by C. E. Smith
Julian was glad to be inside nursing a drink once more. The Metal-Hunters were still there, but luckily, they left him alone, save for the occasional stink-eye they threw his way. David the Metal Hunter ignored him completely. It was all well and good; Julian didn’t fancy another black eye.
He watched Kacey with affectionate admiration, her petite but strong figure offering him a nice view. A view he thought just a couple of hours ago he’d never see again. Somehow Julian had convinced the King that he and his knowledge were a valuable asset to his army. That history was a valuable asset. It shocked Julian that the King seemed to finally understand the value of history and how it could shape the future, shape victory. But better late than never, to see such value.
After Kacey finished washing a pint glass with a clean rag, she smiled at him and walked over. He felt more confident now that the King needed him alive, but the sight of her walking toward him was nearly as scary as the thought of being executed. All these years he’d known Kacey, and she still made him feel weak in the knees. But he never acted on it. The Wise Oak Inn was his favorite place to visit. If he made things complicated between the barmaid and himself, it would make it very difficult to return to this place. What would he do with his time when he was not working, if not come here? No, in the long run, he mused, it was better to admire from afar.
“I see you still are alive,” she said in a cheeky tone.
She hadn’t mentioned the incident when he first came back and ordered a drink. He wondered why she brought it up now. The fact that she had remembered he was almost a dead man made him smile. Did that mean she cared about him? Did it worry her that he was nearly killed?
He chuckled. “Yeah. Can you believe it?”
She laughed and shook her head. “No, I can’t. I hear the King doesn’t have much mercy to spare.”
“No, he doesn’t. But I’m on an important mission now. And if I fail again...well, I can’t afford to fail again.”
“Hmm,” Kacey agreed, “no, you can’t. Because then I’ll lose one of my best customers.”
Julian laughed, feeling his whole face turn red as he realized how often he did visit this joint. Perhaps he needed a new hobby after all. But then again, if he found a new hobby, how was he to see Kacey so often? Being away from her was not worth finding a new hobby. Kacey was worth any shame in coming here every night.
The door to the inn opened wide and made nearly everyone inside turn their heads to see who entered. To see who thought themselves so important, so worthy to make such a grand entrance.
The man had broad shoulders, a potato-shaped nose and a fierce glare. He wore a uniform of the King, the Ambassador of Time uniform. He’d only met the man once or twice in passing at the castle, and already he’d forgotten the man’s name.
Julian returned his attention to Kacey, but he was no longer her main focus. Her eyes were following the new arrival, ready to serve him if requested. Julian knew she was just doing her job, but he didn’t like it.
To Julian’s surprise, the man sat beside him. He already didn’t like him because Kacey was paying attention to him, and felt crowded.
“What can I get you, sir?” asked Kacey.
The man shrugged. “I don’t have much time. Just a quick drink,” he said. “My name is Daniel Deatherage. Captain Daniel Deatherage.”
It took a couple of moments before Julian realized the man was no longer speaking to Kacey. She had already left to fetch him his drink, and the man was talking to him. Julian looked to his left and to his right. No one else was seated around him, so he must have been talking to him.
“Yeah, okay,” responded Julian, not really caring who this man was or that he was a captain. Status had never impressed Julian. The only status he worried about was pleasing the King to keep his head.
His placid response made the Captain roll his eyes. “And you are Julian Barros, correct?”
“Congratulations, you know my name,” Julian replied. He didn’t know what this guy wanted, but he wasn’t in the mood for socializing.
Deatherage grabbed his arm. He looked as if he wanted to pound his fist on the counter but was trying to resist. He gritted his teeth, realized he had grabbed Julian, and let go. He patted Julian’s shoulder, smoothing out the fabric of his white tunic shirt, as if apologizing for his bold move.
“Yes, I know who you are,” he said, “and I am hoping as the historical advisor, you would be able to help me. It’s for the King.”
“Ah, suddenly everyone is interested in history today,” said Julian in a nonchalant tone. He didn’t care if it was for the King.
It’s not like this Deatherage would share credit with him or tell the King that he’d helped. Everyone who worked for the King was always looking for promotion, and no one ever shared credit. It was a cutthroat environment the King encouraged to toughen up his people. But, if Julian helped the guy, he would leave and Kacey would quit looking at him. He smiled at that thought, and changed his tune with the Captain.
“Very well, what would you need from me?”
The Captain’s sour face lit up. It would have been a kind sight, if Julian had cared. Instead of caring, he took a swig of his drink while he listened. There was a slight clink of cubed ice in his fancy whisky glass as he raised it to his lips. The cool liquid helped him focus on the stranger’s request.
“I was hoping you would have some information. I hoped you’d know something about…” he paused and lowered his voice, looking around to make sure no one was listening. He motioned with his finger for Julian to come closer, and whispered, “…about Dark Alchemy.”
Julian’s eyes widened and he felt his stomach tense. He thought of the King’s Memory Transfer machine and took a long, slow sip of his drink.
“What do you need to know?” asked Julian after a moment.
Why would the King be asking an Ambassador of Time? It made no sense. It troubled Julian that the King was asking around. Did he not have faith that Julian would deliver on his promise? Did that mean he was getting impatient already? That worried Julian, as it meant he had even less time than he thought. Suddenly his pleasant evening was crushed.
“It’s for the King.”
Julian took a deep breath. His hands were shaking. He shook his head. “I’m working on finding more about it. I’m just surprised...I’m just wondering how you know he is looking for information on it, and why he has you seeking such knowledge.”
Deatherage patted his back and shook his head. “Don’t worry about it, my friend. I thought you might have some news to help me is all. I’m sorry I bothered you. Here, have a drink, on me.”
Julian frowned as the man left enough gold coins for his drink and one for Julian. He left and his seat was once again empty, as if he was never there.
Kacey returned with the man’s drink and pouted. “He’s gone?”
Julian nodded. “Yes. He just had a question.” He was trying to calm down, but he knew his face was betraying his emotions.
Kacey frowned and Julian hated that he was ruining her night by being in a poor mood. But the King’s impatience for impossible knowledge worried Julian greatly. How was he going to come by some knowledge? How much longer did he really have? It was not looking good.
“Julian, what’s wrong?” asked Kacey.
“What’s wrong is I thought earlier tonight I was valuable. Now I realize I’m only as valuable as my knowledge. And I don’t have the right knowledge, Kacey. Without knowledge I am nothing. I must find out what the King needs to know. I must seek help, if I am to be spared again, it is only to provide the King what he wants.”
“Well, at least finish a drink before you fall to despair. Honestly Julian, don’t you know that is how all of us are valued? It is my knowledge of my customers that makes me so valuable here. If I didn’t know what my customers wanted, I’d be fired. Why should working for the King be any different? You can’t spend your days reading and expect that to be enough. You must find knowledge another way. Via experi
ence.”
Julian stared at her, surprised by how correct she was. He could not argue with her words, so he drank the Captain’s drink, ordered another and left the rest of his coins as a tip for Kacey. He wanted to be left alone to think of a plan of how he could find out what the King needed to know, before the King found someone else to get him those answers.
Mimi’s head was spinning with all she had learned in such a short amount of time. She was good at history, but this was the future, and it was hard to believe all that was still to come for her generation. She was glad for a night of sleep after a warm shower. It was what her body needed to recharge, to regain a sense of normalcy.
Her room was comfortable. It was a decent-sized guest room painted a tranquil navy blue, with bookcases stacked on the far wall. The color of the room made Mimi happy, reminding her of her dad’s navy uniform.
Like a lot of things on this ship, the bed was weird. It was a strange black pod centered in the room, the only object in the guest room. It was strangely comfortable, because as soon as she laid down on the bed, it changed size to her exact body shape, like a warm cocoon made just for her.
Awaking many hours later, Mimi felt ready for whatever weirdness awaited her. Bas had said they were on their way to visit an Alchemist friend. She had a hard time believing in Alchemy. It was impossible to turn lead into gold, wasn’t it? But just a day ago, she had thought time travel to be impossible, too.
It felt great to change into a fresh pair of clothes. JAB was a great seamstress, wielding a tool that looked like a hair blow-dyer with a strange digital remote on the end of the dyer’s handle. All Mimi had to do was describe what kind of outfit she wanted to wear, and the clothes materialized from the device. The fashion-materializer reminded her of her best friend from back home, Meredith, who was obsessed with the latest trends.
Mimi wasn’t sure what to expect in the year 3000, so she opted for blue jeans, a white T-shirt and a short sleeve, cobalt blue jacket. The jeans felt like they had come just come out of the dryer, but Mimi’s favorite part was the tall riding boots. They were so soft, and offered her a bit of confidence knowing she would at least be comfortable for the day.
MIMI RAISED an eyebrow as she joined the boys in the kitchen, seeing Bas had on the same red coat, red jeans, and red cowboy boots. It looked like he had a different shirt underneath his coat, but with the unlimited possibilities JAB had to offer, she couldn’t believe he had opted for the same outfit.
Albert smiled at her, looking well rested in a red hoodie and blue jeans. She guessed that jumping universes was the ultimate jet lag, and even her brother needed as much sleep as she did. She’d often wondered back home if he had insomnia, as he always chose to play video games through the night instead of sleeping.
“Don’t you ever change?” she asked Bas.
“Why? This is my favorite coat! And what better matches than red with red?”
Mimi shook her head, finding the battle not worth fighting. “So, Alchemy, huh? How did you get mixed up in Alchemy in the first place?”
“I told you, I have a friend who is an Alchemist. But, it is a rather good story how I met him. But first, JAB! Can we have some breakfast please? I am thinking pancakes are in order.”
“All right!” Albert cried.
Within moments, hot goopy pancakes were presented in front of each of them. Bas began talking, telling the story of how he first arrived to Golden Hope Island, while Mimi and Albert devoured the pancakes, hardly listening to him.
“And anyway,” Bas finished with a shrug, “that’s how I met Aimon Hamilton and how I discovered the Academy of Alchemy on Golden Hope Island.”
“And it’s literally made out of gold, the island?” asked Albert in amazement.
Bas nodded. “Yup, it’s very cool.”
“Let’s go then!” cheered Albert.
“But first, coffee!” Mimi insisted.
As Mimi sipped her coffee, she gazed around her at the cherry wood cabinets, and listened to the dishes clink together as JAB placed them in the dishwasher. Within less than a minute there were a few beeps and the dishwasher shut off. Shocked that the dishes were completely dry and clean in under a minute, Mimi shook her head, thinking how much their nanny Ursula would love to have such technology.
She took another sip of her coffee, pleased that they gave her time to finish the little that was left. Their kitchen back home was never as neat as the one she was sitting in now. Although Ursula tried her hardest to get it tidy by the time their mom came home at night, she often failed with how messy Albert and Teagan tended to be.
Feeling homesick, Mimi looked to Bas for distraction. “Bas, won’t they notice a giant spaceship like this one at Golden Hope Island? Would that draw unwanted attention?”
This question made Bas laugh, and it both made her annoyed to be laughed at and surprised he reacted in such a way.
“Sorry,” Bas said when he at last caught his breath. “It’s just, the ship won’t be going to Golden Hope Island, so there’s no need to worry about getting noticed.”
“Then how do we get there?” asked Albert.
Bas smiled, proudly, and then nodded. “Right, fair question.” He cleared his throat as he prepared to explain, “Yes, well this is difficult for me to explain. It’s normally classified; I’ve never told anyone before! But father said you were the Prodigy,” he said, turning to Mimi, “so I guess you have the right to know. The thing is, the ship never lands. The hovering over New York City to get you lot was the closest to landing it’s come in years! It hovers in the Time Zone, outside the Earth’s Bubble Universe, because the Bas House isn’t how I time travel.”
“It isn’t?” questioned Mimi, more lost than before.
“Nah. It only travels through the Time Zone, what I call the space between the Bubble Universes. It has to leave the Earth’s Bubble Universe to leave the current year you left. Then it can re-enter any time you want it to. It has something to do with temporal folds relating to the mass of the Earth and having enough plasma to leave the Bubble Universe. We don’t have time to explain the really, really complicated physics behind my father’s ship. Because trust me, it would make your mind explode! But the ship never lands. Only in emergencies will it land, or if you don’t have a Shifter, which is a better way to land in time by far. Safer, faster, etcetera, etcetera. See, my father wanted to make it a complicated process, so the wrong hands won’t understand how to use it in case someone stole the Bas House. My father has a constant fear of someone trying to control time instead of just traveling to learn from history. Anyway, if the Bas House was ever hijacked, that person would be able to hover over an era in the Time Zone, but not step foot in it.”
Mimi was intrigued by this concept. The logic was slowly coming together, and that was making her very happy. “Okay, so how do you step foot in time?”
“Ah, this is the brilliant part. Rather proud of my dad for thinking of this bit. The secret of time travel is threefold. One, you need a key. Two, you need a watch. Three, they have to be gold.”
“Gold?” asked Albert.
“Yes. Gold is an element used throughout most of human history. Gold is the constant in the ever inconstant world. So the key and the watch are both made of pure gold. I only have one extra spare, so, sorry, little man, but you’ll have to hitch a ride with one of us.”
Albert didn’t look too pleased as JAB handed Bas a necklace and a watch, which Bas handed to Mimi.
They felt heavy in her hand. The watch had a thick leather strap, and looked like an ordinary old watch. Bas explained that he didn’t want it to stand out too much, for fear of people stealing it just for the gold. The only part not covered by leather was the white face of the clock. Carved throughout both sides of the thick leather strap were gear cogs of different sizes.
The necklace, on the other hand, was marvelous.
It was a key shaped like an hourglass, with sand inside. She held the key upside down and watched as the sand drifted downwar
d, passing the face of a clock in the middle of the hourglass. The neck of the key was golden and long, and the end had three golden teeth poking out from the edge, ridged and uneven. It was beautiful.
“I don’t understand. What do these do?” Mimi asked after examining the extraordinary detail of both items.
“These, as you call them, are the ticket to time. Together they’re called the Time Shifter. See, you move the hands of the clock on the key to select the year and time you want to go to. The hour hand is the year and the minute hand is the hour. Second hand is the minute. The next step is easy too. There’s a scroll on the watch as you push the knob up or down on the cities and countries you want to travel to, which you can see on the digital box thing inside the face of the watch. Or you can tell JAB where and when you want to go and she’ll do it for you. Which is what I always do. Anyway, once your destination is set, you simply insert the key in the watch. On the side of the watch here,” Bas pointed to the other side of the watch where the knob wasn’t, “is a keyhole. Insert the key in the keyhole and the WHEN you selected from the key will lock with the WHERE you selected from the watch. And when the when and the where lock, it’ll teleport you to any place and time on our planet you want. Past or future, we can go anywhere! For however long we want! No silly schedules to keep or bills to pay or buggering dads to listen to. Time travel is the ultimate freedom. Or it was supposed to be until I was Tracked,” he grumbled, glancing down at his arm. He shook his head and grinned at Mimi. “Get it?”
“Err...sort of.”
“I like the part where JAB can do it for you,” Albert said.
“You’re so lazy, Ali!” Mimi said, but Bas raised a hand in the air before the siblings could get into another argument.
“So keep the Time Shifter key safe, Mimi, and keep it hidden. It’s very, very, extremely important no one discovers that’s how I travel through time. If anyone found out about the Time Shifters, the King can use them to win the war. I can trust you to keep it secret, right?”