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| Lpnet2-100 Lpnet2: The 4D Earth War Chapter One: Callisto Colony Two Chapter Two: To Amplexa and Tranqua Chapter Three: Asteroid Mining, Politics, and War Chapter Four: Return to Earth Chapter Five: A Friendly Reunion Chapter Six: The Last Outpost Chapter Seven: Air-strike in the Night Chapter Eight: The Temporal Connection Chapter Nine: The Temporal Intersection Chapter Ten: Reunion with Old Friends Chapter Eleven: Ideals for the Future Chapter Twelve: Stonedancer Grounded |
The 4D Earth War
Chapter 9: The Temporal Intersection
About twenty minutes after the battle was over, I sat with Lisa in the Warbird. She was still obsessed by the thought of being rescued by an invisible man who could fly. “You’ve got to promise, Lisa,” I said, as we sat inside the Warbird at the bridge controls, “not to mention anything to anyone about this.” She complied, anxious to know the secret. “It’s Stonedancer,” I said, “he came to Earth with me, to help.” “Stonedancer?” she said with wonder, “who’s Stonedancer.” Apparently such news about the colonies in space had not spread likewise about Earth. “He’s kind of a superhero,” I explained, “with super powers. He’s well known for his good deeds about the Jovian space colonies.” “Oh,” she said, “and he came to Earth with you, in the Warbird?” “Exactly,” I said, “but no one is supposed to know because his secrets are safer that way.” “I think I understand,” she said, with the wonder still in her voice, “so it was Stonedancer that rescued us from the rebels?” “Yes,” I said, “then he came here, to the Warbird, and told me where to find you.” “You’re friends with him?” “Yes, very close friends. I convinced him to come to Earth with me to help. Now, not a word to anyone, okay?” She agreed and said, “I’m tired,” and reclined the seat back, closing her eyes. “I’m going to fly the Warbird back to the hanger,” I said, and lifted up across the field, over the space-science building. I was reminded, as I did this move, of how the Warbird’s multidimensional matrix permitted movements far superior to the 21st century vehicles of Earth. I peaked her over the trees, spun about, and swooped down into the Ecoscience lobby. I dropped the pods and set her to rest. She had worked hard on this day, and needed rest. Lisa laid still, reclined back against the navigator seat. She was quite pretty and somewhat enticing, but there was urgent work I had to do. I let her rest, turned to the side computer console, and reviewed the set of configurations I had yet to try. I was attempting to access the temporal-continuum base. As I did so I began to consider the possibility that Earth was undergoing Martian manipulations. As I did so, a spark of insight came from the past. There was a time, once, when I was on the Amplexa asteroid, that the solution to such a serious matter of secrecy had a fairly simple solution. But it was the kind of solution that only the High Amplek of Tranqua would know. In this case, I had discovered the key, and it was a crystal that fitted into a socket in the mechanism. It occurred to me that this was the same kind of case, but it might also mean there was no way for me to access the base because the ‘key’ might be over 8 million kilometers away, in the asteroids. The first thing I had to do was locate a ‘null-cell’. The null-cell would be found around the computer database somewhere, and would also be linked with the temporal com-console. I went under the console, removed a few panels, and looked around the database. There were four main lines leading from one corner, to the temporal console. I had done this sort of thing before, and in a matter of minutes, I found the null-cell. I looked it over very closely and tried to recall if I’d seen it with the other stones of the Tranquan treasure. I knew that the ‘key’ I needed now was an exact original of the null-cell crystal I had found, but if it was back on Amplexa, I was in over my head. I continued playing with the computer. This time, I accessed the storage inventory list, and punched in the access code for crystals. I sat and studied the various stones in the Warbird’s storage compartments and zeroed in on a few close variations of the same theme. I reviewed almost a hundred separate stones, and the key was not amongst them. I felt lost as I saw the only other place they could be, over five days away in outer space by the Warbird’s highest speed. I looked at Lisa, and felt like I wanted to join her. Why not? I thought. We’d won a crucial battle on this day, I deserved the rest. I reclined back in the seat and looked at the ceiling of’ the Warbird. I closed my eyes slowly, wondering still what the Martians might be involved with on Earth, and my eyes came open suddenly with insight. I looked at the ceiling again and recalled the Tranquan High Ampleks fascination with secret hiding places. I sat up suddenly and looked about the bridge. That was it; a secret-compartment. The key would be hidden somewhere, it had to be, on the Warbird. It would have to be. After all, it may have been needed at times when the High Amplek was away from the temple. I began checking everywhere about for a secret compartment, and Lisa was stirred awake as I did so. I told her about the key, showed her the null-cell, and she decided to help. We searched everywhere on the bridge, then I realized a more intelligent approach to the problem. It would be hidden somewhere that had a symbolic connection to the temporal function. I looked about the bridge and saw that certain panels were arranged in such a way that large linear symbols of the Tranquan nominal system outlined certain panels and control consoles. After looking at the large symbols, which were simple basic geometry, I saw an interesting pattern. The pattern was N-X-+-X-Z. I went to the wall, touched the + at the middle, but nothing happened. No such luck, it wasn’t that simple. I realized, however, that a combination of the symbols might do it. So I started with a simple combination, and began going to complex variations. Several minutes later, I heard a little whirring sound from behind the panels, and a small door opened in the lower right-hand corner of the + panel. Inside it was a small box. I opened the box and there was the crystal key, a two-inch long by half-inch wide stone with six perfect sides. Lisa looked at it and I carried it to the console, anxious to access the temporal continuum database. I inserted the key into the slot under the console, and activated the link to temporal controls. I used the same combination from the wall-panels as the access code and hoped it would work. “Tell me about the Martian’s role in the temporal continuum,” I typed, and repeated the access code. It worked. The ‘linear’ diagram of the basic temporal continuum appeared. The line labeled ‘A’ had the same four branches leading from it. The computer verified what I had suspected. The Martians were dancing between the ‘branches’ and every time they went from one to another, they had to cross through 2990 AM, and they were doing so in Earth’s ancient, prehistoric past. “What’s wrong, Ron?” Lisa said, noting the look of blank wonder on my face. It was a long story, but I had to let someone in on it. I punched up the basic temporal linear diagram of the time-continuum and Lisa sat beside me in the extra seat behind the pilot’s station. I spun about in the seat and pointed to the diagram on the computer’s video. “The Tranquans and the Martians were ahead of us by a thousand years. This linear diagram represents a dimension upon the temporal continuum which they learned to cross into over 94,000 years ago. According to the spex, there are three other ‘alternate’ universes, at a parallel to our own.” “This,” I concluded, pointing to the intersection at 2990 AM, “is the point where the alternate universes meet. around 95 thousand years ago.” “Ron, are you telling me,” she said, with a reservation of doubt, “this ship can travel in time?’ “Yes,” I admitted precisely, “and just yesterday, the Warbird traced a Martian tem-flux, here on Earth. Do you know what that means?” “What?” she said, still not convinced. “The Martians,” I said, “just passed through our present locality headed for the intersection, and passed through it. Right here on Earth!” Lisa was having a difficult time grasping it all, and like all rational human beings, probably would require absolute proof before she could accept it. It was seldom that most humans sat inside a time-traveling vehicle outside of a science-fiction fantasy. “Ron,” she said in a melancholic way, “isn’t the war enough for us? Do we have to get involved in some crazy maze with a bunch of brutal Martian imperialists?” “I’m sorry, Lisa,” I said, “I shouldn’t have involved you. But I can’t ignore it myself. When I was saved by Tranqua’s crystals in 2086, I became involved. If it’s too much for you, I understand. You do not possess the knowledge of the crystal-records, and you did not visit Tranqua.” “It’s not too much for me, Ron,” she admitted. “I am worried that it may be too much for you. Can’t you get Stonedancer to take care of it?” “It’s not as simple as that,” I said. “I suspect the Martians are amongst us. The evidence suggests they may be responsible for the prolonged continuation of this present Earth-war.” She wasn’t sure how to respond. Her eyes went wide for a second, and then she looked down. Nothing she could say would calm my excited nerves. “Lisa,” I said, “I wish you wouldn’t doubt me so. I could prove it to you, if you were willing to go.” “Go where?” she said, looking into my eyes. “92,500 BC,” I said, “to the intersection.” |
Chapter Thirteen: Rebels in the Aftermath Chapter Fourteen: Temporal Relativity Chapter Fifteen: The Hand was Forced Chapter Sixteen: Ion Trace to the West Chapter Seventeen: A Warlord and an Evacuation |