3012: The Artifact

by John M Grier

Treasure Chest

  With the key in hand, it didn’t take them long to make their way back to the surface to see what was in the ornate box. Jack was thinking “After all this time and effort, it had better be good!”

  Paul retrieved the briefcase and removed the box. With an air of anticipation, he inserted the key and opened the box. The lid moved on hinges with ease in spite of its age and they heard a sound much like the seal being broken on a container. Inside was found a book and an unusually shaped device along with a letter written on paper that appeared to be plastic coated.

  Paul picked up the letter and read aloud:

  Dear Paul,

  I assume your friends Jack, Janet and Suzie are there with you. I also understand that this is coming as a complete surprise; after all, this letter has been locked in this box for the past eight centuries or so.

  Obviously, we will meet someday. For me, that day has past and for you it is yet to come. It is imperative that we meet face to face. The quest I have put you on can only be completed in this way. It was not my original desire to have you come here since I could have no idea who would eventually find my clues.

  However, since you arrived, events have escalated to the point that your assistance here is of vital importance. We have spent many years in an attempt to preserve knowledge that most certainly would have been lost had we done nothing. I urge you to make use of Jack’s fantastic machine and meet me in the building you refer to as ‘The Barn’ on the first day of July 2165, or, as you and Janet would refer to it, year zero.

  The book placed here is the last known copy available of the Bible, and it is my own personal copy. The new world government has managed to eradicate all religions, with special emphasis on Christianity. Sadly, we are fighting a losing battle.

  Jack, I know you will want to avoid this time if possible, but I urge you to come. However, please refrain from coming armed. All civilian owned weapons of any kind are outlawed everywhere and anyone found with a weapon will be killed on sight, no questions asked. It is a brutal world we have created for ourselves.

  The odd shaped device contained within this box is the missing part to the device that appears to be a book reader. When attached properly, it will reveal itself to be much more than a book reader. Suzie will know what to do.

  I would say that I eagerly await your arrival, but as you are sitting across from me at the moment, it would seem a strange thing to say. However, your arrival is very much eagerly awaited.

  Your once and future friend,

  Rev. Jesse Franklin

  Jack was the first to speak. He said “Well, that was certainly unexpected. I wonder what the good reverend has up his sleeve.”

  Janet said “Reverend? I don’t understand.”

  Jack said “See how he signed his name? Rev. is an abbreviation for ‘reverend’. He would be the pastor or leader of a church. I wonder what all this has to do with us. Obviously, we were there at some point, and since we haven’t been there yet, it stands to reason that the trip is yet to come.”

  Paul had said nothing since reading the letter but spoke up now. “I hate to be the one who is reasonable in this crazy bunch, but I suggest we get this lighthouse dig wrapped up as quickly as we can, which from past experience can be any time now. Then we should be free to pursue this new adventure.”

  Suzie said “Jack, why don’t we attach the new device to the old reader and see what happens before we get off on some other adventure.”

  Jack picked up the odd piece and turned it over in his hands trying to determine which way it was to attach. Suzie, obviously frustrated in that she couldn’t do it herself finally said “Jack! Please watch me, then do what I do.” The same pieces appeared in her hands. She turned them just so and once positioned properly, slid the smaller of the two into the larger. With a click, they were one unit.

  Jack followed Suzie’s example and soon the two were merged into one unit. “Okay, now what?” he said.

  “There should be a simple on/off switch somewhere.”

  Jack looked the device over and located the switch. He turned it on and with a yelp of surprise, laid it on the table. They were all looking intently at the device which was glowing and faintly vibrating, but doing nothing else that they could discern. That is until a man said “What are you doing with that device?”

  Janet screamed and Paul just about fell out of his chair. Jack was the first to compose himself and said “Can we help you? You startled us. Obviously, we didn’t see you come in.”

  The man laughed and said “Please forgive me and allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jesse Franklin, or to be precise, I am a hologram that Rev. Franklin prepared to assist whoever finds the clues laid out. May I inquire as to the current date?”

  Suzie laughed and said “I’m certainly glad someone else did that. They were getting tired of me scaring them all the time. As to the date, this is the year 847, but you will be more familiar with the old way of saying it. This is the year 3012.”

  “Oh my, it certainly has been quite a while, hasn’t it? Oh, I suppose you may not know. I was put here well over eight centuries ago. As you can imagine, I have many questions, and I’m sure you have many for me as well. To be brief, I was given much information, mostly vast libraries of books that should not be lost.”

  Paul said “How is it that your counterpart, Rev. Franklin, knew to call us by name in the letter he left for us? He requested we make use of a time machine to travel back to his time to a particular date, July 1, 2165. What’s so special about that date?”

  Jesse said “I have no idea. When I was created and tested for accuracy, I was not left online long. Once they were sure I was complete and functioning, I was put in long term storage for retrieval by whoever found me, which was many months prior to that date. I can only speculate as to why that date is important.

  “It is our hope and prayer that Christianity has managed to survive. However, if it has not, I am here to help you understand it and hopefully, with God’s help, get things started again. It is far too important to simply allow it to die.”

  Jack said “Please speculate. Your best guess is far more than what we will come up with on our own.”

  “My best guess would be that the government found us and maybe that date is the last safe date for you to arrive. Which brings up a question that I simply cannot stand to let go…what would bring my counterpart to believe you have access to a time machine?

  Suzie said “Perhaps it is because we actually do have access to such a machine.”

  “Well, that is most strange” replied the hologram. “I was created with all of the knowledge my counterpart has, as well as a vast library of books. But none of the information I possess would indicate the existence of such a machine was even possible.”

  “Well then” said Jack. “It would seem we need to do a bit of planning. I do have one question, though. On the date we are to arrive, is the countryside covered with ice?”

  Jesse looked confused and said “No, it is July, no ice for a few months.”

  With a sly smile, Jack said “Thanks. That’s all I needed to know.”

  The conversation drifted to the technical details involved in the upcoming adventure. Suzie kept up a continuous conversation with Jesse. Apparently, she was rather taken with the newly activated hologram. Oddly, Jack felt a bit of jealousy at this. But, he thought, the new hologram is more like her than anyone else he had ever met. After all, they were both several hundred years old and used advanced microprocessors for a brain.

  They slowly split into two groups. Suzie and Jesse wandered off, deep in conversation while Janet and Paul, as usual lately, found a quiet corner to sit and talk to each other, leaving Jack alone once again.

  With nothing better to do, Jack found a computer and tried to find everything he could about the world of 850 years ago. One thing was certain, it was a very violent time where no one was safe anywhere on the planet
!

  As he searched the internet, he made his plans. First of all they had to wrap up this project. Although, since they seem to be coming back here more and more, maybe it would be a good idea to leave it open somehow. He would have to get with Janet on that one.

  They had to get back to the Chesapeake Bay to retrieve his boat, and then make their way to Canada. Perhaps it would be wise to jump to his own time for the journey to Canada. Once there, it would be simple to make the jump forward in time and avoid travel over great distances in a violent time. The less time they spent during that era, the better.

  Satisfied that he knew as much as he could possibly find in this time of government controlled access to history, he gave up and figured they would have to do what they had been doing all along and just ‘wing it’.