Daniel’s mind was filled with questions, but he led with the most obvious. “With all the family titles, brother, sister, everyone seems to be part of a religious organization.”
“We are,” Christopher replied. “Does that surprise you?”
“I wouldn’t expect a religious organization to have expertise in time manipulation. In my day, it was the realm of select scientific teams.”
He leaned back in his chair, looking self-assured. “Times change, Dr. Rice. How well did those select teams do in preparing you for your jump? I’m guessing that things didn’t quite work out as planned. Am I right?”
“A few hiccups, yes.” Daniel leaned forward on his elbows. “I wasn’t expecting to be speaking with you at all. It was supposed to be a quick smash-and-grab operation.” He nodded toward the whiteboard, still displaying the messages he’d seen in empros time. “It appears I’ve already made subtle changes to the past.”
Christopher folded his hands together. “Never mind that the jump wasn’t what you expected, Dr. Rice. Or that we’re not the organization you expected. The important thing is that you’re here now. We can work with that.”
Angela’s fingers moved as they spoke, though not like keyboard typing in his day. More fluid, as if she only needed to touch a few locations on the ovals beneath her hands and the rest was filled in by magic. Maybe the device was translating their audio and she was only adding notes.
She looked up as Daniel paused, her hands poised for whatever words of wisdom were about to be spoken.
“Are you aware of my mission?”
“Of course. You’re here to prevent a war, and thank God for that.”
“And you can provide the information I need?”
“Not me specifically, but I’ll get you to the right people.”
Good so far, the but the burning issue would need to be settled before Daniel’s anxiety would calm. “Can you help me get back? In my day, an android representative from Sagittarius Novus advised that after flowing forward in a future time, I could never return. Something called snapback.”
Christopher nodded. “You’ve been misinformed. What people call snapback is easily managed. The real hazard is temporal dislocation, but it, too, is not insurmountable. Rest assured, we can help.”
He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Over the years, we’ve found Aastazin and his colleagues to be less than reliable.”
“So you know Zin?”
“Not personally, but I know of him.”
“Is he still here? Could I speak with him? Maybe we can clear up this discrepancy.”
Christopher tilted his head to one side. “Possible. I’ll look into it for you.”
“How about now?” The man had been helpful so far, but it was still worth pushing on this particular topic. Daniel didn’t relish the idea of dying to serve his country, and while Zin was certainly cagey, Daniel didn’t agree that he was unreliable.
Christopher laughed. “Not that easy, Dr. Rice. The Committee would need to approve contact with Aastazin or any other representative of Sagittarius Novus. We don’t speak with them much anymore.”
“Times change,” Daniel echoed.
“Times do change,” Christopher repeated.
A falling out between humans and our alien partners. Whatever had happened would probably require a longer discussion, worthwhile, but not immediately critical. Besides, too much knowledge of future relationships might not be wise for someone expecting to return to the past. Even Zin had agreed with that principle.
Focus. You can still get in and get out… with their help.
“So, how do I get back?”
Christopher held out a hand. “Give me the belt. We’ll have our people start working on it immediately.”
Daniel hesitated. “What are you going to do? For me, this is kind of an important device.”
Christopher shook his head. “It’s not my area of expertise, but I assure you, we have the right people. The Committee is responsible for every aspect of temporal management. You’ll find that we’re far more careful than the scientists of your day.”
He laughed, pointing at the leather contraption around Daniel’s waist. “Really, look at that thing. This is how your people manipulated something as sensitive as time? Utterly absurd. Like doing surgery with garden shears.”
The loose wire that Chloe had tacked down with her lip piercing was beginning to wiggle again. It was easier to see the faults of the past once you were firmly in the future. Hindsight. He probably should have never come. He should have refused the president. Demanded a more thorough testing, smaller jumps, with reliable equipment. Too late now. He had committed to the future. He might not get back without their help.
Daniel removed the belt, stored it in the duffel with the helmet and pushed the bag across the table. “How long will it take?”
“Mmm. Twenty-four hours. Maybe a little longer. In the meantime, I’ll arrange for you to meet with Committee Security. They’ll provide the briefing you’ll need.”
“Regarding the nuclear launch?”
“Yes, and other related matters. After that, while you’re waiting for a much-needed equipment upgrade, I hope you’ll join us as an honored guest. We will make your stay just as pleasant as we can.”
Daniel held up a hand. “I appreciate your hospitality, but I do need to be careful. Remember, once I return, the politicians of my time are going to take action on whatever I tell them. It might not be a good idea for either of us if I learn too much. Your world could change. It probably will change.”
Christopher handed the duffel bag to one of the other men, who took it and left. “There is some debate about that, yes. One timeline or multiple branches with multiple worlds? Different versions of you and me? It’s all very confusing, and I leave it for the philosophers to study. In the meantime, you’re on a mission, and my job is to help you fulfill it.”
“But I’ll need to stay overnight?”
“At least overnight. Dr. Rice, if you’re worried about the air, or food, or water, don’t be. The air you breathe is no different than in your own time. Perhaps slightly more carbon dioxide, but our world is addressing that problem, and doing quite well at solving it, I might add. My point is, your health is not at risk by spending the night with us.”
“Okay.” He certainly felt healthy, just as Chloe had reported when she’d returned from tomorrow.
Christopher lowered his head and peered over the top of his glasses. “We do have something special planned for the evening, if you’ll indulge us.”
“Another party?”
“A small affair, honoring the world’s first time traveler.”
“I’m not really the first,” Daniel said. Did they not know about Becton?
Christopher looked confused. “Well, if you’re not, don’t tell the historians. Or the celebration organizers. They’ve been planning this event for a while.”
He really doesn’t know. Curious.
It was possible that Becton had a lower level of interaction than the FBI thought, perhaps even remaining unobserved in empros time. Yet, Becton had managed to bring the holographic coin from the future back with him. That required some level of interaction.
“Indulge us, Dr. Rice. This is an historic day, one that every person in this nation has read about in school. It’s only one night.”
Sister Angela looked up from her typing and nodded, smiling for the first time.
A celebration, with Daniel as the guest of honor. It sounded awful. He wasn’t great at socializing. Small talk bored him, and he wasn’t planning on asking the bigger questions about the future.
On the other hand, a limited reconnaissance might not be a bad thing. The president would certainly ask about the reliability of the information he’d gathered, and this society had a few quirks worth investigating. The fact that they didn’t know about Becton was fascinating by itself.
One evening. He’d need to wait overnight for the belt upgrade anyway. From a tim
e travel perspective, the delay didn’t really matter. Even a week in the future wouldn’t postpone his report to the president by a single second. Once they had the belt fixed, he’d return precisely to his starting point.
“Okay, sure. I’d be delighted to attend the celebration. But, uh… we will do the nuclear briefing first, right?”
Christopher chuckled. “Always on task. You’re just the same as your older self. Yes, briefing first.”
“Will I… uh, be meeting myself at this celebration?”
Christopher’s smile tightened. “I’ll leave that question for Committee Security if you don’t mind. I’ll take you there next, but before we go, I’ll need to bring you up to modern standards.”
“Which means?” He hadn’t noticed any brain plugs on the side of anyone’s head.
Brother Christopher reached into a cabinet and withdrew a small plastic box, setting the box in front of Daniel. “Modernization for the visiting caveman. Yours to keep.”
Daniel lifted the top of the box and peered inside. It was a coin, very much like the one Becton had brought back with him.
Daniel lifted it from its case and twisted the coin in his fingers. A three-dimensional hologram of an eagle popped from its surface as it rotated. On the opposite side was a hologram of a sharp-pointed building, probably the very building he now occupied. The coin shimmered in silver and gold colors. He felt along its edge for a hidden compartment, but there was none. Subtle differences between this coin and Becton’s version.
“It’s beautiful. I’ve seen one before, but slightly different.”
“Olinwuns have been around for years, with a variety of models for different purposes. This version will do everything your old cellular telephone did, plus your laptop computer, and your car keys, and your wallet, and a lot more. It’s why we call it an olinwun. You understand? All. In. One.”
“Ah, yes. Clever.” He held the coin between his thumb and index finger and placed its edge on the table, ready to start it spinning. “Oh, I guess I need a mirror.”
“You don’t, at least not here. Spinning on a mirror is only required in places that lack a fully functional power infrastructure.”
“You’re sending power through the air?”
“Yes, quite easily. The coin is one of many receivers. Just lay it on the table and tap the eagle with your finger. Your biosignature will activate it.”
Daniel did as instructed. The eagle hologram disappeared and was replaced by words floating in the air just above the coin.
Initializing for first use…
Within a half-second, the words were replaced.
Welcome, Dr. Daniel L. Rice (touch for profile).
He touched the coin once more, and a full page popped into the air, rendered as realistically as if a piece of white paper were being held up. On it was every detail of his personal life. His birth date, age (74), Social Security number (partially hidden), address (a number and street that he didn’t recognize) and considerably more.
“Sorry about the age,” Christopher said. “The system is not yet aware that you’ve arrived, but it’s fully capable of tracking two instances of the same person. Security can fix that for you. I’ll let them know.”
“Understandable. In my time, we don’t have two instances of the same person roaming around the world at the same time.”
“Rare here too. You’ll find that this device is very handy. Intuitive too. You probably won’t need any instructions. For now, just carry it in your pocket. But we’ll have time before the celebration to upgrade your clothes to our modern standards. Among other improvements, you’ll find a slot in the pants specifically designed to carry your olinwun.”
He wondered what he’d look like in one of those polyester jackets and cuffed slacks. “Thanks, but no need for an upgrade. My clothes are fine.”
Christopher’s eyes darted up and down as if he was evaluating a dubious claim. “You sure? There’s a shop right in the building, and your olinwun already has sufficient monetary credits, courtesy of the Committee.”
He glanced down at his white shirt and casual gray pants. “But I’m a time traveler from the past. Shouldn’t I look the part?”
Christopher nodded. “Well, you certainly stand out, Dr. Rice. Let me know if you change your mind.”
Daniel flipped the coin in the air. It produced a nice ring and landed in his palm. “Beyond buying clothes, I assume I’ll need this device while I’m here?”
“Yes, for building access, security protocols and the like. From here on out, there won’t be any open doors with people waiting for you on the other side. This afternoon was a special case.”
“I was wondering about that. How did you get the elevator, and the lights, and that whiteboard to work in empros time? The rest of the city was dark.” His question fit within the guidelines of a limited investigation. He was curious too.
“Empros-facing electrical systems are not easy and not inexpensive either. Some of the technology within this building was designed for this very day. Perhaps you see the importance of your presence, Dr. Rice.”
21 Security
Brother Christopher opened a door into a lobby that looked much like Committee Reception, but one floor up. The building, Daniel had now learned, was called the Golden Spire, and Committee Security was the first floor within the golden tip.
“Sister Jacquelyn,” Christopher said with a flourish of his hand. “Meet Dr. Daniel Rice.”
The receptionist stood up from behind her desk and provided the same fingers-only handshake prevalent at the party. Like the receptionist on the floor below, she was young, very pretty, and wore the same buttoned-up old-fashioned clothing, including the satin sash he’d seen on some of the other women downstairs. Her short-bobbed brown hair was streaked with red highlights, a fashion he hadn’t seen before.
Her eyes flitted from the floor to his face. “Oh my God… it’s so exciting to meet you, Dr. Rice.” She had a toothy, bashful smile.
“My pleasure,” Daniel replied.
Christopher pulled an olinwun from a side slot in his pants. “Hold yours up for a second,” he said to Daniel. He tapped the coins together and a blue informational popup appeared over each.
Contact record transferred.
“This is as far as I’m authorized to go,” Christopher said. “Sister Jacquelyn will take good care of you from here. But please, do come back to Committee Reception when you’ve completed your briefing and we’ll prepare for the celebration.”
“I can’t wait,” Sister Jacquelyn said.
“You’ll be there tonight?” Daniel asked her.
“Yes! I was so happy when the invitation arrived.” She held up her own olinwun, no doubt containing an e-invite to the big party. It seemed everything in their society resided on this compact device.
She wiggled her coin. “Do you mind? I have a good collection of contacts, but yours… well, that would top them all.”
Daniel reached out and tapped the coins together. She beamed, looked to the floor sheepishly and then glanced up once more to catch his eye. If this was a come-on, she was doing a fantastic job.
“Perhaps I’ll see you there,” Daniel said. He shook Christopher’s hand. “Thanks for your help. Let me know when the belt is ready for use. I’m pretty sure this olinwun thing will give me a notification of some kind.”
“It will,” Christopher said and waved to Jacquelyn.
She nodded to him. “Praise him and you, brother.”
“Praise him and you, sister.”
Christopher left, and Daniel leaned both hands on the reception desk. “So, what’s next?”
A sly smile crept across her lips. “Dr. Rice,” she said with a slow sensuality that belied her earlier bashfulness. “I do declare.”
He waved her off and took a step back. “Sorry, sorry. Nothing suggestive. Expressions in your time might be a little different than mine. I just meant, what’s the next step? I’m supposed to get a briefing from someone?”
For a society with such conservative dress and religious expression, the sexuality seemed to come far too quickly.
“Am I missing something here?” Daniel asked in earnest.
“What do you mean?” she asked, her lashes fluttering. This woman had plenty of charm, and she could switch it on at will.
Daniel raised both palms. “Why the come-on?” Might as well get right to the point. If he was going to attend a party of the future, he’d better know the rules.
“Sorry,” she said, her smile fading. “I didn’t mean anything by it.”
“Yes, you did. You were coming on to me. You just met me two minutes ago.” He tried to keep his tone neutral. Maybe she really didn’t mean anything by it. After all, this society wasn’t his own. But her manner was both fascinating and disturbing. He was curious, more than anything. “Sorry, Jacquelyn, I’m not from around here, but in my time, people don’t use bar talk in offices.”
She put her hands on her hips. “Sorry,” she said, head down. “Can we reset? I’ve been waiting for this day, but I think I screwed things up.”
Daniel paused. “How about dropping the fake bashful act? That’d be a good start.”
She showed a hopeful smile, peering from beneath a lock of hair. “You want the real me? I can do that.”
“Jacquelyn, no offense, but I don’t think I’m here to see you.”
She returned to her chair, looking defeated. “I’ll get him. Elder Benjamin is who you need to see.”
She pressed one of the ovals on her desktop and checked a display. “He’ll be right out.” She looked up, penitent. “Really… I’m sorry. I get…”
She hadn’t offended; it was more that her behavior was so off-the-scale weird. Changing the subject would help, and this was an opportunity to begin the limited investigation of this society. A security receptionist was the perfect target, particularly since she was now on her heels.
The Quantum Series Box Set Page 75