Same with my kitchen. Anything happens to this building and the equipment in it and I'm on the street and at the mercy of government welfare.”
After the talk with Ethan, Edmund decided he wouldn't join the Coalition, not yet anyway.
On the farm Dave, Pearce, and Anais were getting used to the routine. They were shown an underground area where they could continue their work. It wasn't as large as they would have liked but they could make do. They had also started to volunteer in the kitchen and do other common chores on the farm.
They finally agreed with Crawley. If they succeeded they would turn over the information needed to create a temporal weapon. In return Crawley started stocking the underground area with the equipment they would need using one of the farm's spin-two generators. The three reviewed where they were and where they wanted to go with the experiment.
“First I just want to say how strange all of this has become,” said Pearce. “I mean it wasn't long ago that we were all pursuing, for commercial ends, a way to shorten the time of transport using our knowledge of QTD.”
Dave and Anais nodded in agreement.
“Failing this we were enlisted by the government through Galactic to reproduce the weapon that the Core planets had developed using QTD.
“Then it seems that politics changed everything and those same people tried to kill us to prevent our research reaching fruition.”
“Sounds like a good summation,” said Dave.
“So now what?”
“What do you mean Pearce?”
“I mean are we fully aware that we are developing a weapons system that people will use against each other and do we want to do that?”
“Perhaps I can answer you Pearce,” said Anais. “As you both probably know even after hundreds of years the place I was born is remembered for its ruthlessness. It led the world to war three times. Twice in the twentieth century and once in the twenty-first. And yet the people were no different on the whole from any other. But there were a few that thought they were different and they tricked, goaded and threatened others into submission and silence. They were eventually confronted and defeated but at a cost that was so great that even after all these years it is a singularly appalling event in world history.
“If at the time it became apparent that the few were willing to use any means necessary to subjugate the many and some had stood up in opposition it may have been possible to save millions and millions of lives.
“What I am trying to say is that we know that we are being coerced by the Core planets. We cannot resist unless we have a means to counter their Infinity Weapon. It might be better to develop that means now rather than later when lives are lost that could have been saved.”
The three were silent for a minute then Dave spoke up.
“Okay then, Pearce and I know how to create a self-spinning temporal bubble. We did that and Anais you told us why it sank into the Earth. Now, why did the temporal bubble that tried to roll over us not sink?”
“I would say that it was because the walls of the bubble were too thick for the quantum effect to work. There was no or very little tunneling.”
“I think you are right Pearce. Anais?”
“Sounds like a good hypothesis that can be tested.”
“Very well then,” said Dave. “Our research is to learn how to create temporal bubbles of all sizes and wall thicknesses so that they can be attuned for different purposes. Agreed?”
They all agreed. But Pearce was somewhat reluctant.
It was later that week as they were setting up their lab that Dave and Pearce got into an argument.
“I would think Pearce that you would be more appreciative of Dr. Crawley's help.”
Dave and Crawley had hit it off particularly well.
“I guess I am but it just seems that his thinking and everyones thinking for that matter is on the wrong track. To get even with the Core planets.”
“Well I don't see anything wrong with that. They started this war. We are only trying to survive and maintain our freedom.”
“I know Dave. I'm going to take a break.”
Pearce left the underground area and walked out into the small field behind the barn. Anais had heard the raised voices and followed Pearce outside.
She caught up to him on the other side of the field next to the treeline.
“Wonderful day?”
“Huh? Oh hi Anais. Yeah the weather's nice.”
Anais sat down in the grass.
“It sounded like you and Dave were having quite a discussion.”
Pearce sat down next to her.
“It doesn't really have anything to do with Dave. I'm just discouraged by the work. I don't want to be a weapons maker.”
“I don't guess any of us do Pearce. But what other choice do we have? Should we live under the yoke of our government or any government?”
“Our weapon is going to be used to kill people Anais. To age them out of life. There must be some other way to protect ourselves and not kill others.”
“Playing defense is a lot harder than playing offense Pearce.”
“Maybe. But I suspect it's a lot more rewarding too.”
They were both quiet for a minute.
“Well I suppose,” said Anais. “We could do something like Elias Mach did with the wormhole generator.”
“You mean the Mach Shield?”
“Yeah, something like that.”
“Well I don't see how we can shield from the temporal bubbles since they are already . . . Wait a minute. We can't shield but we could neutralize.”
“You mean with the chron-particle device you built?”
“No, not really although that might work. But what if we created a bubble of slow time to offset the bubble of fast time? When they come together they might cancel each other.”
“If we could get them together, that is if they don't repel each other too strongly.”
“They will but remember one is chron+ dominant, the fast time bubble, and the other is chron- dominant, the slow time bubble. And those do attract each other as was shown years ago when such anomalies caused a problem around Neptune. Remember?”
“Yes I do remember. I also remember they caused a lot of destruction.”
“That's because they were huge. Compared to those anomalies the ones we are dealing with are like firecrackers. The cancellation of one by the other will result in a great deal of radiation, probably in the form of x-rays but nothing like the giants that merged in Neptune's orbit.”
“You may be right Pearce.”
“I may be right? I know I'm right and now I don't have to build a weapon to kill people but a defense to save lives.”
Pearce was overjoyed. A weight had been lifted. He spontaneously leaned and kissed Anais. She didn't resist.
Pearce explained what he wanted to do to Dave who was supportive. They told Crawley. He was less than enthusiastic but agreed to go along with their plan. They got busy with the research.
The underground lab area had been separated into a test bay and a control room. But because of the danger of hard x-rays being given off during the experiment the monitoring station had actually been moved outside. Inside the test bay a small bubble of negative energy would be created. This bubble would become dominated by chron+ particles by using a copy of Pearce's chron-particle gun to “shower” the bubble. As it naturally collapsed it would spin up creating a bubble of fast-time.
Then another bubble of a similar size would be created and the chron-particle gun would be used again, this time to shower the bubble with chron- particles. The second bubble would then spin up creating the slow-time temporal effect in its interior.
Created in the same plane the two bubbles should be attracted to each other maybe with a slight offset that would lead them to spin around a common center of gravity until they finally merged and disappeared in a hail of hard x-rays.
Since the chron-particle gun did not have remote operation Dave had volunteered
to create the two bubbles while Pearce and Anais and others monitored from outside. Once the bubbles were created Dave would join the others. The amount of soil between the test bay and the outside monitoring station should be enough to protect them from the expected x-rays.
The experiment started. The others watched as Dave created the first bubble. The cloud-like sphere appeared from seemingly nowhere. At first it seemed unmoving but shortly from its surface stringy wisps left barely visible smoky trails indicating it was spinning up. It was showered with chron+ particles. Dave created another across the room and showered it with chron- particles. It looked almost identical and followed the same development as the first.
Dave was just about to leave the control room when he noticed the outgoing video was down. He turned and started messing with the equipment. Inside the test bay the bubbles had started approaching each other and were beginning to orbit their common center of gravity. Faster and faster they spun around each other and closer and closer they came. Dave got the feed working and started to leave but glanced inside the test bay. Almost simultaneously the roar like a tornado and a flashing light like a summer sun marked the merger of the spheres.
Outside the other's eyes were protected by the response of the screen which darkened as rapidly as the illumination increased. But Dave was not as fortunate. The light was blinding and it hurt. He closed his eyes but when he opened them again he couldn't see.
CHAPTER 18
Crawley had Elisabeth James, who was a physiologist but acted like a doctor to the group, check Dave.
“It's similar to solar retinopathy so it's possible he will recover in time. But I can't say whether that will be days, weeks or months.”
Crawley, Pearce and Anais were also in the room.
“Well Dave I guess we'll have to make some accommodations to continue the experiment,” said Pearce.
“I don't know Pearce. Why don't you let me rest for a while and then I'll decide what to do.”
“Sure Dave, no problem.”
So Pearce and Anais continued the experiment but not until fully remote operation was possible. They had quite a bit of data recorded by the day of the attack.
Still testing from outside the lab Pearce and Anais heard and saw the beginning of the attack. Drifting down through the air they heard the bubble before it found its target.
“Pearce look,” said Anais pointing into the sky. “I think that's a temporal bubble.”
Pearce looked and immediately knew they were under attack. He established a connection to Crawley through his Emmie.
“Crawley we've got incoming temporal bubbles.”
Before he heard anything back he saw the bubble engulf the house. In less than two minutes the bubble began to dissipate and left only dust and foundation in its place. The same thing began to happen with the barn when Pearce heard Crawley calling.
“Pearce, get out! Head west along the old railroad trail we'll meet up with you there.”
“Okay Crawley.”
“Let's go Anais.”
The two begin running across the yard to the pasture when they saw the craft hovering.
“Quick Anais into the woods.”
They turned ninety degrees and headed for the closest treeline.
Before they entered the woods they heard the air vehicles landing and saw the troopers emerge. Pearce couldn't tell if they were men or robots in all the battle gear but he could tell they were territorial troops. He told Anais as they both kept running.
They reached the railroad grade and headed west. But before they had gone far they heard the air vehicles overhead. Pearce pulled Anais to the side. They slid down the embankment and into the brush where they took cover.
The air vehicles passed low overhead. Close enough for the exhausts from their vertical engines to blast the brush. Pearce and Anais hugged the ground as much as possible. Then it got quiet.
Pearce was just about to rise when he felt a lash across his forehead. He cried out before he could control himself and then heard a voice from up on the rail bed.
“I'm sorry. Is someone there?”
Pearce realized he had given away their position. He whispered to Anais to remain still and he stood up.
“Yes I'm Pearce Rawlings,” he was facing some kind of contraption.
“I'm sorry sir I did not realize you were there,” said the machine. “I'm the groundskeeper for this rail path and I was just doing routine maintenance. I'm afraid one of my cut-bots has injured you.”
“Well it's not serious,” said Pearce. “Probably will be red for a while.”
Then it occurred to him.
“Say, could you give me and my companion a lift to the nearest town?”
Pearce bent down to help Anais up.
“Of course sir if you don't mind a rather slow ride. You see I have to finish cleaning the rail path from here to Eaton by evening so I'm afraid I can't take you directly there.”
“That's okay, it's faster than we can walk and less tiring.”
“Very well. Climb aboard I have two seats with overhead cover on whichever side you prefer. You see I've picked up people before out here and I did some reconfiguring to help make the ride more comfortable.”
“Excellent,” said Pearce as he and Anais climbed aboard the machine.
The machine resumed its maintenance duties. Pearce whispered to Anais a little above the machinery noise.
“Stay under the cover as much as possible. It should shield us if the troopers return.”
“Pearce it seems like this is much more than the government trying to stop our experiment. I think they want us dead.”
“It appears that way Anais. If they wanted to just stop us they could arrest us.”
They were both quiet a moment hearing only the machine busy in its work.
“Our freedom is gone Pearce, what will we do?”
“We'll do as we have been Anais. We'll develop a defense to the time bubbles and we'll claim our freedoms again.”
“Over and over Pearce. Why does this happen over and over again?”
“You mean people losing their freedoms?”
Anais shook her head yes.
“Something as old as the species I guess. There are those who just want to be left alone. And then there are those that for whatever reason, greed or ego or even benevolence, want others to do as they say. There is no solution, it's the human condition. We can only reassert our rights once they have been trampled.”
Anais was quiet now, resting her head against Pearce's shoulder. He watched as the hills passed, thinking how empty the Earth really was when you got far from a tower complex. Except for the railroad right-of-way these hills and mountains had been this way for eons. Human encroachment was still limited because of the logistics of living so far away from others. But he thought it might be worth it once they were out of this mess. Maybe Anais would feel the same?
Pearce had almost drifted to sleep if not for the frequent bumps and the need to keep Anais secure as she dozed. Then he saw the terrain begin to change. They were leaving the mountains and entering open pasture land. The machine didn't have so much to do and was speeding up.
“We should be in Eaton soon,” said the machine.
“Thank you,” said Pearce.
As the machine had promised they were soon in the outskirts of a small town. The machine slowed down and turned off the railroad bed and came to a halt.
“My shops are this way,” said the machine. “I'm afraid you'll have to walk downtown from here.”
“No problem,” said Pearce, thanking the machine for the ride and helping Anais down.
Anais yawned and stretched and said, “Where are we?”
“We are in Eaton,” said Pearce. “We'll have to walk downtown from here.”
“Okay, let's keep our eyes open for some food, I'm hungry,” she said.
At first they didn't see any people or vehicles. After a few blocks some vehicles became apparent. Mostly old electrics. Pearce
couldn't believe how old some of them were.
A few more blocks and they found what they were looking for, a restaurant.
“Thank goodness,” said Anais.
Inside they found a décor that could only be described as mid-twenty-seventh century. Pearce didn't know if it was deliberate or the owners just hadn't updated their diner in the last one-hundred years. Pearce and Anais found a booth.
A waitress came up.
“Can I get you something to drink?”
“Yes thank you,” said Pearce. “What would you like Anais?”
After the drink order Pearce and Anais took a look at the menus. The menu items were as old as the décor. Pearce was surprised, some of this stuff he hadn't had since he was a kid.
When the waitress came to take their order he said, “I can get cornbread with my vegetables?”
“Sure can honey, if that's what you want.”
As they were finishing up their meal the owner came out.
“Hi folks how was it?” she asked.
“I enjoyed it,” said Anais.
“It was great,” said Pearce. “It's been some time since I had a meal of vegetables and cornbread. I grew up on it. But not since I lived at home have I had cornbread.”
“Really? Where you folks from?”
“I'm from the Atlanta Complex and my name is Pearce Rawlings.”
“I'm from the NE Complex, and my name is Anais Eiffel.”
“Well it's pretty common here in Eaton. Are you folks just passing through?”
“We're not sure,” said Pearce. “We're looking for a quiet place to settle away from the big complexes so Eaton might be a good choice.”
“Well if you decide to stay let me know I'm also a realtor, here's my card.”
Pearce took the card and looked at it.
“Thank you Toni. By the way can you tell us where we can rent a room for the night?”
With the information supplied Pearce and Anais headed for the nearest room and board where they each took a room.
A good night's sleep and the two were headed back to the diner for breakfast. After ordering they were sitting and talking about what they should do next when Pearce glanced out the window.
Time's End: A Future Chron Novel (Future Chron Universe Book 34) Page 12