The Time Sphere

by A. E. Albert

  The only snag in Billy’s self centered thoughts was Jeanie. He looked over at her leaning on Dickens shoulder. He knew he needed to get her back home and out of harm's way, then he could just carry on as he did before.

  Jeanie liked everybody and everything and he felt it was his responsibility to protect her from herself. He knew he would really have to stay away from her when they got back home because her weird obsession to be his friend is what got her trapped in this dungeon in the first place. Ya, it was for her own good, he reflected, as his weary eyes began to droop in sleep.

  Chapter 10

  The next morning, the prisoners were brought their breakfast of bread and water. They ate hungrily, knowing that their next meal would be long in coming. Dickens tried to pass the time with funny stories from various times in history, but Billy was only half listening. He tried to ask Dickens what it was like in the future, however; Dickens said that it was not for anyone from the past to know. Billy leaned his head against the stone wall for the most part. His eyes were usually closed, so not to invite any conversation.

  It must have been late in the day, when the door to the prison chamber creaked open. They had all eaten not that long before, but that didn’t stop Billy from hoping that someone made a mistake and they were about to get second helpings.

  However, instead of the regular jail guard, none other than the captain of the guards himself entered the small and abysmal room. He stood in its center, with his head tilted to the side, a slight smile playing on his lips. Billy just stared up at the big man, his long and pink scar running down the side of his face.

  “I would like to have a private chat with you all, if I may,” he asked almost politely.

  However, after their confrontation with the king, Billy didn’t believe that the captain’s seemingly pleasant manner was anything but a facade.

  “I want to know why you were found in the inventor’s home.” His words were slow and soft, but his eyes demanded answers.

  Billy just swallowed and looked to his companions on the other side of the room. They too, just gazed fearfully up at the man.

  “Now if you help me, I would be more than willing to help you. Oh, I don’t know, maybe you all will mysteriously escape in the middle of the night,” he said with a deceptive smile.

  “Why would you want to help us,” asked Dickens skeptically.

  “I believe in mutual gratification. I want something, you want something. I don’t see why we can’t work together.”

  Billy looked up at the terrifying man and asked in a shaky voice, “What if we can’t give you what you want?”

  “Then I don’t help you.”

  “What is it that you want?”

  “What I want is Archimedes’ head on a platter. However, information against him will be almost as satisfying.”

  “If you want information, then we want to know why,” stated Dickens with an even stare.

  “Why? I am the captain of the guard, the true protector of this city. Yet, my king will bend over backwards to please that crazy old fool. I want what is rightfully mine, the honor and prestige of defending Syracuse and the favor of my liege lord. However, this will never be mine until the inventor is taken care of. Will you give me what I want?”

  “I’m sorry, but we don’t know anything that will help you,” replied Dickens, his face void of any expression.

  The captain’s pleasant exterior was quickly discarded, as he threatened, “Do not think you can fool me! You are spies and will die as spies, unless you give me what I want!”

  “We don’t know anything. Besides, Archimedes isn’t the traitor,” countered Jeanie forcefully, but her eyes betrayed her fear

  “Don’t look at me like that girl; I do not like your insinuations,” the captain sneered.

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a familiar black box. He looked at the prisoners with a glint of triumph in his eyes. “What is this do you suppose?” he asked, gazing at the Device in his hand. “I have never seen its like. It seems to be a box of some kind, but I cannot open it. I thought about using aggressive means to do so, but I believe that it may be something you wish to have back in your possession?”

  Billy whipped his head around to look at Dickens, whose only expression was a slight frown. Billy returned his fearful gaze back to Lucius. When did he get the Device and how were they going to get it back, he thought frantically.

  “What you have is nothing of significance and I repeat, we have no information to give you,” Dickens replied, his face void of any emotion, making Billy hope that the captain believed him.

  The captain tore his curious gaze from the foreign object in his hand, his expression hardening. “Fine, if you all wish to die, that is your choice. I will get what I want one way or another. I’ll see you all soon...at your execution,” he said and swiftly exited the cell.

  Jeanie was visibly upset by the man’s parting words. “We can’t let anything happen to Archimedes!” she exclaimed, as she looked from Billy to Dickens.

  “Archimedes! Who cares about him! We’re the ones in a dungeon about to be executed and they have the Device!” Billy glared at Dickens. “Why didn’t you tell us they took it from you, anyway?” demanded Billy.

  “A greedy guard obtained it upon our arrival in the citadel. I didn’t wish to worry either of you until I had to,” he wearily replied.

  Jeanie, on the other hand didn’t seem to care about the Device. “Billy, this is our fault! If we didn’t go to Archimedes’ house, the captain wouldn’t have anything to use against him!”

  “He hated that crazy old guy before we showed up, we didn’t do anything!”

  Jeanie glared at Billy for a long minute. “You know what? You’re selfish, Billy! I never really noticed that before,” she said in an angry tone. However, her expression was one of sadness as she sat back down and laid her head on her knees.

  Billy returned to his corner to once again sit alone. I don’t care, Billy thought to himself. I shouldn’t even be here. They had bigger problems, as their only way out of here was in the hands of the demented captain. It wasn’t his fault that Lucius was out to get Archimedes. There was nothing they could do about it anyway. Ya, that’s right! They were in here and he was out there. He didn’t know how that made him selfish.

  Chapter 11

  Two days had passed in the King’s dungeon and Billy was no closer to figuring out how to get them out of there than before. There was nothing to look at but bare stone walls and the only access to fresh air was a small barred window on the prison door. All he could think about was that if they had the Device, they could have gotten themselves out of there.

  “They’re going to kill us when they find out we’re not Roman. We could’ve used the Device to get out of here!” Billy said to Dickens with bitterness in his voice.

  Dickens took a deep breath and for the first time looked truly weary. “There is no use lamenting over something that can’t be changed at this moment. Besides, time is not something to be taken lightly. If we keep flitting about the time streams, we’ll never complete our task. There is danger everywhere throughout most of man’s history. Dealing with this tyrant or another, this dungeon or another. Suspicion and fear rule everywhere and we should only use the Device as a last resort.”

  Dickens turned to Jeanie and asked softly, “How are you, my dear, still worried about your hair? Don’t worry; it was more of a threat than anything. The king believing we may be Roman was definitely a boon. He wouldn’t risk one hair on your head until he knows for sure.”

  “Which could be any time now!” Billy stated forcefully. “It’s been two days-”

  “Which means, we have a few more at least,” replied Dickens, emphasizing each word.

  “Ya, to sit here and do nothing,” Billy said in a brooding tone.

  “Be patient, Billy, the answers will come.”

  Billy stomped to the small opening on the door. “Come? What, through that guard who doesn’t leave our sight! I d
on’t think he even leaves to go the bathroom!” he yelled, pointing to a man sitting on a stool at the end of the long hallway.

  “Hey, shut up down there!” shouted the prison guard.

  “Billy, there’s nothing we can do about it right now. Yelling isn’t helping matters,” whispered Jeanie, with fear in her voice. At least she didn’t sound upset with him anymore, Billy thought.

  “Ya, well, if it wasn’t for that moron, Archimedes, we wouldn’t be in this mess,” Billy retorted in a harsh whisper.

  “Do not call Archimedes a moron,” Dickens said in a low voice.

  “Well, he is, Dickens. He invented the cure for dandruff! He’s not this great mind of the age you seem to think he is, and I don’t believe he can help us!”

  “Fair enough, for some reason history remembers the Archimedes Principle a little differently. But that doesn’t change the fact he has discovered a number of great inventions. He did lay the ground work for future mathematicians, and it was his mind that protected Syracuse for years. The truth is, I understand the Kings fear of us. Archimedes is paramount in his importance. You need to learn not to judge others so harshly. You only encountered a fragment of who Archimedes is. He may be eccentric, but you need to stop underestimating him.”

  “Ya, but-”

  “No, I don’t want to hear another word slandering that man.” Dickens flat tone indicated that the topic of conversation was over.

  “I’m hungry,” complained Jeanie, who was sitting against the cold stone wall.

  Right on cue, Jeanie knew the precise thing to say to take Billy and Dickens’s mind off the current conversation. It was just about time for lunch. Another serving of bread and water, Billy complained to himself.

  Just then, he heard the sound of something large slumping to the ground. As Billy craned his neck to look, someone in a long brown frumpy cloak came around the corner. He stopped and peered behind him. When he felt certain no one was there, he swiftly removed his hood and revealed himself through the barred opening in the door.

  “Archimedes!”Jeanie cried and ran to towards him. “How did you escape the men guarding your house?” Billy didn’t remember the old guy being so round in the middle.

  “Shhhh, child, we don’t want to encourage the guards to check on any strange noises coming from the dungeons. And how did I escape? My girl, I am a genius, after all!” He then quickly grabbed the keys from the dozing soldier and let himself in through the door. “Opium. I hope I didn’t give the fellow too much. Here’s your dinner, by the way. I added some fruit to the menu.” Billy couldn’t help but feel grateful to the old man.

  However, he continued to eye Archimedes warily. “Why the concern all of a sudden, anyway? I begged you for help when the kings’ guard took us away. You didn’t help us then, why now?”

  Archimedes cleared his throat. “Well I, I thought well…, you said you could help me and I thought it can’t hurt to ask.” Archimedes began to pace. “It’s very difficult being seen as a genius. Oh, I don’t mean to imply that I’m not; it’s just that everybody assumes I know the answer to everything. Of course, I usually do, but this new problem the king wants me to solve really has me perplexed. Yes, I have met extreme challenges before, but not like this one. So I decided that if by some miracle you Celts know something I don’t, I’m willing to risk it.”

  “Oh, Archimedes, will you get into trouble if you don’t figure it out?” For some unknown reason to Billy, Jeanie seemed really attached to the crazy old guy.

  “No, I don’t think so. The truth is, I have a very comfortable life here. I create my machines for the king and he leaves me in peace to work on my circles. They are my true passion. If helping the king with his insignificant troubles lets that continue, then I’ll do it.”

  “Glad to know that it’s not our necks on the line that inspired you,” snorted Billy.

  “That’s enough Billy; the point is that he’s here now. It’s not like you would’ve done anything in his place!” snapped Jeanie, who turned to beam at Archimedes, just in time to miss Billy’s blush.

  “Quite true, Jeanie, good form. So old chap, what’s your plan?” inquired Dickens.

  “To be honest, not much of one. I just fed opium laced wine to every man in the dungeons. Here are some cloaks. We have a few minutes before they change the guard,” Archimedes said hastily, as he was handing out the coarse brown garments.

  “So we’re just going to walk out of here?” Billy asked, while putting his cloak on.

  “Well, so far, that’s the plan. Let’s hurry,” he replied, as he turned to leave the dungeon.

  However, the way was blocked as Billy placed himself in front of the door. “Wait, I’m not moving a muscle until we do what we came here to do.” Billy looked hard at Dickens.

  Dickens nodded his white head. “Billy is right, the time is now and we may not get another opportunity.” He looked at the wily old inventor. “Archimedes, our coming to you in Syracuse was not an accident. We have come very far for your council. We need to know what you know about… time?”

  The inventor scrunched up his face and asked, “Time? Like on a sun dial or a water clock? Well, time is a marker. It announces what time to wake up at, when to take our meals. It is what we humans use to plan our day. For example, when the sun is high in the sky, I always work on my circles, followed by a nice light lunch.” He gazed at his new found friends with a befuddled expression.

  Dickens put his hands on the old man’s shoulders. “No, Archimedes, let me be specific.” He leaned in closer. “What are your thoughts on time…travel?”

  The old man sputtered. “Well, first of all, one cannot travel through time!”

  “What if it were possible?”

  “Well, it’s not!”

  “You have spent your whole life discovering what was not previously known. How can you say something doesn’t exist when you have never even thought about it,” countered Dickens in an irritated voice.

  “Because I deal in probabilities! Humans cannot fly, so why would I ponder them doing so!” he scathingly replied, as he rolled his eyes in the air.

  “So, you refuse to consider that an infinite space exists when you have been working with infinite concepts?”

  “It doesn’t exist! Even the gods are not truly immortal. Besides, I have been working on a number series that is compatible with the natural world, not some delusion you have concocted,” the inventor scoffed.

  Dickens closed his eyes and spoke slowly, trying to reason with the stubborn old man. “Archimedes, see beyond the numbers and look at what the numbers signify. Think of all of your work and your work with the infinite. We came here to see you and knew that if anyone can possibly help us, you can.”

  “Please, Archimedes,” Jeanie added, her eyes pleading.

  The inventor looked at Jeanie, put his hands on his hips and huffed, “Alright!” Then holding up his hand, he said harshly, “If I was to theorize on it!”

  Archimedes began to pace about the room, scratching his chin. “Well, I suppose we generally use the sun to tell us the time. Its circle formation is what inspired me, by the way.” He began to tap his finger on his lips, with a bemused expression on his face. As the inventor continued to walk around the small prison cell, the travelers noticed he was no longer speaking to them, but himself.

  “Alright, a circle is a never-ending line, its end points joined together, creating an infinite loop. There is no ending. But all things of this world have an ending, birth and death. The day begins and then it ends. If no one gathers the olives that fall to the ground, the earth takes them back and they are no more. The world is full of beginning and end points, the same as a line.”

  Archimedes turned to his audience as if suddenly remembering that they were there. “That is why the circle has always intrigued me, something infinite existing in a finite world.” His expression was again lost in thought. “Think, Archimedes, think!”

  The inventor stopped and looked off into space. “Th
e grains of sand. You know, I once tried to calculate all of the grains in the universe. The number is infinite. Like the difference between the size of a grain of sand and the roaming planetary bodies of the universe. I thought to myself, there is no limit. Therefore ‘nothing’ as we know it cannot exist. No amount of matter too small, no distance too great. Size is irrelevant, when the vacuum is so large. If finite beings exist in infinite space…anything is possible. In order to travel through time, time as we know must be manipulated. But to what?”

  Archimedes slowly turned to stare at Billy, Jeanie and Dickens. His eyes were wide and his voice full of awe, as he said, “There can be no time.” His eyes lit up and he began to speak animatedly. “The possibilities are endless! This opens up whole new avenues for scientific advancement!”

  “Hurry, Archimedes, if one was to travel through no time, how could one do it?” asked Dickens, with urgency in his voice.

  “Oh, well, the answer is so obvious to me now! There is only one place that time has no effect! Anything is possible in the unrestrained recesses of the-”

  All of a sudden, loud voices came from the floors above. “The guards are changing, we must leave now!” Archimedes exclaimed, as he opened the dungeon door.

  Billy shook his head. “No, not before he finishes!”

  “No, Billy, the Device is meaningless if we’re dead.” Dickens quickly grabbed Jeanie’s hand and followed Archimedes through the dark and winding passages of the dungeon. Billy begrudging kept close behind them.

  Chapter 12