The Last Time Traveler

by Aaron J. Ethridge

  “It might work, Rob,” Cleo pointed out.

  “It might,” he admitted. “However, it might blow up the universe. She's not a memory Cleo, she's a person. Who knows what would happen. Why do you want to come with us anyway, Azure?”

  “Are you kidding,” she laughed. “You guys are like the saviors of the universe. Who wouldn't want to be part of that?!?!”

  “Well... it's mainly me,” he corrected. “However, I do see your point. But, no Azure, I'm sorry, there's just no way. You have your fate and we have ours and never the twain shall meet. I hate it for you, but console yourself with this: you'll never know what you're missing.”

  “Yeah,” she sighed. “I figured that was the case. But I thought I better ask while I had the chance.”

  “I completely understand,” he smiled. “And I'd gladly take you with us if I could.”

  The following day Morgan resumed his training with Azure by his side. This time, however, Doc stayed at the gun range with them for several hours. He and Azure talked a good bit about fate and what her future might be like. Then he excused himself and left the two of them alone. Hours later Morgan's two day crash course was complete and, as Azure took another shower, he made his way back to the bridge.

  “How goes the gun play?” the traveler asked as Morgan took a seat.

  “Good,” the young man replied. “I'm getting better all the time.”

  “Glad to hear it,” Robert smiled. “Next time you'll get a gun.”

  “Awesome!”

  “Rob,” Doc said stepping onto the bridge. “We need to talk.”

  “Talk away, Doc,” the traveler replied.

  “Do you believe in fate?” Doc asked, taking a seat beside the traveler, their eyes locked together.

  “I don't know, Doc,” Robert replied, shaking his head side to side. “I mean, you're one on my best friends...”

  “And you're one of mine,” Doc interjected.

  “Well I don't want to upset you,” the traveler continued, “but I don't think I believe in it like you do, no. Why do you ask?”

  “It's about Azure,” Doc replied.

  “What about her?”

  “She wants to come with us.”

  “Well she can't.”

  “Ah, Robert, but she can,” Doc corrected.

  “What do you mean?” the traveler asked.

  “I mean,” Doc explained, “she's a missing person.”

  “That is epic!” Morgan replied.

  “One sec, Morgan,” Robert said. “What makes you think that, Doc?”

  “I checked with Sister.”

  “What made you do that?”

  “Several things,” Doc replied. “I simply found the idea that Azure had managed to accept her fate and fit in with our crew in roughly twenty-four hours truly remarkable...”

  “It was, but...” Robert injected.

  “And then of course,” Doc continued. “I found her sincere desire to go with us curious...”

  “I suppose...”

  “Also her faith is similar to my own, Robert,” Doc explained. “She told me she felt as if destiny had led her here. And she couldn't understand why fate would show her what she wanted, which was a true purpose, only to take it away.”

  “So then you called Sister?” the traveler asked.

  “I did,” Doc nodded. “It seemed the sensible thing to do.”

  “It certainly was,” Robert nodded. “And I already told her she could come if we could find a way. Maybe you have Doc... How'd she go missing?”

  “She headed into the mountains near her homeland on a spiritual retreat,” Doc explained. “There was an avalanche. Her body was never found.”

  “That'll do,” the traveler replied.

  “Robert,” Doc said taking a deep breath. “What are the odds that we would rescue someone during an apocalypse, who would then end up stranded on our ship just long enough to realize that they wanted to join our cause, who also just happened to be a missing person?”

  “Slim,” Robert admitted.

  “Just consider it, Rob,” Doc smiled. “Just consider it.”

  “What are you guys talking about,” Cleo asked as she and Azure stepped in, their hair still damp.

  “Azure,” Robert replied.

  “She can come with us!” Morgan exclaimed.

  “I can?” she asked excitedly.

  “Maybe,” the traveler said, before reaching over to the com. “Vox, how go those repairs? You about done?”

  “Almost, Rob, Why?”

  “Can you come to the bridge for a few minutes?'

  “On my way.”

  Five minutes later Vox stepped in the room, completing the party.

  “Alright guys,” the traveler said. “Here's the situation: Azure wants to come with us and I think she's already proven she can be an asset. And, as it happens, she's a missing person...”

  “What does that mean?” Azure interrupted.

  “Just what it says,” Robert smiled. “According to real history, Azure, you went into the mountains seeking enlightenment. There was an avalanche and you were never seen again. That means we can pick you up just before you're lost and you can come with us.”

  “Awesome!” Morgan exclaimed.

  “However,” the traveler continued, “sometimes it can be difficult retrieve people. And I hate shooting them with tranq-guns because it tends to start the relationship off on a bad foot. So, I figured since we have you here with us you could help us make it easier on you.”

  “How?” Azure asked.

  “Do you have any secrets?”

  “What do you mean,” she giggled. “Almost everyone has secrets.”

  Morgan grabbed his chest.

  “I supposed that's true,” the traveler chuckled. “But do you have a secret you could share with us? Something no one else knows?”

  “Oh!” Morgan said sitting bolt upright. “That's a good idea! Real good.”

  “I think so,” Robert smiled. “It will help prove that we know her even though she doesn't know us. It can be something you did, or always wanted...”

  “Or always wanted to do,” Morgan suggested. “Like some really wild fantasy maybe. Really the wilder it is the better because then you'll know you never told anybody. You know what I'm saying?!?!”

  “Thanks, Morgan,” the traveler replied. “I think she's got the idea.”

  “Well,” she replied with a slight purplish blush, “there was one thing. But it was kind of crazy.”

  “Don't worry about that!” the young man assured her. “We all have crazy desires sometimes. And I mean crazy!”

  “Calm down, Morgan,” Cleo said, “before I ask Doc to give you a tranquilizer.”

  “I mean...” Azure replied. “It's still a little embarrassing.”

  “What?!?!” Morgan said. “You ain't got nothing to be embarrassed about. We're all friends here! Maybe it would like ease the tension if we all shared a fantasy. Cleo, get the ball rolling would you?”

  “Ignore him,” Cleo replied rolling her eyes. “What was it, Azure?”

  “Well,” she said, “when I was in my early teens...”

  Morgan began biting his index knuckle in anticipation.

  “I always wanted a monster truck...” she confessed.

  “A... a what?” Morgan said, leaping to his feet. “A monster truck?”

  “Yes,” she replied with a nod. “It's basically like a regular truck but it's...”

  “I know what it is!” he said. “And that's your big embarrassing fantasy?”

  “Well... Yeah...” she replied. “I mean, I don't know about where you come from, but where I was raised most teenage girls wanted horses or like convertible cars.”

  “Man...” Morgan said sitting back down. “If you find that embarrassing some of my fantasies would kill ya!”

  “I'm sure that's true,” Cleo replied shaking her head.

  With a plan in mind and a secret in hand they all went to bed. The ship repairs were almo
st complete and on the following morning they would be able replace the orb, then drop Azure off somewhere, then un-steal the orb, then pick Azure up. All things considered, it promised to be a rich full day.

  Chapter 8: Pick Up & Delivery

  “What are you wearing?” Cleo asked as Morgan stepped onto the bridge.

  “They're called clothes, little lady,” the young man replied, adjusting his cowboy hat, and putting his ostrich booted foot up on one of the seats.

  “And what's with the gun belt?” the traveler asked.

  “Well, partner,” Morgan replied, pulling the toothpick from his mouth, “you said I could have a gun for the next mission. And this here's the next mission.”

  “We're not gonna need guns,” Robert pointed-out.

  “Well,” Morgan replied, “That don't seem to matter much there does it? I earned a gun, I get to wear a gun, d'ya get me?”

  “Sure...” the traveler chuckled.

  “So, where are we headed?” Morgan asked.

  “Planet A,” Robert replied. “We need to replace the orb and see what happens with the time-lines before we do more.”

  “Planet A?” the young man replied. “That's an idiotic name for a planet.”

  “Right...” Cleo said, slowly nodding. “That's not actually the name of the planet, Morgan. It's just that Rob doesn't care enough to tell you what its actual name is.”

  “What?” Morgan said, obviously incensed. “Why not?”

  “Because, man,” Robert replied. “There are billions of planets in the universe and sometimes they have different names depending on the date. And the name doesn't matter anyway. It's the where and the when that really counts.”

  “Well I still like to know.”

  “Then look it up. I ain't your personal encyclopedia, Morgan.”

  “I don't know how.”

  “Then learn.”

  “I don't know how.”

  “We can argue about it later,” the traveler replied.

  “Well then, I want you to tell me just one more.”

  “Why?”

  “I want to know the name of Azure's home planet,” Morgan explained.

  “Okay, man,” Robert replied, “that's fair. Her world is called Ratatouille.”

  “Thank you!” the young man said. “Don't you feel better for being helpful?”

  “You know, Morgan,” the traveler smiled. “I kind of do... Oh, and seriously, you have to leave that gun here.”

  “Why?”

  “We're heading for a planet of borderline pacifists, man,” Robert explained. “You might attract a bit of attention strutting around in a gun belt.”

  “I got ya,” Morgan sighed. “But next time it is on baby!”

  A few minutes after this mind-expanding conversation the ship dropped into real space a short distance above Planet A. Fortunately for the band this was a rather nothing-to-it drop off situation. In truth, it was so simple a job that Vox and Doc opted to stay on board and guard the ship from any swag-mad pirates that might suddenly pop into existence in the cargo bay.

  The really exciting, or suicidal depending on your point of view, bit was rescuing the orb from the e-zombies. This was just a matter of wandering around in an almost abandoned monastery and avoiding the time-doofus Marcus Delmont.

  “Remember,” Robert said, staring out of the transparent walls of the loading platform. “The important part of all this is avoiding the time-doofus Marcus Delmont. Other than that this one really is a piece of cake.”

  “Couldn't we have just landed an hour or so after he left?” Cleo asked.

  “Sure,” the traveler replied. “Why not?”

  “Then why didn't we?” she asked, quite logically.

  “I just like the idea of returning it like five minutes after he takes it,” Robert explained. “It's kind of like: in your face!”

  “But he'll never know you did it,” she pointed out.

  “Yeah,” he agreed. “But I will!”

  “Rob, you're a lunatic!”

  “Agreed,” he nodded. “Let's go!”

  The four companions stepped from the interior of the quite invisible loading platform and headed strait for an old monastery that was perhaps a mile down the road. As they strolled along Azure gazed around her, apparently amazed.

  “So this is my people's original home world?” she asked, almost speaking to herself.

  “It is,” Robert smiled. “This is where you're people got their start.”

  “Do we ever reunite?”

  “Not up to the point where time stops,” he replied. “However, who knows what will happen once time starts up again.”

  “I would like to help it happen,” she said thoughtfully.

  “Well,” the traveler replied, “you'll soon belong to our time. And, if there's ever a future again you'll be able to work toward that in the then present, if you see what I mean. Wow... that'll be weird...”

  “What will?” Cleo asked smiling at him.

  “When people ask me when did that happen? and I say like just now! and actually mean it.”

  “Yeah...” she mused. “You're right. That will be weird.”

  “So...” Azure sighed. “When is this?”

  “Mmmm,” Robert replied. “It's a little more than ten years before your home world's destroyed.”

  “So at this exact moment my people are still safe and happy?”

  “Yep,” he nodded, turning a wide smile toward her. “Even you.”

  “This is crazy,” she replied. “I mean, to think that ten years from now...”

  “Don't think about it,” Robert replied. “It never happened. Oh! And there he is!”

  Marching down the road towards them was a very handsome man in his mid-thirties. He was over six feet tall and had long blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. He was also built like a brick chicken house.

  “That's Delmont?” Morgan asked.

  “That's Delmont,” the traveler replied.

  “He doesn't look like I expected,” the young man pointed-out.

  “What did you expect?” Robert asked.

  “I don't know...” Morgan replied. “Fat, balding, thick glasses...”

  “Sock-sandals?” the traveler suggested.

  “That's hurtful, Rob,” the young man observed. “But either way, he doesn't look anything like I thought he would.”

  “Me either,” Azure admitted. “I mean, he's really good looking. I mean, like a nine or maybe even a nine-and-a-half.”

  “You couldn't have waited an hour could you, Rob?” Morgan asked accusingly.

  As Delmont drew near Robert spoke to him.

  “Good morning,” the traveler said with slight bow.

  “Good morning,” Delmont replied before continuing quickly down the road.

  “You said we were supposed to avoid him!” Morgan pointed out.

  “I meant,” Robert explained, “we weren't supposed to run up and punch him in the gut or anything.”

  “Well,” the young man said, “you've changed the time-lines by talking to him!”

  “Underwear elastic, Morgan.”

  “What?” Azure asked.

  “I'll explain later,” the traveler replied. “Let's get in the monastery.”

  Just minutes later the four of them were standing in a shadowy corner in the back of a room filled with forgotten relics. A single cask on a shelf loaded with boxes was no longer completely covered with dust.

  “That's it,” Robert said, nodding toward the small chest. “Azure, would you like to do the honors?”

  As he said this he held out the orb to her. She took it gently in her hands, opened the box, and carefully placed the relic back in its case.

  “And that's that,” the traveler smiled. “Azure, you just saved billions of lives. How do you feel?”

  “Amazing!” she said with a wide smile, and tears in her eyes.

  “Get used to it,” he replied. “You're going to feel that way a lot. Let's go!”

 
As soon as they reached the ship Robert had Cleo check the time-lines.

  “Yep,” she nodded. “The war never happened. And the paradoxical side-effects are minimal.”

  “Awesome!” Robert replied. “Now we need to drop Azure off someplace nice.”

  Having said this he jumped in his seat and started quickly pressing buttons. The ship lifted off and in almost no time was once again flying through the void of non-space.

  “Azure,” he said turning his seat to face her. “This may be a little difficult for you. We've got to drop you off so we can un-steal the orb. And I've got to leave you some place completely alone. But you'll be safe and after about an hour you'll have never been there at all. You think you can handle that?”

  “I can,” she nodded.

  “Great!” he replied. “However, there's something I want to take care of first. Let's you and me head to the medi-bay.”

  Roughly an hour later the ship dropped back into real space above a familiar world.

  “Escargot,” Morgan said with a contented sigh. “Beautiful isn't it?”

  “What?” Cleo asked.

  “Your home world, Cleo!”

  “Oh,” she giggled. “Of course.”

  Morgan stared at her from under a single raised eyebrow.

  “Oh,” she said. “Sorry... I forgot.”

  “No...” he said slowly. “It's cool. I've got to get used to it, ya know?”

  “That might be best,” she smiled.

  At that moment Robert, Azure, and Doc stepped onto the bridge.

  “Alright,” the traveler said, dropping into his seat. “Let's land this bird.”

  Before the ship touched down on the very same island they had picked Cleo up from, Vox joined the rest of the group.

  “I been thinking, boss,” he said settling down in a nearby seat.

  “What's that Vox?” the traveler asked.

  “Well,” he replied, “We've just saved billions of lives, the next part of the mission is just pushing buttons, and I've barely gotten to speak to Azure.”

  “All true.”

  “So,” he continued, “since we got to leave her down here all by her lonesome, why don't we have a little party? A bit of a sendoff before we go pick her up. Ya feel me?”

  “Absolutely,” Robert nodded. “It's a brilliant idea. Let's do it.”