

## QUANTUM

(Vol. 1)

### Civil War

Published By:

Stephen Arseneault

Copyright © 2018 Stephen Arseneault

"I find the whole time travel question very unsettling if you take it to its logical extension. I think it might eventually be possible, but then what happens?"

—William Shatner

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This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events, and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Novels written by Stephen Arseneault

SODIUM Series (six novels)

Butchered, abandoned.

Dissected like lab rats.

Alien machines are stalking Humans.

Man is suddenly no longer alone in the universe. Advanced enemies plague our very existence. We have to muster all our strength, determination, and courage if we are to survive. And if those can be managed, there is a galaxy to be conquered.

This six-book saga takes Man from his first encounter with aliens back in 1957, all the way to a fight for our all-out survival in the future. If you love tales written in the style of the science fiction masters, prepare yourself for full immersion in this fantastic adventure!

AMP Series (eight novels)

In a distant galaxy, Humans are on the run.

An insane species follows.

They will not stop... ever.

Trapped on an immense station with limited resources, our only option has been to flee. Years of peace are over. War is again coming to the Grid.

This time however, it's time to stand and fight.

This exciting eight-book series chronicles the struggles of Don Grange, a simple package deliveryman, who is thrust into an unimaginable role in the fight against our enemies. Can we win peace and freedom after a thousand years of war?

Continuing as a legacy of the SODIUM series, the story picks up a thousand years into the future. Don't just sit at home scratching your head about what to do because you are bored, go on a mental rampage, travel the stars, take a risk and dive head-first into this non-stop-action saga!

OMEGA Series (eight novels)

The Alliance is crumbling.

There are rumors of war in Andromeda.

Whole colonies are being conscripted to fight.

When corruption, politics, and war threaten to throw the allied galaxies into chaos, Inspection Detective Knog Beutcher gets caught in the middle. Espionage, intrigue, political assassinations, rebellions and full-on revolutions, they are all coming to Knog Beutcher's world.

Told from the unique perspective of an alien, this thrilling eight book series is cast a thousand years into the future beyond the exciting AMP series. Prepare to be reading until the wee hours!

HADRON Series (eight novels)

Billions die.

Life on Earth is shaken to its core.

We can be our own worst enemy.

After scientists using the Large Hadron Collider discover dark matter, the world is plunged into chaos.

Massive waves of electromagnetic interference take out all grid power and forms of communication the world over. Cities go dark, food and clean-water supplies are quickly used up. Marauders rule the highways. One group of citizens takes a stand. Can they make a difference?

A benevolent species will arrive in their spaceships to rescue the Human race from themselves. Only, are they really so benevolent? Our little corner of the Milky Way may be a very hostile place.

This eight book adventure begins as a modern day, Human survival story and then morphs into an all out fight for rule of our section of the Milky Way. If you love reading apocalypse-turned-science-fiction, and reading with your mouth agape, this saga was made for you!

ARMS Series (eight novels)

Selling arms to the outer colonies.

A sweet deal.

Unless you're being used to threaten the peace.

Genetically engineered and trained for war, Harris Gruberg and Tawnish Freely, former Biomarines with the Domicile Defense Force, have been out of work since the centuries-old war with New Earth came to an end two years prior. They lack the knowledge and experience needed to live among a civilian population.

Getting involved in the illegal arms trade offers the promise of working with something they know-- weapons. When the profits from their efforts run wild, they soon find out acquiring wealth so easily comes at a high cost. Will their mistakes bring a return of the Great War? Or is what's coming far worse?

If you enjoy fighting the good fight, protecting the people and what you love, the ARMS saga will keep you ripping through pages until your fingers bleed!

FREEDOM Series (six novels)

Addicted.

Enslaved to the Empire for 500 generations.

We are bought, sold, traded, and hunted for sport, our value only measured in credits.

But a mysterious virus is sweeping through our populations, giving immunity to the addiction and making us aware of our condition. We feel the call of freedom. Our masters feel different.

If you love being dependent, confined, trapped in a great story, this unique six book saga will become an addiction of your own!

QUANTUM Series (eight novels)

A lifetime lived in under a minute...

Impossible, everyone thought.

Until now.

An Opamari scientist has found a way. By cloning a subject and sending the clone back in time, the subject can live the clone's entire life in less than a minute of sleep.

But all actions have consequences. Playing with the past can be disastrous for the present.

When a ruthless tycoon steals the technology, the future of the galaxy is at risk. Will humans, after being slaughtered by the Opamari more than 50,000 years before, be resurrected by the tycoon's actions?

If you love science fiction intertwined with time travel and historical fiction, the Quantum saga will keep you burning through the pages late into the night!

Find them all at www.arsenex.com

# Prologue

### _______________________

Humanity had grown soft. We relaxed on our recliners around the pool. We drove our cars to wherever. We bickered endlessly about petty things as we texted on our phones. Life on Earth, while far from Utopian for many— wasn't so bad for most. Every year, less of our time was spent on survival and more on recreation. Some would have said we were becoming obsessed with entertainment.

But entertainment was the last thing on our minds when the Opamari arrived. For several days, we gaped in awe as their massive ships hovered above us in the heavens. Our forces were put on high alert. Our commanders scrambled to strategize a defense. No response came from our pleas for communication. Panic set in among our leaders when a rocket launch to send up a diplomatic team was instantly vaporized before liftoff. But none of that mattered...

The Opamari weren't here to negotiate peace or trade or to establish relations. They had no interest in becoming our friends. They were here to destroy, to exterminate, to annihilate Humanity. That mission became clear when a flood of warships streaked down from orbit and filled our skies. We were hopelessly outgunned.

Murderous beams of death and countless radiation bombs rained down on our cities. Our outclassed defenses were useless against them. Our powerful missiles— worthless, most disintegrated at or before launch. Our militaries, though brave and valiant and giving it their all, were easily crushed. Our rage of defiance— an all-out effort to defend our home— was no more burden on our attackers than a puppy's whimper.

Three days after the attacks had begun— the last living Human perished. We were finished, extinct, wiped from existence, never to know why or by whom. Humanity was gone. Our history halted.

The warships of the great conquerors quickly moved on from our defeated planet. Earth's gravitational pull was beyond their level of comfort, occupation was never their goal. Instead, teams of scientists and data collectors were briefly sent down. Anthropologists studied our former lives. Data collectors took samples and copied both our written and digital word. An extensive archive of our existence and knowledge was developed. And then they left...

The Opamari went on to conquer the galaxy, eliminating all other sentient species along the way. They ruled the cosmos alone. And with that rule no citizen wanted for food or work. Medical knowledge and capability extended their lives. But something was missing...

As a species without challenge, the Opamari had stagnated. The quest for entertainment had dwarfed the desire to improve their condition. The average citizen no longer cared, content with their easy, distracted, and largely uneventful lives. Improvement had been relegated to the few scientists or businessmen who still had passion and drive.

The boredom of the masses had even risen to the level of bringing about a Human renaissance. The archives were opened and "being Human" had become all the rage. Digital recordings from our past were played in every household. Speech patterns, mannerisms, and the thought processes of the Opamari— they had all been impacted, some to the extreme. Our entire essence had been consumed, adopted, absorbed, and made their own.

But as with most things Opamari, "being Human" was a fad. It was entertainment, something to pass the time. Eventually, the excitement and uniqueness of it waned.

Much of our influence remained after the "newness" was over— leaving an Empire whose culture had been altered, and a people, in every way but appearance, who were left being at least partial reflections of Humanity.

In all, fifty thousand years had passed since the Human extinction— and ten thousand since the cultural renaissance. Most Opamari had no idea Humans had ever existed or even who or what they were.

But a grand discovery was in the works. A discovery that would threaten the Empire. Humanity, it seemed, might be given a second chance. Science, in all its wonder and usefulness— was about to change the past.

Author Notes: For ease of reading, time is expressed in Earth figures. The aliens in this work go by a single name.

# Chapter 1

### _______________________

A horrific ripping sound, almost deafening, permeated the room. The temporal experiment was complete...

Reno's hearts raced as he paced back and forth in his lab on Mentox-I. It was a space-station dedicated to his research in temporal dynamics and was in orbit around the capital planet of the Opamari Empire, Bredren. He stopped, nervously rubbing his three fingered hands together as he stared intently at a display across the room, a display that would soon be showing the test's results.

This has to have worked. He thought. The math— the formulas— they all support it.

After dozens of past, expensive failures, a new attempt had been made to open a portal through space and time. A specially-constructed pod, sized to accommodate a single Opamari anthropologist, had been used to transport its contents more than fifty thousand years into the past, to an alien world named Sampos III... known to its prior inhabitants as... Earth.

A chime sounded, alerting the scientist to the completion of the analysis. Spanning the right-hand wall of his lab was a powerful computer. Bright white, it sparkled with lights that only had meaning to an engineer. The quantum-based system had crunched out an answer.

The anxious Opamari rushed to the display. After only minutes of evaluation, elongated fists were raised in triumph as a grin spread across his tall, slender face.

Yes! You've done it! You've done it! Your whole life has just been validated! Travel through time! Your name will be hallowed and praised throughout the Empire!

An electronic probe had been sent back through time to the past. Designed to return audio and video streams from a target time and location, the tiny device had been commissioned and created by the Opamari Society for Science and Historical Research (OSSHR), the Empire's most prestigious entity within the science community. However, upon reaching its destination, the probe had ceased to function. But of far more importance, data showed the time-portal opening to have been a success.

The results were collated, cataloged, and loaded onto a flexi-tablet. The eager scientist moved about the lab collecting his things.

Nunol will have to accept this! You have done it, Doctor! You have conquered time itself!

A decorative shoulder garb was grabbed, thrown on, and fastened in place before Reno exited the lab. He hurried through the station to a docking bay. A shuttle to the planet below was waiting, the monstrously important tablet gripped tightly in his left hand. Weighing on his mind was a prearranged status meeting with the OSSHR staff to discuss continued funding of the project.

A bead of sweat rolled from his brow as he took a seat in the passenger compartment and strapped himself in. A nervous foot tapped on the floor during the vertical fall into the atmosphere as the automated ship made its way toward a spaceport below. If significant progress could not be shown, funding cuts would be in order.

It was the first time actual threats had been made about the program's continuance, meaning the coming meeting was approached with both apprehension and disdain. Groveling for continued sponsorship was something every researcher despised. Reno was no different.

As the shuttle dropped, a long-held breath was slowly released. His eyes closed when the pull of the planet's heavier gravity began tugging on his body. It was a feeling he had not experienced in months. He flinched, again holding his breath as he gripped his armrest with his free hand. No more than a slight bump signified an otherwise perfect landing.

Calm yourself. You must show composure.

As he stepped off the transport, his nervous attention had a moment of diversion. The smells of the city of Bredren, the crown jewel of the Opamari Empire, filled his nostrils. It was a clinical smell, antiseptic, that of a cleansed and terraformed world. It was a scent most planets of the Empire boasted about, but was not something he had ever found appealing. He considered his own sterile environment on Mentox-I to be superior, and by a far stretch.

When the conference room for the meeting was entered, greetings were exchanged with his associates. Nods and pursed smiles were traded with the OSSHR senior staff, important members of the foundation that had financed the ultra-expensive, temporal venture.

They will soon be worshiping my accomplishments. How could they not? Look at those smug faces.

Reno could sense that low expectations pervaded their thoughts. He took position behind a podium. A series of yawns swept through the room as he linked his flexi-tablet to the display wall behind him. His palms were slick with sweat while his hearts pounded. As he prepared to give his opening comment, a complete and utter wreck on the inside, his outward appearance was mostly cool and calm.

He commanded the room's attention with a smile that said confident. "My fellow colleagues," he cleared his throat. "just this morning we have made history. Your profound vision, that of funding this project, has finally paid off. Together..." A long pause for effect was taken. "we have opened a portal back through time!"

After a moment's hesitation, the disinterested occupants broke into shocked whispers that in a flash erupted into congratulatory chatter. The chatter slowed with dropped jaws or grins of accomplishment showing on now-attentive faces.

Yes! You have them! Now sell it!

"Auspicious members..." Reno raised his voice, followed by a high-held hand to regain attention. "the monitoring equipment tells us a portal was indeed opened to Sampos III, a world previously known to its inhabitants as Earth. The date has been verified as being before our forces arrived, so pre-extinction, more than fifty thousand years ago. The species of this planet were called Humans."

The room again filled with discussion.

And now the bump.

A deep breath was inhaled. "Please... you must allow me to continue." Reno gripped the edges of the podium as the group quieted. "While successful, today's experiment was only partially so. There was a failure. The recording probe you commissioned, upon arrival, it ceased to function. We aren't certain as to why, but be certain we will investigate."

A member of the group stood. He wore a red-leather cover over his left shoulder, one that was decorated with a plethora of badges of accomplishment, showing his level of import. He asked, "How long was the portal open and is it ready to be used to send an anthropologist through for study?"

Reno shook his head. "It is too early to say. The destruction of the probe is troubling... but not fully unexpected at this early stage. Sending through a powered device was a risk. We knew that. Of more importance is our second attempt coming up next month, this time with a live subject."

"You are sending someone to the past?"

Anticipatory whispers ran through the room.

Again a hand was held up, palm forward. "No. Unfortunately, at this time the portal is only unidirectional. The contents of the temporal pod can be sent back, but nothing can be brought forward. And I am not aware of any researchers who are interested in a one-way journey to the past."

Although there are a few of you I would gladly send. He snickered to himself.

"We have teamed up with our friends at the Academy of Bio Research for future actions. Dr. Bouthis is here with us today." A gesture was made in the doctor's direction. "An animal from the archives of this planet, Earth, has been cloned and grown to maturity. I believe it to be called a Capuchin monkey. This live subject will be sent through to Earth during our next test."

"A monkey?" An agitated voice questioned. "What value does this experiment bring?"

What value? Reno thought. You must be joking.

Dr. Bouthis, seated in a chair beside the podium, sensed Reno's displeasure. He stood, garnering the room's attention. "My team at the Academy has constructed a quantum-entangled bio-link. This soft-tissue link will transfer a continuous stream of data from our travel subject to another animal we will have here in our care. It is the same link used in the probe, only biologically constructed, powered by the live subject themselves.

"Whatever the subject in the past sees, hears, smells, tastes or feels, our subject here will see, hear, smell, taste— or feel. Not physically of course, but in its mind. The subject on this end will also be connected to audio and visual sensors and recorders that will show and tell us exactly what the animal on Earth is seeing and hearing... as it happens live."

Grumbles about the monkey rolled through the room.

What idiots! Reno thought. What are they expecting? They call themselves scientists? We've just achieved a temporal opening for the first time! And this is their reaction?

An authority figure, the second in command at the OSSHR, stood with a scowl. "We did not finance this project to send extinct animals back to study extinct planets! This is supposed to be about sending back researchers! These delays are preposterous! Where are our results!"

The others in the room again broke into overlapping conversations, the volume quickly rising.

Reno nodded as he raised his voice. "And we will be delivering those results! I can assure you. But we first have to deem it safe to do so. Or perhaps you would like to volunteer for this mission, Dr. Blod?"

The comment was out of character for a scientist who normally maintained his outward cool. Control your outrage or you are finished. Blod has Nunol's ear and is seeking funding of his own.

Blod's arms were crossed and his scowl continued as he returned to his seated position at the table.

"Please, each of you, I understand the frustration you are feeling, this project has been behind for several years, but this is science. Progress needs to happen in an orderly and safe manner. If we rush in, we run the risk of interfering with the past, an action we don't yet know the consequence of."

Another attendee blurted out, "This is an extinct species. What risk is there to be had?"

The group again broke into heated discussion.

Reno slapped the podium top. "We run the risk of contaminating the very culture and species we wish to study! Fellow scientists, please, I implore you, I ask for patience as we proceed. There will likely be many exciting discoveries, but this experiment requires we approach it with scientific certainty. I must be allowed to conduct this work in the manner best suited for quality of result and success!"

Following the chastisement of his benefactors, Reno hurriedly moved on to the data dissemination portion of his presentation. Twenty minutes of showing lists, charts, and graphs passed, while bored faces filled the room.

When the presentation had come to an end, the head of the OSSHR, Dr. Nunol, stood. "Dr. Reno, you've promised us a usable machine and once again failed to deliver. While the progress of opening an actual portal is a grand accomplishment, it is not what you received funding for. I believed in you. I believed in your project. But my belief has limits. And those limits have been reached.

"I have been told by my superiors that either an anthropologist is sent back in the next two months or this excessively expensive project will lose funding. Get us concrete, presentable results that show this experiment and its expense should continue. If you are unable to do so, expect the project to be shut down. There are others, some in this very room, who are seeking funding and resources for their own projects. Either show us real progress or consider this project ended."

The OSSHR head walked from the room. The twenty members of his staff strode out just behind. Frowns and scowls were extended to Reno and the others as they passed.

Reno looked to his aide and the two representatives of the Bio Academy. "I cannot believe this. A portal was opened successfully. This is a huge accomplishment."

Bouthis nodded. "I would agree. A stunning accomplishment, Doctor. But they didn't seem to be impressed. I sometimes wonder what is being taught at the Academy of Science Management these days. How should we move forward?"

"We must accelerate our plans. Two months is far shorter than I had hoped for. When will the animals be ready?"

"They are ready now. I will bring them up next month, as scheduled."

"You will bring them this evening."

"That soon?"

"Is there a problem?" Reno asked.

What is Bouthis thinking? Was he not just in the same meeting?

"Well no. I suppose it won't be an issue. Is the pod ready?"

"The pod merely requires a reset. That procedure takes fewer than five minutes. Bring the animals up to the station. We will conduct phase two this evening. Oh, and you should begin preparations to move your entire lab up to Mentox. I will need you there by my side if we are to be successful in this shortened timeframe."

Bouthis returned a look of unease. "Should we not seek schedule approval... and certainly move confirmation from Dr. Nunol, first?"

"You heard him. They want results. Without OSSHR funding, this project will fold, and that means our research and our careers with it. Bring the animals!"

Reno returned to Mentox with his assistant, Credin. Bouthis joined them shortly after with the two monkeys for the planned experiment.

That evening, one of the Capuchins was placed in the person-sized pod unit. The other was strapped onto a table where a myriad of sensors were connected. A video display soon showed broken images, transmitted across the bio-link, coming from the animal inside the pod.

Reno paused. "Dr. Bouthis, I would like to apologize for my behavior at the meeting. While each of us has been on different aspects of this project for years, we have yet to work closely together and are therefore unfamiliar with each other on a personal basis. My tone from earlier was totally inappropriate."

Bouthis nodded. "Apology accepted... and respected. Shall we proceed?"

"By all means."

Bouthis looked over the parameters coming from the sensors. "These animals have been bio-linked for several weeks, but they were both put to sleep immediately following the insertions. I have not yet had time to verify the validity of the link. Let's see... we have visual link... and... audio." The doctor smiled. "Initiating REM sleep for our local subject. This animal will be little more than an active conduit for our data, momentarily."

The monkey on the table was forced into unconsciousness by administration of an injected drug. The broken images soon cleared, revealing the sights and sounds as seen and heard by the awake and nervous animal inside the pod.

Reno gushed as he looked at the display in wonder. "Fantastic, Doctor." He moved to check the pod instruments. "If that link holds, we will again be making history here tonight!"

Bouthis verified several settings on his equipment. "We are ready, Dr. Reno."

Reno's assistant, Credin, initiated the portal sequence. Around them, the station began to hum as its generators were all brought to full power. A set of gyros, accelerometers, and inertial measurement units, time synced to the motion of the galaxy, delivered the precise positional measurements the portal calibration required. An extreme magnetic field was detected by the sensors surrounding the holding unit.

Bouthis jumped in fright as an almost deafening tearing sound ripped through the air when the tunnel through space-time opened. In an instant, the contents of the pod were transferred to the past and to a specific destination thereof... Earth.

The image relayed by the Capuchin flashed a bright white before going black.

Bouthis asked, "What was that?"

Reno growled. "That was our monkey going blind. Do we have audio?"

The monkey began to cry out.

"We do."

Reno sighed as he fretted over the data coming through to his machine. "I should have foreseen this. We need visual. We get little value from listening to a world we cannot see. Nunol will laugh in our faces if we attempt to only bring him audio from the past."

The image on the display began to show a dark and blurry scene.

Bouthis pointed, "Look!"

The murky video brightened and cleared.

Bouthis hurriedly checked the parameters of his bio-link. "Data feed is optimal. We have full transmission!"

Reno gripped Bouthis by the forearm as a recognizable image began to come into view. The monkey swung its head from side to side, looking at its surroundings, instinctively wanting to seek a safe and secure location. The image was of a golden-yellow, grassy field with forest to either side.

Reno excitedly pointed. "There on the ground, that black smudge... that must be the remains of the probe I sent back. I used the same location for this journey, only seconds later. This proves the probe successfully arrived, but for whatever reason— was destroyed."

The Capuchin scampered toward the trees to its left.

The normally stoic scientist, Reno, had his smile turned into an epic grin for the second time that day. "Dr. Bouthis, we are seeing a world from over fifty thousand years ago! This is a historic moment for science!"

The monkey on the table jerked as it awakened, screeching out in terror.

Bouthis hurried over. "The bio-link has been broken. I don't understand. Our subject in the past has to have died."

Credin reported, "We are still seeing an image on the monitor."

Bouthis looked over various numeric data-feeds. "A recording. This... this is tremendous. The monitor equipment is showing more than three years of recording. Do you realize what this means?"

Reno tilted his head to one side. "Explain."

"Our subject animal in the past has lived its lifetime while our local subject has experienced less than a single minute of present day!"

"That doesn't make sense."

Bouthis shrugged. "Perhaps we are looking at this wrong. Perhaps time coming through from the past is not linear. Could it somehow be accelerated or compressed?"

Reno's expression of concern once again turned into a grin. "Yes... yes it very well could be! That would explain some of the anomalies in the data from the probe experiment!"

The trio excitedly gazed at the image being displayed from the recording as the animal climbed a nearby tree.

"Dr. Bouthis," Reno said, "this is incredible. This means an entire lifetime can be lived there in the past while only a single minute passes here. An anthropologist could go on thousands of journeys, living thousands of past lifetimes in study, while only in the early years of a career. How soon can you have a cloned Human body ready to send?"

"A week perhaps? The bio-link will likely take another week after that. I am not yet entirely familiar with Human physiology."

"What if the link was established to an Opamari subject here?"

Bouthis scrunched his face at the thought. "What are you suggesting?"

"I'm suggesting we send through a Human body that is connected to one of us. Can the other end of the bio-link be implanted into an Opamari? Is that possible?"

An uneasy expression was returned. "I suppose. From what little I have researched of Humans, the senses appear to be similar to ours. But our body's methods of converting those returned signals into ones our own brains would recognize? I am uncertain that conversion can even be made."

"Go back to your lab this evening, Doctor. Begin the process of readying a Human clone. And I want a bio-link readied as well, and historical memory translations for neural injection. One of us will be linking to that clone!"

Bouthis took a step back. "That is an untested procedure, Doctor. I highly recommend we take the time to fully study such a venture. Even if insertion does prove workable, I believe it to be highly dangerous. Who knows how the Opamari mind compares to that of a Human? And what of our animal here? Has it taken any damage? And what, if any, memories has it retained? These are things that require careful study."

"The subject looks healthy and alert. I will see to its care over the coming week. And you know how the Opamari mind works, Dr. Bouthis. You've studied it your entire life. You are brilliant. I have faith in your ability to make this happen. Go back to your lab. Ready a Human clone. I will be paying you a visit in a week for the bio-link."

"You?"

"This project is my life, Doctor. I cannot allow this research to be a failure. Our experiment here this evening appears to be a huge success. We must build upon it, while we have the opportunity. I am willing to risk it all if that's what it takes!"

# Chapter 2

### _______________________

Over the week that followed, Reno reviewed the recordings from the Capuchin. The small but intelligent subject moved from the field to the trees surrounding it. The location selected for the journey had been a natural time and habitat for the animal. After initially being chased away, it was eventually accepted into a troop of locals.

Time was spent advancing through the returned images up until the monkey's death during an attack by a predator. The still stunned researcher logged the events for a report to be used at the coming final presentation to save the project. When the week of data review had ended, Reno made his way down to the surface and to Bouthis's bio lab, with the still living, local Capuchin on his shoulder.

Reno walked into the laboratory of his colleague. "Has the cloning been a success?"

Bouthis nodded. "Yes. I have a Human body I feel is an excellent candidate."

"Good. I've done a brief study of a time period and locale where I would like it to be sent. It was selected because of the adequate volume of historical data we have available. In reality, almost any time and place during Human civilization should be acceptable. However, I thought there would be less chance of cultural interference by sending a clone to the central regions of the continent called Africa where there was still a fair amount of isolation, in what was deemed to be the thirty-fourth century B.C."

"I am intrigued. Go on."

"My clone, when coupled with my knowledge, should have an adequate chance at survival. Many of the Humans are still in the early stages of civilization. I hope to find tribal groups that live in small villages of huts. They hunt, fish, and forage for nutrition. The archives indicate they will mostly keep to themselves, their own tribes. Although there are indications of some warring with neighboring groups."

"And you selected this time again, why?"

"This remains an experiment. I believe it will allow me to travel back and see how these Humans lived in that locale during that time. And I believe my potential interactions with them to be of minimal historical concern."

Bouthis gave a sarcastic reply. "That is, unless you decide to teach them about temporal math."

Reno smiled. "Yes, I'm certain they could make use of it while hunting wild game."

The bio-researcher looked over the Capuchin perched on Reno's shoulder. "It looks healthy."

"The medical data indicate it is normal in every way. I gave it a fruit which is similar to others its counterpart in the past regularly ate. It was consumed in a manner that exactly matched that of the Capuchin we sent back. I believe this is evidence the memories passed to it were completely retained."

"Interesting. And interesting a wild monkey would sit so peacefully on your shoulder."

"I was concerned at first, but after several feedings and time spent with it in the lab, it settled and became friendly. Of course I may have enhanced the chances of that friendliness with a chemical injection or two. We do have the medical means available."

Bouthis led him into another room. "This is our Human, a male. Languages, foods, the essentials for survival during that time, have been implanted into its memories, as well as generalized knowledge of that timeframe and location. You should receive those upon bio-linking. I would like to repeat that I do not favor conducting this experiment on a live subject. Especially one who is so vital to this program."

Reno inspected the Human body. "That smell. It's unsettling... repugnant actually."

"You will grow used to it. I believe their species at one time may have relied on pheromones for mating. Something we genetically removed from ourselves eons ago."

Reno circled the table where the Human clone lay. "Impressive, Doctor. But unless we prove this project to be an immediate success, the OSSHR will pull our funding and I will be ruined. No one is interested in the extreme expense of temporal studies. As evidenced here, your field of study has much promise. How does the clone remain viable after being awakened?"

"From the memory injections. I've managed a set of standard 'learned' functions that have been implanted. Body movements, vocalizing, essentially most of those things we subconsciously know how to do, are preloaded. I've compiled quite the list of memories that will allow any of these clones to be high-functioning once bio-linked. Of course, they will lack a mind of their own."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you will have to control its every move. It will otherwise just sit and stare. The brain in this clone does not have the life experiences that will give it reasoning capability."

"How was this monkey able to take action?"

"That Capuchin on your shoulder is fully grown. It knew how to act like a monkey, how to live, how to be aware, before being linked to the other."

"Interesting. And remarkable. We need this experiment to work, Doctor. I keep repeating that, but I cannot stress enough that we must have success."

"Then I will make it a success, Dr. Reno."

Reno laid his three fingered hand on the shoulder of his colleague. "Yes. I'm certain you will... and any success will be ours."

The Human clone was moved to the orbiting Mentox-I from Bouthis's lab on the surface. An automated surgical procedure was performed on Reno, installing and initiating a bio-link within his brain, that would allow him to interact with all the senses of the Human body he was now connected to.

Seconds later, Reno sat up from the surgery, repeatedly blinking his eyes. "Well done, Doctor, and painless. During my earlier studies for this project I was reading about some of our own early history. Procedures such as this were not possible."

"I am often thankful for the advancements we have achieved. Now we have a new one before us."

Reno suddenly gripped the edge of the table as his body convulsed. "This is confusing." The researcher threw his legs over the side to steady himself. "My brain is seeing everything from two perspectives at once!"

Bouthis stepped back. "What? I have not activated the clone. You would normally have to be in REM sleep before making sense of the signals coming back to you."

Reno turned his head. The head of the clone turned with him.

Bouthis exclaimed, "This is remarkable. I have yet to see this behavior in any subject."

"It is strange," Reno said. "It is as though I have another consciousness living inside my head."

The clone spoke in the Opamari language. "I can see myself sitting on that table."

Reno replied, "Hello, you."

Bouthis found a seat and plopped down. "Was that you controlling it?"

The clone replied, "Does that make you nervous, Doctor?"

Reno chuckled. "This is fantastic!"

Bouthis grasped his chin. His mouth was agape and his eyes wide. "On the contrary, Doctor, I am in awe. Do you realize what this means?"

"Tell me."

"It means when the clone arrives back at its destination with you in full control, it will essentially be you!"

Reno hopped to the floor and began to pace the room before turning for the door. The cloned Human stood and followed.

Bouthis asked, "Where are you going?"

"To the pod. We are sending him back right now."

Bouthis hurried after them. "No. This is too soon, Doctor. We don't yet know what will happen. I should be conducting tests until we are certain you are not in danger."

"Credin!" Reno summoned his assistant as he walked into the lab. "You will be operating the machine today. Follow the instruction of Dr. Bouthis. Do whatever he asks. And, Doctor, I am entrusting my life to your actions. Act with care, but do not pull the plug on this too soon. Our time is limited. We must have results that will ensure this program receives the funding it deserves."

"What would you like me to do?" Credin asked.

"First, in that box by the door you will find a period-appropriate thatched-grass skirt. Fasten it around the waist of my clone. After that, see to the controls of the machine."

Bouthis stared at the skirt as it was hung around the clone's naked waist. "Where did you get that?"

Reno replied, "I had it made down on Bredren from local grasses. After selecting the time for travel, I thought it best we send the clone back at least minimally prepared. They did a good job of matching the descriptions from the archive images I provided to them. Now please, let's move forward. Our time is limited."

Reno was helped up onto a table where the sensors and transfer pick-ups were connected. Credin moved to reset the pod and its controller to the time and location as specified. The clone walked to the pod located in the center of the room, climbed onto the flat slab of its base and lay back. The pod slowly closed over it as the reset sequence took place.

A nervous Bouthis stood over Reno. "Are you certain you want to do this?"

"I am. And keep in mind, I am in no physical danger. All of this will be over in a single minute." Reno smiled.

Bouthis initiated the forced sleep of Reno with a careful injection. When the monitors showed REM had been achieved, Credin sequenced the portal. A horrific tearing sound was followed by a flash and then by blackness on the monitor, indicating the clone had been delivered but could no longer see.

As Bouthis checked over the unconscious Reno, Credin monitored the portal. "Everything with the machine is as it should be, Doctor."

The image of a gold and green, high-grass field slowly came into focus. The cloned Reno stood, naked. He turned and looked to either side as he oriented himself.

A voice came back in the Opamari language over the audio portion of the link. "I am here. I am actually here. I had a strange sensation of falling. But only for a moment."

The clone looked down.

Bouthis looked at Credin. "The skirt is gone."

Reno's clone reached down and stroked the dirt of the ground with the fingers of an open hand before reaching out and pulling a stalk of the tall grass, bringing it up to his nose. "Fantastic. I cannot explain the smells and other senses I am experiencing. They seem... heightened. Even the taste in my mouth is different. My skirt is gone, which we will want to research, but I am here."

The clone covered its eyes as it glanced up at the bright blue sky. "How are things there on Mentox? Oh. I suppose you have no way to communicate back to me. Such wonder. I feel the heat of the local star on my skin. This is... far more immersive than I imagined." The clone looked down. "I can also feel a breeze blowing across the hairs on my arm."

Credin watched on the monitor as Bouthis checked Reno's vitals. "This is surreal, Doctor."

The clone continued, "The memories in my head tell me a village should be just over this rise. Let us go there."

The Human began to walk. "This body, it is comfortable and easily controlled. You did well, Dr. Bouthis. You did very well."

Bouthis grinned.

Moments later, the Opamari Reno awoke, sucking in a deep breath. His eyes were fixated and wide, as if staring off into the distance in terror. Credin hurried to disconnect the sensors and monitoring equipment that held him in place. Bouthis skirted through screens of medical data.

Reno slowly sat forward, checking his chest and arms for wounds. There were none. "Outstanding! And a shock to my system I was not expecting. Look here. Watch. My journey is a short one, but wondrous." Reno hopped from the table and moved to the control console, his legs a bit unsteady.

The trio watched the monitor recording as the clone walked up and over a rise, coming to the edge of a small village of thatched huts on the other side.

"Look at this." Reno exclaimed. "This is real. This happened."

A half-dozen village warriors were soon surrounding him with clubs and spears. An angry chieftain approached and was the first to interact, seemingly demanding an answer as to who he was, in a language that otherwise wasn't understood.

Reno placed his hand on Bouthis's shoulder. "Remember my reaction to the clone when you first revealed it to me? The odor it gave off?"

"I do."

"These Humans... are, were, far more... aromatic. I almost had to turn away."

With a gleam of excitement in his eye, Reno squeezed Bouthis's shoulder as he shook him lightly. "Watch this!"

The chieftain moved in close, glaring at the stranger. The clone raised his hand in a gesture of peace. The village leader, holding a short, sharpened stick, jabbed it into the Human Reno's gut. The other warriors rushed forward, stabbing, hacking, and pummeling the unknown, naked visitor.

Bouthis took a step back in shock, gazing at the display and then back at Reno. "Horrific!"

The temporal traveler smirked. "Not horrific, Doctor, magnificent! How soon can we have another clone ready?"

"What?"

"I just experienced death, more than five hundred centuries in the past. I have memories of the pain... of the entire episode. Don't you see, Dr. Bouthis? We have done it! We will give Dr. Nunol and the OSSHR board far more than they ever dreamed. With the technology we have just developed, with my portal, and with your clone and bio-link, the entire history of the Empire can be studied live! Imagine the possibilities!"

# Chapter 3

### _______________________

Data was reviewed time and again by the team. The results confirmed the success of the experiment. The clone had traveled back and interacted with the world it encountered. The sensory information the clone had collected was transferred back to the present-day memories of Reno, as well as being recorded. He showed his eagerness to take another journey, asking that another clone be readied.

Bouthis entered the lab with a new candidate being pushed on a gurney by his assistant. "Leave it there. I will make contact if I need you further."

The assistant left the room.

Reno asked, "Do you not wish him to see the experiment?"

"I handle all of my research in the same restricted manner. No one is told anything I don't deem to be relevant to their performance. Jukra will not be adding to this experiment in any way. He is therefore excluded and will be catching the next shuttle down to Bredren."

"Interesting. Do you fear rivals stealing your research?"

"Not at all. At the moment I have no rivals. I just prefer to have minimal outside involvement where possible. Too many distractions weaken my ability to think."

Bouthis looked around the room. "Your lab here. It is bright, clean, and uncluttered. I do not see any personal items, even on your desk. I would guess you may suffer from some of the same personal afflictions I do."

"I suppose. I've never been one for trinkets or baubles, which is what this conversation is becoming. Shall we proceed?"

"Do you have another skirt?"

"I checked the data from the recording. The clone's legs were covered with a fine dust. I believe the skirt disintegrated. And I am beginning to believe it has something to do with live tissue. I'm not certain as to why, but it may be that only living tissue can be transferred through the portal. On our next journey we will attempt to send a detached object through with the clone."

Bouthis nodded. "If you would please lie back on the table I will insert the new bio-link."

"Does the old link not still function?"

"The bio-link is constructed with sets of quantum-entangled particles pairs. Each pair of which is unique. The old pairs had one end implanted in your prior clone and one end in you. The particles on that end were destroyed when your clone's life ended. This new clone has a new set. We must install the matching end in you for the new bio-link to be established."

"I see. I do have a question though. The clone. It appears to be different than last time. Would there be a reason as to why?"

"Yes. After examining the recordings I realized a prior mistake. There were races of Humans on this planet where the outward appearance could be dramatically different depending on their locale of origin. Our prior clone, even though similarly dark, was from a continent called Asia, and from the southeastern portion thereof. If you recount, it looked very different than those you encountered. Perhaps that is why your clone experienced the hostility of the villagers."

"Very good, Doctor. An important detail I missed."

"Easily overlooked. Our own variations are slight compared to what the Human species offers. They are quite the mix of genetic abnormalities, or perhaps I should say, differences. I suppose our early ancestors might have been much the same before our own DNA science gave us all an equal start."

"Hmm. Interesting thoughts, Doctor. Shall we proceed?"

Reno laid back on a table. A machine was wheeled over his head and attached. A button was pressed, and an automated sequence of events occurred, concluding less than a minute later.

The face of a smiling Reno was revealed as the equipment was moved away. "Again, easy and painless."

The bio-link was installed and the cloned body brought to consciousness. Reno again reacted to the dual streams of awareness mixing in his mind. The sleep drug was administered, and the portal initiated. Seconds later, the new clone began to see. The Human stood from the ground in the same field it had come into being in before.

"Ah. I do enjoy that smell. This time, I will move to observe the village before attempting interaction. I believe my prior direct approach made them feel threatened. I do wish we had the memories for their language. Communication is essential."

Bouthis turned to face Credin. "I searched the archives for that language. Nothing was available. The native tongue of these villagers was lost to their history."

Credin replied, "Would this not be precisely the type of thing the OSSHR would want to study, Doctor? A lost language?"

Bouthis nodded. "Yes. I believe that would be within their primary mission."

The Reno clone moved to a nearby clump of trees. The tallest, known from the archives as a Great Maobi, was selected for a climb.

The clone peeled off bits of bark from the trunk. "This would be perfect, although the bark is too flimsy for a shimmy. These vines however, appear to be sturdy. This will take some effort. I hope this body has the strength."

Credin stared at the monitor. "What is he doing?"

Bouthis tilted his head in thought. "He wants to observe the village. That tree offers a platform for the task."

"The climb appears to be quite dangerous."

"He only risks the life of the clone."

The Opamari Reno awoke seconds later, reaching over to feel his side. "Frustrating!"

Credin began to disconnect him. "What happened?"

"Just watch. It is all on the recording."

The threesome looked on as the clone continued its climb. It struggled as it neared the top, grunting and breathing heavily, before making it onto the first branch jutting outward. The height over the lower trees gave a perfect view of the village. The clone rubbed its hands as the roughness from climbing the vines had his palms red and abraded.

The clone said, "I count eight thatch huts. The large one in the center is where the chieftain came from last time. And I suppose I don't need to relay every detail as you are observing this as well."

Reno pointed. "Look to the east. Several warriors will emerge from the brush carrying an animal they successfully hunted. It will be hung from that tripod of poles and then butchered. See, even the children participate. Fascinating."

Bouthis glanced over at the table. "You instantly awoke. That suggests the link was broken."

"Yes. I was in the tree for just under a full day. The night was a terror. All manner of creatures crawled on my skin and bit me. A flying insect called a mosquito, the memory of which was given to me through the clone memory injections, was particularly troublesome. My brain is telling me to scratch my arms right here and now. Quite unnerving at times. And on several occasions I nearly lost my balance. The fall would have been deadly."

The recording was fast-forwarded to the next point of interest. The meat was stripped from the animal and its fur stretched out between a patchwork of sticks to dry.

Credin said, "Interesting choice of clothing. It does not at all look comfortable."

Reno nodded. "As my research suggested, grass thatched into a skirt. Like us, no top. The Humans of later ages cover most of their body with cloth. Only the chieftain wears more, having an animal fur slung over his shoulder."

"What a primitive existence."

"Indeed. But a part of me is intrigued by the simplicity."

"The simplicity?" Credin scowled. "It would seem complex when much of your daily life is geared toward survival. Civilization has provided us with meals on demand. What if they don't acquire another animal for meat? How long before they grow hungry without means to satiate that hunger?"

Reno chuckled. "They appear to be living. True that feeding themselves might require a continuous effort, but they seem to have mastered that effort."

The recording was sped through until the darkest part of the night was reached.

Reno pointed. "Here. See this dark shadow moving between the huts... a gorilla."

Bouthis asked, "A what?"

"A large beast of an animal. Powerful. It is a local species and it rested at the base of my tree for nearly an hour, staring up at the odd Human sitting on the branch high above it. I was concerned it was going to climb up and attack. Instead, it made its way into the village, knocking over several stands before stopping to stare at the meat from the tripod, which had been raised up into a tree."

"Putting the food out of reach. Seems an intelligent move."

"Yes. But not necessary for the gorilla. It is a species of herbivore. Just more curious than anything."

The recording was again sped through until early morning was reached. The threesome watched intently as the village came to life. Several hunters trekked off into the woods, one walking directly under the Maobi tree the clone occupied.

As attention was turned back to the encampment, the group jumped as the image on the display jolted. The clone looked toward its left arm and down, taking note of the spear jutting out of its back-left side before the image broke into a spin as the clone fell. It bounced hard off the ground moments before the recording came to an end.

Bouthis shook his head. "The hunter came back?"

"I can only conclude that to be what happened."

Credin asked, "Pain?"

"Quite painful."

Bouthis said, "This cannot be good for the mind."

"I might have to argue that point, Doctor. While a jolt to my system, I find the realization that it is over to actually be comforting. I'm not certain as to why, perhaps my mind is taking relief from the seeming intrusion of this other consciousness. Regardless, I feel somehow more alert. More alive."

"More dead is what I would say. And I think it might do you well to be run through a psychiatric evaluation."

"How long before the next clone is ready?"

"Six days."

"Is there any way to speed the process? And what is that process by the way?"

"The body itself takes several weeks to grow. I have several dozen blanks at the ready and others in the growth stage. Once grown, they are placed in cold storage. They are pulled and activated, tested, injected with the memory train and then again tested. It may or may not receive the bio-link and is then put into an unconscious state and back into storage before use."

"How long is the activation period?"

"A day to fully warm up and only minutes to activate. The testing period lasts three days, the memory injection four hours, including initial verification, followed by three additional days of test. The bio-link, as you have seen, takes minutes."

"Are the long testing periods necessary?"

"I believe so. The first tells us if the clone is a viable candidate. There are errors that can happen during growth. The second block of tests tells us if the memory transfer was complete."

"Have either of those failed?"

"Not in the last thirty-four candidates that have been awakened."

"I thought you had two dozen?"

"Human candidates, yes," Bouthis replied. "Aside from the two we just used, only two other Humans have been through the processes I just described. And of the clone candidates who have been awakened, aside from the Capuchin, only those two I just mentioned were Human, which is why I had previously stated I was not fully familiar with Human physiology."

"I see." Reno began to pace the lab. "We are up against a hard deadline, Dr. Bouthis. I believe Dr. Nunol is looking for any reason to shut us down. Because of that, I am going to suggest we warm two clones, inject their memories, and only run the minimum of tests on them before performing the bio-link insertions."

"What? Was it not you who stated that progress needs to happen in an orderly and safe manner?"

"I was pushing for more time, Doctor. We were only given two months and we have nearly used one of them. What are the ramifications of bringing two clones up at once?"

Bouthis frowned with one side of his mouth as he thought. "Once activated they must be fed and cared for. One of the units began to act-up after an hour of being awake without having a controlling mind, such as your own, overseeing its actions."

"And the other? You mentioned there had been two."

"The other was immediately dissected for study. Potentially harmful actions were not an issue."

Reno looked to Credin. "Do we have means of restraining a second clone?"

"None that I know of offhand, but I will begin a search for such."

"Dr. Bouthis, would it be possible to put the second clone to sleep for a period of time?"

"Hmm. I suppose it would. For how long?"

"The pod reset only requires five minutes. I would like a few minutes to reorient myself after waking. Would ten minutes be out of the question?"

"Several hours would not be out of the question, but I would still ask that we stay with our prearranged procedures. I created those schedules for a reason."

"Yes. Well those reasons have been overridden by the time constraints placed upon us by the OSSHR. Credin. We have a cold chamber here on Mentox, please determine if it would be adequate for storage of Dr. Bouthis's other clones. And Doctor, please see to it the move of your lab up here to the station is expedited. And I would suggest you get to work on growing several hundred new clones."

"What? Why so many?"

"Because our budget has yet to be clipped. Over this next week I am asking you to purchase all the equipment and other supplies you would need to keep this operation running at the current pace for another six months. If this continues to work as it has, we will be dealing with a group of anthropologists who will be angry if they have to wait. If I were them, I would be demanding several dozen trips per day. If they decide to continue this project, I don't want to give them time to rethink their decision."

Bouthis nodded before leaving the room.

Reno turned to face Credin. "See to it he has every resource he needs to make this move as fast as possible. We need to go into our meeting with the OSSHR, laying a golden orb on the table for them all to gaze at in wonder. I want Dr. Nunol salivating over the possibilities of the esteem and acclaim this project will bring him."

"I'll do my best, Doctor."

Credin hurried for the door.

# Chapter 4

### _______________________

A new clone, freshly warmed, activated, and injected was brought into the lab on a gurney. A bio-link was inserted, followed by the matching end implanted in Reno. A minimum of tests were conducted by Bouthis to ensure a high-functioning clone and connection.

Reno laid back on the table. "Credin. Please enter the same time and place as my initial journey. I wish to attempt another approach of the village."

"Very well."

The last of the sensors were fastened by Bouthis as the reset of the pod was conducted by Credin. Seconds later, the unnerving ripping sound of space-time being torn open... failed to shatter the quiet calm of the lab.

Credin looked over the controls. "I don't understand. The portal failed."

Reno was awakened from his slumber, sitting up as he rubbed his eyes into focus. "What happened?"

"The machine. It failed to create a portal. The clone remains in the pod."

Reno sat up, allowing several seconds to pass as the fog of sleep cleared from his mind. "The time and coordinate parameters, they were properly entered?"

"Triple checked, Doctor."

The next hour was spent investigating every circuit and sensor of the machine with no apparent problems found.

Reno scratched the side of his head. "Credin. On my last journey, was the same time used?"

"Mmm. No, sir. The time and location for that trip were left as they were from where the prior mission ended. The second journey occurred approximately twelve minutes after the first. The location was the same. The twelve minutes was the duration of that first journey. This time was set to match the beginning of that first jump."

"Remove the clone from the pod and set a time of five minutes prior. I want to know if a portal can be opened prior to a last opening."

"Very well."

The pod was reset and the new time entered. As with the previous attempt, the portal failed to open.

"Reset again. And take us backward by a month."

The experiment was repeated with the same result. The next attempt was going back by a year, then ten years, and finally one hundred, where the inhabitants of the lab were startled by the almost cataclysmic sound of a tear in space-time. An afternoon of testing unearthed a limitation that had not been foreseen.

Once a portal was opened, another portal to that location, the location being within a day's walking distance, approximately fifteen kilometers of a prior opening, could not be made for a period extending backward by ninety-seven years and forward to the last instant a clone who had been delivered was alive. An impenetrable time-bubble would form around the location. It seemed to be a limitation that would prevent overlapping portals from existing in the same time and location. Once a time and destination had been used, there was a natural restriction to making use of it again.

Reno paced back and forth. "There is nothing in any calculation that indicates this anomaly should exist. This is troubling."

Bouthis said, "I don't understand why this upsets you so."

"Foremost, this is a limitation. I do not wish to go before the OSSHR board with limitations. Of frustration to me directly, I do not like unknowns and this is a complete and utter unknown. As scientists, we may not yet have a full understanding of every nuance of physics. That is a given. And where we lack knowledge there is typically math that shows a problem. No such mathematical anomalies exist here."

"Should we further test the times surrounding your last journey?"

"I believe the anomaly we are seeing has several implications. Credin, reset the pod for one minute past our last Central-African opening. Dr. Bouthis, please assist me on the table. We are sending the clone back to just after I was speared."

Credin chuckled.

Reno asked, "You find something funny?"

"I'm sorry, Doctor. The spearing... it was shocking at the time, but it does seem a bit humorous now."

Bouthis offered a slight smile.

Reno sighed. "You too? Fine. I suppose if our situation wasn't so dire I might find humor in that as well. Initiate the portal as I asked. And give me your shoe. I wish to hold it in my hand."

"My shoe?"

"As a further test of living tissue being all that can travel through the portal. And if this works, I should see the native under the tree and my last clone's body on the ground where it fell."

Another reset was completed. The clone climbed into the pod with a shoe in its hand as it laid back on the slab inside. The lid came down as Reno hopped onto the monitoring table and rolled onto his back. The sensors were connected and the sleep drug administered. Seconds later, the nerve shattering ripping sound told of a clone that had been transported through time.

The Reno clone squatted to remain hidden in the grass of the field. Once its vision had cleared, he looked at the dust in his hand. "Confirmed. No shoe. Nothing but living tissue and attached bio-material such as hair, nails, or even dead skin cells, will transfer intact."

Credin scowled. "And now I am without a shoe."

A jog was made by the clone to the edge of the trees. Three warriors were standing over the dead body of the prior clone as they conversed. One turned, grabbing the attention of the others as he pointed at the new stranger.

The Reno clone turned and ran. The warriors came to the edge of the wood but did not pursue. The Opamari Reno awakened on the table as the monitor display showed the clone to still be fleeing.

Reno sat up and cleared his eyes. "I believe we have chosen an extremely hostile location."

Bouthis asked, "What happened?"

Reno hopped off the table, taking position in front of the display controls. The playback of the recording was accelerated for several minutes until the clone slowed to a walk.

"They didn't follow?"

Reno sighed. "There was no need. And I have to say, this death was particularly disturbing."

As they watched, a lion stepped from the bushes into the clone's path. The clone came to a stop and began to slowly step backward. The lion held its position, seeming to not care about the direction the clone was moving.

The display image then shook violently as the clone was thrown to the ground from behind by a second beast. Reno shuddered, moving his own arms in reaction. He watched the claws and teeth of the second lion ripping into the arms of his clone as it attempted to protect itself.

The fight lasted only seconds before the clone offered no further resistance. The lion's jaws closed around his neck. The scene that followed was one of the sound of heavy breath and the crunching of bones, along with a head that was jarred and jerked as it dragged along the ground. The lioness that attacked was pulling the body around to keep it from the male. In the stunning scene, the brain of the clone continued to transmit images of its body being ripped, torn, and devoured for another fifteen to twenty seconds.

Reno again shuddered as he took in and let out a deep breath. "I will need a few minutes break before we continue. That was disconcerting, even for my analytical mind."

Bouthis slowly shook his head. "That was terrifying. We cannot return to this village."

"I would agree. See if you and Credin can find a location elsewhere on this continent. I would prefer we remain in this timeframe if possible as I believe there will be little if any historical impact from these... slayings."

After a rest, Reno insisted on making use of the second clone they had readied. In addition, the order was given to ready two more. This time, the eastern edge of a lake known as Lac Tumba was selected.

Reno laid back on the table as he awaited the sleep injection. "I can't get the acrid smell of that lion's breath out of my mind. I should hope to never meet one again."

When the portal opened, the clone appeared in another small field, this time surrounded by scrub.

The clone stood, looking around as its vision cleared. "I do not like the makeup of this area. I'm proceeding to the lake's edge and will make a determination as to direction from there. Historical records place the mention of a small village in this area."

As the clone began its walk, Reno awakened from his sleep. After sitting up and clearing his head, he hopped from the table to the floor.

"This is maddening. Is there nowhere safe on this continent?"

Bouthis asked, "What happened? You are still walking through the scrub and tall grass on the monitor."

Reno stepped over and sped up the scene. The clone arrived at the lake's edge before turning toward the north. After fast-forwarding through another ten minutes of walking, the edge of a village was encountered. This one occupied a large clearing where several dozen stick-and-thatch huts stood in ever-broadening concentric circles. Again, the largest hut occupied the center of the village.

Before the decision to hide and observe was made, three children were standing in front of the clone with mouths open and their own version of practice-spears in their hands. One turned and ran into the village, bringing several warriors back with him.

Instead of a violent end, the villagers welcomed the traveler. In a turn of events that Reno felt satisfied with, a partial understanding of this village's language emerged from his memories. He soon found himself in the center of the village as its warriors gathered for a hunt. A skirt was given to place around his waist and a spear was thrust into his hands.

"Come." The chief of the village signaled. "We hunt this morning. In your honor we will have a grand feast this evening."

Reno followed the group of fifteen village men into the brush and woods. The surrounding lands changed from small fields of tall grass— to endless scrub— to thick patches of forest. Several attempts were made to sneak up on a Bongo, a deer-like creature, but the animal bounded off before it could be sufficiently surrounded.

As the sun rose into the day, the temperature began to rise. The clone, although healthy, was not acclimatized to the heat and humidity of Central Africa. The other men joked and laughed as the clone began to sweat profusely.

The chieftain walked beside him. "I am Itebu. What is your name?"

Reno chuckled as he watched.

"Bouthis," The clone replied.

Bouthis turned with a furrowed brow. "What? Why my name?"

"I must apologize. It was the first name that popped into my head. Perhaps one day we will find a monument to Bouthis." Reno smiled.

"What are you saying. What happens?"

Reno shook his head. "There will be no monuments from this venture. Of that I am certain. Nor will it be recorded for history. Please, just watch."

Itebu asked, "Where do you come from?"

The clone pointed east.

"When you arrived; you had no clothing and no weapon. I am certain you did not travel these lands without those."

The clone replied, "I stopped to bathe and was chased away by a jungle cat. I dared not return for my things. I continued on, coming into your village this morning."

"What of your people?"

"They are dead. A dispute between tribes. I was in the forest and returned to find my village destroyed and family dead. Initially I wanted revenge, but then I decided I did not have the means for such. I had always been a wanderer. So here I am. And I hope you will allow me to stay."

"If you can hunt, you can stay. All are welcome in Bikoto, so long as they contribute."

Reno sped through viewing nearly an hour of fruitless hunt before pausing. "This event was again harrowing, but also rewarding."

As the clone walked with the chieftain, a wild boar, large in size, raced from the scrub toward them. Reacting with an agility and speed Reno swore he would not have as an Opamari, the clone dropped to a squat, digging the back end of his spear into the dirt as the point was turned toward the charging boar. As the beast lunged, it impaled itself on the clone's spear, collapsing less than an arm's length from the surprised village leader.

The other men of the tribe raced in, stabbing the still squirming animal until it no longer moved.

Itebu helped a squatting clone to his feet. "You have saved my life and killed a boar! Bouthis is a name that shall be celebrated in our village! Come. Let us go and prepare."

Instructions were given to several of the younger hunters to chop and clean a small tree with a stone ax. The tree would be used as a pole for the transport of the now-dead prize.

The group of hunters chanted and sang as they happily made their way back to the village. Itebu relayed a story of this very boar having badly injured one of the hunters several months before. Bouthis would be celebrated as a great warrior.

The recording was again forwarded to their arrival at the village where the boar was carried off for butchering. Children flocked around the hero of the village as the chieftain walked him to his hut and inside.

"You will sleep with us tonight. I offer you a bed of leopard furs."

Three young women entered the hut carrying food and drink. Having lost pounds of sweat due to a lack of conditioning for the environment, the clone gladly accepted the drink, ravenously consuming it as the women laughed. Several local fruits were tasted and then hastily eaten, again bringing giggles.

Itebu grinned. "You like them? These are my daughters."

"They are friendly," The clone replied.

"They need husbands. Now. You three. Go. Help with the feast."

Reno fast-forwarded to the beginning of the feast. "We talked for hours as the meal was prepared. I attempted to give up little information. The chief talked endlessly about his village."

The cooked boar was brought forward with the most prized parts offered to the clone first.

Reno said, "I was surprised by how much I enjoyed eating animal flesh. I realize we are herbivores ourselves, but the sensations of satisfaction I received from the Human body were delightful."

A fermented berry wine was consumed during the feast and well into the night. The women and men of the village danced around open fires, eventually heading off to their own huts. A drunken clone was lead to the chieftain's hut where he was encouraged to lie back on the leopard skins.

The recording was forwarded until first light began to show.

Reno sighed as the image through the clone's eyes showed the three daughters all sleeping snuggled up close to him. As the clone rose, Itebu and his wife were sitting with contented grins displayed on their faces.

"You have chosen three wives. A true warrior. We will have a ceremony this morning and a celebration throughout the day. You will live here with us."

Reno paused the recording. "This is where things went astray. We cannot be closely involving ourselves in the lives of these people. Observation is one thing. Marriage and producing offspring is another."

Credin asked, "So what did you do?"

"I politely refused and attempted to leave the village."

The recording was forwarded to where the clone had been restrained. An angry chieftain paced back and forth. "You insult and disgrace us. You lie with my daughters, making them unacceptable to the men of this or other villages."

Reno stopped the recording. "This was a mistake. Please tell me you took the precautions I asked for with regards to breeding. I should have controlled myself. Allowing intoxication may have been to our detriment."

Bouthis replied, "Do not concern yourself with such, Doctor. The clones are incapable of reproducing. A wise precaution taken. These clones possess genes that are not of Human origin. Those genes allow their fast growth, which is not something we wish to pollute our subjects of study with."

The playback was continued.

The clone said, "I am sorry, but I must leave. I am not fit for life in your village. I am not worthy."

The chief leaned close. "I cannot allow you to leave. Word of my daughters would spread from your bragging tongue."

"I won't say a thing. I promise."

Credin chuckled, drawing a scowl from his boss.

"I cannot accept the word of someone who has disgraced my family. Take him to the forest."

The recording was sped up. After accepting a beating from the village men, the clone was taken into the forest, tied up between two trees, and left alone. Shortly afterward, several large and powerful chimpanzees were circling about him as they screamed out in anger. Minutes after, the rest of the troop arrived, the alpha came forward, swinging a closed hand, smacking the clone hard in the side of the head.

Reno turned away as a minutes-long graphic death of the clone ensued. Bouthis was left visibly shaking as Credin stood with his mouth agape. The recording came to an end.

Bouthis collected himself. "How is it possible you have mentally endured these deaths?"

"They are both extremely interesting and somehow gratifying, and at the same time frustrating and disturbing. I will journey again. The information we are gathering will be crucial to this project. If we can provide guidance that ensures success with the first OSSHR journeys, we in turn will be successful at achieving the future funding we desire."

"Even at the cost of our sanity?"

"If this project is terminated, for me at least, there will be no sanity."

# Chapter 5

### _______________________

Over the next two weeks, the bio-lab from the surface was moved up to Mentox-I. New equipment was ordered and clone production was increased. No trips were taken during the short hiatus. Instead, Reno used the time to fully document the prior journeys in preparation for the coming presentation to the OSSHR board.

Repeated calls for status were delayed and the approaching deadline given as an excuse for continuing to work hard to achieve the goals desired by the board.

When the bio-lab move was completed, a new clone was readied and brought into the temporal lab for a journey. This time, the western shore of what was historically known as Lake Victoria was selected. It was hoped the less-dense vegetation would offer a friendlier environment to explore.

The clone walked to the pod, entered, and laid back as Reno climbed onto the table. Sensors were attached, and the pod equipment reset. The time setting was left where it had last ended with the death-by-chimpanzee murder of the clone. The violent ripping sound again startled Bouthis and Credin as the clone was sent to the past.

Bouthis sighed, "That is a sound I will never get used to. I feel space-time shattering in my bones."

"I am not fond of it either," Credin added.

The clone stood up, taking note of the dry earth beneath its feet. "This is preferred. I can see clearly in every direction. Although it is quite hot."

The clone began to walk, remarking about the different flora of the much drier region. "This seems much more suited for an anthropologist to explore. I will be making myself a spear at the first opportunity. I have decided that protection will be necessary on this planet. The people and animals appear to be quite hostile."

Credin said, "I was going to suggest that he might first fashion himself a weapon."

Bouthis nodded. "That would seem to be a wise move."

Reno gently woke from his sleep. A scowl slowly covered his face as he sat up. "Two hours. Another journey with a catastrophic ending."

Credin asked, "Another early death?"

Reno sighed as he hopped off the table and took control of the playback. A half hour was zipped through before he stopped with a word. "I decided early on I would arm myself this trip. A suitable tree was selected and a shaft fashioned into a spear with a sharp point. My plan was to later add a sharp stone to make the weapon more formidable. But, as it turns out. That was not necessary."

As the recording was sped through, Bouthis asked, "The weapon was not necessary? Why?"

Reno returned the speed to normal play. A heavy huff was heard coming from the clone's left as he walked north, just off the lake's west edge. The image of the display swung around to identify the noise.

Credin gulped. "What is that?"

"It is called a black rhinoceros. It is an animal that is common to this region. And according to the memories injected into my head by the kind doctor here, they can be territorial, making them quite hostile."

The clone stopped, standing still for nearly a minute as the large animal again blew several huffs from its flaring nostrils. At the first step backward, the rhino charged.

First glancing down at his flimsy spear, the clone turned and sprinted for the nearby edge of the lake. A long jump was made out into waist deep-water where the clone fell and submerged before rising up with his spear aimed at the bank. The rhino's charge halted just back from the water's edge. For several seconds it stood and stared, rocking its horn up into the air as if to say "Get out of there."

Reno again shuddered before turning to face the others. "For a moment, only a moment, I believed I had made a good decision."

Credin frowned. "What is that swimming toward you?"

"A crocodile. And a half dozen of his friends."

The clone attempted several inept stabs at the approaching threat before the jaws of another thrust up from the water with a heavy splash, clamping onto the clone's torso. A hard pull had the clone thrashing for only a moment as it was pulled under and rolled over repeatedly as it was drowned. The recording ended with an image of murky water covering the display.

Reno closed his eyes for several seconds before giving his next order. "I will be just outside walking the halls as my mind adjusts from this latest terror. Please select a different continent for exploration. Perhaps move time forward a bit to an era where Humans were becoming more civilized.

An hour passed before Reno returned to the lab. A new clone was waiting to be bio-linked.

Reno stood in front of Bouthis and Credin. "I think one of you should go next. It will offer us a different perspective than my own. I believe that to be an important data point we should be collecting. Something extra to relay to the board during our presentation."

Bouthis slowly shook his head. "I would not be able to function."

"Dr. Bouthis. This is science. Are you not willing to die for your work a time or two?"

Credin began to chuckle.

Reno turned his head to face his assistant directly. "As my aide, I am ordering you to go. If you deny this command you should seek employment elsewhere."

Credin smirked. "If I thought you were serious I might be persuaded, Doctor. But I have worked for you for too long to know you would no more be rid of me than Dr. Bouthis. We know too much and there are many corporations who would pay multitudes of credits for that knowledge."

"Both of you are cowards."

Bouthis nodded. "I will gladly carry that shame before going back in time to experience having my face ripped off by some savage lizard."

Credin agreed. "I am with Dr. Bouthis. I see no value to be gained by endangering my mental state with such an affair. I can never un-see the things I have witnessed on that monitor, and I certainly have no desire to experience them live."

An alert showed on a display.

Reno growled. "Dr. Nunol. His ship is docking."

The temporal researcher looked directly at the clone that was quietly standing in the middle of the room. "Credin, put it inside and close the pod. Dr. Bouthis, you come with me. And let me do all the talking. We mustn't tell him of our progress other than to say it has been tremendous. I don't want the distraction of his goons standing around and questioning our every move."

"I will defer all responses to you."

"Good. Credin, remain here in the lab. Lock the door and do not allow anyone entry. And come to think of it, Dr. Bouthis, go to your lab and do the same. I don't want Nunol's snoops poking their heads in there and discovering dozens of Human clones. Those have yet to be approved for use."

Bouthis nodded and scurried away. Credin assisted the clone in getting into the pod. Reno took a deep breath and strode toward the docking bay.

Nunol was coming down a ramp as Reno walked into the room. "A surprise visit." A broad smile was offered. "Wonderful."

Nunol was followed by three of his assistants who walked past Reno as the Director stopped in front of him. "I hope you don't mind if my associates show themselves around?"

That sounds like more of an order than a request. Reno thought.

"Certainly. They are welcome to visit anywhere on the station, aside from my lab or the lab of Dr. Bouthis. We do not wish risking contamination of our important work as we come up against such an important deadline."

"You would refuse their entry?"

"I would, as it is my professional right to do so."

"And what of this work. You have not responded to my queries for status."

"Not true, Doctor. I have repeatedly said that we are on schedule for the deadline as set by you in our last meeting."

The director of the OSSHR board grew irritated. "Your expenditures have skyrocketed. I demand to see where these extra expenses are being spent."

"All expenses are being reported according to requirements. And I can assure you, Doctor, you will be well pleased with the results of our final push. I foresee this station being put to maximum use by your teams. I am certain you will be impressed with our accomplishments."

Reno gestured back toward the door going out into the hall. "I would offer you a tour of the remainder of the station, sans labs, but I believe that would be a waste of both your valuable time and mine."

The assistants returned to the docking bay. "The labs are locked. We could find no manner of entry available. The core systems of this station are obviously located behind those doors."

Reno nodded. "Yes. A security precaution. I wouldn't want rival divisions of our government or even greedy corporations to gain access to the knowledge on this station. In the wrong hands this technology could be wildly abused."

"You have yet to prove this technology even works."

"I can assure you it does indeed work. What I'm attempting to ascertain now is whether or not it can be used in a safe manner. I hope to be delivering a completed project that is also ready to be made use of, although, delays such as this will detract from that readiness."

Nunol scowled. "I must insist you let us see where our credits are being spent!"

"In twenty-four days, Doctor. All will be revealed at that time, including a comprehensive report and presentation."

Nunol crossed his arms. "Very well. I will remain right here on this station until that time."

Reno crossed his arms. "Fine. Then your years-long, very expensive project will be a failure. Something I would think you would shy away from wanting to report to your superiors. We are only talking just over three weeks, Doctor. Why are you pressing these demands when a deadline is so close?"

Nunol's expression turned from one of irritation to one of anger. "Reno. You either—"

Reno began to chuckle. "Annual reviews."

"What?"

"This is all about annual reviews. You need big news to give to your superiors for this past annum."

"Preposterous."

"I'm sorry, Doctor Nunol. I cannot help you with that. I am not ready. But I will be ready in twenty-four days. And as I said, I can assure you the board will be quite pleased with what I deliver. And your superiors will be pleased as well. In fact, I could see them offering you a tremendous bonus and immediate raise. And you will be the envy of the entire scientific community."

Reno pointed back toward the hall. "The machinery I plan to provide, might just make you the most famous individual in the entire Empire... for centuries to come. I believe it to be that astounding of an accomplishment."

Nunol's anger returned to being little more than a scowl. "If you do not deliver on this, Doctor, exactly as you have indicated here, I will see to it you are ruined in the science community."

"If I cannot deliver what I am promising, we will both be ruined, Dr. Nunol. But deliver I will."

A harrumph was given before the director of the OSSHR turned back toward his shuttle, his three associates in tow. "Twenty-four days, Dr. Reno. You had better deliver what you say."

The shuttle departed. As Reno strode back toward the lab, he came to a stop in front of a large window wall. His reflection was staring back at him. He tilted his head to one side, watching closely as he raised and extended an arm. He wasn't certain as to why, but he somehow felt different. His dark, thick, gray skin was somehow less appealing, a realization he had never before had.

The Opamari were tall, thin, and bipedal with a build similar to Humans. As Reno stared, he felt somehow less attractive, less alive. His cloned Human bodies had muscle where his Opamari body had little. He wondered for a moment how his people would fair against the Human species if fighting them modern day. He wondered if the many millennia of DNA equalization had made him weaker. There were no enemies to fight, but for the first time in his life he felt envious of another species.

After shaking the thoughts from his head, he returned to his lab where Bouthis and Credin were waiting.

Credin frowned. "I watched you with Nunol on the bay camera feed. I believe that encounter was more terrifying than some of your deaths."

"That's because this is real, Credin. It's now. What you see me doing on that monitor from the past is history."

Bouthis said, "I too watched. And we had better deliver or we are all ruined."

Reno glanced back at the door. "We could wow them with what we have already accomplished, Doctor. But I want more than wow. I want astonishment. I want unended funding for my continued research, and yours. Funding that will last our lifetimes. If only so I no longer have to deal with imbeciles like that."

"Careful, Doctor. Nunol has a powerful position. He could easily end our careers."

"Nunol will benefit heavily from our accomplishments. Make no mistake, he is in his position of management because he cannot accomplish these things himself. He is probably unable to dress himself in the morning. Those goons with him probably do that for him."

Bouthis raised a hand. "Please. Let us get back to work. I cannot be a party to such salacious talk. I pride myself in being a professional in such matters."

Reno bowed his head. "I must apologize, Doctor. Those remarks were indeed uncalled for and very unlike my normal manner. The distraction is over. Let us continue our work. I believe Credin was preparing to travel back in time?"

Bouthis chuckled.

"Uh. No, sir. That was your desire, but not my decision. I choose to live only in the here and now. I am here to assist only."

Bouthis looked into Reno's eyes. "You seem different somehow."

"What do you mean?"

"Your facial expressions. They appear to be more pronounced. Almost..."

"Almost what?"

"I was going to say, almost human-like, but that would certainly be an exaggeration."

Credin again chuckled.

"Are we done with the distractions?"

Bouthis nodded as Credin turned toward the equipment.

# Chapter 6

### _______________________

Before the next mission was decided upon, the clone-growth process was streamlined. With the equipment on Mentox-I, given that enough raw materials were available, a dozen clones could be grown at once, yielding an average of four per day after the line was up and running. Plans were put in place for an eventual expansion beyond those limits as the thought was the OSSHR would want to be running possibly hundreds of missions per day.

Bouthis stood with his hands clasped behind his back as he stared at the pod. "How exactly does this work?"

Reno stopped what he was doing at a console. "What?"

Bouthis pointed. "The pod. How does it work?"

"Are you seeking the short answer or the in-depth analysis?"

"Given our impending deadline, and in an effort not to annoy you, I'll opt for the short explanation."

Reno stood and walked over to his side. "Credin, if you would, continue the data collation on the console for me."

"Yes, sir."

Reno turned to face the pod. "The gyros, accelerometers, and other sensors on each corner and in the surrounding room give us a precise measurement as to where we are in the galaxy at any moment. That allows us to pinpoint the chosen destination within a short distance. The portal is cracked opened and a quick scan follows, exactly locating the delivery point. In other words, it allows the clone to be delivered to an exact location that is ever-so-close to the ground, preventing injury."

"Understood. What about the portal itself?"

"Ah. The contents of the pod are consumed by the portal as it sweeps across the interior space."

"How is the portal opened?"

Reno smiled. "I'm afraid that cannot be answered with a two-minute response. I could talk endlessly for days about how that phenomenon is brought about. Much of it I still do not understand myself. Perhaps after the project evaluation I can offer a more complete explanation. And you could reciprocate by explaining the bio-link and the cloning process. I am quite certain those would be fascinating."

"Agreed. And I look forward to our discussions."

Several hours of data collation and analysis passed before Reno stood from his chair in front of a console. He stretched his long, slender arms up over his head.

Credin asked, "Is the analysis complete?"

"It is. I believe the OSSHR board will be pleased."

"Are we ready for another adventure?"

"Are you volunteering?"

"Absolutely not. But I am interested in seeing the results of your continued efforts."

"I see. Would it be that my continued deaths have been keeping you entertained?"

Credin chuckled. "Possibly."

"Hmm. Please fetch Dr. Bouthis from his lab and we will continue your entertainment."

Minutes later, Bouthis entered the lab following Credin and a new clone candidate.

Reno said, "This one looks taller than the others. Almost as tall as us."

"Just shy of your height. It does outweigh you by 38 percent, which will hopefully translate into a longer lasting venture. Larger and more powerful should allow you to better defend yourself."

"Very well. Where is our new target? What have the two of you selected?"

"Actually," Bouthis smiled. "We are sending you back to Lake Victoria."

"What?"

Credin joined the conversation. "There is a small island. It should provide you with an area to roam without the constant threat of fierce animals jumping from the bushes. One of the chief missions of the OSSHR will be to study the vegetation. Consider this journey a data gathering forerunner for missions of that type."

Bouthis nodded. "And perhaps you can live longer than a day."

Reno sighed. "Very well. But if this goes wrong, our next mission will be very far away from this region. Tell me of the destination."

"The island is known as Takawiri. It sits within Lake Victoria. A journey from one end to the other is a mere ten-minute walk."

"Animals?"

"We of course have no way of determining that without someone having been there. We have reasoned that being an island the fauna would be minimal."

"You had better hope so. If another rhinoceros charges me I will be charging you upon my return."

Bouthis furrowed his brow. "That was an unusual thing to say."

"My apologies. Perhaps my brain is getting weary of dying."

The pod was reset, and the clone and Reno were bio-linked. The time setting of the machine was moved forward by a thousand years. A horrific tearing sound signaled the subject had been sent through.

A naked Reno clone stood and rubbed its eyes. "Scrub and low trees. Forgive me if I take a moment to fashion a spear."

As the clone began to walk to a clump of trees, one of the few in sight, Reno's body convulsed, bringing the clone to its knees. Seconds later, Reno returned from his sleep. Once removed from the constriction of the sensors, he blinked his eyes several times as he sat forward. "What happened?"

Bouthis began a search through the medical data. "You were having some sort of tremors, convulsions."

"What?"

"I believe the bio-link may have failed."

"But the clone remains alive."

Credin said, "Twelve hours. The recording lasts twelve hours."

Reno threw his legs over the edge of the table. Bouthis steadied him as his feet came in contact with the floor.

"Fast forward through the recording until just before dark."

Several minutes were spent watching the clone as it sat in place where it had stumbled. As darkness descended on the day, a rather large crocodile came into view. The recording ended as the disabled clone was attacked and killed.

Reno frowned. "How is this possible?"

Bouthis took Reno by the elbow. "Come with me to my lab. I need to scan your bio-link connection."

A short walk had Reno seated in a chair as Bouthis ran a device over the area of insertion.

After a short review of the data, Bouthis nodded his head. "Interesting."

"What? What do you see?"

"The link. It remained attached to your nervous system, but the connection to your neural paths is either broken or very weak."

"What does that mean?"

"It means we need another step of bio-link validation before sending back a clone."

"Why did it just sit there?"

"As I have stated before, when activated, the clones don't yet have a mind of their own. It simply didn't know what to do. Which is something I was hoping to achieve."

"Why so?"

Bouthis pointed back toward the lab. "Because the last thing we want is for a clone to get a mind of its own and to begin to decide its own fate. And much worse, if the subject had a strong enough mind, it might even be able to control its counter-subject back here."

"What? Preposterous. The Human mind would not be capable of overpowering an Opamari. We conquered this galaxy for a reason."

"Might I remind you that your mind was disconnected from the link. That clone, if capable of thinking on its own, would have had control of your nervous system. What damage it might be able to do, if any, is uncertain. This all remains uncharted territory, Doctor. And must I remind you that improbable does not mean impossible."

"Hmm. Yes. Taught on the first day at the science academy. Thank you for that reminder. So this misstep, it shouldn't be an issue for the project?"

"Not if we add this simple validation process. If the bio-link is bad, we just negate it and add a new one. As simple as that."

"Excellent. Now. Given the fact that the island of Takawiri is infested with crocodiles, I am demanding we select a new continent."

As the group walked back toward the temporal lab, Credin said, "I have a location I believe to be adequate."

Reno nodded. "Go on."

"A place last known as Central America. The date is 1000 B.C. There is an indigenous people there who are in the early stages of their civilization. I've selected an area that was supposedly rich in farming. There should be a small village or two within a day's walk."

"Crocodiles?"

Credin chuckled as they entered the lab. "Yes, but much smaller. And no rhinoceros are mentioned in the archives."

"Lions? Chimpanzees?"

"Neither. But there is a big feline called a jaguar."

"Yes. I recall that now. They, at least, are a singular animal, not traveling and attacking in packs. I feel confident I might be able to protect myself with a spear if needed. That is, without being attacked from behind."

Bouthis left for his lab, returning a minute later with a clone that was a close match for the race of Humans that inhabited the target lands. "This is the best we can do. It will pass for a Mayan."

Reno recalled the images that had been implanted in his brain. "Yes. Excellent. And the difference between the last one and this one is shocking."

Bouthis nodded. "The genetic diversity of Humans is one of the reasons Earth was selected by the OSSHR as a first history to study."

The bio-link was inserted in both subjects and validated. The horrific ripping sound again was followed by the clone standing tall, this time in a dirt field.

The clone rubbed his eyes. "Again. The heat is sweltering. Are there no more temperate locations available on this planet?" The clone looked around. "I see smoke. I would guess that means civilization. Allow me time to craft a spear and I will be on my way."

Credin said, "He is also a short walk from a lake called Petén Itzá. This area should be rich in farming."

Seconds later, Reno awoke. "Magnificent. My clone survived for six years before being taken down by a disease. What a fantastic experience. The people of the village I came to were friendly and the region was at peace."

Bouthis asked, "Six years? How did you keep yourself alive?"

"Shortly after arrival it was time for a harvest. I assisted in exchange for food and shelter. Some of their techniques were ingenious, but most were atrocious and all very labor intensive. I could have shown them so much. And the temptation was there to do such."

Credin tilted his head. "Would that have been so harmful?"

"Our goal is to observe and not to interfere. I was several times offered a wife but refused. I also refused shelter in a family's home after my own mud hut was washed away in a deluge. That was all within the first year."

"What happened after?"

"I became a message runner between villages. I was able to observe many places while not being a news maker, only a news deliverer, minimally impacting the historic timeline. The village leaders were always kind, even if the news was bad. It was a respected vocation and I will suggest it to any members of the OSSHR who desire to study the area beyond the recording I just made."

Bouthis nodded agreeably. "Six years. A significant achievement."

"And one the board will salivate over. All experienced in under a minute of present time. As an anthropologist, I could spend my entire career centered around writing and talking about that single journey."

"Spectacular. Should I ready a second clone? Two such journeys in our presentation would offer solid proof this process is a powerful tool."

Reno walked over to the console. "There is something I need to check."

"Is there a problem?"

"That is what we are about to find out. This station and the reactors running it keep us within a time bubble. Should changes in the past cause change in the present, we would be protected from those changes. As a result, the archives here can be compared to those down on the surface for differences. If there has been a change, it will show."

Bouthis returned a worried look. "Should that happen, this project would be in jeopardy, would it not?"

"Indeed it would. Which is why I've attempted to keep interactions to a minimum. There... a comparison is running. We should know within a few minutes if there is a problem."

Bouthis asked, "The archives you are comparing, those only cover Earth, right?"

"Yes."

"Is there a way to test for present day changes to the Empire?"

Reno shook his head. "I don't see how that would be possible. Present day is in continuous change. We do not have the means to take a complete snapshot of the Empire and to then make a comparison to the new present at some future time, as the two would not be identical. Our record of Earth has not changed in fifty thousand years. The comparison for change is simple. And the data set for the Empire is immense."

"There has to be some way to know."

"I've contemplated this before. The best I could reason was to take a snapshot of names of citizens down on the surface and then again after a journey. There would of course be some number of deceased who are removed from the records, but the rest should remain the same. I have that in my notes as a suggestion for the OSSHR, but those records are not something you nor I have access to."

Bouthis nodded. "A brilliant suggestion, Doctor. Any change in a family tree of an Opamari would ripple forward where it would be detectable."

Credin agreed. "And the citizens are the critical component of the present we do not wish to change. There would be Empire-wide revolts among the people if some change were to happen where people were lost. Of course, someone would have to tell them it happened. On their own they would never know."

A chime sounded on the console.

"The analysis appears to show no change. Now. You suggested another journey be made to this region. Fetch us a new clone and I will select a new location, remaining in this general area."

Bouthis returned and the now-familiar process was begun. The Reno-attached clone was dropped into the eastern region of what was the early Mayan civilization. A path through the jungle was found and followed, ending in a small village with a population of ninety men, women, and children. The clone was welcomed, fed, and then dressed for war.

Reno had been awake for hours as they forwarded through the recording. His clone had perished, but not before being involved in a fierce and bloody battle with a neighboring village. Disputes over hunting lands had led to a war. The clone had rushed into the fight in an attempt to die without causing the death of another. The wounds received were mortal, but the death had been agonizing and slow. The temporal researcher had lost his stomach... literally.

# Chapter 7

### _______________________

Three days were spent on preparation for the presentation. Reno worked to get his nerve back after his clone's traumatic death. The anthropological knowledge he had gained was almost priceless, but it came with a growing mental instability. Several times he had chastised Bouthis only to go back minutes later with an apology. After a number of lengthy brain scans, a potential problem was found.

Bouthis looked over a scan image. "Here. This pathway is unexpected. It should not have formed. This section of the brain in Humans is the amygdala. For us it is the comothain. It processes input from several other parts of the brain and from that generates an emotional response. This pathway in your brain is newly formed and is hyperactive. I believe it to be responsible for your outbursts."

"How do we fix this?" Reno replied. "Can it be controlled?"

Bouthis sighed. "I believe it may rectify itself over time, but of that I am uncertain."

"Then we are ruined. This will be the reason for failure. No sane researcher will risk their emotional equilibrium on even a single journey into the past."

"I share your concern, Doctor. Although I believe I have a simple solution. The implantation of the bio-link. If moved from here to here on the image, that pathway would not form. The only reason this end of the nerve was selected was because of my thoughts of preserving the rest for potential future bio-link experimentation."

"Of what are you referring to?"

Bouthis returned an uneasy expression. "I may have contemplated installing the bio-link between two Opamari, thereby giving each access to the other's sensory inputs, and perhaps even memories and muscle control."

"That, Doctor, sounds like a horrific idea."

"Knowing what we now know, I would agree. But at the time it was an intriguing thought."

Reno chuckled. "I suppose I've had my share of those moments as well. And I didn't intend to denigrate you when I said that was horrific."

"No apology necessary. Upon reflection, I've come to the same conclusion. Such a link could be misused in so many ways it is something that should never be contemplated. We were talking earlier about controlling the other end of the link by having a more powerful mind. That is exactly what would be happening here."

Credin asked, "So, are we finished with our travels? We have another ten days before the presentation of our findings."

Reno shook his head. "Neither of you will go through and I cannot further risk my sanity."

"There is no further risk" Bouthis replied. "At least not from the pathway issue. Any further implantation would be moved from that point to a safe area."

"Will it impede any possible healing?"

"Not at all. I have to believe it would be perfectly safe."

"You don't sound 100 percent confident, Doctor."

"There is always uncertainly when dealing with neurological issues. But I am confident in the potential for a positive outcome. You will have to trust that there is nothing further to worry about."

Credin said, "I would think if this issue is not fully cleared it has the possibility of ruining the presentation."

Both doctors gazed at the assistant with a scowl.

"I'm merely stating the obvious."

Reno looked at Bouthis. "Prepare another clone. We must have confidence this issue has been resolved. Should we go into the presentation with uncertain faces we have already lost."

Bouthis returned minutes later with a new clone. As it was walked across the room and sat in a chair, Reno walked toward the table.

Credin scrunched his eyebrows. "Strange."

Bouthis asked, "Is there something wrong?"

Credin slowly shook his head. "I do not know. I just noticed a similarity in the gait of the clone as it walked and that of Dr. Reno. I don't recall you walking in that manner before. It is unusual for an Opamari."

"Doctor, come here and then walk back to the console."

Reno came forward with a scowl, turned, and walked away.

"Interesting. I would say there has indeed been a change."

"So now there is an issue with my walk?"

Bouthis rubbed his chin. "There is."

Reno joked. "So I'm becoming Human?"

"I would not make that statement. However, your mind has you walking like a Human. Remember, your memories have you moving about in that manner for as much as six years. Perhaps your body has merely adjusted to what your memories are now telling it is normal."

"So I am becoming Human. Not that I am opposed to that thought. It's intriguing."

"No," Bouthis replied. "I find this to be an interesting phenomenon, but in no way detrimental to this project. Your gait will likely readjust itself after only a short time of walking among your own kind. Certainly this is worthy of study, but hardly a concern."

Reno stood, staring at the console in front of him with a mildly troubled expression. "There is more. The foods I eat. They are higher in sodium, and I've been having cravings for meat."

Bouthis came up from behind, placing his hand on Reno's shoulder. "Again, habits. You have six years of memories of enjoying meat and salty foods. This is again quite interesting, but nothing to worry over. Your body is merely adjusting, adapting to your environment. Should you be placed in another environment for several years you would adjust to any differences there as well, but again, that does not make you any more Human than you were."

"I have other urges as well."

"Such as?"

"Such as wanting to break into a run every time I go out in the hall."

Bouthis chuckled. "You were a courier for five of the last six years. You were constantly running. Again, this is merely habit. I have a number of colleagues who would be thrilled to study this phenomenon. Perhaps they can get funding as part of broader studies that will be going on because of this project."

"Doctor Bouthis, I am not concerned for myself. I am concerned issues such as this will affect our presentation and the decision to move forward."

"Nonsense. This is nothing more than standard neurology. You repeatedly performed tasks and your neural pathways have now formed the patterns that make those actions, habits. That is how our brains function every day. It should not be of concern to anyone."

"There have been other, more troubling urges too."

"Such as?"

"Such as the urge to commit violence."

"I have seen no such actions. Was there a cause for those thoughts? When did they happen?"

"During that village raid. I wanted desperately to participate. I wanted to maim, to kill, to destroy the opposition. I felt the urge to be victorious, to win the fight for my fellow man."

Bouthis shook his head with a smile. "Are you talking about the same competitive urges we have every day? The desire to be better than others. The will to be victorious in our every endeavor? I can assure you those are not just Human qualities. Every species we encountered in the past has had them. Although, I will say, like us, Humans have been willing to act on those urges, while some of the species we encountered eons ago were not."

Credin said, "One hundred twenty-two."

"What is that?"

"The number of sentient species we conquered in order to take over this galaxy. Only five were deemed to be as or near as intelligent as we, the Opamari. Humans were one of those five."

Bouthis said, "I appreciate the history refresher, Credin, but there is truly nothing wrong. Hop up on the table, Dr. Reno, and we'll get your next bio-link implanted."

Five minutes later, the horrendous ripping sound saw a clone being deposited on an Earth of just over fifty-three thousand years in the past, an Earth time of approximately 1000 B.C. A new location had been selected that was adjacent to the eastern coast of the Central American region.

The clone began to walk. "The coastline should be just through these trees."

Reno awoke and sat up. "More of the same and yet distinctly different."

"What happened?"

The recording was forwarded by a minute. The thick of trees and vegetation opened up into an expansive blue ocean lined with a brilliant white beach. The occasional coconut rolled in the water of the shoreline in a relatively calm surf.

Reno took in a deep breath through his nostrils. "I can still smell it. A slight salt breeze. The blue sky and water was stunning. Coming through those trees onto that site was spectacular. The beaches down on Bredren do not compare. They were constructed by our forefathers. These are natural. Little shells from sea creatures dotted the water's edge. A creature called a turtle was nesting in the sand. I sat in that sand and gazed upon the beauty for hours."

Credin said, "You aren't going to make us watch are you? It is indeed beautiful, but it is not the anthropological data we wish to gather."

"My apologies. I'll move us forward."

Several minutes into the forwarding, the edge of a seacoast village was reached. Five dugout canoes were pulled up in the sand. Smoke from a fire rose into the otherwise cloudless sky. The chatter of voices could be heard. A man with a spear approached, speaking in an early Mayan dialect, a language that had been memory injected from the archives.

"Who are you? What do you want? Where are your clothes?"

The Reno clone replied, "I am merely a traveler. I mean no harm or hostility. My clothing was lost in an encounter with a jaguar as I was bathing."

Credin said, "Using the bathing excuse again?"

Reno shrugged. "It was accepted. Now. Just watch. This village was industrious. They made use of the sea, the land, and the jungle for food. I was welcomed in, fed, housed. I worked at gutting fish and assisting wherever I could with menial tasks."

Four days were forwarded through. On the fifth a scout came in from the woods. Word of a potential coming attack from a hostile tribe was passed along. A dozen fires around the village were lit and large, hollowed-out, stone bowls were filled with water and set to boil. The men of the village armed themselves with knives and spears. The women, children, and elders were herded into a single hut where two warriors stood guard for protection.

A warrior came up to the Reno clone. "We cannot ask you to fight our war. But we would be grateful for your assistance. Keep the fires of these boiling bowls fed and stoked."

"What are they for?"

"Battle. These skins will be dunked and filled. During combat, if the attackers make it into the village, our warriors will make use of the skins to sling the pouch of boiling water onto the skin of the invaders."

Credin squinted his eyes. "I've never heard of such. I recall reading where in later years, during castle warfare, boiling oil was dumped on attackers attempting to scale walls, but this is different."

Reno replied, "There is no mention of this as a weapon in the memories that were inserted. I believe this to have been masterminded by one individual in this village. And you will see why it was not used elsewhere, momentarily."

Spears and arrows came from the jungle thickets. A dozen attackers ran from the woods yelling, with axes and spears raised as they sprinted across a small cultivated field. Several of the boiling-water skins were thrown at the invaders, only one hitting its mark, the unfortunate recipient screaming out in agony, but continuing to charge. The whole of the defenders were soon engaged in hand-to-hand combat. Screams filled the air and blood soaked the ground.

Just at the moment when it looked as though the villagers would repel the raid, a further two dozen attackers marched from the trees behind their king. The fight was soon over as the villagers capitulated. The defending warriors were rounded up and forced to sit in a circle.

From the trees came a deluge of women, children, and elders from the attacking tribe. They entered the huts and pilfered all useful items and food, disappearing back into the jungle forest when their arms were full and shoulders could carry no more. The seaside-village women and children were tied into a rope line and marched off behind the others.

Reno said, "Because I was not fighting, I was placed with the elders, still thinking I was about to be butchered. Instead, we were given the task of hoisting the canoes and trekking off after the others."

The recording was forwarded. "Listen. It happened as we were just out of sight of the village. The screams of pain. I have no doubt the boiling water was used on the captured warriors."

Bouthis frowned. "Barbaric."

The pristine, peaceful seaside-village was then burned to the ground, the clone glancing back to see the smoke and flame rising above the trees as they topped a hill.

The recording was again forwarded. The hike through the jungles to the rival village took twelve days. The destination village, Colha, was much larger with several hundred inhabitants moving in and about the huts. In the center of the village was a ceremonial temple that was a dirt mound covered with stucco-clay steps.

When the canoes were set down, the elders, along with the Reno clone were forced to the temple grounds where the entire village joined in celebration of their great victory. One by one the captives were marched up the steps of the temple mound where they were sacrificed to the gods. One by one the severed heads of the seaside-village elders were rolled down the steps onto a stone path for the villagers to see and celebrate. Children ran from the crowds to kick and again throw and humiliate the heads of the defeated.

When the time came for Reno's clone to ascend, the village priest walked down to look him over. "You are not of that tribe."

"I am a traveler. I only just arrived days ago."

"Where is your home?"

"Many days travel from here."

"How many of you are there?"

Bouthis said, "He's interrogating you for other targets."

Reno nodded. "Indeed he was. I thought of the villages beside the lake where I was a courier, but I didn't want to be the giver of information who changed history by altering where he might attack next."

"What did you do?"

Reno smiled. "Watch."

The priest continued to press for information. The Reno clone refused to answer. Instead, he marched up the steps of the temple, climbed up and lay back on the stone slab upon which the others had been sacrificed.

An irritated but curious priest came up to stand beside him. "You would die rather than tell me what I want to know?"

"You can behead me, just as the others. All I ask is that you keep in mind that the gods I serve are more powerful than yours. And by sacrificing me here you are making an offering to my gods and not yours. And they are vengeful."

The priest stared for several seconds before signaling for the executioner. A heavily painted man stepped forward with an ultra-sharp obsidian knife. The Opamari Reno looked away as his clone's head was summarily separated from its body. The image went dark and the recording stopped as the clone's brain was deprived of blood and oxygen.

Credin asked, "Your gods are more powerful?"

Reno sighed. "I hoped to make him stop and think, perhaps saving my life. As you saw, it was only worth a moment's hesitation."

Bouthis said, "These early Humans were violent."

"Yes. It would appear so. Much like our own early history."

# Chapter 8

### _______________________

Several days were spent collating the collected data into a format that would be of interest to the OSSHR board, the anthropologists, and others who might eventually make use of it. Numbers of individuals were counted, events on the recordings marked and cataloged. Foods and diets were analyzed, mating habits and any number of other factors governing daily lives were written down as observations. Reno and Bouthis made every effort to align the data with scientific principles and not as something to be enjoyed by adventurers.

Bouthis asked, "What of all the violence?"

"What of it?" Reno replied, "Pre-space Opamari were constantly at war with one another. Much of what we have witnessed can be attributed to survival. If you as an individual or group are threatened with death, injury, or even discomfort, be it through starvation or someone else wanting to take what you have, would you not fight to protect your life and your things?"

"It just goes against our principles."

Reno chuckled. "Yes. Our principles. We live in a galaxy where we have eliminated all threats. We don't have hunger. No one lacks for work, if that is their want. Virtually all needs are met. What's left is our desires. And our government has done well to satiate those. Still, do we not have the occasional murder or theft? Or violent outburst over failed relationships?"

"Those are attributed to imbalanced individuals."

"Are you telling me you have never thought once about retribution? You have never coveted that which someone else has? I see many of the same thoughts and reasoning in these Humans as I do our own people. Only we are not triggered into action because of need. Take the village by the sea. There was no violence or anger in those people. They welcomed a stranger into their midst because I was not deemed a threat. The actions of that village are what you are used to seeing, Doctor. Our needs are being met, any violence or abuse in that village would be an anomaly, an imbalanced individual as you suggest."

"What of that king attacking and that priest sacrificing the elders and yourself?"

"Perhaps the larger village doesn't have enough food to sustain itself. And the actions of the priest? Perhaps that is merely an attempt to keep the villagers in line, and those of the surrounding villages cooperative. And they are Human. Don't conflate their actions with what you expect as normal from us."

Bouthis replied, "I believe I understand your reasoning. A logical thought process and one I believe the members of the board will accept. You should add those thoughts to your notes."

Reno nodded. "Excellent suggestion."

A new clone was brought in, this one slightly larger and stronger than the seaside visitor. Reno wished to join the village of the king at Colha and to observe their actions when not at war. Part of his reasoning was scientific curiosity and part to prove the points he had made to Bouthis.

Memory injections were completed and bio-links inserted and validated. The loud, nerve-shaking crack of the tearing of space-time followed. The clone cleared its eyes in a jungle setting. Reno woke from his sleep as the clone worked to fashion a spear.

"Interesting." The temporal researcher hopped from the table, taking position in front of the recording console. "Two months. This time I focused on observing the local culture, foods, and living conditions."

"You woke early. Another horrifying death, I presume?" Bouthis asked.

"Painful and slow, but natural. I was bitten by a Tzaban pit viper while walking through a clearing just at dawn. I heard the hissing rattle of its tail but I was too slow to avoid being bitten. I tripped and was struck a second time in my other leg, virtually immobilizing me. It was several hours to the village and paralysis set in before I could move from the clearing. It was a slow, nauseating, and painful death, but less traumatic as compared to many of the others I have experienced."

"This Earth is a horrifying place."

"It is a place of tremendous beauty, with an interesting people. Unlike the antiseptic, straight, terraformed lines of the planet below."

Bouthis gestured toward the clean, bright walls of the lab. I thought you liked a sterile environment?"

"For work, because I need to focus. This lab and the world below are both extremely uninspiring and bland. This lab purposefully so."

"Understood." Bouthis nodded. "And was there any other data collected that will be useful?"

"I have a listing of foods. Maize, beans, squash, avocado and a delightful beverage mixture of cacao and honey. For wood the people prefer the sapodilla and breadnut trees. There is also a drink made from fermented agave juice. All quite interesting and worthy of study. Oh, and animals that are hunted would be deer, peccary, turkeys, quails, ducks, spider monkeys, howler monkeys, the tapir, and armadillo among others. I stayed in a neighboring village where a boy had a spider monkey as a pet. It was served up in honor of me being a guest. And it was delicious."

Credin said, "You seemed to enjoy your time at this Colha."

"As far as climates go, we were well into the dry season and the people seemed to be more pleasant and friendly. It is still quite hot, but the lower humidity keeps the feeling on your skin tolerable. After the barbarous raid we witnessed from this king, I was not expecting a warm and welcoming people, but they were. I suppose in their minds, war brings a morality that says killing your opposition is fine."

"We can have another clone readied if you would like to go back."

"I would very much like that. The king of Colha was preparing for a march on another city. I would like to participate, perhaps as a carrier and not a warrior. Do we have a clone that would pass as an elder?"

Bouthis held his chin. "Interesting. I suppose I hadn't considered that need. If you like I can put one back into the growth chamber. Accelerated aging should not be an issue. I am able to only age your external features, like hair, and skin, but leave the remainder in its peak state of health."

"Excellent. How long to make this happen?"

"Three days?"

"That will leave us four to finalize any findings. Please, Doctor, proceed. I will be transcribing my memories for the presentation from now until we are ready."

Credin said, "We could send you back as a standard clone if you would like to use more of the short time we have left."

"No. I want to witness this raid. Should I go back now, I run the risk of living in the younger body past the time at when this raid happens."

"If the raid becomes imminent you could always take your life before they leave."

"I'd rather not record a purposeful death without reason. The OSSHR board will want to know why I squandered the resource."

Credin nodded. "Well thought out, Doctor. Can I join you in the collation?"

Reno thought for a moment. "Perhaps you can assist Dr. Bouthis for a day. He is without an assistant and I will not require collation assistance until I have the data entered."

"Very well, Doctor."

Credin walked from the room.

Three days of finalizing information and adding to the already constructed presentation followed. After a night of rest, Reno met Bouthis and Credin in the lab. An elderly looking clone was ready to be implanted with a bio-link.

Reno smiled as he hopped onto the table for hookup.

Bouthis said, "I've cross referenced your findings for the report and added them to our archive. The clone will come with the knowledge you gathered already in his head. Although, I suppose in this instance it doesn't matter, since you already have those memories."

"Good work, Doctor. The anthropologists will be wanting that data. Should we provide it beforehand it will make them that much more knowledgeable about this era, should they choose to visit these times."

A bio-link was inserted into Reno's brain, Bouthis taking care to use the new placement. Minutes later, a frighteningly loud rip was followed by a clearing image from the clone's eyes.

Bouthis turned toward the monitor.

Credin said, "I dropped him on the western end of the village. It should be a five minute walk to the edge of Colha."

"I find the use of this machine most interesting. I can imagine a thousand of these all running at once, sending researchers back to the planets of every species we've encountered. Just think of the knowledge to be gained. A complete history of the galaxy."

"It will be an exciting time to be in that field, should you have the guts to make the journey."

Bouthis chuckled. "Yes. I suppose that may deter a few, but once this technology is in full use, I may insist on a journey or two myself."

"Where would you go? To what time and place?"

"Hmm. I suppose I haven't thought that out. I'll have to make a potential list once the presentation is done."

Reno awoke from his sleep and sat up. "A most magnificent journey."

"Was the raid successful?" Bouthis asked.

"It was not."

Reno moved to the console. "I was again welcomed into the village. At first I did farming and then fishing. When word of the raid came, I volunteered to be a carrier of the booty and was accepted. We marched four days down the coast and then five days inland. The village to be raided was rumored to almost be equal in size to Colha. It was also said to be well defended."

The recording was fast-forwarded to just before the hostilities began.

The king stood in front of his warriors. "We asked for trade and were refused. We asked for tribute and were refused. Now we demand a price be paid for their disrespect. They have raided and pillaged our villages of Tuticun and Razcato. We will now pillage and plunder their city of Kaminaljuyu. Tonight we rest. Tomorrow we meet the enemy."

After sending out scouts, low campfires were set, and a feast was gathered from the forest. The food stocks of three small villages had been taken during the journey, their inhabitants ordered to go find more. Several hours into the night, a pair of scouts returned with a Kaminaljuyu sentry. He had been caught napping at his post. Screams of pain told of his interrogation.

The following morning the raiding party of seventy warriors, fifty women and children, and twelve elderly but capable carriers, set out for the village that had been the cause of tension and consternation. After marching up a small mountain and down its ridge, the city of Kaminaljuyu came into view. Great cultivated fields stretched out into the distance. Canals brought irrigation. Stone covered, earthen pyramids dotted a grand central plaza.

Reno said, "It was a sight to behold, bustling with people. King Netukan saw his small band of warriors would not be enough to cause more than a commotion. The information he had originally been given was wrong. After staring for nearly an hour we turned back. We only made it to the base of the mountain before several hundred warriors attacked."

"You were killed?" Credin asked.

"No. Twenty three of the warriors were slain before the King relented and bowed before the others. We were taken to the city and to the plaza. The pyramids were brightly painted and adorned with carved statues of the city's gods. At the top of two smaller pyramids, to either side of a central larger one, were two giant stone heads. One was said to be ruler of the day and the other of the night. We were taken to the base of the central pyramid."

Credin chuckled. "Do I detect another sacrifice coming?"

"You do. This time heads were retained but bodies were drained of their blood. The blood of a hundred captives was allowed to fill a stone void just below the sacrificial slab. Four wooden pegs were then pulled from the void, allowing the blood of the sacrificed to run down a narrow channel on the ridge of each corner of the pyramid."

"And?"

"And the crowds gathered at the corners where they were showered with blood. They then ran around the plaza as if crazed and insane, to show their respect to the gods for their great victory."

Bouthis pulled back. "Wait. How were you able to see this if you were sacrificed?"

"I wasn't sacrificed."

"You just said..."

"The warriors, women, and children were sacrificed. The elderly carriers such as myself were deemed unworthy. We were instead held until the sacrifice was complete and the crowd was in a frenzy. Then, one by one, we were pushed out into the chaos where our flesh was torn from our bones by their teeth and hands."

"Bizarre."

"Yes. And I will have to say it was the most disconcerting of my deaths. I will be advising the board members to not allow their travelers to participate in raids, at least for those who may be of weak fortitude... or stomach."

Bouthis said, "I believe we should partake of one final journey."

"Are you volunteering?"

"I am not. But the presentation would benefit from a positive ending to this investigative stage. What if you were to be sent back to this city, Kaminaljuyu? Just as a peaceful observer. This is by far the largest civilization we have encountered on these ventures. Perhaps it will yield the anthropological data our scientist friends are after. Small villages are worthy of study, but this is a full city."

Credin nodded. "I would have to agree. The information collected here might be enough to fund this project all on its own. I personally had an almost shocked reaction when the image from atop that mountain came into view. It was a stunning sight."

"Are you volunteering?" Reno asked.

"I would almost be willing to go... but no."

Reno let out a sigh. "Very well. Ready another clone. I suppose a minute of my time is worth the potential benefit to the presentation." Reno looked intently at his cohorts. "But this is it. No more. We spend the remainder of our time preparing that presentation. This project must be approved."

The next clone was readied, implanted, and helped into the pod. Reno hopped up on the table, in his mind for what would be the last time. Sensors were connected and the pod reset. The selected destination would be the outskirts of Kaminaljuyu.

Minutes later, the clone was walking through a cultivated field. As he came out onto a pathway toward the sprawling city of close to a thousand inhabitants, the Opamari Reno woke from his sleep.

Credin helped him to his feet. "I commend the two of you on your suggestion of a final journey. The recording contains close to eight years of life in Kaminaljuyu, only cut short by a bacterial infection after a farming accident. A simple nick of my ankle with a harvesting blade was my undoing."

Bouthis asked, "What good data did you glean from this outing?"

"Much. Two fierce battles were fought with other large cities. Each claimed a quarter of the local population. The city itself is now in a less powerful position than when I first arrived. I believe the current king to be militant and instead of a growing prospering kingdom, he has a people who are fearful and weary. Had he simply focused on trade, the surrounding communities would have flocked to be a part of that city, making him far more effective and powerful."

Reno ended the display of the recording.

Credin returned a look of concern. "Are we not going to review? At least the highlights?"

"You may watch if you wish. Most is nothing more than daily life. I befriended a small group of farmers and tried to otherwise keep to myself. Over the course of those years I was witness to ceremonies, sacrifices, harvest celebrations, technology implementations and a variety of other occurrences and events. You will be able to read and comment on those in the review of my presentation reports as well as to watch the recording at the tagged sections."

Bouthis asked, "So you would consider this journey an anthropological success?"

"Indeed I would. And other than my untimely end due to the infection, I would add that it was quite enjoyable. I believe either of you would have been delighted with the memories."

The remaining days before the presentation were spent compiling and organizing facts. When complete, the two scientists and their assistant were excited over the result, convinced that once presented— full funding would be forthcoming.

# Chapter 9

### _______________________

Reno paced back and forth in the conference room as they waited for the director and his entourage. "Where are they? We were to begin fifteen minutes ago."

"They were late last time as well," Credin replied. "Claimed a prior meeting ran past schedule. At the time I overheard two of them talking about the meal they had just consumed."

The door to the room opened and the director and his twenty project-review board members streamed in behind him, taking seats around a large semicircular table. Reno stood at a podium in front of a display as Bouthis and Credin sat to the side.

The director looked around at the others to quiet them down. "Shall we begin? Dr. Reno, given the delay in status, I'm hoping this presentation is up to the standard you indicated."

Reno returned a single nod. "Beyond that, Dr. Nunol. Prepare to be astounded."

"Are you setting the bar purposefully high, Doctor? It has been ages since I found anything in this Empire astounding."

Reno began.

An image of a Capuchin monkey was displayed on the wall behind him. "Fellow scientists, this is a Capuchin monkey. An animal from a planet known to us as Sampos III, while known to its prior inhabitants as Earth. This monkey was grown by the good Dr. Bouthis— seated to my left. In fact, two such animals were grown for our first experiment."

The image changed to a medical scan image of an implant that had just been bonded to a neural pathway and nerve.

"This is a bio-link implant. A biological device developed by Dr. Bouthis that allows the linking of one subject to another. In this instance the pair of Capuchin monkeys. This next image is of our transport pod. This is where the magic happens."

Nunol sighed. "Please tell me this gets better."

Reno smiled. "Much better, Doctor. This pod is the mechanism within which we open a portal to the past. Six microscopic black holes are forced together, creating a momentary tear in the space-time continuum. An extreme magnetic pulse is then applied to expand that tear to engulf the entire interior of the pod, transferring the contents of the pod to a time and place we have directed from a console."

"Is this the equipment you ran and failed with before?"

"It is, Doctor. And the prior experiment was only a partial failure. The tear in space-time occurred exactly as predicted. The failure was with the probe we attempted to send back. It was destroyed. We know it must be living tissue, or bio-attached to that tissue, to be sent through, but we remain uncertain as to why."

"I find myself to not be astounded by that, Doctor."

The others in the room chuckled.

Yes. But you will be by what is coming. Of that I am certain.

Reno cleared his throat. "After that incident and our prior meet, our next scheduled event was to bio-link the two Capuchin monkeys and to then send one back in time while the other was sedated here in the present. Sensors were affixed to our local subject and after being put into REM sleep, we were able to record everything the... traveling subject could see and hear."

"And?"

"And... it worked. And with unforeseen benefits. Our traveling Capuchin arrived on an ancient Earth, actually joining in and living among a troop of its kind, for a period of nearly three years."

The director rolled his eyes. "Three years? You've been working at this for two months, Doctor. Not possible."

Reno grinned. "Oh. But it is, Dr. Nunol. We aren't certain as to how or why yet, but our subject in the past lived three years while our subject in the present was asleep for less than a minute. And we have a complete recording of everything the traveling Capuchin experienced for those three years. We can only reason that time coming forward through the portal and bio-link is somehow accelerated or compressed."

"I'm sorry, Dr. Reno, you had better have further evidence than some simulated video of this event."

"Dr. Nunol, it is not simulated. And we have much more to show. Far more."

The director let out a huff of disbelief. "Proceed."

"With our first attempt at sending back a live subject being such a stellar success, I took it upon myself to accelerate our research. Dr. Bouthis had created a number of cloned Human bodies, Humans being the original sentients of this planet. They were fast grown and completely incapable of functioning on their own. He compiled an extensive list of standard memories such as basic motor functions, for example; how to breath, walk, swallow, and clap hands.

"Those memories were then injected into the clone, creating a subject that was able to fully function— if commanded to do so. A similar set had been injected into the Capuchin, which had been allowed a normal growth cycle. And by the way, our local Capuchin maintained the memories from the three-year venture of its partner, a point that will have extreme relevance as we proceed."

Reno referenced the display behind himself. "So, back with the Human clone, I determined we had a problem. The clone we were sending back, being fast-grown, would have been unable to command itself. And when bio-linked to our present-day Human body, would have remained equally unable to function in an intelligent and self-sufficient manner.

"We needed an entity here that could control the subject in the past. That is, if your team would want to study anything but monkeys."

The director frowned. More chuckles rolled through the group.

Reno continued, "This next image is of one of the clones. Our first to be bio-linked. And this image is the local subject that was chosen for the other end of the bio-link."

"That is an image of you, Doctor." Nunol pointed a finger.

"Precisely. Given the gravity of the decision to come from this meeting, I took it upon myself to once again accelerate our research. I had Dr. Bouthis bio-link me to the Human clone."

Murmurs walked around the room until quieted by, Nunol. "This is highly irregular, Doctor."

"Indeed. But fortuitous as it turns out. When linked, I could not only see what the clone was seeing, but I experienced everything that it did, as if I was there in person. At that moment we realized I also had full control of the clone. I made it walk and talk as desired.

"That accomplishment in itself should bring Dr. Bouthis our highest science honors. The possibilities that come from the bio-link alone should be enough to bring full funding for this project. Imagine a worker sitting back in a protected lab while a clone is sent out to do dangerous work. The possibilities are endless. And although profound, that is not the astonishing part of our experimentation. There is much more.

"After ordering the good doctor to link me to the clone and realizing I could control it, I decided the clone should be sent back to the past. Which we did. I will play the recorded video for you."

The room darkened slightly as a blurred image of a grassy field came into view.

Reno said, "This is Earth. A continent called Africa. At a historical time of more than fifty-five thousand years ago, a Human time of 3400 B.C. While unfamiliar terrain to most of us, I'm certain you can process this in your minds as natural terrain."

The clone walked slowly up and over a low hill, momentarily coming to a stop as it focused on eight straw and thatch huts that made up a small village. A continued walk saw villagers alerted and warriors coming out to meet the perceived threat of a newcomer.

The chieftain of the village then approached, yelling at the clone in a hostile manner. The others in the room then jumped back in shock as the Human clone was stabbed and beaten to death.

Nunol exclaimed. "What is this? What just happened?"

Reno returned a pursed smile. "I... my clone, entered the village of a place and time that I was unfamiliar with. I attempted to be friendly, but was deemed a threat and eradicated. After review, it was determined I was grossly unprepared for my attempted interaction. That is, unprepared in several different areas.

"First, I didn't know the language. The languages we have in our archives did not translate. So communication was an issue. Next, my clone had no clothing. It was dressed for the period when put in the pod. That clothing, a thatched grass skirt, turned to dust when the portal was opened. We don't yet know why, but for the moment that minor detail is irrelevant.

"Third, my clone was of a different race, from a different continent. It probably looked strange to these villagers."

Nunol commented, "If this is an actual encounter, this is indeed an interesting development, Dr. Reno."

"I can assure you this happened. And the death was quite real and very painful. I remember every jab and every whack. My mind wanted to panic at first, but in the end there was this peaceful calm. Unnerving as the event was, it was over quickly and the calm that followed was worth the shock. Other instances of death however, were not so... so... I don't even know how to express it."

Nunol asked, "How many deaths did you experience?"

"The data is in the report. But suffice it to say you will die on every venture back."

"What?"

"Think of it, Doctor. The cloned body is sent back through time. It cannot return. And its entire existence back then, whether one second or one hundred years, occurs in under a minute of present day. This is what will make this project such a fundamental and stunning success. Each of you could go on a dozen missions before lunch, living out a dozen lifetimes in the past. The implications of this are simply... astounding."

The presentation continued for another five hours with every eye in the room glued to the display and the Doctor of Temporal Research who was relaying the information contained therein. When the final journey going back had been reviewed and the data presented, Reno turned off the display and looked for a response.

Nunol stood. "Dr. Reno. Either you are an astounding storyteller, or that is an astounding story."

Reno smiled. "I would like to invite this entire group to come up to the station to witness a journey."

Nunol replied, "When would you be able to make that happen?"

"Immediately. We will only require ten minutes or so of preparation from when we arrive. And I strongly encourage you to come and witness this for yourself. And we would be willing to send one of you back, if any of you were willing."

Nunol nodded. "I would be a willing participant."

"You have a shuttle available?"

"I do."

"Then let us go forth and send you through to the past. You will be the new spokesman for this venture and I will predict the OSSHR will be spending a major portion of next year's budget on ramping up this technology and the research it enables."

Nunol stood. "Let it be so."

The excited group moved out to the spaceport where they boarded a shuttle going up to Mentox-I. Bouthis headed to his bio-lab to retrieve a waiting clone with Credin assisting. Reno took the others to his lab.

"Ladies and gentleman, welcome to the gateway to history."

The director and his group of twenty associates filed into the room.

Reno gave a broad smile. "This is the heart of our operation. From the presentation you know this to be the transport pod and this wall of equipment to be our control center. This table in between is where the local subject, in this coming case Dr. Nunol, rests during the transfer. Now Doctor, if you would care to hop up on the table and to lay back, we can begin."

"Now?"

"Dr. Bouthis will be returning momentarily with the clone. The machine has already been reset. You will be traveling back to our first location of exploration."

"Where the villagers stabbed you to death?"

"Precisely. But don't concern yourself with that. Remember, whatever journey you are sent back on, your clone will die in the end. You will be there and you will experience the pain or terror or sorrow as if it is happening to you."

Nunol hopped up on the table with an uneasy expression. "You make it sound so appealing, Doctor. Are you purposefully trying to dissuade me from going?"

"Merely being honest."

Bouthis and Credin returned with the clone. Several of the observers backed up, showing an almost fearful reaction to the Human male standing before them.

Credin said, "You can relax. He won't harm you. At the moment he has no mind of his own."

The clone was moved to another table where the automated bio-link insertion was performed. The apparatus was then wheeled over to the table where Nunol lay.

Bouthis said, "Doctor, please relax. The procedure is painless and will be over in seconds."

When complete the small machine was wheeled to an out-of-the-way corner.

"That was it?" Nunol asked. "I didn't feel a thing."

Bouthis ran several tests. "It appears to be a valid connection. Momentarily you should see—"

Nunol sat up. "What? What is happening?"

Reno placed his hand on the director's shoulder. "Just accept it, Doctor. Do not fight it. All you have to do is concentrate. The clone will follow your every command. Have it stand and walk around the room. See through its eyes. Listen through its ears. It really is a remarkable sensation don't you think?"

The clone stood and began to flap its arms.

"Outstanding! This is unlike anything I could ever imagine."

"It really is just an extension of you, Doctor. It will even talk if you so desire."

The clone blurted out. "I am Dr. Nunol!"

The others in the room chuckled.

Reno patted the doctor on the shoulder. "Please now. Have your clone walk to the pod and get in."

The clone moved to the slab, sat, and spun around to lay flat.

Reno nodded. "Lie back and we will get this demonstration fully underway. And I will warn you, at the moment you are sent back you will lose your vision for several seconds. Just be patient. It will return. And the wonders you will see and experience will astound you."

Bouthis administered a drug injection. The Director of the OSSHR was soon in REM sleep. Reno gave a nod to Credin.

The station began to hum as its generators kicked into high-output. The whirs of the gyros surrounding the pod echoed within the lab. The twenty followers of the Director jumped back in panic as a time-shattering ripping noise tore through the air. Space-time was forced open for only an instant. The pod door raised up, revealing the clone was gone.

Attention was turned to the display. A black image began to brighten. The director's team watched with fascination as the grassy field Reno had seen on his first journey came into view.

On the recording, the Nunol clone remarked. "This is... beyond belief. I feel as though I am actually here."

A stalk of grass was picked and the seeds atop it chewed and spit out. "Bitter."

The observers chuckled as they watched in awe.

A hand was placed on the ground. "I can feel the warmth." It was then held above his face, blocking the sun from his eyes. "The brightness is stunning. The air smells like nothing I have ever encountered. It smells clean, and yet it is rich and full of scent. I wish each of you could be here with me to experience this."

Reno grinned.

Nunol then convulsed on the table for an extended number of seconds. The sensors and monitors were quickly removed.

The Director sat up, his eyes in terror and his hearts almost beating out of his chest. "What... I'm..." Tears flowed from his eyes.

Credin emptied the room as Bouthis comforted the doctor while Reno forwarded through the recorded journey. As had happened with him, the villagers had attacked. Only this time the clone was beaten almost senseless and then taken captive.

After a short time of being tied up in the center of the village, he was marched out through several fields and then buried in the dirt with only his shoulders and head sticking up from the ground. At first a single army ant appeared. Minutes later, there were thousands. Reno stopped the playback as the sound of screams of pain and horror filled the room.

Bouthis looked over. "Horrid. A most horrid death. Perhaps this was a bad idea."

# Chapter 10

### _______________________

Dr. Nunol, the director of the OSSHR, was hurried from the station to a medical and psychiatric center on the planet below. Three days of silence passed before Reno was summoned to a meeting. Upon arrival, he took note of the color-coded shoulder covers the hospital staff wore as they scurried about. Again the clinical odor of the planet overpowered his sense of smell.

Nunol was sitting up in a bed as Reno entered his room. "Good. Reno. Let me first just say that I am OK. The event... was quite traumatic. It is something I shall never forget."

Reno bowed his head. "I apologize for sending you there after knowing it was such a hostile place."

Nunol waved his hand. "No. Please don't concern yourself. It was my choice to go. I knew the risks. And over the last several days I have had many a discussion with the staff here. And as to your project... it is safe. Actually, it is more than safe. I've asked for an immediate doubling of our budget for this fiscal year. And I'm ordering a second one of those stations be built."

Reno raised an eyebrow. "A second station?"

"Yes. You were correct. I was astounded. As it also turns out, I do not have the mental strength to handle the shock of experiences such as what I went through. I have the staff here working on a screening system that will exclude those like myself, those who lack the natural mental fortitude, from going on these excursions directly. They will instead be confined to researching the data and recordings that are returned."

"A good decision, I believe."

"Yes. And as to the second station. Until such time as it is up and running, you will be forced to share yours with my teams." Nunol held up a hand. "But before you react to this, know that we will work to a strict schedule and will attempt to make every effort to stay out of your way, allowing you to continue your research."

Reno took a seat. "That is fantastic news, Doctor. I was coming here with the impression you would be closing the project down."

"Closing? Nonsense. How could I stand in the way of such monumental progress? My skills may be lacking as far as what I can scientifically produce, but make no mistake, I am all about moving our science forward. What you and Dr. Bouthis have accomplished here is nothing short of... well there are no words worthy of describing it. I have a meeting with the Grand Science Council over at the capitol building in three hours. I would like you in attendance there with me."

"I don't know what to say, Doctor."

"Say nothing. Just let me do the talking." Nunol smiled. "And that was a joke, Doctor. I know you were referencing what I had just said and not the upcoming meeting."

"Attendance will be an honor."

"Now, please tell me you have a shoulder swath with a load of accomplishment badges on it? Better than what you wore during the presentations?"

Reno thought. "I do, back on the station. I have not worn the full sash in years."

"Bring it out. Dust it off. And pin every badge you can to it. These are Grand Science Council members. They need to be impressed."

"What of Dr. Bouthis?"

"I would like to hold Dr. Bouthis in reserve. You will be the face of this project for the near future. And I will warn you now, much of your time will be spent on selling the magnificence of this accomplishment over the coming months to practically every dignitary in the galaxy. I anticipate a rush to funding as we have never witnessed before. Everyone will want to participate in this."

Reno returned a blank stare for several seconds. "I'm not certain what to say, Doctor. This is what I've always dreamed of, but never fully thought possible."

"Your work is beyond anything our science community has ever seen, Dr. Reno, probably since our ancestors first walked this planet. And the device created by Dr. Bouthis, it may have a rival project of its own. I believe both of you should be prepared to be celebrated for the remainder of your lives!"

Reno left the short meeting on a high. A shuttle ferried him back up to Mentox-I where he briefed Bouthis and Credin before hurrying to his quarters to retrieve his shoulder sash. As he pulled it from a low drawer in a chest, his hands began to shake. The reality of his accomplishment was beginning to set in.

For the next three days the station was lacking Reno as he was flown from one meeting to the next where his "discovery" was talked about endlessly. On the fourth day he began to grow weary of the acclaim. A discussion was underway as they sat on a shuttle that was transporting them to the next meeting.

Reno asked, "When will we be returning to the station?"

"Two more days. Then a day off followed by another week of presentations."

Reno moaned. "This not as exciting as I had envisioned."

The elder Nunol chuckled. "Yes. It is unfortunately work. But necessary if you want to fund further research on a permanent basis. And I believe it to be in your best interest to get most of this drudgery out of the way sooner rather than later. When the funds have been locked in, your benefactors will want you back and working on continued breakthroughs."

"Understood. And I do see the need for this tour. Perhaps I will one day look back on it fondly."

Nunol smirked. "Perhaps one day you will travel back to watch yourself go through it again."

"Hmm. I think I might decline that mission. We have talked little about Dr. Bouthis. What of his discoveries?"

"The good doctor will be thrilled with what we have planned for him. A grand announcement followed by a funding tour similar to this. I can see his discoveries revolutionizing present-day activities. I believe you had mentioned having clones doing dangerous work?"

"One possible use."

Nunol leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingertips together. "I've done some thinking. One area of living this Empire is lacking in is worthwhile entertainment."

"This empire is consumed with entertainment. It was the reason I most wanted to get into temporal studies. I thought perhaps if I had a time machine I could go back and mute some of that obsession. I believe it is why the sciences seem to lack major progress. Everyone is off playing games or living in virtual worlds."

"Then I suppose you won't want to hear my concept."

"No. Please go on. I am not opposed to discussing new ideas. Even in a realm so detrimental to our advancement as entertainment."

"Very well. Imagine a playing field with a dozen clones per side. Now, we give them weapons and allow a fight to the death."

Reno pulled back, repulsed by the suggestion. "A horrid idea, Doctor. I believe that would only serve to breed violent behavior among our populace."

"Nonsense. It would merely breed competitiveness. Also something that is lacking in our people."

"What of the mental instability that would result from those who spend too much time on the battlefield?"

"I don't follow."

Reno sat forward. "Urges, Doctor. I have found myself thinking of the village raids I went on and how much I wanted to participate in those. And even such mundane things as eating meat."

Nunol pulled back his head. "What?"

"After spending so many years in the past, I found myself craving some of the foods I had grown accustomed to eating as a clone. As a scientist I was able to compartmentalize those urges, but that doesn't change the fact I was having them. And have you noticed my gait as I walk?"

"I have. Not all of us are exactly the same. It is nothing to be ashamed of."

Reno chuckled. "I can assure you I have no shame because of that. But I can tell you without a doubt it came from my journeys. It seems my mind grew accustomed to walking as a Human and some of that bled over to my own gait after returning. Strange how our experiences can govern such, but I suppose that is how we learn to begin with."

"Why was none of this in your report?"

"I was interested in having my project funded, not investigated. I would suggest this be an area of study as related to any journeys going back. Bouthis assured me there would be no harm. And that as time passed I would likely revert to my old way of walking. But for the time being I will have this issue as well as the urges. I went as far as to ask him if I was becoming Human.

"And we did have a medical issue with the placement of the bio-link. It was forming new neural pathways in my brain. As a result I was becoming increasingly combative. Dr. Bouthis seems to have resolved that issue by repositioning where the link is installed. His scans have revealed no further issue."

"Excellent. An issue resolved is one that doesn't require reporting at this time. What of interference with time itself? I know in your prior presentations you had emphasized we would want to take every precaution so we would not be causing difference with the past."

"On our last several journeys we made certain we had a scan of the Earth archive with us. Comparing that archive on the station to that same archive down on the planet, yielded an exact match."

"And the significance of that?"

"Meaning we don't believe the minor interaction I had with the natives had any bearing on the histories of those people. However, I would suggest that going forward we snapshot the family trees of everyone in the empire, so that a comparison can be made after a journey has been taken."

"How would those be different? Would not the actual record and the snapshot both be updated if a change was made?"

"Not in this instance. Something I didn't reveal in the presentations is that the station itself is within its own time bubble, even when a portal is opened. That is why we are able to compare Earth histories before and after a journey is made. The before history is the archive maintained there on the station. After would of course come from planet-side."

Nunol placed his hand on Reno's shoulder. "You have proven your technology works, Doctor. I am now on your side as far as acquiring funding goes. If there any other nuances you think I should know about, you might just keep them to yourself. Unless of course you deem them to be in some way beneficial."

Reno gave a single nod. "Understood."

"Such interesting phenomenon. I envy you being central in these discoveries, while I can only observe from afar."

"Without your insight on funding this project, Dr. Nunol, it would never have come about."

"I suppose. And thank you for that bit of consolation. Being at the top is not always rewarding."

The tour was extended before Reno returned to Mentox-I, exhausted.

Credin greeted him as he exited the shuttle. "Are you back for good?"

"Three weeks was longer than expected, but funding has been assured. The necessary parts for a new station are on order with a build-out beginning in only a few days. The science circles of the Empire are now abuzz with talk of our accomplishments. And I've been given authorization to double your salary."

Credin grinned. "Most unnecessary, but I am grateful nonetheless. Have we been given permission for another journey?"

"Are you eager to go now?"

"I was thinking. Once the teams from the OSSHR arrive, I will not likely have another opportunity. And so much has been said about it of late that I now find myself excited about the prospect of a journey.

"This in itself is history. I would like to have my name be among the first to have traveled. You of course will have full credit for the portal, as will Dr. Bouthis for the bio-link and clones. I know it may seem petty, but this may be my one shot at a moment of fame."

Reno smiled. "You have been a trusted assistant and patient beyond belief, at times. Ask Dr. Bouthis if he could ready a clone. We have not been restricted from traveling in any way."

Two hours later a clone was lying back on a table. A bio-link was inserted. The machine was pushed over to the table where Credin was waiting. The nervous assistant gave an almost panicked smile as the automated device was pulled over his head.

His eyes squinted when the equipment was removed. "That was it?"

Bouthis smiled. "That was it. In a few moments you should—"

"Whoa. This is... I... I don't know what this is."

The clone sat up.

"I've never felt anything like this."

Reno nodded. "Both liberating and confusing at the same time. Take a few minutes to walk around the room, using the clone and your own legs."

The clone stood along with Credin. Both twisted side to side and then reached up into the air as if picking fruit from a tree.

"How is this possible? My brain is powerful enough to process sensory inputs from both bodies and to command both at the same time?"

Bouthis replied, "I believe that to be a fair statement."

Credin jumped from the floor three times, followed by the clone doing the same. "Truly remarkable, Doctor. Before this, I struggled to even imagine what it would be like. It is far better than I imagined."

Reno patted him on the back. "Just wait until you reach the past. Your mind here will be at rest, allowing the chaos of conflicting inputs to fall away. Are you prepared for your adventure?"

"I am."

Credin was assisted onto the table as the clone took its position in the pod. The date and location of Reno's prior journey were set to where they had left off. The early Mayan city of Kaminaljuyu was the target. Seconds later, the hum of the generators and gyros was followed by the loud ripping of space-time.

As usual, Bouthis jumped and then rolled his eyes. "I feel as though my insides are coming apart every time I hear that sound."

Reno chuckled. "I'm afraid you will likely have to get used to it, Doctor. It can be heard throughout this station."

Credin stood as his vision cleared to the sound of two women giggling.

When they had come into focus, he said, "Hello. Do you know where I might find some clothing? Mine was stolen as I bathed in the lake."

One of the women came over and took his hand. "Come with me."

Seconds later, Credin awoke from his sleep, sobbing. "I fear I will never be the same. It was beautiful. I didn't want it to end."

Reno chuckled as he looked over at the recorded data. "Fourteen years. Congratulations. You now have more travel experience that anyone else in the galaxy."

Bouthis said, "Tell us what happened."

Credin wiped his eyes and took a breath, settling his emotions. "The girl was the daughter of a priest. A wealthy individual in the city. I was admitted into their home as a servant. I saw many things that were both revolting and heart-wrenching, but at the same time witnessed a people who were happy, lives that were enriched by community, and I made friends.... something I have had little luck with here in this time."

Reno said, "Walk the room for me."

Credin complied as Reno grinned. "It appears we have another Human among us."

Bouthis said, "As I had predicted though, nothing to concern ourselves with. Your own gait has reverted to something far closer to normal than what it was. In a few weeks, Credin will have the same."

"How did it end?" Reno asked.

"A great war with a distant city. The ruler of Kaminaljuyu ordered an attack. We were victorious, but the cost in lives was high. After our triumphant return, we were attacked by another city to the west. The King was killed, his warriors sacrificed, and all young women, as well as the children, were taken away through the forest. The only remaining citizens were the elderly who had survived the raid."

"And you?"

"Being a eunuch, I was spared."

Bouthis pulled back. "A what?"

"The priest insisted on castration as a condition of employment. Since I was restricting my participation in those actions, it seemed like a good idea at the time. I do believe I was plagued with hormonal issues during the remainder of my stay, but with my mind and body being back here, I was able to control my thoughts."

"How was it the end came about?"

"An injury after a fall. During the fight I took a hard blow to the head. My equilibrium was affected from that moment on. A simple fall shattered a collar bone. Infection took its course."

Reno nodded. "Fourteen years. A good run. I would ask that you construct a full report for transmission to Dr. Nunol. You may use the report from any of my journeys as a template."

"Thank you, Doctor. And Dr. Bouthis, you should make a go of it. It is worth getting past the angst you may carry now."

Bouthis smiled. "No thank you."

# Chapter 11

### _______________________

The specially selected first team from OSSHR arrived a week later. After an introduction to the station they were eager to make use of the pod. A clone was prepared and linked to the anthropologist who had been given the first slot. Several minutes later his clone was standing in a formerly cultivated field, now overgrown, on the outskirts of Kaminaljuyu. A heavy, cold rain was showering his naked body.

"This is terrible."

The clone began to run toward the nearest hovel. A cloth door was pulled back. As he stepped in from the rain an elderly man came at him with a farm implement, forcing him back outside.

"Please. Please help me."

The anthropologist quickly awoke from his sleep. On the monitor, the old man scowled, threatening the clone again with the implement before pulling his cloth door closed. The clone stood in the pouring rain, uncertain of what to do.

Reno shook his head. "Seek shelter. It is merely common sense. He appears to be panicking."

Bouthis looked at Nunol. "I would reevaluate your mental preparedness examinations, Doctor. Dr. Julota appears to be completely unprepared to handle even the most basic of situations."

Julota said, "I will admit I was lacking readiness at first, but I recovered."

The old man pulled his cloth door open, holding it for several seconds before waving the intruder in.

Credin looked over the recording data. "Sixteen days. What happened?"

"I was allowed to warm myself at the fire after being given a blanket. The Human could only be described as ornery. He never smiled. His existence there was little more than day to day, mostly living off fish he caught in the lake and frogs from the irrigation canals. I was told to leave after the second day. The rains had ended."

Credin sped through the recording. "Where did you go?"

"For the next day I wandered the ruins of the city. A dozen other elderly persons were living there. The architecture of the mound pyramids and their placement was stunning. But the jungle appeared to be encroaching on the remaining villagers. They did know of the Eunuch named Credin."

"We were a tight community up until I fell." Credin smiled. "Go on."

"I asked if there were any other villages around and was pointed west. I was uncertain of what to do, so I began to walk, first to the south to get around the lake. And then into the jungle. I grew weak as the days went by, consuming only a single piece of fruit I had been given to eat."

"Could you not forage?" Reno asked. "Fashion a spear and the animals are abundant enough to provide sustenance."

"I could not force myself to eat them. I'm sorry, Dr. Nunol. Perhaps I don't make such a good anthropologist."

"Nonsense. We will need ten times the eyes to review and catalog data back here in the present." He turned to his second in command. "Make note of this. Only those who are confident in their survival skills will be traveling back during the foreseeable future. This is extremely valuable time. We are not sending team members back just because they want to go. Dr. Julota, how did the end come?"

"From a jaguar. But not directly so. I was chased and fell into a ravine, landing in a tree where I became wedged between two vertical trunks and was unable to move. I can only conclude the jaguar wasn't interested in a pursuit. I perished in the tree due to lack of water. It was quite unpleasant."

Reno said, "Death is altogether unpleasant, but the aftermath is quite liberating."

"Indeed. While the memory remains fresh in my mind, it almost feels imagined."

Reno turned to face Bouthis. "How many clones do we have at the ready?"

"Four that could be used today."

"Dr. Nunol, do you have a candidate who has any type of survival understanding?"

"Dr. Yamet. She has studied archives of the life skills of these very people."

The doctor stepped forward.

Reno nodded. "I hope you have an understanding that this society is very male dominated."

"And will I not be going back with a male body?"

"I suppose you will. Dr. Bouthis, we have a new candidate."

Minutes later, the tremendous tearing noise ripped through the room. Dr. Yamet was now in control of a Human body on a historical Earth. Her clone's eyes opened to a view of Dr. Julota's dead clone body caught in the fold of a tree.

She winced as the smell of decay licked her nostrils. "Repulsive."

She turned and hurried down the ravine, looking for a path out. Her Opamari body on the table slowly opened its eyes.

"Fascinating." She sat up after being fully disconnected. "Much of that experience was far different than what I had imagined it would be. I will have to rethink many of my prior conclusions about this period of Earth history."

Credin looked at the recorded data. "Three years, four months. You did well."

Nunol stepped in. "Tell us of your journey."

"It was a two day walk to the coast where I encountered a small village and was taken in. We fished every day. There were thirty-two individuals in this tribe. For two years all was peaceful. Then a warlord visited. All capable men were taken, including me. We were trained for several weeks to be warriors before going on our first raid."

Reno nodded. "A seemingly familiar occurrence."

"The raid on another village was made. Again the local men were captured and forced into training. Eleven such raids were conducted after my being seized. That is when we marched toward a city called Nakbe. It was a twelve-day march and I was accompanied by almost a thousand warriors. When we arrived, the city was prepared.

"The women and children had been moved into the forest. Six hundred men stood in defense. It was a fierce battle on the first day with much bloodshed. I fought with vigor and determination. My commander, third in command to the warlord Tumital, recognized my skill and brought me to fight at his side.

"The second day was equally as brutal with both sides having lost half their original numbers. On the third day there were talks as each side tended to their wounded. The talks broke down and the fighting again resumed. The fourth day again saw both sides numbers fall by half again before the defenders turned and fled. Only forty were captured. The city was plundered of anything of worth and we returned on our twelve-day journey through the jungle, raiding other villages and taking their men along the way."

Reno frowned. "You should not have fought. That is precisely the activity that could bring about the type of interference with history we are attempting to avoid."

"I had no choice."

"That is not true. You could refuse. Your clone may have been killed for doing so, but you would not subject history to such a risk."

Nunol gestured toward a console. "Since this has now happened, can a comparison of the archives be performed?"

Reno gestured to Credin. "Please take care of that for us. Dr. Yamet, please proceed with your observations."

"The victory at Nakbe was costly. It would be another year before a return was made. This time, our warriors marched around the city and attacked from the north. The locals were completely unprepared. Two hundred fifty warriors were killed or captured. And there were more than six hundred women and children.

"Those captives were taken back to our city. The warriors were given the choice to join us, or be sacrificed. They decided to join. The women and children were used to fill the homes of the warriors who had died the year before. There were sacrifices, but they were limited to others who had been captured along the way."

"How did you die?"

"My clone was promoted to be fourth in command. I had a knack for survival, which is likely attributable to my superior intellect as compared to the others. However, in a later raid, an arrow pierced my left lung. I was celebrated by the now King Tumital and honored with a carving before the wound claimed my life. I look forward to documenting my findings."

Credin said, "The archives came back unchanged."

Reno replied, "I would still caution excessive interference. We are in an early period of civilization with this species so our interactions with them may not carry much change. But we should remain cautious."

Nunol nodded. "Understood. Dr. Bouthis, you claimed to have another clone at the ready?"

"I do. Three more. Do we have a candidate?"

"We do. And for the two of you, I must say I find this to all be fantastic. Having an accurate knowledge of the past is most useful for the present and the future. And once studied, I am contemplating the release of these recordings, hopefully in an effort to build enthusiasm among our population for science-history."

The next clone was readied and directed into the pod. Dr. Kulope was given the opportunity to explore. His journey began in the jungles near the now vacant Nakbe where he was soon adopted by a growing village. Over a two-year period the village expanded into a small city. Kulope grew to be a powerful leader, directing much of the growth that was being seen.

Violence against other villages was minimized, bringing respect and vast wealth from trade. The Kulope clone eventually worked its way into a position as one of the village priests, a move that brought protest from Reno. After seven years of peace and prosperity, death came from a jealous rival. Blood dripped down the sides of a pyramid as the priest, a village favorite, was sacrificed in the name of the gods.

When the briefing had concluded, Credin ran another comparison of the archives. A single line of text was changed, making mention of the favored priest named Kulope.

Reno sighed. "It was bound to happen. Dr. Nunol, I beseech you to set guidelines for these interactions. We cannot study history if we are in effect changing history."

"I am not concerned with a single mention, Dr. Reno. Dr. Kulope gathered important information about the religious undertakings of these people. That data will provide us with numerous insights into what we believe today versus what actually happened. We will continue as we are until such time as an impact moves beyond trivial."

Reno bowed to his superior.

Next up was Dr. Webrus. His specialty had been the early kingdoms of Thailand, specifically Ban Chiang. Since the clone's ethnicity was from that region, the location was changed while the time remained the same, 972 B.C.

The clone was prepared and the journey made with Webrus waking just under a minute later.

He sat up with a grin on his face once the sensor equipment was removed. "Outstanding!"

Credin looked up from the recording data. "Twenty-eight years. By far our longest journey, Doctor. Congratulations."

"What a remarkable thing to have participated in. I was welcomed into a village, took a wife, and began to get involved in the politics of it all. I attempted to father children, but was unable."

Bouthis replied, "We thought it wise that all clones be sterilized. We cannot be infecting the gene-pool with some of the hybrid genes we make use of in growing the clones. Our clones look and function identical to Humans of that era, but they are genetically quite different."

Nunol nodded. "A reasonable precaution. Continue, Doctor."

Webrus stood. "As to the region, the record shows the cultural growth of Ban Chiang is well-defined and distinctive from any previous records. We can trace the spread and development of the society and the agricultural civilizations which came to characterize the region throughout its history. Agriculture, animal domestication, ceramic and even metal technology are all evident in the archaeological record of the site, as well as being confirmed with my findings.

"And because of me, you will see an increasing economic prosperity and social complexity during my stay at Ban Chiang, made possible by my intellect and guidance. Their developing cultural practices, as revealed through the many burials, rich in ceramic and metal grave goods, were enhanced by my presence and direction."

Reno cut in, "What? You purposefully interfered?"

"I did. And during my time there I grew to be King, making the city the cultural epicenter of the region. Our farms produced excess, allowing us to grow and to trade. And our defenses were strong, allowing our people to live in peace. I can hardly wait to document all I have come to know. I feel my contribution enriched the lives of all my subjects."

"You made yourself King?"

"Duly elected by the people, yes."

"You are playing with fire, Doctor. Dr. Nunol, I must protest. Future generations surrounding this city will most assuredly be affected. This interference cannot be allowed to continue. This is not some computer simulated adventure where we compete with each other for levels of achievement. This is history itself we are toying with."

Nunol sighed. "Perhaps we should take a step back. Credin, please run a comparison for us."

"I'll have that momentarily, Doctor."

Reno paced back and forth. "I'm troubled by your lack of objectivity here, Doctor. We should make every effort to only be observers. Even with such we run the risk of cataclysmic change."

Nunol chuckled. "I hardly think anything here will rise to that level, Doctor. And Dr. Webrus probably learned far more as a king than he would have as a lowly farmer."

Credin returned. "The archives now reflect a King Webrus and a city-state that dominated the region for three hundred years. There was substantial change in this location for that time period, Dr. Nunol, but it does not appear to have bled over into any other records."

Nunol turned to face Reno. "See, minor. But I will heed your warning. I think it best we break here for the day. And Dr. Reno, I would like you to work with me on defining the rules you believe to be justified. I believe you are correct in that Dr. Webrus went too far, even if in the end we will learn much more than we had previously known. I am willing to overlook the modest changes that occurred, and also willing to take steps so we have no potential issues going forward."

"That is all I ask, Doctor."

# Chapter 12

### _______________________

A set of official travel rules were hashed out and presented to the members of the OSSHR anthropological team. After hours of heated discussion, they were accepted. Reno returned to his lab where Credin was perusing through the recording from the prior mission.

"Dr. Reno, I have to say, I believe Dr. Webrus was taking every liberty. He had harems of women, slaves that he beat and had tortured, and his political opponents were wildly suppressed, usually in a very violent manner."

"The rules are in place. As strange as it sounds, we cannot turn back the clock on the doctor's changes. From here we focus on moving forward. Speaking of such, we've been given four days to prepare for a significant number of dignitaries coming through here to watch the journeys of Dr. Nunol's teams. We are to have five clones at the ready. Three for Central America and two for this last Thailand area. All will be targeted at or around the 1000 B.C. era."

"Is there anything special we need to do here?"

"Other than preparing the clones, no. Which is why I am authorizing three days of leave for you. Travel to your home. Visit with family or friends. Relax. We have been at this project here on this station for years and you have yet to ask for a single day off."

"Our work is important, Doctor. And besides, where would I go? I cannot talk of this venture with family or friends. If asked what I have been doing I am left with only smiling and nodding. I know it may sound strange, but there is nowhere else in this galaxy I would rather be than here."

Reno smiled as he patted Credin on the shoulder. "It seems we both suffer from the same mental illness."

"I wouldn't mind another trip through to the past, but I feel it would be a misuse of the facilities and resources we have available here. Unless we were resolving some issue, I would not feel comfortable taking on such an excursion."

"You are an honorable person, Credin. I am glad to have such at my side."

"So what do we do between now and then?"

Reno sat in a chair. "We attempt to resolve issues."

Credin took a seat. "What specifically?"

"Perhaps we work on our time exclusion predicament."

"Are you talking about us being blocked from returning to the same time?"

"I am. There must be a reason as to why. Although, perhaps time is just fickle."

"I wouldn't know where to begin with offering a suggestion. The fact you were able to open a portal at all remains a stunning achievement."

"The math said it could be done. All that was required was the precise calculations. And I will have to admit to being stunned myself. I've dreamed of doing just this, my entire adult life."

"Is there more testing that can be done surrounding the blocks? More data may yield a path to further explore."

"Excellent suggestion." Reno stood. "Prepare the pod. We can select a time period much earlier than Humans for our tests. And no clones will be necessary."

The afternoon was spent attempting to open one portal after another, going back to a period of twenty million years in the past as to not cause interference with the missions of the OSSHR. Again, a second portal was blocked from opening at a location and time where and when one had been opened before. The ninety-seven-year rule to the same location issue was confirmed, as well as the predetermined distance of a day's walk, causing frustration for Reno, but giving him an idea.

"Credin, go and ready a clone of East Asian persuasion. I may have a mission for us. And don't bother asking about that mission until you return. I need a bit of time to think it over."

An hour later, Credin returned with Bouthis and a new clone.

Bouthis placed his fists on his hips. "What are you planning?"

"Our experimentation gave me an idea. Is it possible to go back and make a correction to history?"

"A correction?"

"Yes. I am extremely bothered by the actions of Dr. Webrus. I want to know if his alterations can be undone, changed back."

"I thought we were restricted from revisiting the same place and time?"

"We are. And my thoughts are that we may not need to revisit the same place if we wish to enact a fix."

"How so?"

"This clone cannot be sent back to the time and place Dr. Webrus visited, but it can be sent to the same time, only a different location."

"How does that resolve the issue?"

"Simple. Our clone lands a day's walk away, makes the journey on foot to where Dr. Webrus's clone was deposited, and makes certain it doesn't interfere."

"Makes certain as in how?"

"Executing the clone if need be. I don't believe a simple talking-to would make a difference."

"What of Dr. Nunol, and Dr. Webrus. Would this not raise issue with them?"

"It would, only I believe that issue would be self-correcting."

Bouthis scratched the back of his head in confusion. "Please explain."

"We send back an assassin. The Webrus clone is eliminated and time is again altered, the original timeline being restored. Only, Dr. Nunol will never know it happened. The recording Dr. Webrus took will be altered to be the new reality. The only record of his original journey would be here on this machine, which we could destroy, thereby leaving no record of what occurred on this station as related to that original journey and the assassin's journey."

Credin scowled. "Wait. What of the change to Webrus's journey, what this machine shows will be different, or if wiped out, they will want to know why."

Reno smiled. "Again, simple. One of us will take that recording off station before the event and they will return after with the altered record. We then upload it to the machine."

Bouthis nodded. "Clever. And I can see a future use for such a venture. Should a traveler interact to the point of a change being detrimental, a 'cleaner' could be sent back to tidy up the mess. Sort of an insurance policy for our mistakes."

"Excellent thoughts doctor. Now, who is going back?"

Bouthis raised a hand in a stop motion. "Do not look at me. I have no desire to travel. And I would find myself unable to take the desired actions once there."

"The desired action is exterminating a clone, something you have done in your lab, even going as far as dissecting one."

"True. I guess my lack of desire to travel will have to do."

Reno looked at Credin. "You?"

"I will go if you believe that to be our best option. Although I would like to add that you, Doctor, have shown yourself to be far more adaptable to the situation at hand."

Reno sighed. "Fine. You operate the machine. I will do the dirty deed."

The bio-link insertions were made and the portal to a day's walk north of Ban Chiang was opened.

The Reno clone stood in the middle of a dense forest on the side of a mountain. As he began his walk down the mountain, Reno woke from his sleep, gasping for air.

Credin asked, "What happened?"

"Our placement was foolish. An hour of walk placed me at the edge of a great river."

Bouthis looked into the archives and chuckled. "The Mekong."

"How was I supposed to get across that? It is both deep and wide."

Credin looked at Reno. "Is this where your resourcefulness would be of use?"

Reno forwarded the recording. After a half hour of walking the bank, a decision was made to attempt a swim. A jump into the water was met with a current that was far too strong. The clone was pulled along in a torrent until getting caught in bramble on the river's edge where he was pulled under. The recording stopped with an image of murky water covering the display.

Credin failed to hold in a smirk.

"You believe that to be funny?" Reno questioned.

"The assassin who cannot swim? You are unharmed and here. So yes, I do find that to be humorous."

Reno gestured toward the table. "Then the next mission is yours. Dr. Bouthis, fetch us another clone."

"It will be another day before a suitable Asian is ready."

"What do we have."

"Another African can be ready in an hour."

"Make it so. Credin, your mission just grew in complexity. You will have to make your way while not fitting in with the locals. Whether or not that will be an actual issue will be determined when you are there."

An archive map was brought up on a display. "You will be deposited here, east of the village. No rivers to ford or lakes to walk around."

Bouthis hurried away, returning an hour later with the new Human clone. The insertions were performed, and the massive ripping sound of space-time being torn open echoed through the lab. A minute later, Credin woke from his sleep.

Bouthis asked, "What happened?"

"Nothing, for several years at least. I attempted to penetrate the area of the location and was unable to approach. It was as if some invisible wall would not allow me to move further. I walked the entire perimeter and was unsuccessful at finding a way into the village.

"But I did catch up to him when he went out on a trip to another village, he had come out of the bubble that surrounded his point of origin location. I jumped from a clump of trees and stabbed him in the back... and then broke his neck. The two travelers with him were in fear until I told them they would not be harmed. I gave them a story about how Webrus had killed several children in a distant village and I had been sent to track him down and to do justice.

"They were a bit shocked, but seemed agreeable to the eradication of such a monster. After that, I lived out a quiet but irritated lifetime of fourteen more years before dying of disease. The mosquitoes and other bugs in the area were horrific."

Credin ran a comparison of the archives.

When complete, a smile covered Reno's face. "Perfect. No mention of a King Webrus. I now have to wonder if we should also clean up the doings of Kulope, restoring our record of history to what it should be."

Bouthis said, "I won't have another clone ready for a day. I have six now warming as we speak."

"Another day is acceptable."

The remainder of the time waiting on clones was spent running back and forth through the archives to make certain the records had not been altered in any other way. The following day, another mission was undertaken, and the Mayan priest named Kulope was removed from the records. The team retired to the station's dining lounge to relax.

Reno sipped on a cup of Bredren tea. "I feel much better about this project. Those corrections were necessary. I just hope we don't end up having to police the OSSHR and each of their missions. There may soon be thousands of them."

Bouthis asked, "Are you beginning to rethink your accomplishment?"

"I suppose it never occurred to me that others who lacked my principles might be making use of this technology. Of bigger concern is the impact it will have if a major change occurs. Will they shut down the program entirely?"

"Perhaps this is a discussion to have with Dr. Nunol. Your concerns are valid. We have already seen a change ripple forward to the future."

Credin tilted his head to one side. "How so?"

"The fact that the present day archives were changed. While inconsequential for us today, who's to say some other ripple might not have impact?"

"I suppose I never thought of it that way."

Reno took another sip. "We checked the archives and are certain they have been restored. What of the memories of Dr. Webrus and Dr. Kulope? Have they been restored as well?"

Bouthis looked over at Credin. "I believe we may have another mission for you."

"For what purpose?"

"For the purpose of determining what Webrus and Kulope now know. What do they remember? I'm certain Dr. Reno will concur. You should make a journey down to the planet to find out."

Reno held up a hand. "No. This is something I should do. They are colleagues of mine. Some of them may take offense to a mere assistant asking anything of them. I'll go. The two of you remain here. And should my own memories become altered, you can fill me in."

The following day, after catching a shuttle planet-side, Reno returned with the good news. All was at it should have been. Webrus believed his clone had been attacked on the road, and Kulope had been stabbed in the neck, not knowing why. Reno had retained what he knew while inside the time-bubble of Mentox-I.

# Chapter 13

### _______________________

A group of dignitaries piled into the lab behind Nunol. A clone was brought out and bio-linked to an anthropologist. For fifteen minutes the dignitaries were entertained by the clone walking the lab, shaking hands, and introducing himself as the anthropologist. Five minutes later they were watching on a monitor as the clone witnessed for the first time a fifty-three-thousand-year-old prior-Earth, a time of approximately 1000 B.C. Just under a minute later, the anthropologist, Dr. Poryul, awoke.

The doctor said, "It seems my journey was short as compared to some. Disappointing, but only in its length. What a magnificent experience. I walked among the dead, interacting with a world that no longer exists. It is by far the most... profound experience of my life. I am eager to return, where this time I can focus on my study of the Khmer people of the region."

Nunol asked, "Can you tell or show us the highlights of your journey?"

Credin assisted with the recording controls.

"My first contact was with a group of children who were amused with my nakedness. Soon after followed a group of villagers who were unhappy with that same fact. I pleaded my case that my clothing and other belongings had been stolen, and I was willing to work for replacement, as well as for food. My effort was rewarded."

The recording was forwarded.

"Ten days were spent assisting in their rice fields. It was a time of harvest and they were grateful for the help. I then traveled two days to a nearby city where a stone temple was under construction. I was given work helping to move the stone, only on the first day a block shifted and I was crushed. The pain was excruciating, but once over, I somehow felt renewed."

One of the dignitaries spoke. "So the journey lasted less than two weeks?"

"Indeed. But I must say, the cultural and societal information I was able to see and hear in that short time, it has drastically changed some of my preconceptions of that era. And as I just said, I am eager to return for further study."

Another dignitary asked, "What is the value of this project? I question its usefulness to the Empire."

Nunol stepped in. "The usefulness is that we can better see where we are going if we know where we have been. History has a way of being erased from our minds, forgotten, meaning many of the same mistakes of the past are made again. With a complete history of our past right at our fingertips, future errors can be avoided."

Credin ran the archive comparison as Nunol continued to speak. Upon completion, Reno was quietly pulled aside.

"What is it?"

Credin whispered, "There are changes in the archive."

"What?"

"Can we move into the hall?"

Reno followed his assistant through the crowd and out. "What is it? What did you find?"

"I am sorry doctor. It seems the ripple has caused several recorded changes. They appear several hundred years in the archive's future from this journey where they change the names of two individuals. One a governor and the other a famed storyteller. They ripple forward from there. Something from that thirteen-day journey altered the future of those people."

"We'll keep this to ourselves for the moment. There are three journeys to go this morning. If there are no other issues, perhaps we attempt to correct this later today."

"Very well."

Reno stopped Credin before they entered the room. "Thank you for your discretion. An issue as such could bring severe scrutiny to this project. Dr. Poryul appeared to follow the new rules that were put in place. Perhaps they are not strict enough. We will have to see."

The next traveler went out and returned. His journey had lasted seven years in the past. Most of his time was spent quietly working in the rice paddies and tending to domestic animals as he observed the subjects around him. The archives showed no further change, but the dignitaries found the journey to be dull and fruitless.

Nunol pulled the next candidate aside as the prior traveler talked to the dignitaries of his journey. "I know we fashioned the rules for a reason, but we need something more than Dr. Malgo has delivered. Something exciting. Look at the crowd. They are bored and unimpressed. I'm altering your mission to place you at a time when the region was in turmoil. Make a statement, something profound. We need to regain the interest of this group or our funding will be at risk."

The candidate replied, "I thought the funding was a given and these were merely demonstrations of the possibilities?"

"Both true and false. They are demonstrations, but do not be so naive as to think funding cannot be pulled. These dignitaries are investors. Funds from their government departments or colonies will be keeping this project running. If for a moment they feel those funds might be better used elsewhere we will be fighting to keep ourselves alive. There is always something new and exciting that demands attention and investment. I want that new and exciting to be this project from now until the day I die."

"Understood. I will see what I can do once I arrive."

The next clone was readied and sent. A minute later, Dr. Buva awoke from her sleep with tears in her eyes.

Nunol said, "Four years. Must have been a successful journey."

Buva moved to the recording display. "I don't know if I can go on another and be so satisfied. Utterly fantastic."

"Tell us of the highlights."

The playback was forwarded to the beginning of an event. After roaming through several small villages over a number of weeks, the clone had come across an ongoing fight between two such communities. One group was diverting water at a time of planting, while the other was being denied the resource they so desperately required. An exchange of words had turned into the deaths of two villagers, one on each side.

After talking with the side with water, the clone intervened, lowering tensions and bringing both sides to a seeming compromise. When the weapons had been lowered, the villagers of the side with water attacked, killing the others and resolving the issue once and for all.

Buva turned. "They were at an impasse. Either both sides suffered the consequences of an extended fight, or one side was victorious and moved on. It was as simple as the strongest side winning. The women and children of the other village dispersed and moved away. I was given a position of advisor to the village elders."

Nunol nervously replied, "A prudent measure. What happened after?"

"Over the next three years the village grew, under my advice of course, and eventually became a city. We organized a military and soon dominated the region. I was awarded command of the army of Duc Lop, our first king. In the year that followed, five neighboring cities had been conquered and a larger kingdom was formed. We soon found ourselves confronting another dozen city-states and absorbing them. I was able to bring these people forward by centuries from where they would have been."

"And in the end?"

Druvol sighed. "Assassinated by one of my own. He sought my position. As to the anthropological part of the mission, I can tell you everything there is to know about the culture. Everything about how they view their rulers as well as themselves. I know diets, trade, and weapons manufacture. I am eager to work on a full report."

Nunol looked around the room at fascinated faces. A broad smile covered his own. The dignitaries left the facility with nothing but good words for Nunol and his project.

Credin came to Reno in the docking bay as he waved to the departing shuttle. "We have major issues."

A scowling Reno turned. "I was afraid of that. Such meddling in the past. What is the damage?"

"The Kingdom of Duc Lop went on to conquer and rule the whole of Southeast Asia. It was a dynasty that ran for five centuries, going so far as to eradicate the period of the Three Kingdoms and the Han dynasty of China before it. Those changes are epic and of course bleed even further into the future histories from there."

"Allow me an afternoon to speak with Nunol. When I get back, have a clone ready. We will eliminate Buva and Druvol before their damage is permanent." Reno sighed. "It is disconcerting to know that any anthropologist would walk away from such an event gleeful with their interference."

"We have another such event tomorrow, Doctor. More dignitaries."

"And we will no doubt again have to contend with Dr. Nunol and his insecurities with regards to funding."

The meeting with Nunol ran on for three hours. Reno returned with an angered look on his face.

"Is the clone ready?"

Bouthis nodded. "It is. And we reviewed the recording for the first available opportunity. Dr. Druvol will leave the bubble area on the thirteenth day. We will position you at a location that can walked from to intercept him."

The recording was again reviewed.

Reno moved the record back and forth through the location several times until a position was pinpointed. "The path taken passes between these two hills. Send me back one day before Druvol's clone arrives."

"Will that allow sufficient time to prepare?"

"I believe so. If not, we only need arrange for another journey to a different location. Druvol visited many villages before putting his full plan into play."

The ripping sound of a portal through space-time being opened was followed by several seconds of blindness. The clone of Reno stood, surveying the land surrounding him. Moments later, the Opamari Reno awoke.

A suitable sapling was located and cut using the sharp edge of a rock. The heavy end was then formed into a point, again using a set of local stones. When deemed sufficient, a location for ambush was selected and the clone moved into position to wait.

Reno stood in front of the playback controls. "It was a successful attack. My clone was killed in retaliation, but that is of no matter."

Credin ran a comparison to the past. "Clean except for the changes from Buva I had noted before."

"Dr. Bouthis, please retrieve another clone."

"Of course. And I don't know why, but this somehow feels wrong."

"I have some of those same feelings, Doctor, but this must be done."

Before the day had ended, Reno had again corrected the past record. The following morning, Nunol returned with a new group of dignitaries.

An aide, Ghomat, talked about the program to the others.

Reno pulled Nunol aside. "Doctor, I hope my discussion of the need for rules has sunk in."

"Please don't pester me with that further. I am in control of this project and my say is all that matters here. I have directed each of these candidates as to what I expect of them."

"I'm just saying, Doctor—"

Nunol cut him off, turning back to the group of observers. "Distinguished fellows. I believe it is time we should begin. Who here is tired of listening to Mr. Ghomat's drivel?"

Nods were returned. An annoyed aide bowed and took a step back.

"Dr. Bouthis. Please administer the bio-links."

The procedure was conducted, followed by a candidate who paraded his clone around the room for several minutes. The group reacted with fear as the horrific crack of space-time opening was encountered. Nunol offered a few calming words before the image from the clone cleared.

"I am here." The clone said, "Just over that rise should be our target village." Moments later the traveler awoke on the table.

Nunol stepped forward. "As you can see, our researcher has made a successful journey of... eighteen years. Well done, Doctor."

The traveler hopped from the table to begin talking about his adventure. Credin got to immediate work on a comparison. Five minutes into the talk, he turned and guided Reno from the room.

"It has happened again, Doctor. This time as bad as the last."

Reno sighed. "Go back in and send Dr. Bouthis out."

Bouthis walked into the hall. "Is there a problem?"

"I need you to go to your lab. Ready several clones. It appears we might have a good bit of cleanup to once again take care of. I'm not certain how we reel in Nunol from continuing to allow these wild adventures."

"I believe he would listen to reason if the changes are revealed."

"No. He would not. And we cannot allow him to know what we have been doing. We would be removed from this station and who knows what damage he would do to history."

Bouthis nodded. "If I am needed I will be back momentarily."

"Thank you, Doctor. Your help and understanding are highly appreciated."

An irritated Reno returned to the room. The prior traveler was finishing up with how he had single-handedly transformed the region for the better.

A smiling Dr. Nunol took over. "This first venture today is just a taste of what is to come. Can you imagine the information to be gleaned from Dr. Voomaq's report and this recording? We will one day have a complete understanding of Humans and what they were about. And along the way we will most assuredly enjoy the study."

Bouthis returned and the next clone was readied and sent. A check by Credin showed further damage. When the fourth anthropologist had made his impact, the group was led back to the docking bay, a shuttle was boarded and they were away.

Reno turned to face Bouthis. "Catastrophe. That buffoon is going to ruin this project. When will the clones be ready? It looks as though we may need four."

"Three are waiting. I'll go begin the thawing of the fourth."

Going in reverse order, three journeys were taken. The historical archives returned to what they had been before the day's demonstrations had taken place.

Credin called Reno over to his console. "We have an urgent incoming comm from Dr. Nunol."

"Put him through."

"Dr. Reno. We have a big problem."

"Historical changes?"

"Yes. How did you know?"

"I asked you to not meddle with history, Doctor. Instead you decided it was more important to put on a show."

A scowl was returned. "Keep in mind, Doctor, without those investors there is no show."

"What is it that has transpired?"

Nunol replied, "Dr. Popanic. His entire life history has disappeared."

"What?"

"There is no record of his existence. We were stopped in the terminal when his identity badge would no longer allow him through. As we waited to see what the issue was, he attempted to contact his family. The Empire has no record of them. He is distraught and a number of our investors were witness to the entire affair. We need to get to the bottom of this immediately."

# Chapter 14

### _______________________

Reno bowed his head and took in a deep breath. "I warned you about this, Doctor. Changes in the past may ripple forward. Now it has happened. Dr. Popanic was protected within the time bubble of the station. His history outside of that station was not."

"How do we correct this?"

"We will be sending back a clone to clean up your mess in the morning."

"Dr. Reno. I don't appreciate the tone. You work for me, remember? I will be up there first thing tomorrow to witness this... fix."

"Good. Had you been here for the prior ones you might have been convinced to stick to the rules. Which I now believe are not stringent enough."

"Prior? You have done this before?"

"Five missions now. And I fear our fixes may not fully resolve our problems. We only have the archive as a record of what the past was. We believe we've managed to clean up three of today's disasters. Tomorrow morning we'll hit the fourth."

Nunol leaned back in the plush chair of his office. "I'm coming up. I want to be there when this procedure takes place."

"I'll have Credin unlock one of the guest quarters. And Doctor, I'm concerned we may damage the program if we don't handle this properly. It could be disastrous."

"Disastrous for both of us, Doctor. I will be there in a few hours."

The comm closed.

Bouthis sighed. "So now he knows."

Credin said, "We should have told him after our first cleaning."

Reno shook his head. "No. We pointed out the changes. He was perfectly fine with them. Had he known we were doing any of this he would have put a stop to it. This issue... the way this happened today... it may be the only way any of this would have worked. He now believes those changes can be dangerous. Someone lost their family and their entire existence. Hopefully we can restore that in the morning."

"How does Dr. Nunol being here help?"

"Because he will be in the time bubble with us when the reality out there is restored. He knows what can happen. If we leave him outside and make the correction, he will never know it took place. His reality will have been altered."

Credin sat. "This is starting to make my head spin."

Reno smiled. "We could always send you planet-side."

"Not necessary. I'm here to do my part."

Several hours later, Nunol arrived with his aide in tow.

Reno questioned the move. "I think it a bad idea that you brought him along. The fewer who know about this the better chance it goes away."

"Nonsense. I lean heavily on his assistance. So do not worry. None of this leaves this room."

First thing in the morning, the final issue was resolved. The archive records once again matched. The Director of the OSSHR returned to the planet and a new set of highly restrictive rules were put in place. The missing family tree had been restored.

Two additional dignitary events were scheduled and each went off without a hitch— until one of the investors pulled his money from the project.

Nunol was up on the station. "We cannot have investors withdrawing. If you have one then others are likely to follow. And if the investment is seen as not being worthwhile in this early stage, we will see much of our funding gone. I'm going to relax the rules just a bit for these next few demonstrations. At least until the second station is delivered. If you have to you can return to clean up any residual effects."

Reno asked, "I thought the station delivery wouldn't be until next year?"

"Two weeks. I was able to fast-track the approval. And acquisition of materials and labor began the day after your initial presentation. The complete design of this station was already waiting for us. And in our original bids for construction we had seconds of all the crucial parts made as spares."

"Two weeks? That's fantastic. But I beg you to not loosen the rules, they are sound, and the information we are gathering is still far more than we had ever dreamed of attaining."

"We cannot afford any more dropouts, Doctor. I've already used our budget allocations for this entire year in order to speed the construction process. Should another member pull out I will be running a deficit. And we both know how the budget committees react to such."

"Will you allow me to sit in on your mission briefings? Perhaps I can advise if I believe the rules are being stretched too far."

"That would be acceptable, and preferred. Dr. Reno, I am still in awe of what you have been able to accomplish. One day, when we are able to share the data to be retrieved with the broader Empire, your name will be an Academy great, listed among those such as Tannaye and Warkol, taught in every science classroom."

Reno smiled. "That would be a high honor."

The two weeks flew by. The missions utilizing the loosened rules showed no issue when compared to the archive. As an added precaution, Nunol promised a complete record of the family trees of every citizen going back two thousand years. The data was expected sometime in the week that followed.

Reno, Bouthis, and Credin were invited to a speech to be given by Nunol at the Academy of High Sciences where the second station was to be revealed. The Academy was the premier governmental department that had control of all science projects for the Empire. When the completion of the second station was announced, several new investors came forward, highly interested in joining the venture.

After an hour of handshaking, Nunol found his way to the others.

Bouthis said, "That went well. I think you hit perfectly on the highlights of the project. Those sitting around us were chatting up a storm just after."

"I received several new offers for funding streams. If they materialize, our fears of a budget shortfall for this year are over. I want you to know just how excited I am for this project. It seems everything is coming together at once."

Reno asked, "So we can roll back the rule loosening?"

"Indeed we can. Every mission from now on will be by the book, or the researcher assigned will lose his or her privileges."

Credin said, "Excellent speech, Doctor. It has me re-energized."

Nunol gave a look that would tell any assistant they were not welcome to speak unless directly addressed.

He turned to face Reno. "Dr. Reno, we will now be moving to the next phase of this program. I would like you and your team, aside from your continued research duties, to be our safety monitors. If a problem arises in the archive comparison, I would like that error to be corrected by the three of you... with me of course informed."

"You will have to be at the station during the correction," Bouthis replied. "Otherwise you will have no memory of the issue."

"I will wholeheartedly accommodate that request."

Reno said, "If you are away, all further journeys will have to be suspended until you return. If further trips are made after an issue arises we are uncertain if the damage can be undone."

"I would of course desire to be informed of every occurrence, and be present for the cleanup. But should an issue with my being present be a problem, I am giving you authority to use your best judgment."

Reno nodded. "I believe that to be a wise decision, Doctor."

"Now, if you will excuse me, there are several other associates I would like to have a word with."

The elder Nunol lumbered away.

Bouthis shook his head. "We have just been assigned duties as time police. I don't see this as a good development."

"On the contrary," Reno replied. "I believe this is exactly what needed to happen. I don't trust this task to anyone else. And Dr. Bouthis, I will be loaning you and Credin out for the first two weeks. You will be assisting in getting Mentox-II up and running. Expect push back from Dr. Nunol's staff as they will want to believe they are in charge. I spoke earlier to the doctor, you have his full support."

"Two weeks? I can't say I look forward to the task."

As Bouthis had anticipated, the staff managers on the second station were both demanding and abusive. That all changed when the first mission was successfully completed, taking away the anxiety that came from worry over the first status report to be made to Nunol. He had applied extreme pressure in an attempt to make certain the initial schedules were kept. They were. And the team was now ready to move ahead with their research.

Bouthis and Credin returned to Mentox-I where Reno was studying the results of the anthropologist's first journey. He looked up from his console as Bouthis and Credin entered the lab. "Good. It seems everything went well. Everyone is pleased."

"I assume you mean Dr. Nunol is pleased," Credin replied.

Reno smiled. "That would be a correct assumption. How was the setting up of the cloning environment?"

"Messy at first, but they now know the process. With the proper supplies, that station can produce six clone bodies per day. Nunol's staff said he is busy trying to line up funding for potential future stations."

"Yes. He made me aware of that a few days ago."

Credin asked, "So what do we do now?"

"As they become familiar with the equipment and the necessary processes, we will monitor the archives after each mission. We have a command we can send from this console that will halt any further missions if we see a problem. From there we notify Dr. Nunol and then make the necessary corrections."

The mission planning and execution over the several weeks that followed moved from one per day to three per day, without issue. The data collected was seen as nothing but astounding with a long list of researchers getting in line and putting in requests for their time period or location of expertise. The sequencing and documentation of the complete history of Earth was expected to take more than seven years. Once complete, a second world would be selected where the process of cataloging its history would begin.

Credin sat back in his chair as another journey was evaluated. "Comparison's check out. No issues. And I know Dr. Nunol keeps promising us the family tree data, but are we ever going to see it?"

"Tomorrow," Reno replied. "He's been busy with his tours. I was told this morning it was now in the process of being compiled and would be given to us first thing."

"Good. Because at the moment we don't know if there is a problem there. Random people could be vanishing from existence, even though the Earth archives show no change."

Bouthis shook his head. "Highly unlikely we will see a difference. During the campaign to cleanse Earth there were fewer than a dozen casualties. And those were due to common accidents from faulty equipment or operator error. From what I read, any resistance was futile."

Credin grinned. "We are the superior species."

Reno said, "And yet here we are five hundred centuries later and still making mistakes."

"Sorry, Doctor, I didn't intend to imply we were infallible."

The following day, three additional journeys were taken. Comparison of the archives indicated there were no changes.

Credin moved on to the family tree. "An exact match. It seems you were correct, Dr. Bouthis."

A comm came in from a panicked Director. "Reno. My daughter has gone missing. Please tell me this is not from our explorations!"

"Sorry for your troubles, Doctor. The records match with what you sent us. If she is missing it is because of another reason."

"Please check them again."

Credin got to work. Several minutes later, the answer was displayed on the monitor in front of him.

Reno said, "All clear on this end, Doctor. And I hope she turns up and everything is OK."

The comm closed.

Credin frowned. "That was scary. Hope they find her."

Reno shook his head. "The scary part is how quickly he jumped to such a conclusion. The odds of his family being affected are already astronomical. Especially so, given the fact the archives and family tree records both match."

The following day the daughter was found, having been out overnight with friends. Nunol asked that nothing further be mentioned about the incident.

Checks against both databases showed no difference for the three weeks of journeys that followed. That all changed when the first mission to the Middle East took place. Governor Gudea of Lagash, after a brief encounter with the clone of a researcher, doubled the size of his Southern Mesopotamian city-state.

# Chapter 15

### _______________________

Nunol paced the lab. "This is our first incident. Dr. Klobim followed the rules. His clone was only in country for two days before being kidnapped, robbed, and drowned. His only interaction was bowing to the Governor, for which he received a blessing."

Reno said, "It's possible a few seconds of delay was all it took. We've reviewed the data, nothing else unusual stood out."

"Governor Gorthaq of Bredren is inquiring as to why the missions have stopped. He is a major contributor to this effort. Give me something I can tell him."

"How did he find out?"

"I can only imagine he has people there on Mentox-II. I've given strict orders that all status is given through me and that all reports require my approval before release. That is under penalty of expulsion from the program. But I cannot prevent moles from being among the large group of researchers who have applied. It just isn't possible."

"I'd say we only have one option. Dr. Klobim's clone must be taken out at the earliest possible moment."

"I don't care if he is taken out the moment he arrives. This change cannot stand. Citizens have disappeared from record."

Reno said, "Our best chance of intervening is to send our clone back to the exact same moment. It will have to intercept Dr. Klobim on his second day, which may only be minutes before his encounter with the Governor."

You cannot send the clone back a day earlier?"

"As I have stated before, no. For reasons we don't yet understand, an interference bubble forms around the delivery point. It stretches out for about the distance one can travel on foot in a day. It seems time does not like us jumping to a point in time just prior to another jump, making it difficult to make corrections or changes."

"Time has no reason or grievance, Doctor. It is a thing and not a being."

"My apologies. I was only trying to imply that we cannot go back further in time because we are blocked from the region."

Bouthis stepped up. "Let us move forward and do our best Dr. Nunol. If it can be done we will do it."

A clone of Middle Eastern ethnicity was readied and sent back to 2142 B.C. in Southern Mesopotamia. Reno awoke long before his clone reached the city of Nippur where Governor Gudea and the clone of Dr. Klobim were to be found. The hurried walk brought him in from the east, arriving just over an hour before the governor and doctor were to meet.

"I was successful," Reno said. "If you want to watch for only a few minutes you will see the encounter."

The naked clone stole a piece of woolen cloth from a hovel to wrap around its waist before scurrying to the center of town. Orangish-tan mud brick buildings lined the main dirt road. Most buildings were the homes of noblemen with the largest being a temple to the god Enlil.

"I'm here." The clone blurted out. "Let's hope I am early. There doesn't seem to be much activity. The heat of the day is blistering. I'm badly in need of water."

The clone looked around. "I suppose the temple might be the place to find sanctuary from the heat."

As he entered the temple a priest came from behind a wall. "I do not recognize you my friend. Have you brought an offering to the house of Enlil?"

"I am but a weary traveler. Might you know where I could find water? My calfskin was stolen by robbers on the road here."

"It is ill-advised to travel by oneself. You will find a well just outside that end of town." The elderly priest pointed a long and narrow finger. "You may draw water from it freely."

The clone bowed to the priest before hurrying back out into the hot sun. A search for the well brought nothing but more heat and dust. A traveler leaving on the road going out was stopped.

The clone asked. "I was told there was water out here."

The traveler smirked. "The old priest. You did not make an offering so he sent you on your way. You will find few in Nippur who are helpful at the moment. Most are preparing for the Governor."

"He has yet to arrive?"

"He should be entering from the other end of town. I saw a dust trail on the horizon. That would be his caravan. Here. I will spare a swig of water but no more. You will have to pay for it in town."

The clone bowed before accepting the full calfskin under the watchful eye of its owner. The water was warm, but cooler than the surrounding heat."

"Here, here. A swig is all I offered."

"Thank you for your kindness, sir."

The traveler turned and continued on his journey. The clone hurried back into town.

"I should have stolen sandals as well." Reno scowled. "My feet were blistered. It was quite painful."

The Governor's caravan, consisting of eight camels and six donkeys, ambled slowly up the road and into town. Swirls of hot dust spun away as a slow wind attempted to cool the ground. The Governor's camel came with a cloth canopy that kept the sun from brazing his black-dyed, soft flax clothing. He sat tall on top of his camel, making him an imposing figure.

Reno's clone walked from around the corner of a home as the clone of Klobim walked out to greet the coming caravan. A heavy rock was picked from the ground and used to smash the skull of the unsuspecting clone of the researcher. Death was immediate. The body was dragged behind the house.

The clone hurried across the street in front of the caravan, depositing the stolen piece of cloth on the rail where it had been found before heading out into the desert. Three hours later, heatstroke ended the clone's life."

Reno sighed. "It was a miserable way to die, but it was the only way to prevent further interference."

Credin got to work on the comparisons. "The archives... have been restored." A smile was given by Nunol.

"And now for the family trees... hmm. We have a problem. There is a difference, but it dead-ended with a family line that came to a stop seven-hundred-odd-years ago. There is no indication of any present-day change."

Nunol scratched his head. "How is that possible?"

Bouthis said, "The variations coming from a single change could be endless, Doctor. Imagine a single change such as a new conversation taking place in the past. That conversation might cause a slight delay for the Human affected. In turn that delay might cause a future change, such as two people not meeting as they had before. Perhaps that meeting led to a marriage and family, so we now have a new family line no longer moving forward in time.

"Now, what if that new family grew to found a new city? And when our military arrived to wipe out Humans the destruction of that city caused a delay that otherwise would not have happened. That new delay leads to more differences and as time moves forward we are left with those changes affecting the future, or in our case, present day. In other words, a simple change occurring fifty thousand years ago might ripple forward in time causing a change to present day. We call that notion the dendurone cycle. Humans called it the butterfly effect."

"What do I care what Humans called it? How do we fix this?"

Reno said, "At best, if I went back for a second attempt, I might be able to catch Dr. Klobim's clone an hour earlier. I would have to burst into that house where it had been all day. And if I cause a scuffle, there might be other changes that are worse than what we have."

"This cannot stand, Doctor. Make the journey. The opportunity is worth the risk."

Reno bowed. "Very well."

A clone was readied and the journey made. As predicted, only forty-two minutes were saved, forcing Reno's clone to rush into the home where the Klobim clone was seated, dragging it out into the light and pummeling it to death with a stone, while the owner of the home cowered in another room. The clone then turned and ran into the desert where it again perished from heatstroke.

Credin checked the archive record which again came back clean. The family tree record... remained the same. The difference was in the past, leaving Nunol uncertain of what to do.

Reno said, "Dr. Nunol, I can only see one path forward. Present day is unaffected. If we delay any longer on a restart we run the risk of the project being closed in its entirety."

"And what of the change that is right there in the record?"

"We cover it up."

"What? You can't be serious. That is criminal."

"As I said, Doctor, we don't have a choice. There are only four people in this Empire who have knowledge of what has transpired. And they are all in this room. If we take the new record and copy over the old so they once again match, no one will ever know."

Nunol took a seat. "I am stunned by your proposal, Dr. Reno. I have taken a minor liberty or two with the law in the past, but this... this is life imprisonment if we are caught. Conspiracy to defraud many of the most powerful people in our government... no sane person would do such. And all for what? So we can continue with our journeys until we permanently damage present day as well?"

Bouthis pulled up a chair. "I believe Dr. Reno to be correct. Should we expose this beyond the four of us this project will be shut down for the foreseeable future, probably to never restart as we have no way to prove it will be safe. Our only proof to date is that no one else knows of our housecleaning. What if we tighten the rules further?"

Credin said, "How would that work? This occurrence seems to have happened with the minimum of interaction."

Reno returned an angered expression. "You are not helping, Credin."

"I'm only stating the obvious, Doctor. And while I'm not overly concerned over the loss of past people out there, I am concerned for my present-day family."

Reno took in and let out a long breath. "I am concerned as well, but this is our entire lives and livelihoods we are discussing here. Dr. Nunol, what are the implications for your career if this project is halted?"

"Staggering."

"And Credin. You will be looking for work as well."

"Something I do not desire, but do not fear either."

"Dr. Bouthis?"

"We have a most fantastic accomplishment here. I believe our cause to be just and in the name of science. Perhaps the project needs to be dialed back where we move forward carefully until all the ramifications are better understood."

Nunol shook his head. "We cannot slow down without being closed. The cost of this program is substantial. Unless the science it delivers is substantial as well, it will be decommissioned."

Reno crossed his arms. "Ultimately, the decision is yours, Dr. Nunol. Do we proceed or do we fail?"

The director of the OSSHR stood. "I need time to think. I will return in the morning with an answer."

A shuttle to the surface of Bredren departed shortly after.

Reno paced back and forth. "How do we fix this? How do we convince him to proceed?"

Bouthis slowly shook his head. "I don't know that we can."

"You're moving over to his side?"

"Change has happened. Change we can't seem to control. Tell me how to recall or reverse a mission and we will most assuredly be allowed to continue."

Reno scowled. "The laws of time seem to be preventing that."

Credin asked, "What if we send someone back the ninety-seven years before with a message?"

Bouthis replied, "Any message that would last that long would be a huge interaction with the past. Everyone would want to know what it meant, if it was even to survive. The clone delivering it would be long dead."

"What if it is immediately hidden at the exact spot the future clone will arrive? Each would be given instruction to dig a hole where the clone is deposited to look for the message, which could be something as simple as a square stone, which they then know means they should abort the mission."

Reno frowned. "Clever. But it would mean we have to reveal our current situation to every traveler. And I have no doubt if that were to happen, the project would be halted. Those in charge would not want to risk their lives, the lives of their family members, or the lives of anyone else over the scientific benefits of historical research. We either convince Nunol or we are doomed."

The journey of Klobim was pulled up on the displays and forwarded through. Every minor interaction was discussed. No apparent or implied reason for a change that would ripple forward was revealed. Reno retired to his quarters in a nervous and depressed state.

The following morning, Nunol returned. He walked into the lab where Reno, Bouthis, and Credin were waiting.

"By the looks on your faces I can see you are lacking a way out of this."

Reno sighed. "I gave you a way out. No one has been harmed. The science can proceed."

Nunol took a seat, tapping his fingers on the armrest for several seconds as he thought. "Perhaps we are looking at this opportunity wrong."

"How so?"

"You wish to keep your work moving forward, although I don't know what your accomplishments could be. You've done precisely what you set out to do. Regardless, what if we take this in a different direction. A commercial direction."

"Explain."

"There are many planets out there that have life, but not sentient life. What if we took more of an adventure footing? Say... someone pays a fee to travel back to hunt wild game on an ancient planet?"

Reno chuckled. "And who has that amount of credits laying around? Given the cost of this project, any fee would have to be astronomical."

"Granted. OK... what if we turn instead toward resource exploration?"

"How would traveling back be effective use of this equipment? Where is the benefit? We can't take back meters or analyzers. What data is an explorer going to return with? I found dirt?"

Nunol returned an irritated expression. "I'm trying to save this project, Doctor. Either help or remain silent."

"The only purpose we would have for going back is to study history. We already know we don't want to risk changing it. And we have the entire galaxy full of resources. To my knowledge there are no raw materials we are lacking. And as to entertainment, while there are many wealthy individuals. There are few who have the credits to blow on some off-world expedition fifty thousand years in the past. Or fifty million years for that matter."

Nunol stood and walked the room in thought for most of a minute. "There is one other alternative. Dr. Reno, you will not be happy with this, but we could draw on the clone implantation of Dr. Bouthis. I foresee many uses for such technology. And none require an overpowered spacestation that maintains a time bubble of its own."

"So you would abandon me?"

"You are a capable scientist, Dr. Reno. I'm certain Dr. Bouthis could find you a suitable position in his organization."

"That's it then? You've made up your mind?"

"I believe I have. But as a courtesy, I will allow you another twenty-four hours to come up with an alternative that does not involve criminal behavior."

Nunol stood, waiting for a response for several seconds. None was forthcoming.

"I'll be back tomorrow morning, Dr. Reno. Have a viable solution ready or expect to be shut down. This disaster may bring the end of our careers."

# Chapter 16

### _______________________

Reno, Bouthis, and Credin worked late into the night searching for a solution. Nothing put forth had promise.

Reno was sitting in a chair, tugging in anguish at the curly patches of white hair that dotted the sides of his head. "We have lost." Tears filled his eyes. He believed his life's work... finished.

Bouthis sat beside him. "None of this lessens your accomplishment. You did it. You conquered time. No one else has done so."

"And yet I have failed. All of this. The expense. It is too much. Perhaps one day someone will find a better way."

Bouthis pulled back. "Better way? We saw into history. We delivered a body to the past... safely delivered. In our few short months of operation we have obtained more historical data for evaluation than from fifty thousand years of digs and excavations. This is a triumph not a tragedy. We should be beaming with pride."

"The discoveries I created are being shut down. There is no triumph in that."

"You did well, Doctor," Credin said. "I know my life has been enriched. I was there when history was made... and then remade."

Reno stared at the pod for several seconds. "I want to go back. Send me back."

Bouthis slowly shook his head. "You know we can't ignore Dr. Nunol's direct orders like that. And besides, we don't have a clone ready."

"I'm not talking about a clone. Send me. I don't want to be here anymore. Pick a time of fifty thousand years or fifty million years ago... I don't care. Just send me through to live out my days away from all this."

Bouthis chuckled. "You can't be serious. You do realize your body doesn't look anything like those Humans, right? You're bipedal and all, but your gray skin, those vents on your neck, your splotchy white hair, even your smell would set you apart. There would be nowhere you could go without being attacked for being so different. Not to mention the high gravity. You would be miserable."

"I have no further purpose here, Dr. Bouthis. Take Credin. Go and expand on your own successful research. Earn the accolades of your peers for your brilliant work."

"Come with us, Doctor. We will be brilliant together. Our determination, insights, and intellect will drive our work to be a success."

"Like it did here? No. I am sorry, Dr. Bouthis. I am a failure. My name in history will go no further than that family tree list Credin has over on the machine. I had my shot at success and bungled it. I should have been forceful with Nunol and with the rules that travelers should follow. Instead, I allowed him to dictate the terms, leading to my failure. Please don't threaten your own success by attempting to carry my failed baggage."

Credin frowned. "What you accomplished here is nothing but fantastic, Doctor. You sent a clone fifty thousand years into the past. I lived a piece of the history of that planet, seeing it with my own eyes and hearing it with my ears. Well not literally so, but still. It was like nothing I have ever experienced. And the fact I could hold a conversation with these aliens from the past... nothing else can really compare. And those memories all remain here, in my head."

Reno looked up. "I'm glad I kept you entertained for a short while, Credin. None of that, however, changes my future."

A comm call came in from Nunol. Credin put it up on a display.

"Reno," Nunol said with an emotionless expression. "It is over. A shuttle is on its way up. You are to gather your things. An aide will guide you to temporary quarters when you arrive back here. I've arranged for two weeks of housing so you may go out and get yourself settled in the civilian world."

"Settled?" Reno looked up. "So I am being let go?"

Nunol gave a stoic response, "I will admit to not fighting for your retention. I know Dr. Bouthis mentioned you would be welcome on his project, which we now have funding for. But I was unwilling to risk the ire of those who invested billions of credits in your research. I am already being forced to retire at the end of my term. This project was a mammoth disaster, Reno. Be glad I got you the two weeks of housing. Some were pushing for fraud charges."

Bouthis said, "Fraud? There was no fraud on this project. The accomplishments of Dr. Reno were nothing short of spectacular."

Nunol leaned toward the camera. "Dr. Bouthis. Unless you are looking to get put out on the street yourself, you should distance yourself from him. Oh, by the way, Reno, the Academy has rescinded your degree. As of this morning you are just Reno, citizen. And be happy with that last part. There are some who suggested we put you into your machine to send you back to wherever."

Reno replied, "I would do that. Give me that last scrap of dignity, Dr. Nunol. Send me back in time where all of this will no longer exist."

Nunol scowled. "You think I'm a fool? If I send you back what's to stop you from purposefully enacting change? A preposterous suggestion, Doc— Reno, pack your bags. And Dr. Bouthis, you are to come on the same shuttle. I will have teams up there in the next few days to close down both of those stations. They are to be put into storage for eventual dismantling."

Reno's head fell into his hands. He was ruined... and he knew it. No academy or government department would ever fund his research again. And in the corporate sector, a place where billions of credits had been raised as well, he would be shunned, never to work in the field of science again.

Credin stood beside him and tugged on his arm. "Come on, Doctor. I'll help you with your things."

"Didn't you just hear? I am no longer a doctor. Call me citizen Reno. And thank you Credin. You have been a good and loyal assistant. Stay with Dr. Bouthis. He will treat you well."

The onerous weight of depression hung in the air as the shuttle lifted from the docking bay. Reno, ordinary citizen, sat with his head in his hands for the ride down to the surface. As told, an aide was waiting to escort him to his temporary housing unit. A document was given for him to sign, stating no mention of the project would be uttered from his lips or transferred from or by him in any form. The project was closed and would soon to be dismantled.

The housing unit, little more than a one room apartment, had a bed, a chair and desk, a short counter with a sink and meal dispenser, and the minimum facilities that would qualify as a bathroom. It was an apartment typically shared by several volunteer interns at the OSSHR. The dejected former scientist sat in the chair, staring at the blank walls of the room for several hours before a knock came at the door. It was Bouthis and Credin.

"It's open." Reno half mumbled from his seat of ultimate depression.

Bouthis turned the handle and pushed in. "I was afraid of this."

"What?"

"You. You can't just sit there and sulk. Your time here is limited. We need to get you out to find a place for you to live."

Credin added, "And something to do. You need a purpose. A direction."

Bouthis asked, "Have you thought at all where you would go from here? Family?"

"You never heard me talk of family, did you?"

"No. I suppose I didn't."

"That's because I have none. I was an orphan. Raised by the state. A state that now rejects me."

"The state does not reject you. They merely don't want to employ you."

Credin smirked. "Or communicate with you in any way."

Bouthis scowled. "You are not helping. Come on. We're taking you out of here for lunch. I'm betting you haven't eaten since yesterday."

"I have a meal dispenser on the wall for when I get hungry."

Credin frowned. "I've had those. It's little more than a disgusting paste. Come with us. We'll get you some real food."

Reno looked over at his still-packed duffel bag of clothes. The corner of a blue shoulder sash poked from a partially opened magnetic seal. It was covered with badges of his life's accomplishments. No longer being a doctor, it was not something he could wear in public. He looked down at the patches of white hair on his otherwise bare chest. He would be going out as an ordinary citizen. A heavy sigh was his only response as he stood.

As they walked the halls of the OSSHR, dozens of passersby stopped to offer their expressions of disdain for the lone scientist who had diverted needed funds from their own projects. Reno's temporal research had been the premier project of the OSSHR for years. Now those funds were gone, wasted, never to be recovered. Reno trudged on as Bouthis and Credin continued to try to lift his spirits.

Lunch was barely eaten. Instead, concoctions of alcohol were turned to. After several hours of making every effort to persuade Reno to leave, his only two friends in the galaxy struggled to not abandon him.

Credin said, "None of this is helpful."

"I don't care about helpful. I'm nothing. No one. Jobless and without opportunity."

Bouthis frowned. "We are willing to help you solve that, Reno. But you have to be willing to help us do so."

An advertisement came up on a display across from their table.

"You all know me! Naffi. I've made my billions. Now I'm looking for adventure. In this month's challenge, I'm offering a million credits to the individual or group who can show me that adventure of a lifetime. Visit the address on your display. Submit a proposal. If I find it appealing you might just be in the money!"

Reno let out a single huff. "I should sell him a ride on Mentox-I. That would be fitting for his offer."

Credin nodded. "He would take that ride in an instant. I've followed some of his adventures. And while fun and interesting for the common citizen, they wouldn't compare to a journey back through time as a clone. And he would get the benefit of all the memories in one minute of his valuable time."

Bouthis leaned back against the faux guronga leather that covered the bench of the booth they sat in. "That would be something. And we could make a fortune. I'm certain there are a million businessmen out there who would gladly pay a million credits for such a journey. Unfortunately that is too dangerous for the rest of us, and... we no longer control that station."

Reno smirked a drunken smirk. "Then I will steal that station. It has the means to be moved. I will take it and find a nice quiet home for it in some useless corner of the galaxy. A million credits a ride. That is what I will charge. And what would be dangerous? I will send him to prehistoric Earth where his adventure would have no real interaction with history. The fossil records of Earth indicate giant beasts once roamed the land... and the seas."

Credin stared at a far wall as in a daydream. "That would be a thrill for whoever went. Imagine the terror of having to struggle to survive in such a place, all the while never really being in danger."

Bouthis frowned, "Imagine the daily beatings you would receive during your incarceration for stealing government property."

"What fun are you, Doctor. Let him have his dreams."

"I think it's time we took him back to his room. Tomorrow we will have to help him find a place to live."

A waiter was signaled.

Bouthis said, "A detox for our friend please."

Reno scowled. "I don't wish to be detoxed."

"Maybe not at this moment, but hours from now you will be thanking me."

The waiter came back with a pistol like device. After giving a halfhearted struggle, a booster shot was administered. The bill was paid, and the trio moved back to the temporary housing.

A drowsy Reno was laid back on his bed as Credin looked around the room. "We should find him a place soon. This apartment is depressing all on its own."

"Tomorrow. And there will be no alcohol involved. We will search out an abode that is close to this facility and my lab. I'll work on Dr. Nunol to see if we can't get him reinstated once this all cools down."

"You are kind, Doctor. He is in need of support and encouragement. The failure of that project was not his fault."

"Billions were spent with little return. The political powers need someone to blame the waste on. Reno is the obvious candidate for such."

Minutes after Bouthis and his new assistant left the room, Reno rose from his bed and made his way into the hall. A free console was sought out and a submission made to Naffi. It was a simple one-line suggestion.

Ever want to live an entire lifetime in under a minute?

# Chapter 17

### _______________________

Two hours later there was a knock on his door.

"Come in." Was called out.

The door opened to the silhouette of a female Opamari, illuminated by the bright light of the hallway. The room itself was dark.

"Can I help you?"

The figure in the door asked, "Does this room have lighting?"

Reno sat up from his reclined position. "My apologies. I thought you were a friend. "Lights, on." He squinted his yellow eyes as the room brightened. "Can I help you?"

"Are you Reno?"

"Who is asking?"

The female stepped forward. A bright-yellow, heavily-badged sash, a sash that signified business acumen, adorned her left shoulder. "I am Vara, an executive assistant of Mr. Naffi. You submitted an application for his adventure competition. I'm here to gather more information."

"That was fast. And I'm sorry, I wasn't actually expecting to hear from anyone. The application was done out of self-pity."

"Your statement, 'Ever want to live an entire lifetime in under a minute?', what did you mean by that? Mr. Naffi was intrigued."

Reno sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm not supposed to talk about it."

"You are Dr. Reno, temporal scientist, is that correct?"

"It was correct until yesterday. I've been stripped of my credentials. How did you know about my research field?"

"It's my job to know. Would you care to take a ride with me to see Mr. Naffi? He has a few questions he would like to ask. And do not worry, anything said will be held in the strictest of confidence. And I have been authorized to compensate you a sum of one thousand credits for your time."

Reno glanced around his mostly empty room. "A thousand credits is music to the ears of a person without employment, Ms. Vara." Reno stood. "Show me the way."

A short walk had the pair out of the housing facility and stepping aboard a shuttle at the transportation hub across the street.

Vara gestured toward a high-back leather swivel chair. "Please have a seat."

"Where exactly are we going?"

"The Fontine Colony. Mr. Naffi has business there that should be ending upon our arrival."

"Fontine? That's halfway across the galaxy."

"It is. And we won't be arriving until tomorrow. If you would like to nap your chair does recline. It has voice activation for heating, cooling, or massage. Can I get you a beverage? Or perhaps a meal? We do have the luxury of having our own chef aboard."

"A beverage would be lovely. Something with alcohol."

"Perfect. I'll get that for you. And just so you know, Mr. Naffi likes his guests to be sober. So I will be administering a premium-grade detox booster before we arrive."

"Premium-grade? I've never heard of such."

"It's fast-acting. Typically less than two minutes. Without the short-term nauseating side effects of a standard dose."

"Sounds wonderful."

Seconds later, a beverage was delivered by a waiter.

Reno sipped on an ale. "This is quite good. Do you have any questions for me?"

"I'll let Mr. Naffi ask those. Until we arrive, please partake of any food, beverage or entertainment you like. Your display folds down from the ceiling, again on your command, you will find over nine thousand channels of viewable content."

"I have not watched a commercial display in years. What can you recommend?"

Vara frowned. "Sorry. Gave up on it years ago myself. Felt like I was receiving nine thousand channels of material I had no interest in watching."

"Some things never change, do they?"

"Apparently not. That is something Mr. Naffi is hoping to alter with his adventure series. It has been well received, but only because he has been taking tremendous risks. Jumping from mountain tops or racing shuttles at just above ground level... activities most will not partake of. And he has been tiring of most of what he's done, which is why he was so intrigued by your submission."

"A week ago I could have sent him on the adventure of a lifetime... for a lifetime. I'm surprised he wasn't approached for investment funding."

"He was. And he was a contributor. He was witness to a presentation by your former boss, Dr. Nunol."

Reno scowled. "If I never hear that name again, I will be happy. How is it you came to be in the employ of Mr. Naffi?"

"I was giving a speech on industrial practices with regards to government regulations. Mr. Naffi was in the audience. He was apparently impressed with my ability to respond to some very difficult questions following the speech. He offered me a job as an assistant that evening. That was six years ago."

The Empire was dotted with a series of wormhole gates. Travel between each would take minutes, allowing the entire span of the galaxy to be traversed in less than two days. Bredren and Fontine were both midway between the galaxy center and its edge, but were a great distance from each other.

The remainder of the flight consisted of continued chatter and small talk, followed by a number of hours of sleep. As the shuttle approached the Fontine Colony, a premium-grade detox booster was administered to a still-sloshed guest. Two minutes later, it was as though he hadn't had a drink in weeks.

"Impressive."

Vara gestured toward the door. "If you would come with me, I will take you to Mr. Naffi's penthouse. It is the highest residence on Fontine."

"I look forward to seeing it."

A ride in a local shuttle had the pair stepping out onto the eight hundredth floor of the Brinto Building, the tallest on the colony. Several dozen steps later, they were standing in a room with a grand vista of the colony's capital and the surrounding landscape.

Reno stood with his mouth agape. "I don't know that I could tire of such a view."

"You should feel privileged. Only a handful of others have had the opportunity to enjoy it. Please, have a seat. Mr. Naffi will be out momentarily."

Seconds later, a door on the other side of the room opened and the business tycoon walked briskly in. "Dr. Reno. I've been so looking forward to this."

Reno stood with a short bow. "I'm afraid it is no longer doctor, Mr. Naffi."

"Nonsense. You earned that title. Their taking it away is a sign of pettiness. Now please, sit, tell me about the project."

"I've been told to never speak of it."

"You can speak freely here, Doctor. There are no recorders. And Ms. Vara, please excuse yourself. I will alert you if there is anything we need."

Vara nodded and abruptly left the room.

"So, Doctor. Tell me about the project." Naffi smiled.

It only took minutes for Reno to gush about his accomplishments. His mood went from excited to depressed and then back to excited as he continued to talk. Naffi soaked in his every word. Six hours had passed before Naffi interrupted with more than an acknowledging nod.

"How would you like to bring your project back?"

"I don't see how that is possible, sir."

"All things are possible when you are Naffi. I have industries on almost every colony. My wealth dwarfs that of my competitors. Other than those in the highest echelons of our government, I am probably the most powerful person in the Empire. If I want something done, I get it done."

Reno let out a long slow breath. "If only that were true. I would give almost anything to continue my work. But I'm afraid we would still have the same problem as before. Changes in the past can ripple forward to the future, causing irreparable harm."

"What if I had a way of getting you your station back? Would you be willing to come to work for me? I can assure you the salary and benefits would be generous."

Reno smirked. "Get the station back? It is government property. And it's soon to be dismantled."

"I am aware of each of those. And I just happen to be the holder of the contracts to do the dismantling and salvage."

"What?"

"My company will be taking possession of the first station, Mentox-I, your station, in another eight days. The second station will come thirty days after."

"Still, how does that help us?"

Naffi stood and began to pace the room as he made gestures with his arms and hands. "What if the government was to receive a report stating the station was in pieces and a salvage operation was ongoing? Meanwhile, I would have a team transporting the station to a safe location, for your use."

"You could do that?"

"I am Naffi. Success is earned through initiative, action. I would think that to be central to your own mindset."

Reno began to smile as thoughts of a return to Mentox raced through his head. "Wait. There is a problem. The clones. We could not operate without Dr. Bouthis."

"Doctor Bouthis and his new assistant are already working for Naffi Corporation. I acquired his labs and took over full funding just after Dr. Nunol's original presentation. You do realize the potential of profits from his research are astronomical on their own, right?"

"As I told him many times."

"What if I could set you up with Mentox-I... and Dr. Bouthis... and your old assistant? Would you be willing to work for me?"

"In an instant. But you must be wanting something from this. What's the cost to me?"

"The price is the adventures to be had. I need you to operate the equipment. Link me to a clone and send me into the past. If the experience is anything like you described, I'm certain we can keep you and the station hidden away and working for years to come."

"You do realize what you are suggesting is illegal, don't you?"

"There may be a gray area or two, but nothing I haven't had to work around before. I'm a risk taker, Doctor. And I've always been successful at it. Do you think this is something you would be interested in doing? And I would allow you to set the rules. I have no desire to change the present either. So what do you say?"

Reno stood and bowed. "I'd say if you could pull this off I would forever be in your debt."

"You provide me with the adventures as desired and that debt will be fully paid."

"We will need Dr. Bouthis and my assistant Credin. And there won't be any journeys until we have clones."

"The clones are not an issue, Doctor. Those you had on the station remain. They were to be destroyed as part of the dismantling contract."

Reno walked over to the window-wall looking out over the city. "What's to stop me from going to the authorities to try to cut a deal?"

Naffi chuckled. "The same authorities who despise you? The same authorities who could easily be persuaded to imprison you for life? You being the disgruntled scientist who proposed to me the theft of Mentox-I?"

Reno stared for several seconds. "You really are committing to this, aren't you?"

Naffi smiled. "With both my hearts."

The eight days came and went. A team of deconstruction engineers made their way to the station. It was soon on its way to a Naffi Corporation orbital scrapyard. The transfer was to take a week. Five days later, a shuttle landed in the docking bay.

Reno walked down the shuttle ramp with Naffi. "I still can't believe this is happening. Where exactly are we?"

"In a safe and secure location," Naffi replied. "That is all you need to know."

"Others know of where we are. The team that brought this here, do you trust them?"

"I do, but then again, I am the team that brought this here."

"What?"

Naffi grinned. "After the first day, I had the crew transferred to a shuttle. I took control, which was merely a monitoring operation after entering my new destination."

"What of the maintenance crew? I had five workers who kept the station running."

A box with arms was waiting in the hall as they left the docking bay. "Hello Mr. Naffi."

"Hello Pietre. Dr. Reno, meet the AI Commander of my automated maintenance staff. You will see them moving about in the halls from time to time. Just walk as normal. They will get out of your way."

"This is all fantastic, Mr. Naffi. What about food? And housekeeping?"

"Automated."

"How many of us will be on this station?"

"Four. You, me, Dr. Bouthis, and Credin."

"What if we are in need of medical attention?"

"Again, automated."

"Supplies? We will have to be growing clones. And this station is far from a fuel-sipper when those generators are at full power."

"Delivered by a drone fleet. And don't worry about discovery. There is layer after layer of obfuscation. And even if discovered, I have a multitude of backup plans in place. Including pre-positioned stockpiled supplies that have already been reported as consumed."

"You could not have planned this entire operation yourself, Mr. Naffi. Someone must know."

"Yes. Pietre knows. He, I like to call it a he, assisted with the majority of planning. And unless someone can get to him here, there is no one out there with any knowledge of where this station is or that it still exists. And just so you know, Doctor, if I find the first few journeys to be lacking, I still have the option of moving this station to the scrapyard for dismantling. You have five days to convince me that will not be needed."

"One day will suffice."

# Chapter 18

### _______________________

Reno checked over the equipment in his lab. It was exactly as he had left it. An alert showed on a display. A shuttle was landing in the docking bay. The resurrected temporal scientist hurried out into and down the hall, coming to a stop in the bay as a hatch opened and a ramp lowered.

Bouthis stopped in the hatchway. "What? What is this? Why are we here?"

Reno grinned. "We have been given a second chance!"

"What? How is that possible?"

"Naffi is how. I expected him to be with you. Is he not aboard?"

Credin returned a confused look. "Naffi? The business tycoon?"

"Yes. He has appropriated this station and we will be sending a clone that has been linked to him back through time."

Bouthis furrowed his brow. "What? Appropriated? As in how? I was told it had already been taken away to be dismantled."

"And Mr. Naffi has the contract to do so. But he has decided to not do so, meaning I will have my station back, and the funds I need to continue my research."

Credin frowned. "He stole it?"

"Appropriated. Don't you see? This is perfect. Our work can safely continue without the interference of the OSSHR."

Bouthis returned a half scowl. "I don't know that I am comfortable with this, Reno."

Credin shook his head. "Nor am I."

Reno waved a hand. "Nonsense. Come. We need to prepare a clone."

A robotic box with arms rolled up the ramp, stopping behind Bouthis. "Dr. Bouthis. Please exit the vehicle."

"What? No. I want to go back to Bredren."

"Sir. Please exit the vehicle."

Reno said, "Come on, Doctor. Come down here. At least until Mr. Naffi arrives. He should be here momentarily. And besides, the AI has orders. You can walk down the ramp peacefully or be walked down by force."

The automated box rolled slightly closer, prompting Bouthis to take a step, and then another. As he walked off the ramp's end the robot followed. The ramp lifted, and the hatch closed.

Reno waved them on. "Come. We have work to do."

Bouthis crossed his arms. "I'm not moving until I receive a full explanation."

Reno sighed. "Fine. At least follow me to the lab. I will explain as we go."

Credin said, "We might as well, Doctor. I'd rather not be standing in here when the next shuttle comes in. This bay can get extremely windy."

A huff was followed by a full scowl. "Very well. But know this, Reno. I am not helping and I am not a part of this... piracy operation."

"Hold that thought. Mr. Naffi can be quite convincing."

"Convincing? This coming from the person who said we should steal the station?"

"That was beyond my ability to do, Doctor. You have to see that. It took not only substantial finances, but also extended planning. Neither of which I had the means nor the opportunity to contribute. We are here by the request of Naffi. He wants an adventure. Should we give it to him, he will reward us beyond belief.

"For me it means the continuance of my research, as it does for you as well. And if you didn't know, he currently owns your project. Your lab, your research, and your funding— is all coming from him."

"Is that true?"

"Very much so. Now, can we get started on thawing a clone? Mr. Naffi would like to go on an adventure as soon as possible."

Bouthis sat. "I refuse to be a part of this."

Reno smirked. "You know what Dr. Nunol just did to me."

"Yes."

"Mr. Naffi can do that to you. He has the funds. A single donation to the OSSHR and you will get the same treatment I did."

"My research is sound. It does not endanger the citizens of the Empire."

"On the contrary, Doctor. It was your research that enabled mine to be a success, at least for the time that it was. That fact alone makes you complicit in the immense funds that were spent and lost on the construction of Mentox-II. Don't be so naive to believe the OSSHR and Nunol would not choose to punish you for that fact should they decide to. Remember, they still have to square the losses with their investors. If so decided, you would be stripped of your credentials and shown the door, just as I was."

An alert sounded. Reno hurried back to the docking bay, returning to the lab minutes later with Naffi by his side.

"Mr. Naffi, this is Dr. Bouthis and our assistant, Credin."

Naffi grinned. "Welcome, Doctor. I've been looking forward to meeting you."

"I cannot agree with what you are doing here, Mr. Naffi."

"Has Dr. Reno explained the situation? I own the company that owns and funds your research."

"That may be the case, but it does not justify this criminal behavior."

"What's criminal? I acquired this station for salvage. I could easily argue in court that the whole or the parts are mine to do with as I please."

"That is a stretch of the law and you know it."

"And I have the means to stretch the law if needed, on occasion. How about this, Doctor, I need adventures. This machine can supposedly offer those to me. Help me to go back on... three such adventures and if I've had my fill I will send this station on to the salvage yard for scrapping, no one the wiser."

Reno said, "I've identified three periods during the prehistoric era on Earth. There won't be any interaction with Humans so no danger in changing history. In turn, he will give your project full funding."

"And what's in it for you?"

Naffi spoke up, "A reinstatement of his credentials and with that the ability to work in any science related field. That includes working on your project, Dr. Bouthis."

Reno begged. "Please, Doctor, I desperately need this."

Bouthis shook his head. "Reduced to begging? I would never have expected such from you."

Reno scowled. "This is my entire life, Doctor. Everything I have ever worked for."

Bouthis stared at the equipment for several seconds. "If we do this... three journeys. No more."

Naffi grinned. "Three journeys and then I'll decide. Come on, Dr. Bouthis. You are here. I know you would like to show off your bio-engineering achievements. And when this is over I will be backing your future bio projects."

Reno placed his hand on Bouthis's shoulder. "Please, Doctor. I need this to happen. Allow me this one last indulgence."

Credin tilted his head. "We are already here, Dr. Bouthis. And to know your research is funded far into the future has to be a comfort."

Bouthis scowled. "Very well. Three journeys and then we go. Credin, come, we have clones to enable."

Reno said, "You will find three clones have been on standby for the last day, Doctor. Bring them around when ready."

After Bouthis and Credin had entered the hall, Naffi turned to Reno. "Why do I get the feeling you could have readied those clones yourself?"

"Indeed I could. But we need Dr. Bouthis to grow more. Otherwise that room full of frozen bodies is all we will ever have."

"There must be seventy-five clones in there."

"Seventy-eight. But again, we need the doctor for more. Those could all be used in a week if you have the desire. Each journey will take only a minute of your time, and then possibly another ten before the next one can be taken. We could use more than a dozen by mid-day."

Naffi stared at the machine as a broad smile covered his face. "This is exciting, Dr. Reno."

"You will be both excited and terrified by the barbarism and violence you will experience. And during my handful of trips, for some reason, I grew to be fond of Humans. They have many of our same qualities, although they are different. With the bodies I was controlling at least, all the senses seemed heightened. I felt real compassion and caring for others, something I have done little of during my life here.

"And if a journey goes on for an extended time in the past, prepare to pick up a Human habit or two. Even now I crave the taste of meat cooked over an open flame. Wait... you of course won't be experiencing interaction with Humans. But the journey will be astounding just the same. And as I said, terrifying and barbaric."

"Barbaric. I love the thought of it." Naffi grinned.

An hour later, the first of the clones was brought into the room.

Bouthis said, "Earth's history has been downloaded into its brain. You will receive those memories upon link-up. Over here, Mr. Naffi. On the table."

A minute later the designated clone was linked.

Naffi sat up with a confused look on his face. "This is bizarre. I feel as though someone has intruded my mind."

Bouthis replied, "Technically, they have. Only you are in full control of that person."

"Two of me. Outstanding!"

Reno gestured toward the clone. "Have it sit, stand, walk, jump. You have full control. It will do whatever you desire, just as if it were you."

"The sensation is strange, and yet thrilling. I can taste its mouth."

Credin said, "Yes. As part of the prep we freshened its otherwise hideous breath. We learned that from the first clone. When you go back you will be unclothed. I would recommend taking the time to fashion some covering to protect you from the sun and from the bugs, if the location selected is so infested. The mosquitoes can be quite a nuisance."

Reno nodded. "And don't forget to fashion a spear. You will want at least that for protection. This world seems to have its share of hungry animals... who are also meat eaters."

Bouthis added, "In your memories you will find a wide variety of fruits, nuts, berries, and other items that are believed to be edible, but you will need to exercise caution as our records from this period are sparse. You may find it best to make use of your olfactory sense. Using the sense of smell is a natural method for seeking out food, but not foolproof."

"I only risk the clone, Doctor. Not a concern."

"You also risk the discomfort and pain of sickness or death. Those things you will also remember. Now, you are going to a climate that is temperate, if not a bit on the warm side. Expect there to be a wide range of fauna, some of which will also be in your memories."

Naffi leaned back on the table. "I am ready. And still, this is fascinating. This journey has already been worthwhile and I have yet to travel anywhere."

The clone climbed into the pod and laid back. The reset was initiated. Several minutes later the loud ripping of space and time jolted the others, reminding them of just what was happening. The location selected was the western side of Laurasia, with the time being one hundred seventy million years prior, in the middle of what Earth history had called the Jurassic period.

The clone, bio-linked to Naffi, stood in a sandy field on a coastal plain of what was later considered the Human State of Montana. The area surrounding him contained a flora of conifers, cycads, ferns, and ginkgoes.

"Spectacular." The clone said, "I am in awe."

The clone stared into the distance as a large sauropod lifted its head high up into a conifer. "A Diplodocus. Strange that I know that. Your memory injection technique is superb, Dr. Bouthis. I should like to discuss the use of this technique further upon my return."

Naffi slowly opened his eyes, sitting upright as he cleared his mind. "What a grand experience. Far superior to what I anticipated."

Credin looked at the data of the machine. "You only made it six hours. What happened?"

The group closed around a display as Naffi guided them through his journey. "The Diplodocus. I had to get closer. What a spectacular creature. So immense and yet so graceful. As I walked toward it I began to get an appreciation for its scale. We have nothing remotely like it in the Empire. I could make a fortune just from having several in a zoo."

The recording was sped up for several minutes until the clone was standing near the gigantic animal. Its long neck swung around, bringing its relatively small head down to the level of the clone. A grunt was expelled, warning the small creature to stay away.

Naffi said, "I took a step back here only to find another had come up behind me. How something so immense could walk so quietly is beyond my comprehension. Although, I did determine after that a series of vibrations I was feeling in the ground were probably from their movement. All very interesting. I stayed here, observing this pod of sauropods for several hours. There were eight in all, including two that were young. The pod ate while keeping a close watch on their surroundings. And I soon found out why."

The recording was again moved forward. "Two of them began a series of grunts and the entire pod began to move on. I watched as they lumbered through the trees. Such beautiful animals. And when I turned back I saw why they had left. An Allosaurus."

Credin flinched as the beast came into view on the display.

Naffi took in a deep breath. "Such raw power. I stood in awe. I was stunned. I couldn't move. Instead, I just stood staring as it crept ever closer, smelling the surrounding air, probably examining the scent of the young sauropods."

"Why would you not run?"

"As I said, I was awestruck."

The four Opamari watched on the monitor as the massive meat-eater moved ever closer to the clone.

"It was too close before I came to the realization of where I was. It hadn't noticed me until I turned my head to look for a way out of the situation. A series of low grunts followed, with two young Allosaurus emerging from the fern covered ground behind it. I knew at that moment I was to be devoured."

Credin glanced over at the table. "You awoke all calm. When being killed or eaten, Dr. Reno had a violent awakening."

"I wanted to run, to scream out, but it was such a breathtaking sight. The beast stomped over to me, sniffing me up and down as its young came up behind it. I suppose I was too small, or perhaps I was small enough for the young."

The foursome watched as the adult Allosaurus knocked the clone to the ground and then signaled for its young to attack with a series of grunts. The image jerked for several seconds before going black.

Naffi sighed. "Eaten alive. Such a frightful experience. And yet somehow fulfilling."

Reno said, "I experienced the same emotions. I believe it might have something to do with your brain feeling relief from the disconnection of a second conscious mind."

Credin asked, "Are you ready for another journey or do you need time to decompress?"

"I am perfectly prepared and eager for another journey."

A second jump was made to the Cretaceous period in the area of what would later become England. Several days after arrival, the clone was attacked and eaten by a pack of Valdoraptors.

A third journey of the day was to the late-Cretaceous period to a location in Laurasia that would later be known as Romania. Survival was managed for two months before becoming a meal for a Hatzegopteryx, a giant flying dinosaur.

Naffi awoke from his sleep with a mild case of shock. "How gruesome."

Reno said, "You want to think it gets easier, but there are some things that are just too terrifying to want to relive."

Naffi took in and let out several long breaths. "Yes. That was a bit much. Even for an adventurer, and especially given the fact that I myself was in no physical danger."

"The mind has its limits."

"Indeed. When do we go again?"

# Chapter 19

### _______________________

Bouthis sat with a scowl on his face. "This was not our agreement."

Naffi replied, "Our agreement was that I would evaluate whether or not the trips were worthwhile. They were. And I want more. And I would like to add that each of you are now fully committed to this venture."

"What?"

"You each violated the law when you agreed to my terms. You are now as guilty in all this as I am."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that as a businessman I take risks and gambles. One of those gambles was getting you to agree to even a single journey. You did so, and now you are complicit in all of this. And keep in mind, our judges can be bought or otherwise coerced if you have the means, which I do. In court I might offer testimony that all this was your idea. You and Dr. Reno dreamed this up as a way to continue your portal research. At least that is what the judges will hear."

"Unbelievable. Where is your honor?"

Naffi smiled. "So when does the next journey get underway?"

"I refuse to assist."

Naffi turned to face Reno.

Reno said, "We will need another day to warm a new set of clones."

"I'm thinking I want to interact with Humans. The animal tours are interesting, but to meet and communicate with a sentient being of another species from over fifty thousand years ago... that prospect is far more exciting."

Reno winced. "Mr. Naffi, we cannot allow that. Any small change may ripple forward to present day, causing change here."

"Nonsense. I read all the reports. I'm not talking of hard interaction. I just think it would be interesting to experience the different cultures and ways of life. Strange, though, living in a hut and struggling to feed myself has never before been appealing... until now."

Credin said, "It could be because you aren't actually starving or dying."

Naffi nodded. "Precisely. What better way to experience history than without the bodily threats. And I've done a small amount of research myself. I've selected a time and place."

"I don't think it wise to—"

Naffi cut him off. "Who is running this operation?"

"You are, but—"

"Enough. The decision has been made." Naffi stood. "And I have business to attend to. Oh. And make the clones Caucasians if you would. I need to fit in where I'm going."

The cocky businessman strode out of the lab on a high. Bouthis stared at Reno.

Credin said, "This may be getting out of hand."

Bouthis scowled. "May be? He has us trapped. We are no longer in control of our lives. If we go we are ruined in the science community. We've been manipulated into breaking the law, and now we have nowhere to turn."

Reno shook his head. "It isn't as bad as all that. If you teach us how to grow those clones your services won't be required. At that point I am certain you will be allowed to leave, without anyone having knowledge of your having been here."

"Why, Reno? Why would you risk your life for this?"

"Why? This is my life. This station. This research. It is who I am. Without it I have nothing. I have nowhere to go. Your life was spared, mine was sacrificed. I have no allegiance to that government nor the OSSHR."

"I see. So you are taking us down with you. When will I see my family again? My wife and daughters. When will they see their husband and father?"

"I didn't know you had a family."

"I was back to normal hours at the lab and enjoying the time with them. Now I am stranded out here... wherever this is."

Credin added, "And while I'm not close with my family, I do like to see them on occasion. I mean, look around, Doctor, we are stuck here. We are law breakers."

"Nonsense. There is no law being broken here, and if there was, no one knows we've broken it. Show me where it is illegal to travel back in time. Nowhere, because it is not. As to this station, Mr. Naffi has a salvage contract. Nowhere in that contract does it state dismantling is required. He owns this. It is his to do with as he pleases."

Bouthis shook his head. "Even he believes he stole it. You are living in a dreamworld, Reno. I believe your brain may have been affected by your journeys. Next you'll be saying you want to resurrect Humans."

"Strangely, the thought had crossed my mind. While I was there as a clone though, not while I was here. The thought of doing so from here is ludicrous."

Reno and Credin followed Bouthis to his lab where the process of warming the necessary clones was begun. The heated discussion continued for several hours before both sides quieted, knowing there was no one to be convinced of anything other than what they already believed.

The following morning, Naffi stormed into the dining lounge where the other three were eating a meal. "I have both good news and bad. The OSSHR wishes to cancel my contracts. It seems they want these stations back."

Reno replied, "What? Why?"

"The good Dr. Nunol wishes to do some further experimentation."

"Experimentation? How so?"

"I was on a comm with him for an hour last night. He has convinced his superiors that with the bulk of the monies already spent, they should seek value from the stations. He took possession of Mentox-II this morning. Along with this station, you will all be going back to assist with these new efforts."

Reno asked, "Are we talking about my reinstatement?"

"That was mentioned. And the three of you will be happy to know I plan to comply. I've informed the OSSHR I will be returning their station in three days. It was supposedly on its way to salvage, but to their knowledge I was able to stop it before it arrived."

"How is this possible? Was I not reported as having tried to tamper with the family-tree records as a cover-up?"

"It seems Dr. Nunol was vague in his explanations of why you should be dismissed other than the project being a danger and therefore a failure. And those explanations were 'clarified', allowing for your potential return."

Bouthis said, "We are going home?"

"You are." Naffi looked back at the door to the hallway. "Although, we do have several days before we will be arriving. And I would still like to interact with a real Human. Are the clones ready?"

"What? We can't be doing any further journeys. They will already be questioning us about the missing clones."

"That will not be an issue. They will be told those clones were removed and destroyed. There was no need to hold them until we reached the salvage yard. In fact, all the clones remaining in cold storage will be removed. Do not worry, Doctor, I have our paths covered. You will be returning to a normal life... after these final journeys. So? Where are my clones?"

Credin headed for the door. "I'll bring them around."

Bouthis protested. "Wait. We've been given a way out. We cannot risk further journeys."

Naffi said, "We are here. We have the clones. And don't worry, Doctor. Your project will now be receiving what will be considered a 'lifetime' of funding. I believe it to have that much potential."

Reno sat with a stunned look on his face. "I can't believe this is happening. What... what changed Nunol's mind?"

"There was apparent discussion of utilizing the stations for exploratory trips like the ones I just took. They feel they can safely send their people back without changing the past."

Bouthis said, "There is no guarantee of pre-history changes not having affect."

"True, but nevertheless, they have already spent the money to construct these stations, they want to get value out of them, so long as it is deemed reasonably safe to do so. And as a consolation for the canceling of the salvage contracts, I am being given maintenance contracts. From there I fully intend to finagle the occasional trip by providing generous donations. I believe we will all benefit from this new arrangement."

Credin returned.

Reno asked, "Three Caucasians. Where is it we are going?"

Naffi smiled. "Since this began, I've done some study of Human history and stumbled upon a peculiar moment. The beginning of what was known as the American Civil War, to the battle known as the First Bull Run. There were a group of spectators who took carriages and picnic lunches to watch what they thought was going to be a great victory for one side. By the end of the day they were running for their lives as the fight did not go as planned. I want to be there to experience the glory of the fight and the terror of running away. And do not worry. I don't plan to get involved."

Credin said, "I followed his orders. A dataset of memories from that time period have been loaded into the clone's memories. We are ready to go, except for bio-links."

Bouthis stared at the clones for several seconds. "I believe this to be a bad idea."

Naffi walked to the lab table and hopped up. "Your opinion is noted, Doctor. Now. Let's begin."

The bio-links were inserted and the clone and machine readied. Naffi lay back on the table as Credin connected the myriad of sensors. A minute later, a visual feed was showing on the monitor.

A naked clone, after stepping from the trees into an open field, hurried away as several dozen onlookers pointed and laughed. Naffi woke from his sleep with a broad smile.

"That was the most stunning, thrilling, and event filled day of my life." He hopped from the table and hurried over to the monitor controls. "First, I had to find clothing. These people were much more civilized than those met on your prior journeys. And fascinating as well.

"I returned to that gathering and mingled. More than sixty thousand soldiers were preparing to fight a short distance away. I was among civilians who had come from a town called Washington to witness the great spectacle. We were positioned too far from the fight to make anything out other than the smoke from cannon fire.

"So I traveled with a group of men to get a better vantage point. I ended standing on a ridge with a battery of cannons. When the fighting began... oh what a rush of adrenaline. The armies were divided into a group coming from northern states and a group coming from southern states. One group declaring secession from the other. I was positioned on the northern side. They wore uniforms of dark blue. The opposition was in gray.

"The Humans I came into contact with, the soldiers anyway, reeked of body odor. And some had breaths with equal pungency. Many had dirty faces, not having washed in days, if not weeks. The bright green summer foliage and bright blue sky was calming and in stark contrast to what was going on. Anticipation hung heavy in the air. Danger lurked, hidden in the trees. It was a spectacular setting.

"When the cannons roared the soldiers marched forward, only to have their advance stalled by the opposition and then pushed back. I moved to a new location. Crossing a stone bridge with the northern soldiers. The crack of gunfire echoed all around me and the sound of cannons thundered. The smell of spent gunpowder filled the air. My heart was racing as I tried to follow the action. The lines I had joined were stopped a short distance later.

"Soldiers were being maimed and killed on both sides. I shuddered as an iron cannonball shot across a field, bowling through a formation and striking several unlucky individuals directly on. Their bodies, mangled and torn flipped up into the air before crashing down to the lush green grass below. A most vivid and ghastly event to witness. I could not have better-dreamed-up the horrific action that was taking place.

"As the day progressed, the word I got was the major fighting was happening only a half mile from where I was, at a place referred to as Henry House. I desperately wanted to see what was going on. So I walked up to a roadway with my arms raised in the air to show I had no weapon."

Credin tilted his head as he listened to the recorded playback. "Is that bullets I hear buzzing past you?"

"It is, or was, I should say. I guess there were anxious soldiers on both sides. Anyway, I made my way to a position where I could see the major battle as it was underway. Thrilling. Like nothing I have ever encountered. The bravery and determination these Humans exhibited. Just breathtaking.

"I sat and watched for several hours as a line of artillery was brought in and used effectively, only to be overrun, taken back, and overrun again. Bodies from both sides lay dead and dying on the fields in front of me. And I experienced a feeling of compassion for these Humans that I was not expecting to feel. Screams of pain from the wounded could be heard mixed with the occasional battle cry of others and the constant clatter of muskets firing."

Reno nodded. "I felt some of the same on my journeys. There were many who I found myself caring for. It is an odd sensation to have feelings for an alien species. Quite odd."

The four Opamari watched as the afternoon of fighting continued and the northern lines began to break ranks. What had begun as a bold flanking move had been stopped and repelled. It rapidly turned into a retreat filled with chaos. As the lines collapsed and the northern soldiers ran in panic, the southern soldiers pursued.

Naffi continued, "I hurried back to the road and ran toward the stone bridge as musket balls hissed by my head. When I reached the bridge it was overcrowded. It had turned into a bottleneck for the retreat and the southern soldiers were taking advantage of that fact. The men in blue were falling all around me. Further up, an overturned wagon was blocking the road, causing even more confusion.

"After jumping into a raging creek and swimming across," Naffi nodded to Bouthis. "thank you for loading my memories with that ability, Doctor, I continued and caught up to some of the other civilians who were fleeing. Some of us were captured by a squad of southern soldiers who appeared out of a stand of trees. I attempted escape and was shot in the back."

The recording was stopped. "I'll spare you my slow and agonizing death. My body held out for another three hours. Not that they were barbaric, but the southern medical personnel were mostly assisting their own people first. Other than being given the courtesy of getting carried to a field where I was laid down with other injured, my wounds were not tended to in time."

Naffi grabbed Reno on the shoulder. "I cannot tell you what a thrill that was. No words would do it justice. Far more exciting than anything I have ever done in my life, Doctor. I cannot thank you enough for all the hard work you put into this."

Naffi held out his arms. "Look. My hands are still trembling. Please ready another clone."

Credin took over the controls of the console. "Allow me to run a comparison of the archives to make certain nothing has changed."

Naffi bowed as he continued to talk of his elation with the journey.

Several minutes passed before Credin turned. The check against the Earth archives is good, but we have a problem with the family trees. This is extremely bad."

"What?" Reno stepped forward with a concerned expression. "From that? He did nothing. He barely spoke to anyone."

Credin shrugged. "I'm just reporting what I see. There are now a thousand Empire citizens gone from existence."

Bouthis stepped forward. "A thousand? How?"

Credin looked over the data. "There are now twelve hundred new citizens. I'm showing a change in a family tree originating about eight hundred years ago. There was a different marriage, resulting in the different lines."

Bouthis sat back in a chair. "This is bad. Very bad."

Naffi stared at the display. "Can we send back a clone to warn my clone off from doing what I did?"

Reno slowly shook his head. "No. What's done here is done. We have no way to fix this. The time bubble surrounding the point of your original arrival prevents us from making contact. Your clone never left that area."

Two days were spent discussing possible options for a fix. None were viable. A comm came in from Nunol.

Naffi answered. "Dr. Nunol. Can this wait until my return? We should be arriving sometime tomorrow."

"I'm uncertain as to how, but two days ago you made use of the station, Mr. Naffi. Our records here on Mentox-II show it. The family trees have changed. Citizens are missing. A warrant for your arrest and the arrest of those with you has been issued."

"A warrant? What are the charges?"

"The willful extermination of one thousand forty-two of our citizens. We've been running constant checks on the archives and the family tree since bringing this station back online. You are to bring Mentox-I here immediately so that we might try to figure out how this can be undone."

Reno replied, "It cannot be fixed, Doctor. We don't have the means to reach that period of time to make any changes."

"Reno. I suspected you were part of this. Please tell me Dr. Bouthis is not there with you. He has been missing for a number of days."

An automated bot made itself known in the hallway door. "Mr. Naffi. I have an important alert."

"Go on."

"Your executive secretary made contact. Your assets have been frozen. Agents are raiding your corporate office and are heading to your home to arrest your family for interrogation."

Naffi turned back to the display. "Dr. Nunol. You have to stop this."

"I am sorry, Mr. Naffi. I do not have control over the government reaction to this. I can only follow their lead."

Naffi scowled. "See to it my family is treated with respect or I will be pulling all my funding from the OSSHR, Doctor. Your reporting this without coming to me first was a mistake."

"Your funding? Are we talking the funding that has all been frozen? Return the station, Mr. Naffi. Immediately!"

The comm was closed. A new comm was established to Vara with instruction given. A response team was to be put to work to solve issues from her end.

The business tycoon paced back and forth in the lab as he rubbed his temples. "There has to be a way to fix this, Dr. Reno. Find it."

Bouthis said, "We should start our journey back to Bredren, Mr. Naffi. Perhaps we can sort things out when we arrive. You have powerful friends. This can all be straightened out."

"I also have powerful enemies. These warrants have already been issued, unless we can fix this here and now those enemies will find out why."

Two further hours of discussing the possibilities passed before another interruption came. It was Vara. Her teary-eyed face showed on the display.

"Vara, what is it?" Naffi asked.

"I'm sorry, sir. before I could get anyone there, the authorities raided your home. Your wife and children were taken into custody for questioning... and there was an accident."

"An accident? Of what nature?"

"The shuttle they were taken aboard has crashed. All riding on it have perished."

Naffi's knees weakened, dropping him to the floor.

# Chapter 20

### _______________________

"This can't be happening." The wealthy tycoon stared off at a wall with a blank expression on his face.

Reno stepped in front of the camera for the comm link. "Are you certain this occurred, Vara? Sometimes reports are not accurate."

"I am certain. We have a team-member there on the scene. His wife, children, parents, even a brother and sister were at a family gathering when the raid occurred. Nine members of Mr. Naffi's family and five of his wife's family were victims. As with any police action, there was no flight-plan registered. The shuttle rose straight up into an oncoming freighter. A freak occurrence, but it did happen. How is he?"

Reno glanced down. "A wreck. And thank you for delivering this message, Vara. We'll see to him from here."

Bouthis shook his head. "A horrific tragedy. And totally preventable. This should never have happened."

Naffi was helped to a chair. "We must send someone back in time— to my home. Someone to warn them."

Reno frowned. "We cannot. The hardware was designed and constructed so no time less than forty thousand years ago can be traveled to, a time when the last of the other sentient species were conquered and eliminated. That was a requirement so there would be little to no possibility of meddling in our own past. We also cannot travel to any Empire colonies, only those worlds where civilizations were annihilated."

Bouthis said, "We must go back and turn ourselves in."

Reno scowled. "And go to prison? I think not. Teach us how to grow our own clones and you may go back. That was our only reason for bringing you here."

"You don't need me. The process is automated. Maintain the equipment and you can grow as many as you like."

"Is that true?"

"Yes. The information you need for that process is all in my lab and easily accessed. A seed is placed in the growth chamber and removed when it reaches maturity. The equipment will alert you when it is ready. You will find thousands of seeds for sixty-seven different clone bodies of either gender. All Humans of course. Although, there are a number of animals from Earth as well. I had yet to clone any of the other sentient species."

"Are you certain you want to go back, Doctor? They may not treat you kindly. Especially now that present-day lives have been lost."

Credin said, "I feel I should go with him. Should he be released he will need my help in his lab."

Reno tilted his head to one side. "You are certain you want to do this?"

"I am. This has gone well beyond reason. Should I turn myself in now I will have the best chance to plea for leniency. It was never my intent to bring harm to anyone."

"You have been a true friend, Credin. I will not stand in your way, or that of Dr. Bouthis. Neither of you are deserving of any of this."

An automated shuttle was summoned and Bouthis and Credin walked aboard. Reno watched on a monitor, saddened, as the shuttle slowly pulled away into the cold, darkness of space. Naffi remained in his chair. Almost an hour passed before his senses overcame his grief. He looked around, taking note of the others no longer being there.

Reno said, "They are gone. They will be turning themselves in."

"Fools. The government officials will not release them. They will be severely interrogated as to our whereabouts, following which they will be used in every way possible against us."

"I cannot turn myself in. What do we do from here?"

"We move this station to a new location. From there we take the only action we can."

"And what is that?"

"We punish the Empire for the death of my family."

"I... I'm not certain I'm prepared for such."

Naffi scowled. "And why not? What do you owe them? Your life's work has been trashed. You were thrown out. Why would you have any allegiance to the Empire? They are nothing but greedy, self-serving murderers. I should know, I was a king among them."

"When you say punish, what exactly do you mean?"

"I mean we go back and change history. If we happen to remove the right people from existence, perhaps we can peacefully return. And before you pity any who will be lost, know this, others will be given a chance who never existed before. You have no connection to any of them so why would you care?"

Reno sat for a moment in thought. "Hmm. The change aspect of that might be worth exploring. While I sympathize with you over the loss of your family, my grudge against the Empire was in the process of being resolved. I am no longer vengeful."

"And now it is not being resolved. A warrant for your arrest has been issued. You were complicit in the original taking of this station. That will not be forgotten nor forgiven. And with this new mess, the project will again be closed. This time permanently so. My family is gone, Doctor. I seek restitution."

Reno began to pace back and forth in the lab. "Perhaps further journeys are our only way out. If, as you suggest, the proper family trees can be altered, this would all go away. And there is actually the possibility of your family coming back, although you also risk having them perish forever."

"They have already perished forever. Ready the next clone. It is time we got busy with our work. Our changes need to be big."

"Strange. Changing the past goes against everything I've ever stood for. But this somehow feels right. Where will you be going?"

"Back to the war. This time to a battle known as Chancellorsville. It was the next destination and I feel as good as any. I plan to join the gray team."

"The Southerners? From the Earth knowledge we have, I recall they lost the war."

"And we will see if we can change that."

Reno glanced over at the two clones sleeping idly on a bench. "I would like the full knowledge of this era. We should link one of the clones to me so I obtain those memories. They might come in helpful in our planning."

"Genius thought, Doctor. And I would also suggest we start a new set of clones warming."

Naffi attempted to stand. His legs again gave way. Reno reached out a hand.

"No, no," Naffi said. "I'm OK. I'm still a bit rattled by all this, but I'll manage."

"We should take some time so you can mentally adjust. Your loss has to be upsetting. And that's something I have difficulty comprehending due to my complete lack of family."

"Just give me a moment and I'll join you."

Reno hurried down the hall to Bouthis's lab. As had been told, the equipment used for creating the clones was there waiting. A copy of a short instruction manual sat atop a nearby table. A check of the refrigerated locker revealed the thousands of seeds as mentioned.

Naffi entered the room moments later. "Is there a problem?"

Reno turned to face him. "Not at all. I was just looking over the items Dr. Bouthis was talking about earlier. They are all here, just as he said. I believe we can create as many clones as we desire. Oh, and I have six warming. All Caucasians. We have more, but I thought it wise we began growing replacements immediately as it takes two weeks and we only have a dozen generation bays available. We had an order in with Dr. Nunol to add thousands more, but those plans were for Mentox-II."

"I will make contact with a few associates to see if we can acquire more for here."

"Associates? With a warrant out on you, will anyone be willing to help?"

"Where there are credits there is a way. I maintain a healthy stash off the books. Those were being used to conduct the dirty work that often happens behind the scenes of big business. My public assets were taken, but my private assets remain. Vara has access to them. She is also not listed anywhere in the books of my corporation as an employee. We will need supplies to continue our operations here. And we will have them."

"You said we should be moving the station elsewhere?"

"We are already underway. I gave that command to Pietre before coming in here. We are ready to wreak havoc, Doctor. Are you prepared to support that effort?"

"I suppose I am in the position to have no choice. Give me an hour to download our knowledge base into a clone and we will be on our way. Perhaps we get lucky and my existence outside of this station gets wiped away. Perhaps that would also restore your family and remove the threat of warrants from both our heads."

"You would not be able to return to the Empire."

"If you are able to keep this station funded and operational, I have no need of the Empire."

Over the hour that followed, a dozen clone seeds were planted and the growth process began. A warmed clone had the memories injected and was then bio-linked to Reno, giving him the complete archived knowledge of the American Civil War, its people, and their customs.

When the effort was complete, Reno joined Naffi in the main lab. "So this is it. Our journey begins."

Naffi gave a single nod as his emotions continued on their roller-coaster trajectory. "We punish the Empire and perhaps restore my family."

The resurrected scientist walked over to the controls of the machine. "Send your clone into the pod and hop up on the table, Mr. Naffi. We will begin your run at Chancellorsville."

"Please. From now on, just call me Naffi."

"Very well Naffi. Please call me Reno."

"As requested, Reno. Now... let the mayhem begin."

The tearing noise was followed by a bright flash and a momentary feeling of falling. Naffi's clone slowly stood in the center of a newly sprouting hay field, just south of the small hamlet of Orange in the State known as Virginia.

As the clone walked toward a farmhouse, the Opamari Naffi awoke. "Interesting."

Reno asked, "What happened?"

"I was shot in the head while trying to steal clothes from a hanging line. It was by a female of their species holding a long-rifle. I must say, from one hundred fifty feet, the unit of measure for this time, she was quite accurate. We will undoubtedly have to change some of our assumptions about this period and people."

"Do we go back?"

"Yes. The local date is April 26, 1863. We have a few days before the fighting at Chancellorsville begins."

"And your plan?"

"I would like to get to the Southern General, Lee. I can provide him with the complete movements of the opposing General, Hooker. The fight is already a major victory for the Confederate forces, I would like to make it more so. As we have already surmised, the bigger the change in the past the larger potential for change in the future."

A second clone was readied and sent back, arriving a minute after the first had died, leaving no time-bubble interference. The clothes sought in the first encounter were stolen by the new clone when the female shooter had run to the next farm for help. Naffi's new clone stared at his dead body for several seconds after helping himself to the clothes he had sought earlier. A second set was taken and placed in a nearby wood, should the need for more clothing arise.

It took a full day of walking to reach the southern workings of the Confederate command. Naffi and Reno watched on the monitor as Naffi's clone made its way into a Confederate camp, demanding to see General Lee because of important information.

A Confederate major questioned him after two sentries brought him in. "Who are you?"

"I have important information for General Lee."

"You want to see the General?"

"I do."

The major chuckled. "Hey Clem. Come here."

A lieutenant walked over. "Yes, sir?"

"This pie-eater has a hanker to see General Lee."

"You don't say. Does he have a name?"

The major tilted his head. "Well?"

"Well what?" Naffi gave a confused response.

The lieutenant snickered. "You been sittin' too close to a cannon or somethin'. I think he's sufferin' from the Jim Jams."

"The what?"

The major made an angry face. "What is your name?"

"Naffi."

"Naffi what?"

"Naffi."

"Naffi? What kind of a name is that?"

"Uh, Swedish."

Reno smirked. "You are not very good at this, are you?"

"Quiet," Naffi replied. "There's more."

"Where are you from?" The major asked.

"Sweden."

The lieutenant chuckled. "Well. I'm sorry. But the General left us with strict orders that he was not interested in talking to no Swedes. Now, I would suggest you might want to go back to where you came from. This is a military encampment and we have a tendency to shoot unknowns as spies. Understand?"

"I must see the General."

The major scowled. "Throw him in the stockade. And see to it he trips a few times along the way."

The lieutenant grinned. "Yes, sir!"

The soldier called over two escorts and began shoving the clone toward the enclosure they had designated as their stockade. A rifle butt came down hard on a shoulder, almost breaking a collarbone, just as a foot was shoved out as a trip hazard. The clone went down hard, scraping his face on the dirt path they were walking. After being pulled to his feet, a fence of pinewood pikes was reached. A gate was opened, and the prisoner was shoved inside.

The lieutenant said. "Now don't peg out in there. We may have a few more questions for you later."

Reno said, "I would imagine they are not going to let a stranger walk up and talk to their top military commander."

Naffi sighed. "Yes. I'm afraid my approach wasn't well thought out."

"You gave them your own name."

"I'm aware of that further mistake, although meaningless. But I do need a name that fits that culture and era."

Reno thought for a moment. "Buck Andersen."

"Would that work?"

"I believe so. And the Andersen name is a valid tie-in to your Swedish heritage."

"Very well. Buck it is."

"How did you get out of the stockade?"

"I didn't. And I didn't have time to waste, so I pulled on one of the pikes. A guard was yelling at me to stop, but I pulled it toward me until the point was leaning waist high off the ground. I took a dozen steps back, sprinted and rammed it into my chest. It was quite painful, but over in seconds. Now, if you can ready another clone, I'll continue with my efforts to make change."

# Chapter 21

### _______________________

A second clone was readied and dropped in the same hay field as before, only moments after the stockade death. The date and time was April 27, 1863 at 8:02 AM. The clone hurried into the woods to find the spare set of clothes it had left the day before. After dressing, a fast walk was made heading back to the Confederate lines. Each of the Caucasian clones were identical. A second encounter with the major and lieutenant was not desired, so a different rebel camp was selected.

Sentries brought the stranger into an encampment of cavalrymen. The air smelled of horses.

A sergeant did the questioning. "What's your business."

"I've come to fight for the Confederacy."

"In your Sunday best?"

"My what?"

The sergeant looked him up and down. "Those aren't your clothes, are they?"

"They were acquired after mine were stolen."

"You got no shoes on."

"Stolen."

"Ever saddle-up a horse?"

"No, sir."

The sergeant leaned in. "I'm a sergeant. You don't call me sir. That's what you call the big chiefs walkin' around with the chicken guts on their cuffs."

"The what?"

"The gold braid. What's up with you. You barely understand English?"

"I've only been here a few years. Came over from Sweden."

A corporal and two privates joined their sergeant.

"What's your name?" The sergeant asked.

"Buck Andersen."

The corporal chuckled. "Buck? What happened? Your mother get thrown from a mule?" All four Confederate soldiers busted into laughter.

The sergeant crossed his arms. "Can you shoot?"

"I believe I could be proficient, if I tried."

"Proficient?" The sergeant sighed as he looked at the other three beside him. "What's this man's army coming to when we have the likes of this joining our ranks. Come on I guess. We don't shoot much anyway. We're cavalry support and we're always looking for cannon fodder should we have to turn and run. You can carry a gun, right?"

"I will do whatever is required."

"Well, once you get sworn in that will be the case for sure. Let's go see the lieutenant and get you some boots, a fire stick, and some lead pills."

"Lead pills?"

The sergeant shook his head as they walked. "Bullets. They not teach you nothing over there in Sweden?"

The clone spoke in Opamari. "This sergeant is impertinent."

The sergeant scowled. "That Swedish? Sounds more like chicken cackle."

"It is my native tongue."

The sergeant stopped. "You sure do talk funny. But that's OK. It's kind of entertaining."

Several pots of stew were heating nearby on an open fire. "You eat today?"

"Not since yesterday."

"We get you signed up and I'll bring you back for some grub. You like mule?"

"You eat mule?"

The sergeant chuckled. "Out here we eat whatever we can get. When I say mule in relation to chow though, I'm usually talking beef. It can be tough as mule, though. And I say that because the mules don't go in the pot unless they're old. A cow's only purpose is food. A mule has other uses."

After a dozen questions, a quick swearing in had the sergeant and the clone heading toward the supply wagon.

The quartermaster looked the clone up and down. "We got trousers, one shirt, one jacket, one forage cap, one set of boots... he riding?"

"Turd shoveler," The sergeant replied.

The quartermaster chuckled. "One set of Brogans. You got drawers or socks?"

The sergeant shook his head. "He's got nothing. Claims he got robbed on his way here."

"That would explain his garments. Here you go. And then we have one bedroll, one rifle and accouterments, and a mess kit. Sign right here. And don't come back for more."

The clone disrobed in that spot to put on the fresh cloths.

The sergeant chuckled as the quartermaster scowled. "I guess you Swedes aren't modest. Come on. Let's get you some grub."

Buck picked up his rifle and bedroll and began to walk with the sergeant.

The quartermaster called out. "What about your stuff?"

The new enlistee turned back. "You may have it."

Two bowls were retrieved and a ladle of "mule" stew was dished out into each. The clone named Buck was hesitant at first, but soon found the stew worked to quell the sensation of hunger that was tugging at his gut.

The sergeant slurped up a spoonful and asked, "What parts you come from? Not from Sweden, but from around here?"

"Texas."

The sergeant stopped and pulled back his head. "Texas? Why all the way over here? Mississippi would have been a lot closer. You not like Texas?"

"Hot and dry. Difficult to grow things in the central parts, Comanche are in the west."

"Huh. I always wanted to go to Texas. Maybe I need to rethink that. I do like the weather around here. Especially this time of year. Not quite hot yet. You can still wake up to a brisk morning."

"What's it like? Fighting? Why do you fight?"

The sergeant returned a confused look. "This is my State. I live here. And I ain't gonna let some Yankee tell me what I can and cannot do."

"Do you have slaves?"

"Poor man's got no slaves, that's why I had so many children." The sergeant chuckled. "And I would guess, out of this regiment here, only a handful of the officers have ever had any." Teddy leaned in. "And personally, I don't care for it. But it's not up to me to decide for another man. And my opinion on that is not popular around here. I suspect you'd get that same answer from most of the men here if they were to be honest. But don't push it or you're likely to get yourself lynched. I fight for Virginia, for our right to be free from the northern meddling."

Buck took in several more spoonfuls, finishing his stew before looking over toward a corral full of horses. "When do we practice riding?"

The sergeant snickered. "Man, you are just full of 'em. We don't ride. This camp and these men provide support for those who do. See those wagons over there? We follow the cavalry around. We set up their camps and feed 'em and feed and tend the horses. I hope you like horse turds 'cause you're gonna see and smell a lot of 'em from here on out."

"Hmm. I was looking forward to riding one of these beasts."

"Beasts? Haha." The sergeant stood and waved Buck toward the corral. "Come on." As he came up to a horse he gently patted it on the side of its neck. "These are gentle, caring, and loyal animals. You take care of them and they'll take care of you."

He rubbed his chin. "You really never been on one?"

"I have not."

The sergeant turned. "Private Bowdine. Grab a saddle and bring it over here." He turned back. "If a man is gonna support the cavalry he should at least know how to ride a horse."

Ten minutes later, after instruction, the clone was trotting back and forth across a field. Several minutes after, he passed the corral at a gallop before bringing the animal back and to a stop.

The sergeant slowly nodded. "Not bad. I'd say you might just be a natural."

The clone swung his leg over the top and hopped to the ground. "When do we fight?"

"Fight? Hopefully never. We keep our men riding and they do the fighting. If we're in a fight it's because we got caught where we shouldn't have been. We stay in the back and we don't charge in when they charge. You ever seen a charge?"

"No. I have not."

"Well I can tell you it's somethin' you'll never forget. It's like a constant thunder of hooves. The ground trembles. Sometimes I think the grass and trees are leaning heavily in their direction because of some kind of powerful pull they are exerting. Then you get the hoots of battle cries and gunfire as they mix. It's exhilarating and at the same time frightful.

"And if it's against another cavalry unit you get the clanging of sabers. I tell you, it's like nothing you've ever seen or heard. And when our boys come back, some shot, some stabbed, you have a respect for them like you never had for any other man. Takes courage to ride straight into the lion's mouth like that."

"Some don't come back though."

"True. But they are dying as heroes for the rest of us. I respect that. And you know, when a man is hurt, you feel bad for him, but you know he can either take care of himself or someone else will. Hardest on me is when one of our animals comes back bad hurt. You feel bad because there's nothing you can do for their pain or to heal their wounds. Minor injuries we can handle.

"But quite often we have to put them down. And that's a hard thing to do to such a beautiful animal. Our heroes made a choice to go out and fight, to defend their freedoms. These horses are just doing what they are directed to do. They got no stake in all this. But we need them, so they are here."

After the sun went down, Buck shared a tent with two other privates. He unfurled his bedroll and was soon lying back as the day's events rolled through his head.

Reno said, "I find all of this fascinating."

Naffi nodded. "And nothing has yet to happen, but it is coming. And I'm beginning to like these Humans."

Camp broke at first light with the sergeant kicking the boot bottoms of every sleeping soldier in the camp. "Up, you useless puck shovelers! We're moving out! Stoneman's cavalry are on the move, word is they're heading west and we gotta keep an eye on 'em. General says we have ten minutes to be heading that way!"

The sergeant walked over to Buck's tent. "Let's go Swede. You're coming with me. We've got horses to saddle up."

The next ten minutes were a lesson in strapping on a saddle in the still dim early morning light. Buck managed to prep a single horse before the cavalrymen showed at the corral.

A major looked over the saddle Buck had just completed. "Haven't seen you before."

"Joined last night."

"And you don't know a thing about horses, I see. This strap goes under and over here. Keeps the bags from flying up. And you want the saddle a bit more forward. The further back the more you get bucked. What's your name?"

"Buck."

The officer chuckled. "It fits. Some of these jockeys will give you a lashing over something like this. Make certain you get it right next time."

"Yes, sir. Does your horse have a name? It's a beautiful animal."

The major stepped into a stirrup and with a single move was sitting high in the saddle. He patted the horse on the neck and spoke comforting words as part of his morning ritual. "Her name's Mary Todd. After the Yankee President's wife. I figure, what better way to take it to the Yanks than to ride into battle on the back of Lincoln's wife." The major grinned.

Buck gave a single nod before turning to hustle off toward a sergeant who was yelling his name. Minutes later, the sound of thundering hooves filled the woods as more than a hundred riders headed out to join the rest of the division.

The sergeant was yelling at his corporals and privates as folded tents were packed into the wagons along with the other camp fare.

Reno watched intently on the monitor back on Mentox. "Orderly chaos, the breaking of camp."

Naffi shook his head. "Nothing difficult, but I had no idea what I was doing. Can't tell you how many times I got a scolding from the sergeant for moving too slow, something I am not used to hearing from anyone, but I eventually caught on."

The recording was sped up to the afternoon of April 29th. The new private sat beside the sergeant on a wagon packed with supplies as they followed along behind the horsemen and foot soldiers. It was a partly cloudy day, but still very humid. When in the sun, Naffi's clone wiped beads of sweat from his forehead. The wagon bucked and jerked as its frame made an endless series of squeaks, cracks, and rattles.

The sergeant asked, "You have kin?"

The clone hesitated in thought for most of a minute, the memory of Naffi's reality rushed back into his consciousness. "I did. They were killed in an accident. My wife, two kids, siblings, parents, aunts and uncles. Nine on my side, five on my wife's side."

The sergeant pulled his head back and furrowed his brow. "Must have been a heckuva an accident. Fire?"

"Uh. Yeah. Fire. Lost my home."

"That's a sad day. And I can see why you came out here now. Hard enough when you lose a family member. I can't even think about the whole family at once."

"You have a family?"

"Wife. Eight young 'uns. Two oldest boys are with McLaws's division not far from here. Others are at home helping with the farm. We grow beets, peas, beans, and squash. It's been tough on them since this all started, but they manage. I got to see 'em all about three months ago, that is, other than my two boys here."

The sergeant chuckled. "My youngest, Agnes, thinks she's gonna be a soldier. The wife tries to discourage it, but there's no stopping her." He let out a sigh. "Hopefully this will be over soon and we can all go home."

Another night's camp was made. On the morning of the 30th word came in that the northern cavalry was on the move. Instead of going west, they had turned south and were heading for Lee's western flank. Orders came down for a hurried ride. The thundering herd of cavalrymen were soon riding out with the supply wagons moving onto the road just behind.

Buck gazed at the infantryman moving at a fast walk in front of the wagons. "Why are they on foot? Seems wrong for a cavalry regiment."

"Lost their horses. Your animal goes down in a fight and you turn into a dirty boot until more horses are sent up or captured. I think it slows us down some as they have to stop and rest more often, but then again I'm not a general, am I?"

Word came back through the column with a rider. "Fight will begin at first light. You'll be setting up camp just this side of Brock Road. Jackson's force will be coming up through there tomorrow. Some of us will be moving over to infantry to join them in the assault."

Buck watched the nervous faces of the supply-men in the wagons behind him as the word was spread. They did not appear eager to fight.

"I never asked your full name, Sergeant."

"Sergeant Theodore Johnston. Teddy, back home."

"Well, Teddy, what if I was to tell you the assault will be successful?"

"I'll ask that you not address me by my first name. Use Sergeant or Sergeant Johnston, whichever. Needs to be that way so we have military command. Here on this wagon I'm not your buddy or your friend. I'm your superior."

"Yes, sir. No disrespect intended."

"And I'm not a sir either. When this is all over, I'd be happy for you to call me Teddy. But we won't be doing that before then."

The cavalry division moved off the road and into the trees that made up the outskirts of the area known as the wilderness. Dense forests and thickets made it difficult to move about within the trees. Wagons were kept loaded and an overnight camp was set up. Fires were not allowed as the smoke and firelight would be a dead giveaway of position. The fight was growing closer.

Buck finished leading horses into a makeshift corral. Most stayed tied to trees near their riders. Buckets of cold stew from the night before were passed around to the riders first and the infantrymen next. The supply crews were left with hardtack biscuits and bits of dried beef.

Reno squirmed in his chair as the recording continued to play. "I like your sergeant. Friendly and yet frank."

Naffi replied, "He had no problem yelling in my ear though. Not that I wasn't in need of some of that. It was certainly a different environment than here. Comfort is lost, but somehow almost forgotten with the distraction and newness of all this. Strangely, I felt just as at home there as I do here."

The next day again had the wagons on the road as they advanced toward the coming battle. The evening of May 1st came quickly with thousands of troops under the command of Gen. Thomas "Stonewall" Jackson filtering through the woods around them. Whispers of support were expressed as the soldiers passed. Word came of the fight during the day. The men under McLaw had not only held their position, they had forced Hooker's northern troops back into the wilderness around Chancellor's Tavern.

A captain on horseback was guided to the sergeant. "How many men in your outfit?"

"We have sixteen, sir."

"You now have eight, Sergeant. Have your men who are most able to fight join with the next regiment coming through here. We'll be needing every man we can get. If you can spare more... bring 'em. When you join up you'll be members of the 3rd Alabama. If asked, tell them the order came from Captain Chester as given by General Jackson. You do have weapons, right?"

"We do."

"Bring those and a few days of rations. And say your prayers gentlemen. We're gonna need the Lord's help come tomorrow."

The captain exited the wood and galloped off into the darkness.

The sergeant gathered his men. "We've just been reassigned."

The group was split in two.

Sergeant Johnston addressed the first group. "Sergeant Brenner, when you see the lieutenant tell him where we've gone. The rest of you are now the support for our regiment. Keep our horses fed and our jockeys riding."

# Chapter 22

### _______________________

The sergeant moved his squad in behind the last units of the 3rd Alabama regiment.

A lieutenant came back. "You'll be on our far left flank. Just follow these men and stay to their left when we are set for battle."

"Yes, sir," Buck replied.

A short rest was taken. The sergeant sat beside two other men from the regiment.

One of the two asked, "You just come up?"

The sergeant replied, "Pulled in from a cavalry unit. What's your names?"

"I'm Private Cecil Carter and this is Corporal Jim Harrison."

Buck said, "You look old for an infantryman."

Jim replied, "I feel older than I look. You?"

"Private Buck Anderson. I'm about twenty-two."

Cecil chuckled. "About? You don't know your age? What parts you from?"

"Well, technically I'm about three weeks old."

The sergeant shook his head. "He just enlisted a few days ago. Good kid so far. Kind of strange though. Says he's from Sweden."

"You fought anywhere before?" Cecil asked Buck.

"First time. But I'm not worried. We'll be routing the Yanks in the next few hours."

Jim said, "Well of course we will. You're fighting with the 3rd. The Yanks run when they see us coming. Cecil here took shot at Seven Pines and again at Malvern Hill. They can't seem to stop him. We put him out front to use as a shield."

The sergeant winced. "Twice?"

Cecil grinned. "They're just bad shots. What denomination are you, Sergeant Johnston? Most everyone from our parts are Baptists."

"Presbyterian."

"Andersen? You?"

"Uh, I don't know."

"I don't know? How does a man not know what religion he is? Sweden not a Christian nation or your family just not churchgoers?"

"Family."

"Well, that's your own business I suppose. Reminds me of the sendoff we got back home. Mr. Thomas, town mayor, threw a big shindig. Had a feast for the whole regiment. Even had enough liquor for all the non-Baptists. They were having a good time, I tell you what. Paid for it the next morning though."

The chat continued for the remainder of the break. All were nervous, Buck was eager to get into the fight. The glory of battle and victory was discussed at length. It was 4:00 PM when the order to move forward came in. They would be forming up a battle line.

Naffi sat back in his chair on Mentox-I. "From here you will have to watch as it will be too difficult for me to describe it accurately."

On the display, the clone of Naffi— Buck Anderson, walked alongside Teddy Johnston, stepping over sticks and branches, walking around trees, and pushing through thickets. The wilderness brush was dense, but the line that had formed somehow stayed intact.

Storms raged on and off overhead, bringing thunder but no rain. The rain had fallen days before. Creeks were swollen. The leaf-covered ground often decayed into sloppy mud in the low spots. Cecil remarked about how heavy it was on his feet.

The sergeant said, "I can't believe this is happening. Two years in this war and not a shot fired by me. Now we've been thrust into the front lines. I heard talk we'll be facing a hundred thousand men. How is it possible to attack such?"

Buck smirked. "I wouldn't worry. We'll be victorious in the end. The Yankees will be running in fear. General Lee and Jackson have outflanked them. Soon Hooker will be taking his army back across the Rappahannock."

Cecil glanced over. "You sure are confident for first time in battle. I like it."

"I'm confident of the outcome. And I'm confident I will fight another day. After this we'll be heading to Gettysburg."

"Gettysburg? As in Pennsylvania? What's there?"

"The next great battle after we whip them here."

The sergeant chuckled. "You are a strange bird, Andersen."

By 5:00 PM of that day, the battle formation had come to a stop. It stretched nearly two miles through the woods of the wilderness, just west of the deployed XI Corps of the Union Army of the Potomac.

Buck said, "In about a half hour we'll be coming to the edge of a wood. Just on the other side, stretched out in a field, will be the 26th Wisconsin Infantry. Gonna be a bad day for about half of them. After that we'll top a hill and pass a farmhouse. A family called Hawkins lives there."

Cecil joked. "We got a man here who can see into the future. How can we lose?"

Fifteen minutes later the orders were whispered down the line. "Forward."

The two-mile-long formation moved ahead in unison. Rabbits, foxes, and deer had nowhere to run but east. The crack of musket-fire could be heard as pickets were engaged. Buck glanced around at the stern and serious faces to either side of him. These were men of battle. Men of glory. Each was prepared to give his life for the fight, or to take lives of the other side.

As the line came to the edge of the trees, a formation of bluecoats stretched about seventy-five yards across a field. The flashes and claps of their muskets had one-ounce lead bullets crashing into the trees. A line of rebels ran forward a few feet, took aim and fired. They then knelt and began a reload as a new line behind them moved past to do the same. The result was the near continuous clatter of volley after volley of musket firing. A man not ten feet to the left of Buck and Teddy fell forward, the first close victim of the fight.

Smoke filled the area of the trees. Out in the field the Union soldiers were falling left and right. Buck took aim. The snap of his musket and the yellow and white sulfur cloud it expelled, sent a Minié ball, the bullet of the times, screaming toward his opponents. The adrenaline in his system surged. His heart began to race.

The sergeant pulled him down to his knee for a reload. "Want to get shot in the back of the head?"

Less than a minute into the fight the Union troops in the field became fully aware of the rebel line that stretched as far as they could see in either direction. The trees were full of gray. Some dropped their weapons and began to run with all the might and speed their trembling legs could muster.

The rebels continued to advance as a Union officer rode his line pleading for his men to flee, while a junior officer insisted— demanded they hold the line.

But the attacking force was overwhelming. As the remaining mass of the 26th Wisconsin turned to retreat, the Alabama 3rd emerged from the trees with a thunderous yell that echoed down the line as they broke into a chase.

Teddy yelled to Buck who was standing and staring at the grand spectacle of it all. "Come on! We got 'em on the run!"

The scene soon became a mad rush across the grassy field in front of them. The smell of spent powder filled Buck's nostrils. He glanced down at the dead, dying, and wounded of the Wisconsin 26th as they came upon them. Some had horrific injuries and were crying out in pain as the rebels stepped over and hurried around. Offering no resistance, the wounded would receive a modicum of care offered to every man on the battlefield, when permitted.

As the Union troops came upon a rise, instead of regrouping to make a stand from the high ground, they continued over the hill and down, running in terror. The rebel line hurried forward in a disjoint manner as it began to spread out from the chaos of the pursuit.

As the front-most rebel fighters reached the top of the hill, a farmhouse came into view. Hundreds of Union soldiers were fleeing down the hill as several of their officers rushed from the house, attempting to mount their horses. Two fell before they could flee. The rebels continued to yell, reload, fire, and yell again as they chased their enemies.

As the Confederates passed the farmhouse, sporadic fire began to come their way as the Union troops tried to regroup. Buck stopped to reload, his breath now heavy, sweat beginning to soak the lining of his cap as he tore open a cartridge to pour down his musket's barrel. The attempted Union defense lasted less than a minute as overwhelming numbers of the charging rebels continued to top the hill.

The image on the display bobbed and jerked as Buck continued his half run. Reno sat with his eyes glued to the recorded playback as the battle unfolded, his own hearts began to race.

Cecil rammed a rod down his barrel as he came over to run beside Buck, packing a wad for his next shot. "How'd you know about the farmhouse? And those Yanks? You been here before?"

Buck jogged alongside. "Not in my lifetime. But I might come back. This glory as you call it, is thrilling!"

A bullet exited his musket as the clap of gunpowder exploding put a continued ringing in his ears.

"Don't get carried away with that thought." Cecil yelled. "It'll get you dead faster than a chicken with a fox. And I want to ask you a few questions later." Another clap saw Cecil Carter taking a shot of his own.

The fight continued with several entrenchments being overrun as the Union soldiers defending them lost their nerve. Up and down the line, the rebs were routing the Union XIth. But the chaos that ensued from the charge had taken away the effectiveness of command and coordination.

The field in front of Buck, Teddy, and the others, soon closed to a treeline. At the same moment, Union cannons began to fire wildly into the disorganized assault. Branches and treetops split and rained down as the woods filled with smoke from the exploding cannon case-shot. Buck was hit by splinters from a nearby pine as he sought protection in a thicket. Bullets snapped into trees and broke off branches in a continuous assault on the senses. Smoke filled the air, often thick enough to sting the eyes.

Teddy squatted on the ground next to him with heavy breath as they took a moment to rest. "I never imagined it would be like this. How can any man withstand such?" He flinched as a nearby tree snapped about halfway up.

Buck replied, "It's exhilarating. And we should be charging forward, forcing the Union back across the river."

Teddy glanced around a sapling. "You can charge into that fog of death if you want to. I'm staying right here until I'm told otherwise. I can't see twenty feet out there."

"I'll be right back."

As Buck stood, still hunched over, Cecil asked, "Where you going?"

"Those Yanks aren't gonna kill themselves. We have a war to win."

Cecil stood to follow. "I'm beginning to like the Swedes, Sergeant. They got fight in 'em."

Jim followed after.

Buck jogged from cover to cover, passing other rebel soldiers who had come to a halt, many hugging the ground as close as they could. He squinted his eyes from the smoke and tried to hold his breath as small fires were beginning to burn where exploding shells were igniting the leaves.

The seemingly fearless clone stopped as they came to the edge of a clearing. Thirty yards to the left was the end of a Union trench with soldiers loading, firing, and reloading. Again the thick, billowing smoke of the fight made it difficult to see.

Buck glanced at Cecil, Jim was squatted just behind. "I'm taking that trench."

Cecil asked, "And just how are you doing that?"

"Charging in with a bayonet."

Cecil snickered as he detached his bayonet from the holder on his rifle and affixed it to the end of his barrel.

He then patted Buck on the shoulder. "Hold right here for just a sec."

The enthused private disappeared into the smoke and trees, returning with four other soldiers, Sergeant Teddy Johnston included.

Buck pointed. "We hit this end and work our way forward. They're firing in unison, we wait for a volley and then make our run. You boys ready for some glory?"

Cecil grinned. "The Mobile Cadets were born for glory."

As the next volley of shot was taken by the Union force in front of them, six rebel infantrymen of the Alabama 3rd raced from the trees, screaming at the top of their lungs. One was felled as they sprinted across the thirty yards to the trench. The Union troops they met were hastily attempting to affix bayonets of their own, but the attackers were on them too fast.

Buck lunged into the trench, impaling a soldier through the chest before pulling his musket back and moving to another. A harangue of yells echoed through the woods and seconds later two dozen rebel soldiers raced toward the trench in support with their bayonets mounted. The startled Union defenders loosed the rounds they had ready before turning to scurry out of their trench. Dozens of retreaters never made the climb as the rebels dove in on top of them.

The hand-to-hand fighting in the trench lasted only minutes before the onrush of seemingly crazed graycoats had cleared it running down eighty yards.

The sergeant sat against the far bank as he breathed heavily in and out. "You're completely mad, Andersen."

Cecil rammed the rod in his musket before firing a shot into the fleeing Union soldiers as they reached the next stand of trees.

Buck pointed. "We have to take those cannons on that hill. They're shredding our people."

"I see two trenches at its base. We'll have to fight our way through there."

"You have any sharpshooters?"

Cecil grinned, "Most of us."

"Pass the word down for everyone to focus their fire on the right end of the lower trench. We clean that end out and we can make our way through those trees and then rush in again."

"And the trench right above it?" Teddy asked. "They'll have direct sight of us."

"When we reach the far end we keep moving up to the next one," Buck replied, "starting on the left end just above it. Nothing stopping us from there up to those cannons. How many men do we have?"

Jim counted, "We have sixteen left after that charge."

"Any officers?"

The soldiers went down the line. "Private, private, private..."

Buck looked at Teddy, "You're in command, Sergeant."

Teddy took a deep breath as he glanced up at the dimming sky. "Will be dark soon. We either do this now or we're stuck here. And I don't fancy those cannons raining down on this trench."

"Let's go then. Tell the last man in the line to go back into the woods. We're gonna need more men before this is done. If we can clear those two entrenchments the Alabama 3rd will have a famous charge to our names."

A runner was soon scampering back.

# Chapter 23

### _______________________

The twilight deepened as the fifteen aggressors made their way with Buck into the next treeline. It ran perpendicular to the trench lining the bottom of the hill. Cecil took the lead even though Buck had insisted on being up front. A glance back saw a company of grays emerging from the trees that continued to be decimated by the cannons atop the hill.

"We have reserves coming up behind us," Buck said.

Cecil grinned. "Then we better get this done before they steal our thunder."

Teddy ran crouched-over behind Buck as they hurried through the trees. "I don't know which one of you is more insane."

Weapons were readied and the occupants of the right end of the trench were targeted. The cracks of fifteen muskets firing saw a dozen Union soldiers fall at once. Rifles were reloaded and bayonets again affixed as the Confederates scampered back into the safety of the smoke and trees. Minutes later, quietly moving up to the darkening treeline, another volley saw four of the six Federal replacements for that end of the trench drop away.

After a Union volley, aimed toward the previously cleared trench below, and with the company of grays still emerging from the trees beyond, the group rushed from the bramble in which they were hiding, this time foregoing their yells as to not draw more attention. In the smoke-filled air, they had reached the halfway point in the fifty yard sprint before the alert of their presence went up.

As they topped the berm of dirt that covered the front of the trench, the first bullets fired their way began to buzz by their heads, making "piff" sounds off the dirt around them. Cecil Carter charged forward, taking out the first soldier with a thrust. Buck grabbed the smaller man, pulling him from the bayonet blade of his fellow soldier as he ran past, using the unfortunate soul as a shield. Two bullets entered the man's back before the body was discarded and another encountered.

The roar of the cannons atop the hill seemed to fade into the background as the close up and personal scene of hand-to-hand combat ensued. Buck thrust and stabbed, withdrew and charged forward again. Four of the fifteen had fallen in fight as the others raced down the trenchline, again stabbing their bayonets ever forward. Within a few minutes, the entire length of the trench had been cleared as a rain of lead showered the lower position from above, smoke from the cannons and muskets fouling the view.

The company of rebels who followed the raging assault, exited the trees behind them, yelling and firing as they charged toward the right end of the top trench. Cecil Carter, Buck Andersen, Jim Harrison, Teddy Johnston, and the remainder of the fifteen began to scramble up the hill at the other end. Three more of the forward assault fell as volley after volley of shot came speeding down upon them.

Buck took a grazing hit to his thigh, Jim Harrison a skin to the side of his head. The soldier coming up just behind a terrified Teddy Johnston, took two in the chest and one in the forehead, falling backward, his life-robbed body sliding back down the hill from where he had perished.

Cecil was the first to top the berm of the upper trench. A terrified Union soldier, who was desperately trying to reload his rifle, was his first victim. The fighting continued until only six of the fifteen were left. The advancing company behind them had overtaken the far end of the trench. The Union soldiers remaining gave up the fight, attempting to scamper up the loose dirt of the hill to the cannons above. The short run to the top became a killing field.

Cecil clawed his way out of the trench as his chest heaved, trying to replenish the oxygen in his blood. Teddy complained of the fatigue in his legs as his feet slid through the loose dirt of the trench back. Jim pushed his sergeant as he grumbled. Buck scrambled up after, his mind mad with the thrill of the fight. The smell of spent gunpowder and the fog of white and yellow smoke continued to obscure the air. Visibility was limited to twenty feet, lessening as the light of the day grew dimmer.

The hilltop was reached as a volley of lead came their way. Three more of the Alabama 3rd fell as a Union charge of bayonets followed. That charge faltered as rebel after rebel topped the rise. Quickly outnumbered, the Union artillerymen turned to flee, their position overrun.

Buck stood tall, yelling at the top of his lungs as more Confederate soldiers peaked the hilltop named Hazle Grove. He turned to face his fellow squad members, five others still alive. Cecil Carter was sitting flat on the ground with his head down. Jim and Teddy rushed to his side.

Cecil opened his eyes and asked, "What are you fellows doing?"

Jim replied, "Nothing, you are wounded; don't try to get up."

The fallen rebel gave a confused look. "No, I am not. Where?"

"In the breast."

Cecil stuck his finger in the wound. "The bullet must have bounced out. I can't feel it."

Blood gushed forth. The noble and heroic Mobile Cadet, twice before shot and recovered, slumped back, never to rise again.

The playback of the recording was stopped. Reno looked over at Naffi who was tearing up.

"The most courageous man I've ever known," Naffi said.

Reno chuckled. "You've only known a handful of them, and only for a few days."

"Still. It was painful to witness. I wasn't prepared to get attached to any of these Humans. I'm not certain as to why, but I felt a sudden kinship."

"It's 7:00 PM. The recording ends in about twelve hours. What happens?"

"The cannons were turned and used against the retreating troops for the few minutes of daylight that remained. Our charge managed to take a critical position of the Union force, sooner than originally done. There was fighting behind us as a quarter of the Union III Corps under General Sickles were trapped and surrendered that night. That didn't happen in the original war. If there was change to be had in the present, such an event should do it."

"And your death?"

"In the morning we had a new member join in our little group. Private Thomas Dennis. He had followed us in the assault up Hazle Grove. Not certain as to why, but after that he stuck with the three of us.

"We next charged down the hill as the Union troops continued to regroup. An errant case-shot from the newly captured artillery behind us burst just above the ground behind me. My left arm and half my left chest was torn away. I saw my still beating heart as it came to a stop. The man in front of me was crawling away with his entrails dragging behind. A gruesome death."

"And Jim and Teddy?"

"I don't know. My time was over before I could turn. We should compare the archives and family tree for differences."

Both checks were run with only minor differences showing in the historical archives. The battle of Chancellorsville had ended as a major Confederate victory. The loss of part of the Union III Corps had minor impact on the outcome of the battle of Gettysburg that followed.

Naffi scowled. "All that effort and so little change."

"We have another clone ready."

"I am not mentally prepared. I need to rest. This effort may be more difficult than I anticipated."

"It is both highly rewarding and highly taxing. I too found myself overwhelmed after some journeys. I'm not certain if it is a consequence of so many memories being loaded into your brain in a matter of seconds or because of the emotional response you feel from having those memories. These feelings would be some of the aspects of utilizing this equipment that are in dire need of study."

"Indeed. It has been many hours since we slept. I would suggest we break for a short while. Some rest would do us both good."

Six hours of sleep were had before Naffi was awakened by an alert. Vara was waiting on a comm connection.

Naffi offered a pursed smile. "My friend. What news do you bring?"

The government has fully funded a hunt for you, Dr. Reno, and Mentox-I. They have hired a detective, Marwal, to track you down. He's the premier investigator in the Empire when it comes to finding people."

"I'm aware of Mr. Marwal's ability and the team of searchers he employs. It was a study of his methods that led me to place this station where it currently resides. I am not overly concerned with being found, but I will take all necessary precautions."

"He's employing something different this time, Mr. Naffi. My contact on the inside says he is being given access to Mentox-II. And if tracked down, a clone that you control can be used to capture your location."

"What? I have been assured that is not possible. Reno has repeatedly stated that only a single living entity can be sent back through, and nothing can be sent forward."

"All I can report to you is they believe they have a way. You might want to pay special attention to your surroundings in the past. You may have opposition when you travel."

"Noted. I will ask about this. And thank you."

Vara continued, "As to other matters... the bot ships will be bringing the supplies you requested, on schedule. That is all."

Naffi nodded and the comm closed. He made his way back to the lab where Reno was checking over equipment.

"I have news," Naffi said.

"I apologize for the intrusion, but I watched the conversation."

"Interesting. I didn't know that to be possible."

"I had it designed into this console, regardless of regulations. I wanted to be able to know what was being planned from anywhere on this station. All communications route through this machine. It is also the only way we can maintain the time bubble that surrounds us."

"I will keep that in mind. So you already know about the detective. What is there we can do about him?"

"There would only be one possible way to trace the location of this station through a clone and that is through the bio-link. Since they cannot take equipment back with them, and since it would be nearly impossible to construct that equipment in the past given the technological level of the Humans, it must be through a second bio-link."

"You mean his clone somehow combines minds with our own?"

"An interesting thought, but no. Mr. Marwal would have to have one end of the bio-link implanted in his clone and a second, I would presume, somewhere under his clone's skin. The second would then have to be removed and transferred to our clone."

"Would that be possible?"

"Very much so. And it could be done with the crude implements they possess during that time. The potential for failure would be high, but not impossible to overcome. It would require capture and restraint of your clone, followed by a crude insertion procedure. We could send you further back in time, making the effort that much more difficult."

Naffi frowned. "No. I've already decided I want to go back to where I was. I feel the need to know what became of Teddy Johnston and Jim."

"Perhaps it is from watching so much of that fight, but I desire to know their fate as well."

A clone was readied and sent back to the instant just after the original Buck Andersen had been cut in half by cannon fire. For a moment the smoke cleared. The new, naked Buck was staring down at the deceased Buck just in front of him. As his vision strengthened, he moved to roll the deceased body over to be face down before scrambling to put on the clothes of a nearby dead soldier. Teddy Johnston and Jim Harrison were lying on the ground several feet away, facing the other direction.

Once dressed, Buck raced to Teddy's side, not seeing any wounds. "Hey? Sergeant? You OK?"

Teddy slowly pushed himself up. "I... I thought you were hit?"

Buck glanced over. "No. Some other unlucky took the brunt. Come on, we have to keep moving."

Jim was slowly rolling over, blinking his eyes from the aftermath of the shell concussion.

Buck reached to him, giving him a hand and pulling him to his feet. "Come on. We have work to do. That battery up there has to be taken this morning. We do that and we defeat Hooker, chasing him across the river."

A horseman rode up through the smoke, sliding to a stop as he recognized the regimental patches on their shoulders. "Private Carter. Where is he?"

Jim said, "Dead sir. Last eve. Took one in the chest while taking this hill behind us."

"Who's in charge here and why are you standing around?"

Buck pointed at the dead body. "Cannon shot, sir. Knocked us down. Myself, Private Harrison, Private Dennis, and Sergeant Johnston here were with Carter. We followed him up the hill. None braver, sir."

"Harrison and Dennis I recognize. You two I don't and I know all my men."

A cannon shell exploded forty feet away, bits of shrapnel flew between the small group standing at a flat in the middle of the field, smoke swirled around them. The rider didn't flinch, instead staying tall in his saddle.

Teddy said, "We were Virginia 3rd Cavalry support two days ago. Captain Chester ordered us in just before the fight. Who are you, sir?"

Jim said, "That's our battalion commander. Colonel Bonham."

The horse he was riding turned. "Keep up the fight men. We need that Union hill taken! Forward Alabama!"

"Yes, sir!"

The captain rode into the smoke in the direction of the fight.

Jim shook his head. "That man has guts of iron. Proud to be led by him. Probably the only commander you'll see out here in the fight."

Inspired by the Colonel's bravery, the four men turned for the front, jogging along with their weapons as others ran the other way, some in terror, others wounded. A slight breeze exposed the forward half of the fight. It was a grizzly scene. Charred saplings rose as black spikes from the field as the ground smoldered where leaves had ignited. Gray-clothed bodies were strewn all about. The colonel could be seen as he rode among those who were still alive, yelling out orders to move forward.

As the foursome advanced, rifles were loaded and fired, loaded and fired. The ground around them popped and piffed as countless lead bullets were fired their direction. As they approached the halfway point of their objective, the Union troops let out a yell of their own as they poured out of their trenches and raced toward the somewhat broken rebel ranks with their bayonets affixed.

As a dozen Confederates in front of them turned to flee, Sergeant Teddy Johnston took a stand, yelling out a rally cry as they passed, forming up a new line and barking out orders to fire and load, fire and load. The dozen men who answered the call were soon joined by a dozen more and then another twenty after. The recognition of a line forming was all it took for a scattered field to quickly join ranks. With bayonets affixed, the line began to plod forward, firing as they went.

The Union advance slowed as they no longer had the enemy on the run. Cannon blasts from both batteries began to hammer the already scarred field of char and death. Soldiers in both lines fell as Minié balls and canister-shot sprayed each position.

Teddy Johnston, now emboldened by his own efforts, let out a yell and charged forward. The rebel line followed, shells exploding, lead ripping into bodies, smoke quickly obscuring the field, causing both batteries to send their fire where friendlies weren't and where targets were plentifully visible.

The Union officers reciprocated with yells of their own. The field was soon a jumble of blue and gray. Smoke swirled but cleared, showing the Human melee which had gotten underway as the two sides clashed. Screams of horror, pain, triumph, and rage filled the air as the din of the cannon's roar rumbled down the hill, while screeching cannon-shot flew overhead.

Bayonets stabbed as rifle butts struck. The muscle of man versus man in a struggle to stay alive and to win victory was flexed, exposed, torn, and impaled. The close fighting broke only when two companies of North Carolina Confederate infantry raced down the hill in support of their own. The Union troops retreated toward the safety of their breastworks.

Naffi forwarded the playback. "The fight for Fairview continued through the morning and into the afternoon before the Union position was finally overtaken by wave after wave of our assaults. So many men dead. But the result was certain. The Union General had been unnerved and his lines faltered."

The display was paused. "In the end, we stood atop the battery at Fairview. Our uniforms covered with dirt and char, smelling of sulfur, spent powder, and death. But we were victors... brimming with hard fought glory."

Naffi let out a long sigh.

# Chapter 24

### _______________________

The cracks of rifle fire could be heard in the distance. The ground beneath them rumbled as the newly positioned Confederate cannons on Fairview unleashed their fury. The four heroes of the day trod slowly toward the position the 3rd Alabama had been directed to for rest and recuperation. It was the fields around the Hawkins's farmhouse they had stormed past the evening before. Their knapsacks had been carried forward from their location in the woods where the initial battle line had formed.

As they arrived, the farmhouse was being used as a field hospital. More than a thousand men lay on their backs or sat leaning against trees or any other vertical surface they could find. There was a mixture of both Union and Confederate casualties. Without a fight, they were all considered wounded men, although the critical home boys were receiving treatment first.

Those of the 3rd who were capable of fight, but just tired and hungry, bivouacked at the base of the property. They were just far enough away from the sounds of the wailing wounded where they weren't forced to listen.

A private was handing out food rations from a captured Union food wagon. "Fresh carrots! Get 'em while I got 'em!"

Jim Harrison scowled as he made it through the line to the wagon. "Anything else?"

The private replied with a sarcastic smile. "Oh, yessir, right over here in the elites dining room."

Chuckles moved through the line as Jim snatched his four carrots from the supply cook. After taking a seat by a stand of trees, he grumbled as two of the carrots were consumed.

Teddy shook his head. "Where are they getting carrots from at this time of year?"

Jim replied, "I heard someone say it was Florida."

"We must be stealing them back then."

Conversation about the fights went on for several hours before Cecil Carter came up. A hushed tone fell over the group.

Teddy said, "I guess we might be going back to the cavalry now."

Buck asked, "Is that something you want to do?"

Teddy looked over his shoulder at the battlefield as bodies were still being collected. "Sure was a lot safer, but no. After the last two days, I don't know if I could stand it. We made a difference out there. And that was the worst of it. We've been through the meatgrinder and we're still alive. In one thought it is more horrifying than I imagined, but in another, I no longer fear the unknown. Strange thing this war."

A lieutenant came around with a notebook. "Roll call."

"Private Thomas Dennis, sir."

"Sergeant Theodore J. Johnston."

"Johnston? I don't show a Johnston."

"Captain Chester mustered us over from the Virginia 3rd Cav, sir."

"Johnston. Very well. And you?"

"Private James M. Harrison, sir."

"Private Buck Andersen. Also came over from the Virginia 3rd Cav, sir."

The lieutenant pointed. "VA 3rd is camped about two miles that way if you want to rejoin."

Buck said, "I'd prefer to stay here in the fight, Lieutenant."

Teddy nodded. "We rode wagons, sir, pushed supplies. Would prefer to keep taking it to the Yanks. I was born in Alabama, so these men are my brothers."

Tommy said, "I followed these men to the top of Hazle Grove and up onto Fairview, sir. Would be proud to keep them in the 3rd."

"Consider yourselves mustered over. I'll inform Captain Sands. He should be coming around shortly."

As the lieutenant walked away, Tommy turned with a grin. "Welcome to the Glorious 3rd. Your mommas will be proud."

The night was cool, calm, and quiet. The storm clouds had cleared, leaving a breathtaking vision of the heavens above, bright stars twinkled in and out against the blackness of the sky.

Teddy lay on his back, looking up. "Some say the stars are just other suns with other worlds circling them. My Mom used to say they were the souls of those who have gone before us. Until we're dead I don't think we'll ever know."

Buck sat several feet away with his legs crossed. The remains of their campfire now offered nothing more than the low, red glow of embers. "Those other worlds will have all sorts of strange beings. Some friendly, some hostile. Bizarre animals will fly or scamper or swim. Plants will be of every style, persuasion and color, some toxic beyond belief, others with healing properties."

Tommy chuckled as he lay on his side, his knapsack shoved under the side of his head as the closest thing to a pillow he had seen in months. "You sound like you've been there."

Buck glanced his way before slowly swiping at the heavens with a hand. "Great starships will carry soldiers into battle. Weapons of immense destruction will be used to decide the fate of each side."

"If they're out there, sure hope they don't come here."

"That would only be inevitable. There are only so many stars in the galaxy. If a species has the means to travel between them, Earth will one day fall victim."

Teddy smirked. "We just whooped the Yanks today, but we aren't done. Could we at least wait until this war is over before starting another one?"

A soldier walked up to the group. "Looking for Company E. Anyone seen them?"

"Just over the top of the hill I believe," Jim replied.

The man nodded and walked in that direction.

Tommy said, "Hey fellas. You know who that was?"

"Should we?" Buck asked.

"That was George Ellison. He's famous."

"For what?"

"Single-handedly captured forty Yanks at Fredericksburg. He got taken all the way to see General Lee."

Buck sat up. "How'd he accomplish that? The forty, I mean."

"When he was asked how he did it by General Rodes, he said the following; 'I surrounded 'em, and captured 'em.'"

Jim chuckled. "Thought everyone had heard that story."

Buck tilted his head in question. "How does one man surround forty?"

"That's what we all wondered. Anyway, he did capture them without help."

Teddy said, "One thing bothered me earlier today. I saw there is a hole and some blood on the back of your jacket earlier. You didn't seem to be bothered by it and I think I just figured out why. That ain't your jacket."

Buck glanced down, looking at his sleeves. "Mine caught fire. The man I took this from was no longer in need."

Tommy said, "We'll check it for a name in the morning so we can report his demise. His family will want to know and that's usually how it's done. Everybody who knew him might be dead too."

Teddy frowned. "How in Heaven's name did you catch fire?"

"How? Everything around us was burning. Where were you?"

The group had a good laugh before each eventually laid back and fell off to sleep, fatigue overcoming the excitement and horror of the day.

The following morning, the 3rd was kept in reserve as the Union troops continued to retreat. Word then came of General Lee and the troops of General Jubal Early having held off an eastern advance by General Sedgwick. The northern troops of General Hooker were quickly moving back across the Rappahannock at the crossing named U.S. Ford.

Naffi paused the playback and sat back in his chair for a moment. "It's a strange thing this war. The two sides are like brothers, and yet they are each determined to defeat the other. And the courage and bravery of these Humans. I would shudder to think of going up against them in war should our technologies have been the same. I have never seen equal among our own in my lifetime."

Reno replied, "You are falling into the same thoughts I myself have had. The longer you are among them the more you empathize with their lives, ways, and beliefs— and the more you admire their effort and commitment."

"I don't believe I have ever felt a kinship for another Opamari like I do with Teddy Johnston. You were right to create this machine, Reno. However, I'm not certain how any of this can be studied without some interaction with this species. I almost feel saddened they are not among us today."

"Instead we have an Empire regime who has no vision, no purpose other than to exist."

"Yes. I'm beginning to feel the desire to work to change that should the opportunity arise. Had I cared only a few months ago, I may have had the means to make those changes."

Reno nodded. "I've been wondering if we aren't suffering from Human reasoning at times. I am plagued with emotions that I never before had."

"As am I. But I would not call it suffering. A better term might be growth."

"I concur." Reno looked at the display. "The recording goes on for another eight weeks. Are there more battles?"

"The Union General retreats. Our own General decides he wants to keep on the offensive. In the weeks that followed we were marched to the outskirts of a town called Culpeper. The next fight in the east was at Brandy Station, just outside Culpeper. The Union cavalry attacked the Confederate cavalry. While it was a mostly a draw, it was a surprise and surprise is the thing that loses wars.

"During that rest I got to know the boys in my company better. Interesting lives to a man. And many of the mannerisms of our own people were not present. We can be aggressive in manner, but stoic in act. They are the opposite. Their demeanor is pleasant. Their actions speak of a fortitude... a fight, that we often lack.

"From time to time, captured Union soldiers were brought through. The archives speak of poor treatment when they reached incarceration in the deep south, but none of that was present in these boys. Food was shared and banter exchanged. Something we would never do with prisoners."

Reno sighed. "Our fighting ancestors never took prisoners. Instead, they practiced full annihilation."

"Which is why we control a galaxy today, but also why we have become stagnant as a species. My own fortune is beyond what most could comprehend. And yet I am disgusted with my life to the point of taking extreme risks with my adventures. These fights are beyond anything I have ever done. Exhilarating to the core. For the glory as they say. But each of these people has a much bigger desire. They long to go home to their everyday lives. I abhorred my everyday life."

"What happens next?"

"The battle of Winchester. The Confederates surrounded and took a fort. Our brigade had been sent north to cut off an escape to Martinsburg. We caught the retreating army on the road. They attempted to fight but were repelled. Some surrendered while the others ran into the hills in every direction. The Confederates managed the capture of four thousand men, artillery pieces, and ample supplies in that fight.

"It was a great victory, leading up to a series of cavalry skirmishes before the big blowout at Gettysburg. A fight I'll have to be getting back to. But something else happened along the way. Tommy twisted an ankle. I helped him over to where the doctors had set up camp. There was a woman there helping them, a sister of one of the surgeons.

"I'm not certain what came over me, but I could not stop staring as she tended to Tommy's ankle. In the end he only received a wrap and was sent on his way, but I couldn't get her out of my mind."

Reno chuckled. "Humans and their hormones. You feel this attraction to take a mate. Strange that I never thought of it before. Our own system of marital assignment we have here never seemed to matter until I went back through to that planet. The bio-link connection to them is strong. You will pick up many of the habits your clone developed. I was told I now walk like a Human. Take a stroll around the room."

Naffi stood and took the short walk.

"Interesting. It appears you are walking like a Human as well."

"I've been marching for months now. I would only think it natural."

Reno smiled. "Others would say you are becoming Human."

Naffi shrugged. "Prior to this I would have called any such notion nonsense. But now... I'm left wanting desperately to go back. However, I feel I must show this journey to you, to share it, if I am to remain objective."

"So did you do anything about this newfound female infatuation?"

"I did. I volunteered to assist with aiding the wounded each night. There were many traveling with us who were hoping to heal before the next fight so they could continue. It was a matter of honor for most. What I found was the care given, while heartfelt, was often unsanitary, if only because of the nature of traveling.

"Many wounds were infected. And diseases ran rampant. These were conditions I was unaware of in my Regiment. The Mobile Cadets were well provisioned from home, many of their families having the means to see to it their boys were well taken care of. We even had our own surgeon. That wasn't the case for most."

Reno nodded. "The primitive times would have made supply a difficult issue."

"Yes. And it was getting to be late June. The summer sun was beating down. Many were collapsing from heatstroke. This business of war is a terrible thing."

"And this woman?"

"She was strong. And always eager to help and extremely kind. But given the situation, all I could do at the time was to watch her from afar. Later, in the end, when I died, it was in her care. It was a strange combination of emotions to lie there as my life slipped away while the only thoughts going through my mind were of this woman. Perhaps when this war is over I can seek her out."

Reno chuckled. "Are we forgetting our mission here? Are you looking to abandon the present and live in the past? You do know that even if you live out your life there, only a minute may pass here. Your life in this time must continue if you are to effect change."

"I fully understand. And it's maddening to think I would even consider leaving here for that world if I could. It seems we have so much in the Empire, and yet I somehow feel we have so little."

"Perhaps it is because here in this life you have lost your loved ones. Back there, you only have new friends to worry over."

"Perhaps."

Reno said, "Let's continue with the playback, shall we?"

The next hour saw the image of marching troops who were then formed up for a fight on the outskirts of Gettysburg. The 3rd Alabama was held in reserve to bridge the gap between the forces of Colonel O'Neal and Brigadier General Iverson. Buck Andersen and the others watched as a broken assault by O'Neal's division was repelled, followed by Iverson attacking, which saw a defeat so horrific that the General himself was no longer able to function.

After a regrouping, and with the force under General Early seeing some success to the north, the 3rd Alabama was committed, this time attached to the brigade of Brigadier General Junius Daniel.

Orders came down. "You will be the left flank of the assault. The Union has that ridge and treeline behind that rock wall. We will push them back... all the way to Washington if need be."

Buck said, "To glory then!"

"To glory," was echoed back.

The claps and cracks of musket fire saw a field that began to fill with smoke.

# Chapter 25

### _______________________

Buck marched alongside his new brethren. The pop and piff of lead bullets impacting the earth and the buzz of them sizzling past filled the air. Cannon shell exploded. Case-shot flittered. At a hundred yards from the enemy, the forward line knelt and fired. As they began a reload, the second line moved up, doing the same. Volley by volley the line moved ever closer to the base of the ridge. Soldiers were dropping to the left and right, but the line moved on.

Jim Harrison took a graze to his right arm. Teddy Johnston to his left calf. Buck then took a lead ball into the meat of his shoulder, passing through without hitting bone. He stumbled but continued the march forward.

Smoke filled the space between the opposing forces. Visibility was soon limited to twenty feet. As the base of the ridge was reached, the call for bayonets went down the line.

Once affixed, the order was given. "Charge!"

A dash was made up the hill, a run that took many lives. Bayonets were thrust, screams of pain and rage echoed, but the end result was a force that reached its target.

The hand-to-hand fighting lasted for several minutes before the order for the Union troops to retreat was given. Volley after volley was fired into the Union 1st Corp as they yielded their position. The rebels continued slowly forward until passed by the divisions held in reserve.

Naffi placed his hand on his forehead and began to rub his temples as the playback was paused.

Reno asked, "There are two hours left. What happened?"

"With my wound I was taken back for evaluation. I wanted to fight on, but was told they didn't want me to be a hindrance. Instead, I was sent back to where a field hospital had been set up. Teddy had the calf wound so he helped. When we arrived it was a scene of horror. So many men. So many wounds far worse than mine. Or so I thought. What I didn't realize was that I had a bleeder. I was suddenly weak and collapsed.

"I was carried to the surgery tent where Teddy spotted the woman I had fallen for. She took me in her care and her brother worked to stop the bleeding. I awoke briefly enough to see her face for the last time as she dressed my wound. As the Humans say, an angel's face. But the blood loss was too severe. I lived for another hour before succumbing to the wound."

"Do you wish to go back immediately?"

"Yes. But first show me a comparison of the archive and family trees."

Several minutes passed before Reno had the answer. "The archives show no difference. The family trees show a change to a line that ended eighteen hundred years ago. Nothing present day."

"As I thought. I had little impact. We need major change. There must be something I can do better. I can't get past meeting with a captain as far as seeing General Lee. And they won't listen to what I have to say. It's actually a frustrating position to be in."

Reno shrugged. "Only a few minutes have passed. Go back and keep trying. We've seen major changes that happened from minor interactions before. Perhaps you can leave the written word for someone to find and act on later."

"How so?"

"If a battle is described in full the day before it happened. Perhaps printed in a paper for historians to find. From there you leave an accounting of the coming invasion of their world by our people. That would have to have impact."

"Hmm. An indirect route, but a possibility. For now, I would prefer a trip back to Gettysburg." A historical map was pulled up. "Position me here. I can walk to the fight."

"You will need a uniform."

"Unfortunately, there are now plenty to spare. And while stripping the dead is a gruesome task, it is one I am familiar with."

A new clone was brought in, readied, and the transfer was made. The new Buck Andersen walked through a stand of trees before coming upon a field where the Confederate dead were being carried by two elderly men and a wagon. He watched intently as eight new corpses were unloaded and laid to rest in a row where they would later be buried. As the wagon pulled away, the naked Human sprinted across the field.

Several minutes were spent searching out clothing of the proper size. Relatively clean pants, socks, boots, and drawers were found on one corpse. A shirt, cap, and jacket on another. A cartridge box and weapon would have to be acquired from the battlefield. Once dressed, Buck hurried through the next stand of trees to a point where reserve troops were moving forward. It was 6:00 PM and the fighting in town was still underway.

By 6:30 PM a weapon and accoutrements had been obtained and his regiment located. A grinning soldier walked up behind a set of breastworks where Teddy, Jim, and Tommy were crouching.

Teddy looked up in disbelief. "What? What are you doing here?"

Buck knelt. "Wasn't as bad as I thought. They patched me up."

"You were bleeding like a stuck pig."

"Did you see me die?"

"Well, no. I left to come back here once they were taking you in the tent. Got my leg wrapped and came back."

"And here I am," Buck replied. "Glad to see the rest of you are still well."

Tommy gestured with his hand. "You steal another jacket?"

"Mine was cut off. I took another from the fallen."

Teddy cringed. "I told you not to do that again. A man should be buried in his uniform. Not have it stolen from his corpse."

"I was in need. How goes the fight?" Buck looked over the entrenchment.

"For one, keep your fool head down. They have sharpshooters out there who've been picking us off for the last half hour."

"We should be charging forward. Stopping is a mistake. It allows the Yankees to dig in. We won't be able to pry them from that ridge tomorrow. They are in too strong a position."

Teddy said, "Well pardon me, General Andersen. You should march right back to Lee's headquarters and demand an assault. Hasn't this day been hard enough?"

"Can't go back to see Lee. Last time they arrested me."

"You are quite the storyteller." Teddy snickered. "Regardless, glad to see you back. Jim and Tommy here aren't much for talking."

Tommy returned a half scowl. "What? We just talked about my hunting dogs."

"And neither Jim nor I hunt. So..."

Buck said, "As I was coming up I overheard that General Iverson is being replaced. Both he and O'Neal failed to reconnoiter that ridge before today's attack. Lost a lot of our boys out there. Which is another reason why we need to make a difference here and now."

Teddy shook his head. "I could take a shot, but I doubt I'd hit anything. And there's no way you are getting me to charge across that field with you. The four of us wouldn't make it half way."

Tommy said, "We could if we had Cecil here with us."

Teddy slowly nodded. "A sad loss."

Buck poked his head up, looking out at the field. "We need to do something. We just sit here and we get chewed up and spit out the next few days. I believe in taking action where action is due. Perhaps a clandestine operation. We sneak into their camps tonight and execute their generals."

Teddy chuckled. "What makes you think we have the means to do that? There's probably fifty thousand soldiers are camped across there."

"We have the bodies of Union soldiers here. We take their uniforms and sneak in."

"There you go, robbing the dead again. You do know they execute spies, right?"

"And if we do nothing we likely die tomorrow anyway. As soon as the sun sets I'm going out. Who's with me?"

No volunteers raised their hands.

"I guess I should have expected that. You all have lives. You have families."

Jim said, "I'll go."

"Are you certain?"

"If it possibly makes a difference, I will. We had it easy as reserves out there today and still lost a lot of men."

"OK. Jim, you wait here. I'll go scout out a couple uniforms. After dark we sneak away and see what we can do. If things get too tight we observe what we can and just come back."

Before any objection could be raised, Buck Andersen was moving down the breastwork, heading toward Oak Ridge where he hoped to find a dead Union officer or two. After being stopped several times and saying he was on a mission for General Rodes, the uniforms were found, removed, brought back, folded up in a piece of tent canvas, and stuffed in their trench. An hour later the blackness of a moonless night offered the cover Buck hoped for.

Jim asked, "What's the plan?"

Buck scratched his head in thought. "I'm thinking it's better if only I go. I'll swap into one of these uniforms and try to bluff my way into camp. Their generals will be meeting to discuss their defense. If I can kill one or two it may give us just enough advantage that we pull out a victory tomorrow."

Teddy shook his head. "You are a madman, sir. But I wish you the best of luck."

The others grabbed his hand and forearm for a strong shake. The Human clone then disappeared into the night.

After a check with a sentry, a jog was made into the darkness of the field between Seminary Ridge and Cemetery Ridge. His uniform was removed and one of a Union Lieutenant put on. A hurried walk had the newly-decided assassin approaching a Union sentry.

"Hey! Don't shoot. Lieutenant Danberg. I managed an escape."

"Come here. Into the light. And drop that rifle."

Buck complied. Another officer was brought over and the story of escape questioned.

Buck said, "I was on the forward face of the ridge. One of my men running behind me was shot in the back. He fell forward, tripping me up. For whatever reason I just laid there."

"What unit are you from?"

"43rd New York. You know where they are?"

"Baxter's men. Just the other end of the cemetery."

"I need to see the generals."

"What?"

"While laying there, just after sunset, I overheard two of the officers talking. At dawn Lee has ordered five divisions coming straight out of town, one after another. They plan to pierce our lines at a single point and spread from there. Skirmishers will be used to hold our flanks in place."

"Straight in will be suicide."

"Maybe, but if they make it to our lines by sacrificing a division, and still have four coming right behind, we will have lost our advantage of the high ground."

The captain of the watch nodded. "OK. You come with me."

A ten-minute walk had the pair passing through several sentry checkpoints before arriving at the tent of Brig. Gen. Henry Baxter who was being visited by Maj. Gen. John C. Robinson.

The captain stuck his head in the tent. "Sirs. I have an officer of yours here who just came from rebel lines. He has important news."

Baxter nodded. "Bring him in."

As Buck entered the tent the General's expression changed. "You are not of my command."

Buck bowed his head. "Sorry General. But I do have a message for you."

With a sudden leap, a knife was thrust forward. The General, having been wounded three times prior, was both healthy and spry for his age. A hand was grabbed and the knife blade stopped after penetrating no more than an inch. A short scuffle ensued with the blade of a saber being thrust into the back of the would-be assassin. As the clone fell to the side, his own knife was raised and his jugular sliced.

Reno winced as the display went black. "No need to be taken prisoner, I suppose. Although, change could also be effected from the Union side. The outcome of this battle for the Confederacy was devastating, but could have been crippling if the Union troops had pursued."

"That thought has crossed my mind. But I would prefer to save that effort for the end of the fight, if needed. For now, prepare a new clone. I would like to continue this assassination attempt. I hope my next effort will take me all the way to General Meade, the commanding Union general of this fight."

A naked clone became aware of his surroundings, standing beside a pile of discarded clothes in a field. The battlefield dress of a Union major was put on and a walk across the field separating the two sides was taken. After hiding in scrub for nearly an hour, a sentry on horseback was surprised and knocked to the ground.

The short scuffle that ensued saw Buck Andersen coming out as the victor. The cavalryman was searched and a folded note retrieved from his jacket. The horse was mounted and after a few minutes of becoming once-again familiar with its workings. The assassin rode back toward enemy lines.

As he caught sight of the first sentry at a site designated as the Peach Orchard, he slowed. "I have a command letter for General Meade from Lincoln himself!"

The sentry waved him closer, looking over the uniform before aiming his rifle at the intruder. "You aren't cavalry. Dismount!"

Two other sentries hurried over.

"I will not dismount, private! This is important correspondence from the President. Summon your superior and make haste!"

A captain arrived, demanding to see credentials and offering to take the letter to his command.

Buck growled. "Captain, do you want to be responsible for the President's commands being held up? You either move me through or I'll see to it you are standing here on sentry, come morning!"

The bluff worked. The rider was passed through. Two more checkpoints were passed before he was accompanied to the newly set up tent of Maj. Gen. George Gordon Meade, the freshly promoted Commander of the Union Army of the Potomac.

As they entered the tent, Meade was seated at a small wooden table with two members of his staff. "What is this?"

Buck held up the folded note. "From Lincoln himself, sir."

The note was tossed onto the table. As all eyes turned to the General, the paper was collected and slowly unfolded. During the distraction, Buck had carefully drawn his sword. The General's eyes looked up in confusion as a lunge and a thrust found its mark, driving deep into the General's chest, piercing his heart. A scuffle had the assassin quickly subdued.

# Chapter 26

### _______________________

Naffi shook his head. "I managed an attempted escape and was shot twice in the back, dying just after. Please check our progress with the compares."

Minutes later, Reno shook his head. "The General died, but the fight carried on much as it had. Other than a mention of the assassination in the archives, nothing else came of it."

Naffi banged a fist. "What must we do to bring change? Should we move up the time to be closer to the Earth invasion?"

Reno let out a long breath. "I believe our ability to create change at that point to be less. What possible difference could a single individual make? We are better off in the past where larger change rippling forward is possible."

"Larger change doesn't seem to make a difference either."

Reno scratched his chin. "Perhaps we need to trace back family trees to the point of the invasion of Earth. A single death to an important figure during the assault, or even an injury, might give us the effect we want, eliminating the OSSHR altogether and sparing your family."

"I just don't see how we can be that specific or precise from so far back."

"We should at least target Dr. Nunol. If his family line can be traced back to the invasion and be eliminated there, he would never exist. Except of course on Mentox-II where he is now. But he would lose his entire connection to the Empire, forcing the doctor and the others to be on their own, with the entire temporal project not having ever existed. The stations and those on them would of course remain, but the Empire would no longer have warrants for our arrest."

Naffi nodded his head in thought for several seconds. "Hmm. That line of reasoning has merit. I'll have Vara research that for us. You have said before that we must travel at least forty thousand years into the past. How do we do so and then eliminate Nunol's family line at that time?"

"Impossible. We cannot travel to any of the inhabited colonies. Leaving us with places such as Earth to visit, which have no space-travel infrastructure whatsoever, and are rarely visited, even in the past. And our equipment will not allow us to clone Opamari. We don't have the seeds for such in our library."

"Why was Earth never made a colony?"

"You've been there. Did your clone not detect the difference in gravity?"

"I thought that might just be fatigue from the journey."

Reno shook his head. "There is a 16 percent difference with our standard. Why live an uncomfortable life when there are so many other planets that already match our needs?"

"Understood. And please allow me a few minutes to contact Vara. We will have the information we seek shortly."

"I'll prepare another clone. This war and the people you have encountered have been far too interesting to abandon."

"Agreed."

The clone was again dropped into the field, moments after the prior clone's termination. His Confederate uniform was retrieved and put on. A cool dew coated everything outside. The air still hung heavy with the smell of sulfur. A fog was descending, lowering visibility. Buck hurried toward his line.

A sentry stopped his progress. "Halt!"

Jim was waiting nearby. The guard was convinced to allow him through. Minutes later, they were sitting in the trench with the others.

Teddy asked, "Well?"

"General Meade is dead. A sword thrust through his heart."

Teddy chuckled. "You made it all the way to General Meade and then back without getting a scratch on you? You got magical powers or something?"

"Actually, I died twice. I attempted an assault on Brig. Gen. Baxter and was unsuccessful. I had to slit my throat to avoid capture."

Tommy looked on with wide eyes. Jim sighed.

Teddy shook his head. "You have some imagination. What happened with Meade?"

"When I came back, I commandeered a horse and rode into their camp with a fake note from Lincoln. Upon delivery to Meade, I pierced his heart with a sword I had taken from the previous rider. I got shot twice in the back when trying to escape."

"Uh-huh. And after dying you decided to come back here?"

"I did."

Teddy poked at the shoulder where the previous clone had claimed to have been shot. "You aren't even injured. I know exactly what's going on here. You stole another man's jacket earlier just so you could go see that woman. I carried you right there to her. And this here? You never went near the Union lines. You snuck off to try to see her again. And I'll say this just once, don't do that again. Your fool acts are gonna get us all arrested and hung."

Buck thought for a moment and smiled. "It's only been a few weeks and you already know me so well."

"I know how every young man acts when a woman catches his fancy. But seriously, please stop before you have us all facing a firing squad."

"I'll try."

The recording was forwarded to the point where the dawn was just breaking over the Union lines to the east.

A captain came through the trench. "Men of the 3rd Alabama, your regiment is being transferred to General Longstreet. Fall back to behind this ridge and proceed south about a half mile. You'll be reformed for an assault from there. Now move out. Things will be happening fast this morning."

As the men hustled out of the breastworks and up and over the ridge, Buck said, "This is different. We were supposed to be in reserve for an assault on Culp's Hill."

Teddy sarcastically replied, "Maybe General Lee didn't get your note."

"We'll be heading into either the Peach Orchard, the Wheat Field, or the Devil's Den."

"Devil's Den?"

"That will be the name given to the fight just to the south of the Wheat Field. The Yanks have a well defended position at two of the three. Well enough so they can bring in reinforcements when the time comes. Let's hope we get Devil's Den. If Wheat Field, there's a very high chance we won't be coming back."

Teddy sighed. "You just never stop with the stories, do you?"

A lieutenant rode up as they marched. "Just got word from one of our spies. Somebody got to the Union General Meade last night. Gigged him with a sword."

A cheer went up as the rider moved along to pass the news onto the next regiment.

Teddy stared at Buck. "There is no way you could have guessed that. No way."

Buck shrugged. "I just marched in there, demanded to see the General and then stuck him with a sword."

Jim smirked.

Teddy shook his head. "No. Uh-uh. You overheard that while traipsing around after your girl. No way you would have made it out of that camp alive."

"I didn't. Which is how I got this new body without the wound."

"Yeah. You didn't have the wound before you went in because you never had the wound. If you know so much, what is the Devil's Den?"

"It's an outcropping of rocks and boulders. Gonna be some nasty fighting in and around those rocks, but we'll take 'em. And we'll take the Peach Orchard. And even the Wheat Field, although we'll give that back repeatedly as the Union keeps reinforcing there. I'm hoping we get assigned Devil's Den.

"From there I want to make a run up onto Little Roundtop to capture their artillery. We do that and we might just whip the Yanks in this fight. We fail and you will see a huge waste of men tomorrow. Lee will order General Pickett to charge straight at Cemetery Ridge with thousands. Will be a slaughter of our own."

Tommy frowned. "For a storyteller he sure does have a lot of detail."

"That's what they do. They hold your attention with the detail. Again, he must have overheard others discussing this."

Reno paused the recording. "You seem to be enjoying that too much."

"It is definitely an aspect of Human humor we do not possess. I believe they call it irony. Regardless, please forward to 4:00 PM. The final fights of the day begin from there. We are sent in as reserves for the 44th Alabama. We will push through Devil's Den and the Slaughter Pen for an assault on Little Roundtop."

Naffi's expression turned from a smirk to a saddened frown.

"The Slaughter Pen... very Human names. Does something happen there?"

Naffi looked down. "We lose Thomas Dennis in the fight."

"My recollection of the archives says he survived the war."

"Prior to my taking out Meade. An unfortunate turn of events. Perhaps we should consider updating your knowledge after each journey?"

"Considering how events might change, I think that to be wise, although, I would then have two or more recollections of that war. I'm not certain I could keep recalled memories of those instances separate."

"Nonsense. I inherit a new set of memories each time I attach to a new clone. None of those have mixed. The newly uploaded archive seems to naturally take precedence."

Naffi forwarded the recording to a new point. After assembling in a battle line behind the 44th and 48th Alabama regiments, the lines began to move forward.

Buck said, "It's the Devil's Den. It follows the valley along a stream called Plum Run. A valley runs up to just beneath Little Round Top. A valley that will later come to be known as the Valley of Death."

Teddy shook his head. "So what happens today? Seeing as how you seem to know everything."

Buck replied, "Will see some horrific action in front of us. When those two regiments engage, you're gonna see me rush up there with them."

"We can't just do that," Teddy said. "We have to follow orders. Otherwise Captain Sands will shoot us himself."

"Then let's hope we get the command, because I'm taking that hill. There are six guns up there that will be raining death and destruction down on our boys in the Wheat Field."

Teddy frowned. "Now you're starting to scare me."

"They'll be hitting first resistance about 4:30 PM. From there it gets horribly worse. But if we can take Little Round Top, that may change everything in the Wheat Field."

Reno watched with nervous anticipation as the playback continued. The first booms of cannon shells exploding sounded minutes later. The 44th and 48th regiments were put into a hurried march. The display bounced as Buck Andersen and the rest of the 3rd hurried after. The terrain was rocky, causing lines to break and to reform. The regimental commanders were out front, leading the way, flags were flying high.

Teddy scowled. "Scalding out here today. I don't believe I've ever felt this hot."

Two men to their left fell off, stumbling for the shade before collapsing. Another to their right fell in place, his comrades picking him up and helping him to continue.

Buck replied, "Just keep drinking your water."

The 44th and 48th made their way on the right flank, cutting through trees at the base of Bushman's Hill and then along Plum Run before breaking out into the open. Shot and canister exploded in front of and around them. Some falling early, but the rest marching ever forward. Again the air was filled with the smell of sulfur and the sight of white and yellow smoke.

The distant yells of an assault could be heard coming from the treeline to their left.

Buck said, "That would be the Texas 1st. They are taking the artillery on Houck's ridge. Those rocks up ahead are what I referred to earlier as the Devil's Den."

Teddy waved the smoke from his face. "What rocks? Oh... now you really are starting to scare me."

Thirty sharpshooters had taken position in and among the rocks of the Devil's Den and were decimating the Union lines protecting Little Round Top. The rocks prevented cannon fire from being effective against them. The Alabama 44th split to the right side of Plum Run while the Alabama 48th took the left. The Alabama 3rd following to the right.

Buck gestured ahead as the clap sounds of muskets firing cackled down from in front of them. "This section ahead is called the Slaughter Pen. You'll soon find out why."

The Slaughter Pen and the woods surrounding it were filled with smoke. Cannon-shot exploded as muskets flashed, sending their death warrants across the fields and into the trees. Only the occasional clear spot told of where the enemy was. As each regiment reached a hundred yards from the base of the hill called Little Round Top, they began their volley, reload, and move forward tactic that was ritual for the time.

Buck took aim, waiting a few extra seconds for a moment of visibility before firing a shot up at the artillerymen on top of the hill. As he knelt to reload, Thomas Dennis was struck with a Minié ball. It entered his right eye and exited the back of his skull. The death was instantaneous. His body dropped to his knees and then flopped straight over, landing face sideways with his intact eye still looking forward.

Jim glanced down for only a second, acknowledging his friend for the last time.

As the 44th reached thirty yards from the Union position, held by the 16th Michigan, the back line affixed bayonets while the forward line knelt to reload. As the line firmed, soldiers dropping to the right and left, the order was screamed out and the rebels charged forward, coming up through the trees.

In response, the 140th New York charged down the hill in support of the Michigan 16th. As remembered from the archives, the Alabamians had tried twice and had been repelled. This time the 3rd Alabama was there in support. As the 44th turned back to regroup, the 3rd charged forward.

Buck yelled at the top of his lungs, the adrenaline now coursing through his veins. A partial volley cut down men to his left and right, but he, Teddy, and Jim pressed forward. With bayonets affixed, the Alabama 3rd rammed into the New York and Michigan regiments in and around the large rocks on the side of the hill. Cries of rage were mixed with screams of agony. The Union line soon faltered.

As the defense broke the failing echoed down the Union line. The regrouped Alabama 44th soon followed up and turned down the line in a flanking maneuver, sending Union forces scurrying for a way out. But there was none. The hand-to-hand was intense as the 4th and 5th Texas mixed with the 44th New York and the 83rd Pennsylvania. Further up the 47th and 15th Alabama infantry regiments forced back the 20th Maine.

As Buck, Teddy, and Jim topped the rise, the Union artillery was in the process of trying to escape. The first volley took out half the men. The others turned to flee.

The artillery positioned on Little Round Top was then turned on the 91st and 155th regiments of Pennsylvania, and 146th New York, who had come in support... but were minutes too late.

Buck and the others raced forward, taking shots and then reloading as others passed them by. Fierce fighting ensued as the Union troops attempted to retake the hill. As the 4th and 5th Texas reached the hill's top, the Union reinforcements were pushed back. For fifteen minutes the combined units rained death down on the retreating bluecoats. The hill known as Little Round Top, a decisive Union victory in the original archives, had been overwhelmed and taken.

The captured cannons were quickly turned to face the north end of the carnage at the Wheat Field where the third rebel assault had pushed forward only to be pushed back. A barrage of cannon fire ended the death from above being rained down on the Confederates from the two remaining Union artillery pieces in the southern fields.

Orders quickly came to reform. The 44th and 48th Alabama regiments marched after the fleeing Union troops. The 3rd was given the task of guarding and finishing the breastworks on the north side of Little Round Top which the Union troops had left incomplete.

Teddy said, "The Glorious 3rd. Another hill taken."

Buck glanced back down the narrow valley where Thomas Dennis had fallen. "Rest in peace Tommy. You've won a great victory today."

The Union troops had fallen back to the Hummelbaugh Farm where they were busily reforming their lines. Artillery lining Cemetery Ridge, running north to Cemetery Hill along Taneytown Road was turned to stop the threat of a continued Confederate assault. The gray forces of General Longstreet reformed for a coming push forward, only to have orders come in for them to hold their position.

Lee ordered the divisions of General A. P. Hill to move to the forward edge of Seminary Ridge, the result being a Union command that was uncertain if an attack was imminent, as Confederate General Ewell's force continued to press at Culp's Hill. The new Union commander, Maj. Gen Henry Warner Slocum, gave the order to retreat. The ridge and surrounding area was no longer a strong position.

Forces began to pour down Baltimore Pike in flight. Skirmishers laid down fire to feign a counter offensive. A final cannonade was made toward the Confederate troops lining up for battle on Seminary Ridge before the artillery pieces were hooked to their horse teams and pulled away.

The fighting had drawn to a close as the sun dipped over the horizon and the twilight dwindled. A Union column would stretch out for twenty miles as the entire force moved southeast. Except for four regiments left as skirmishers, who were ordered to delay a Confederate advance, the Union had left Gettysburg in the middle of the night. A hasty retreat by the remaining regiments happened just before dawn's first light.

The retreating Union troops were then harassed by the cavalry of General J. E. B. Stuart as they circled their way back to a defensive line called the Pipe, where the original battle for the defense of Washington was to have taken place.

Lee's troops were exhausted and casualties were high. Forty thousand men between the opposing sides had been taken out of the fight. More than fourteen thousand were numbered among the dead.

# Chapter 27

### _______________________

As the Battle for Gettysburg was raging in the past, Mentox-II was being put to use. Dr. Nunol was commanding a group, one which included Bouthis and Credin, that had been given the task of capturing Reno and Naffi and recovering Mentox-I. The renowned detective, Marwal, was preparing for his first bio-link.

Marwal laid back on a table. "And you say this is painless?"

"Physically painless, yes," Bouthis replied. "But you will feel every bit of pain the clone feels, as if it were your own. Prepare yourself for an unusual journey, Mr. Marwal. It will be unlike anything you have ever experienced."

The injections were made and the equipment moved back.

Marwal sat up. "I don't seem to have felt more than minor pressure. Are you certain— whoa. What is this?"

"That is the sights, sounds, feelings... everything the clone is experiencing. And please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with controlling it. Walk the room. Hop in place, speak. It will do virtually anything you command it to do as if it was your own body."

The clone stood and walked. "Remarkable. I can't tell you how useful this would be when going up against dangerous criminals. And you say no harm will come to me if this clone is attacked or killed?"

"Only psychological," Nunol said. "If you can overcome the shock of dying, you will have conquered its biggest drawback. Also keep in mind, here in the present you are experiencing everything in real-time. In the past, time is somehow accelerated coming back here to the present.

"This clone can easily live fifty years or more in the past while only a minute will pass here today. It is both a frightening and thrilling phenomenon. And if you scan your memories, you will also find you have an extensive knowledge of the time period you will be going back to as well as languages used, foods eaten, plants, animals, cultural norms. It is all there in your mind."

"Fascinating."

Bouthis said, "When you arrive in the past you will find that Humans wear clothing and your clone is naked, as it is here. Your first course of action will be to dress yourself before interacting with others. There are also restrictions as to when we can send you back and where. Our experimentation shows a time bubble of approximately fifteen miles in radius, where a jump has previously been made, that you cannot penetrate, so long as the other clone is alive."

"A bubble?"

"An area around where either you or someone else traveled to, cannot be visited again during the time that you or they were there. We have yet to determine why, but it appears to dissipate the instant a clone dies. We also know the bubble extends backward by ninety-seven years, preventing a traveler from directly interceding a prior mission. And we know the bubble is centered where the clone was deposited. Again, as to why this happens we are baffled."

"Will this impair our efforts?"

"Possibly." Nunol replied. "These two stations maintain a quantum link of their own, whereby we know where and when any journeys are taken, and they know the same of us. You will be dropped approximately thirty miles from the location where the clone of Naffi last journeyed. From there you will have to track him down. Keep in mind, so long as he is alive, you cannot enter the bubble that surrounds his point of origin. You will have to wait until he leaves that area.

"There are four bumps on your right forearm. Each is one side of a bio-link pair. Once you capture the Naffi clone, you will make a small incision, remove one of the pair ends, and transplant that end into his clone. It only need be put in contact with the optic nerve. The makeup of its cells will do the rest."

"Sounds complex. I don't have medical training for such."

"Ah, but you do. It was specifically implanted into your clone's memories, which you have inherited. Just think for a moment and you will realize you already know what is required to be done."

"Hmm. Interesting. That is strange. I know I've never done that, but I know exactly what I need to do. This is remarkable technology, Doctor."

"And we plan to fully exploit it when you have returned. But for now it is our priority to stop the potential damage that might be done."

"You mentioned people disappearing?"

"People, things, cities, even entire colonies are in jeopardy. If even a single person in your family tree is altered, you may not have ever existed."

"What if they manage to take out one of us here?"

"We are protected from time at the moment. This station, giving credit to the genius of Dr. Reno, sits in its own time bubble. We have no idea how this was accomplished as our teams are just now attempting to understand how any of this is even possible."

Marwal nodded. "So we're up against a genius scientist and a business mogul. Should be a snap then. Is there anything else I should know?"

"Capturing the clone is priority. If you are tracking him and decide an action by that clone has a high probability of bringing about change, take the clone out. We will have to attempt capture at another time."

"And if I am successful at installing the bio-link?"

"You only need keep the clone alive for a few hours. Long enough for the link to fully bond. At the moment of full-bond, we will have a connection to the real Naffi, giving us the location of Mentox-I. After that the clone may be terminated."

"And my clone?"

"Self termination. We can't risk you remaining and causing change from your own actions. And keep this in mind while you are there. The fewer people you interact with or changes you make, the less potential impact it will have on the future.

"One final note, Mr. Marwal. The Empire will be extremely grateful should you bring this to a stop. Extremely grateful."

"Good to know, Doctor. I guess I'm ready to be sent back."

You will be arriving at an Earth date and time of July 2nd, 1863, at 2PM. The war at Gettysburg will be raging. Our latest check of the archives indicate a significant Confederate victory there. Different than what originally happened. Luckily, that large change did not ripple forward in time to present.

"The new archives point toward a brewing fight at a place called the Pipe. It was the northern force's original choice for a defensive stand. It now looks like they will get their chance. And our records show five new members of the 3rd Alabama regiment of the Confederacy. We suspect one of those to be Mr. Naffi's clone. You will recognize him because the two of you are identical, both clones grown from the same seed."

The clone moved to the pod and laid back. The sleep drug was administered. Seconds later, the clone of Marwal was standing naked in a beet field. After a minute of orienting himself, the clone began to walk toward a farmhouse. The Opamari Marwal opened his eyes to a shocked expression.

Nunol asked, "What happened?"

"Clothing was acquired. I began my walk toward Taneytown to where the Pipe Creek Line was to be established. I hoped to connect with the Confederate ranks as a volunteer. When I came upon a group of locals along a road, I asked directions and mistakenly told them my intent when questioned. I was beaten and stabbed as a result. I believe we should try the other side of Gettysburg around York. Drop me just south of there."

"Unfortunate, but expected. It may take you several journeys before you have a good feel for what actions you should take. And I must ask, what is your reaction to death?"

"Shocking, and yet somehow thrilling. I expect my internal reaction next time to be somewhat muted as I will now know what to expect."

Nunol shook his head. "That is not the feedback we have received. Every experience is unique. Some highly gratifying. Others horrific. None have stated the horrific deaths got any easier. Which I believe is why some are not suited for these journeys. Including myself. I still have nightmares from my experience. As fascinating as the living part was, in my eyes, the dying made it all not worth it."

"I'll keep that in mind, Doctor. Now, if we have another clone ready I am willing and able to get back to my duties."

Minutes later, the naked clone of Marwal was again standing in a field, this time surrounded by stalks of corn. Clothing was acquired and a walk begun. Just before dark, the small town of Hanover was reached. Residents were scurrying about loading wagons and heading east, fearful of word of the approaching Confederate Army. Word of probes by rebel cavalry were coming in from the town of New Oxford to the north.

The clone stopped beside a wagon and asked, "Do we know where the Confederates are?"

"Everywhere, sir. They are everywhere. We are heading to Baltimore, and then up and over to Philadelphia. I would advise you do the same. We heard they beat the men of Gettysburg, then raped the women, before burning down the town. Such horrid people. Where-tell, sir, might you be headed?"

"Littlestown and then Taneytown. I was hoping to catch a wagon heading that way."

"There will be no one going that direction, sir. That is toward the war. I hear the Army of the Potomac is headed there now."

"As will I. I have business with the whole war effort. I thank you for your kind conversation."

As the clone walked away, the man yelled out. "God be with you, sir! I fear you are walking into the abyss!"

The road to Littlestown was almost vacant. Only the occasional wagon or horse rider hurried past in the opposite direction. The night came fast with the clone taking refuge under a tree off the side of the road. Morning light saw entry into a town that was mostly empty of all but Union soldiers scampering about.

A sergeant stopped him with advice. "You should have left with the others. The Confederates are massing no more than three miles away. Head south as fast as you can."

The Opamari Marwal moved the recording forward. "An additional day was spent working my way behind the Confederate lines. I managed a basket of apples from a grove as a ruse to get close to the men of the 3rd Alabama, claiming one of them was my family. They asked a name and I told them Sergeant Theodore Johnston.

"I was warned off that there might be fighting, although it wasn't ongoing at the moment, so I was kindly directed toward the regiment of target. Another half hour of walking had me coming upon a group who were taking refuge in the shade under a small grove of trees.

"Knapsacks were removed and used as head props or arm rests. Rifles were mostly laid across laps. Most of the men had their jackets removed to aid in the cooling of their bodies. There was no immediate danger of a surprise assault as they were positioned well to the center of the overall force."

"Was it Theodore Johnston?" Nunol asked.

"It was not. Neither was it Jim Harrison nor Thomas Dennis, who is now deceased. There are two names of interest remaining. Cecil Carter and Buck Andersen. I was told by the others they were dead, but I am suspicious. The archives mention the death of Cecil Carter, but not the other."

Nunol nodded. "It must be him. And why would the others not admit to knowing him?"

"Could he have somehow been tipped off?"

"How would that be possible?"

Marwal shrugged. "A possible spy among us?"

"Doubtful. Most of these people came from other programs. None had met with Dr. Reno or even knew of his work. I made certain there would be no loyal connections."

"You stated before these two stations are linked together. Could he know we are now looking for his clone?"

Bouthis replied, "I do not see how. Your jumps have occurred since his last journey. Dr. Reno and whoever else may be helping them would have no way to contact the clone. Until it dies it would not know we had sent someone through."

Marwal turned to face Nunol. "I would bring in another investigator to check your personnel. I can recommend someone if you'd like."

Nunol nodded. "Pass me the contact information and I will see to it they have a priority contract. Now, please proceed with your demonstration."

The recording was moved forward to a point and playback was resumed.

Marwal said, "After questioning those men I was asked to leave the encampment. The apples were a good effort, but I can only believe our subject to have been warned."

"How did you proceed?"

"I enlisted in another unit of the Alabama regiments. Unfortunately I was under another division. That of a General Longstreet. They were positioned a half mile from the bivouac of the 3rd. I hoped to gain the information I sought before the fighting again raged. But that was not to happen. As a new recruit I was given every task possible to tend to the needs of the veterans. I was told I would have to earn my way into the regiment with more than just my words of pledge."

The recording was forwarded. "It was at this point the Confederate forces were split. Longstreet's division, and the Alabama 15th, was to remain behind while the divisions of Ewell and A. P. Hill moved north toward Harrisburg. I was told General Lee thought he might freeze the Union army in place protecting Baltimore, Washington, and Philadelphia, by having to spread their troops out if Harrisburg was taken."

"The archives make no mention of that assault."

"Because it didn't happen. Their movement was discovered by Union cavalry, effectively freezing them in place around Gettysburg. It was Lee's goal after all to rampage in the north for the summer, thus allowing Virginia time to strengthen herself. The result of the discovery was my regiment being told to hold their position for another three weeks before being moved back to fortify the very entrenchments the Union had begun during the original assault on Gettysburg."

"There is no mention of Lee's force wintering there."

"And they did not. They instead made the march in late August heading back down the Shenandoah Valley, stopping for a quick fight to take control of Harper's Ferry. They would camp there for the winter. The Union followed by moving the bulk of their force to Frederick, also for the winter. You only need look at the latest archives for verification."

"The recording shows another three months."

Marwal scowled. "During which I contracted pneumonia and died, still positioned at Gettysburg under Longstreet. However, I did pick up useful data on how the Confederate Army operates and deploys. I believe on my next journey I will be waiting at Winchester for the arrival of Lee and his forces, with a paper in my hands after having enlisted in the 3rd Alabama regiment all the way down in Mobile. It will be a long train ride north, but one that can be accomplished. And there will be no time bubble to interfere with my movement, or to give me away."

# Chapter 28

### _______________________

In an attempt to change its appearance, the clone to be used by Marwal was placed back in a growth chamber where an additional twenty pounds of weight was gained. Its hair was dyed a deep red and curled, and the facial beard it came out of the chamber sporting was trimmed to a mustache and goatee, also dyed red.

The archive information about Mobile and the surrounding area was loaded into the clone's memory. In a flash, the new clone used by Marwal arrived on the outskirts of Waynesboro Mississippi. After acquiring clothes and robbing the home of a wealthy cotton merchant, taking his jewels and stash of gold, and leaving a trail that suggested the culprit had gone north, the clone made its way to Mobile with its newfound fortune.

A store was opened in the name of Archibald Drake and entry into the local Mobile Cadets applied for and accepted. From there, enlistment gave him the credentials he would need for legitimately joining the Alabama 3rd. A three-week train ride from Mobile up to Richmond and over to Charlottesville had the clone on a wagon headed for Winchester as the fight for Gettysburg was just getting underway.

When the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia returned to take Harper's Ferry, Archibald Drake was waiting in Winchester, with paper in hand. The fight for Harper's Ferry was short-lived with twelve hundred Federals surrendering after a fight against overwhelming odds saw their defenses smashed.

Archie, as the clone had titled himself, stood in front of a captain who mustered him into the regiment.

A sergeant was given the task of showing him to his new abode. A private sat in front of an open fire just to the left of a tent.

"Private Brooks. This is your new bunk partner. Archibald Drake."

"You may call me Archie."

The sergeant rolled his eyes. "Keep him straight. Show him the ropes. At some point he'll be fighting beside you or behind you, so keep that in mind."

"Yes, Sergeant," the private replied.

The sergeant turned and walked away.

"Billy Brooks. And I don't think Archie suits you. You look more like a 'Red.' Yeah. I think I'll call you Red."

"If you like."

"I like. And let's get one thing straight. I'm a two-year veteran, been shot twice and stabbed at a dozen times. Even took some cannon shrapnel in my rear. Let's just say I've got more iron in my tail than lead in my cartridge box. So as I was saying, between you and me, I'm in charge. Got it?"

"Sounds reasonable."

"Reasonable? It's the law. And as your first order, I'm thirsty. Take this cup, go find Corporal Evans and get it filled with coffee. And I want it hot."

"Very well."

Archie looked in each direction. There were tents, wagons, and the smoke of a thousand fires lifting into the sky as far as he could see in any direction. He began to walk toward the nearest wagon.

Billy called out. "Hold up. Lose the knapsack. You'll be on the left side of that tent. The coffee wagon is this way. And remember, ask for Corporal Evans."

As Archie walked in the direction of the wagon, a snicker could be heard coming over his shoulder. Moments later, an irate corporal was in his face and yelling about the whole Confederate Army not having coffee and how he should write his momma to have some sent up.

Billy continued to snicker as Archie returned to the fire. "Sorry about that. I send everybody new to get yelled at by Evans. You're lucky that old buzzard didn't buck and gag yah. Never known anyone to be so cantankerous. But you get in a fight and you'll want him by your side. That man's got guts of granite."

Billy retrieved his cup. "Say, you look kind of familiar. Hey Johnny?"

A passing private stopped and turned. "Who's he look like?"

"Andersen, a little maybe."

"That's it! I never forget a face. You must be cousins or something. What's your heritage."

"My what?"

"Your family. Ancestors. Where they from?"

"Memphis."

Billy chuckled. "No. You idiot. From way back. Andersen is from Sweden if I remember."

"Sweden?"

"Drake... sounds more English. And sit down. Everybody's gonna think you're from the Cracker State."

"So you've been in this from the beginning?" The Marwal clone asked.

"As beginning as it gets. Two years in the Cadets before this started. Say, you wouldn't have some red-eye in your sack would yah?"

"Red-eye?"

"Tar water? Bark juice? Joy juice? Nokum stiff? Anti-fragmatic? Booze?"

"Liquor?"

"Yeah. Where you from? You sure ain't from Mobile."

"No. Sorry. All out."

"So what'd you do before signing up? Trouble with the sheriff?"

"A merchant. And before that an investigator."

"I hear the sound of the goose. You prolly ride around in one of those carriages with a top-hat and cane."

Another private came up and sat beside the fire. "You still trying the illiterate act?"

Billy scowled. "Why you have to ruin my fun?"

The private nodded his head to the side. "Billy here is fine schooled. Graduated Harvard. Sometimes we wonder if he ain't wearin' blue under that gray."

Billy pounced on his friend. The two men rolled around in the dirt for several minutes before heavy breaths agreed it was a draw.

After standing and dusting themselves off, Billy pointed to his friend. "This is John Bacon. We call him Hog even though he looks more like he's been at sea for six months and got scurvy."

The comment brought a chuckle and a shove.

"Here now. I'm talkin'." A fake scowl followed. "Anyway. He was a clerk in his daddy's store, part of the codfish aristocracy. I was just about to start lawyering when this broke out. Decided I better get out here in the fight before it was over, you know, something to impress future clients with. Everybody loves a patriot. You mentioned investigator. You don't look old enough to be doing such. What is it you investigate?"

"Crooked merchants and lawyers."

The trio around the fire was silent for several seconds before Billy and John burst out laughing.

Billy slapped Archie on the shoulder. "Red. You will fit right in here."

"Actually, I used to track people down for the government."

"Like a Pinkerton man?"

"That would be a fitting analogy."

John said. "Time to get some fixins."

Archie tilted his head. "What?"

Billy replied, "Had your dinner yet? And you sure you're from Memphis? Fixins is food."

"Yes, And I have not."

John stood. "If we don't get over there lickety split we're gonna get the dry bowl."

Billy shook his head. "Hold up." He stood and began to walk as he talked. "You don't want to be first in line. Come in at the end and you get the most meat in your stew."

John huffed. "Come in at the end and you get nothing but grief. And I ain't fond a grief."

Billy stopped, staring at Archie. "Red? You gonna eat with your fists?"

"What?"

"Your mess tin. You best fetch it less you're plannin' on cuppin' your hands together. And that stew can be a bit hot at times."

John chuckled. "Hope he don't forget his rifle when the shootin' starts."

Archie headed for his knapsack in the tent, returning with his mess tin. A short walk saw a huge iron pot of stew boiling over the top of an open fire. As each man stepped up, a ladle full of stew was dumped in his tin.

John took a sniff. "Hmm. Not bad today."

Billy frowned as his tin was filled. "Two bits of mule? Can't do no better than that for me?"

The cook doing the ladling scowled. "My apologies, sir. Please hand that back. I'll see to it you have a nice thick steak and a bottle of wine. Please step just over here to be seated."

Billy smirked as he covered over his tin with his hand. "I think I'll keep it just the same, thanks. But I would like that wine if you'd so please."

The comment brought a head shake from the cook before Billy was pushed forward. Two biscuits were dropped in his tin of stew by the next cook in line. A spot of free ground was found in front of a fire and the three men sat.

Billy glanced back at the cook, giving him a single nod which drew another scowl. "Just can't get good service around here."

John chuckled. "Ever try complaining to the manager?"

A laugh was returned. "I still like eatin' too much for that."

John dabbed a biscuit in the stew. "These sinkers are actually fresh today. You know what I could use? A good roasted armadilla. My momma used to make the best armadilla."

Billy scowled. "Iron clad possum is all that is. Nothing more than a fat rat in a shell."

"Yeah, well you never had it the way my momma cooks it."

Billy gestured back at the line with his spoon. "Hey, there's Andersen. See? Looks just like you in the face, except for that red wool you're wearin' on your chin."

Billy raised his hand for a wave to get attention. Archie pulled it down.

"What are you doin'?" Billy pulled his arm back.

Archie replied, "I don't need any more kin. Let a man eat."

A cold breeze blew in from behind them.

John looked back. "Another few weeks and we'll be dreamin' about the weather in Mobile."

Billy sighed. "I dream 'bout that ever' day. We live on the east bay at Great Point Clear. I can see myself sitting out on the veranda with tea and cookies. Tessa, my girl, would be twirling her umbrella, parading around and acting all coy. The hanging moss from the big oaks would be slowly swinging in a cool breeze coming off the water... just as the sun was setting."

Billy smiled. "My two little nephews would be runnin' around the yard playin' soldier. Any man's heaven."

John said, "We'd be gettin' ready to close up store about now. I'd be headed over to Martha's for some courtin'. Mmm. The curves on that girl could keep a man awake at night."

"You got a special lady, Red?"

"Just moved to town."

"We'll have to fix you up then."

John took a swig of water from a cup to clear his mouth. "Gerty. I can see him with Gerty Broun."

Billy slowly shook his head. "I wouldn't wish that on anybody I know. Too uppity. And unless you got loose change falling out of your pockets everywhere you walk, she ain't gonna show no interest."

John snickered. "You know, when you get back you're gonna have to retrain yourself how to talk. Your speak ain't very mannerable anymore. When we first got here you talked all high and mighty. Now you ain't much better than a piney woods rooter."

"Are you saying I've lost my eloquence?"

"You've definitely lost something." John scraped out the last of his stew before swirling the bottom of his tin with the remains of a biscuit. "This war has not done you well."

"This war ain't about me. It's bigger than that. It's about our way of life and whether or not we want some Yankee Congress dictating how we live. I'll fight for my freedoms, for my city and my State. And it's the Yanks who want war. We just wanna be left alone."

Another cold breeze blew in from behind them.

John rinsed out his tin with the water remaining in his cup before swigging it down. "I get the feeling it's gonna be a cold winter."

"Sleeping in a tent in the snow." Billy smirked. "What could be better."

A sergeant walked up to the pair. "Lieutenant selected the two of you for picket duty tonight. You'll want to dress warm." The sergeant glanced at the northern horizon. "That wind will be cutting through you as it gets dark. Report to the lieutenant when you're done here."

Billy returned a coy smile. "Thank you for this opportunity, Sergeant."

The sergeant stared for several seconds. "Sounds like you're volunteering for this permanently."

John cut in, "No. No. We're just enthusiastic about doing our part, Sergeant. Thank you for letting us know."

A huff was followed by a quick turn before the sergeant strode away.

Billy stood. "Let's go put on some layers, boys. And Red, hope you brought some woolen drawers with yah. I get the feeling we're gonna need 'em."

"Me?"

"You've been assigned to me. Where I go you go. Come on. You can tell us about some of the people you tracked down while we walk."

# Chapter 29

### _______________________

The following day, Buck Andersen shivered as he attempted to inch closer to a fire. "I've never felt such cold."

Teddy nodded. "It's that dad-blamed wind. You got two sets of drawers on?"

"I do."

A lieutenant came up. "You three. Come with me. You are now on wood duty. I want each of these logs split and the four pieces carried to each fire from here to that Carolina flag in that direction and the captain's shack in that one."

Teddy scowled. "That's gonna take all day."

"It will. And just be thankful someone else will be delivering that wood for your fire tomorrow. You have your orders. Wood pile is just over there."

The Lieutenant hurried away, his hands tucked in his pockets and his arms pinned in tight to his sides. His collar was pulled high and his head held tilted down to keep the wind from his face as he walked.

Buck stood. "The sooner we have this done the sooner we get back."

Jim grumbled.

The trio walked the fifty yards to where a wagon full of eighteen-inch logs were being dumped on the ground. Teddy settled a large log, cut-side down. A second log was stacked atop the first.

Jim grabbed an ax. "Stand back."

A single hard swing split the sawn piece of oak in two. The same process twice more had the log in quarters. Buck grabbed another log, setting it atop the base log.

Teddy frowned. "Guess that makes me a runner."

The split sections were collected and carried away.

The sky was gloomy and the temperature frigid. Buck shook as he placed the next log. Like a pro, Jim followed with a single swing, splitting the wood. It was a process that would be repeated hundreds of times that day.

Each drop of four pieces of wood came with an outcry for more. "We're gonna freeze!"

Teddy shrugged. "All we've got."

He returned to the chopping block, turning his head from side to side. "Where's Buck?"

"Gone to relieve himself."

Teddy grimaced. "Something I need to do myself. I'll be right back."

As Buck approached the latrine area he passed a hastily constructed supply hut. A heavy blow to the back of his head had him in a daze as he fell to his knees. He felt arms come up under his own and his heels were soon dragging on the ground as his body was being pulled into the shack. As his mind began to clear, a grinning figure of himself, this one heavier with red hair and a goatee, was standing over him.

"Hello Naffi."

"Marwal?"

Buck was flipped over and his hands and feet bound in a hurried fashion. As he was rolled back, the red-haired clone lifted up a sleeve. He then pulled a knife as he cracked the door open slightly to allow in more light.

"Sorry, but this is gonna hurt. You're under arrest for treason against the Empire."

"You people killed my family."

"It was an accident. Had it been up to me they wouldn't have been brought in. Your history shows you kept them out of involvement with the family business. I tried to tell that to the others, but they insisted. Anyway, I know it does no good, but I'm sorry it happened that way."

Archie made an incision on the inside of his right forearm. He winced as the sharp-but-crude knife dug under his skin, pulling out a small nodule of living tissue.

"What are you doing?" Buck asked.

"Well, you tell me where Mentox-I is right now and we don't have to do any of this."

"I have money."

The clone chuckled. "And where would I spend that exactly, here? You do know everything we're saying has been recorded, right?"

"I know. Doesn't mean you have to do this."

"Why are you back here? What are you trying to do exactly?"

"Change the present by changing the past."

"How so?"

"With the right combination of events here, Nunol could be made to no longer exist. And with that my family might just reappear."

"Or they might be gone forever."

"They already are gone forever. Should I do nothing and just leave them dead? Or should I try to bring them back through change? You have a family, Mr. Marwal?"

"I do actually. Which is another reason I'm here. Your changes could affect their lives. So you have to be stopped."

The door of the darkened cabin swung open. Teddy Johnston was standing with his fists balled. A darkened figure leaped from inside the room, knocking him backward, crashing him into a stack of crates where he became momentarily wedged. The dark figure was almost instantly around a corner, disappearing into the field of tents that were visible as far as the eye could see.

Teddy freed himself and then rushed the shack. "Buck? You OK? What was that all about?"

"Just someone looking to rob me I guess."

"Here? With thousands of us around? Somebody has dung for brains and way more guts than I'd ever have. There's a spot of blood here. You hurt?"

"No. Just get these ropes off me though before he comes back."

A soldier who had been relieving himself came over. "Your boy OK?"

"Looks to be."

"What'd he want?"

"To rob him, we think."

"Here? Now?"

The ropes were undone. Buck rubbed his wrists.

"I guess you just never know. Thieves are everywhere."

Teddy asked the soldier, "You get a look at him?"

"Me? No. I got no vision past about thirty feet. Everybody just looks like a smudge from there on out."

"You fight like that?"

"Sure. I can shoot a smudge just as well as the next guy. I won't never be no sharpshooter, but I can still tell bluebellies from butternuts."

Buck stood and nodded toward the stranger. "Thank you for your help."

"Uh-huh. Glad to be there. You fellas be safe. I'll go spread the word we got a bad egg among us."

The soldier hurried off, clutching his arms as he attempted to stay warm.

Teddy asked, "You see who did this?"

Buck felt at a growing knot on the back with his head. "No. He came at me from behind. Next thing I know I was tied up."

"Seems strange he would tie you up for that."

"Maybe he wanted to get away? Couldn't say."

"Let's get back to that wood before the lieutenant declares us deserters."

Naffi paused the recording. "We thought he could be out there. Now we know for certain. Marwal is hunting me."

Reno replied, "Perhaps it is time we moved you to a new location."

"After the next jump. This one isn't over."

Just after a break for lunch, the last of the wood had been delivered and cut. The lieutenant came around. "Good work. I might just have to make this permanent."

Teddy scowled. "Well that's not fair. We only did as you asked. If others are dragging their feet, why should we pay the price for it?"

The lieutenant nodded. "I was joking. But I do have some good and bad news. This duty entitles you to four more pieces of wood for your own fire."

Teddy's expression of irritation turned to one of thankfulness and then confusion. "Uh. Wait. We got no more wood."

The lieutenant grinned. "Got another six wagons about to come over that hill. Keep four for yourself and spread the rest around as evenly as you can. We realize this wasn't enough for today and we're trying to remedy that. Not easy trying to keep forty thousand soldiers warm."

Buck said, "I heard a rumor the Union has volunteers joining in droves since Gettysburg."

"As do we. And we're hoping that victory will bring in assistance from England and France. If so, this war just might see an early end."

Teddy's eyes sank as the six wagons rolled over the top of a rise.

Buck patted him on the back. "At least you don't look cold anymore."

"No. But I will be later when the fatigue sets in. You think you were cold this morning? Just wait until that sun goes down tonight."

"Well, at least we'll have extra wood."

The setting sun brought bitter cold, made exponentially worse by a wind that again picked up, the temperature dropping into the low teens. Many of the tents had been repositioned throughout the day in an attempt to move them closer to the fires. Two had been pulled too close. With the wind whipping, they had gone up in flames when sparks had been blown in onto blanket rolls.

Teddy scowled at the fire that had been burning low since their return. Most were out. "One log left. How's a man supposed to keep himself warm in this? Give me an ax and a horse and I'll bring us back enough to last a week. I'd have thought we'd all have dog houses built by now."

Jim huddled close. "Other side of camp. Captain said we probably have another week before we see lumber over here. I been colder than this once. Last winter. We found at least a dozen of our boys frozen stiff in the morn. Not here in the 3rd, but in this man's army. Coldest night I've ever experienced."

Teddy shook his head. "And then you get robbed. I mean, what was he trying to take? Your drawers?" A chuckle followed.

"Could be. It's cold enough for that."

"Cold enough to steal a man's drawers." Jim smirked. "That's how we'll remember the winter of 63-64."

Teddy blew into his hands, rubbed them together, and then reached out, almost placing them in the flame. "And none of us got a look at him. You were in the dark and I got caught off guard. That old coot who pointed to where you were just said he saw two men go in there. Don't think he knew one was being dragged."

Buck shivered. "No need to dwell on it. It's done and nothing we can do about it."

The following morning saw a fierce wind that had died down to no more than a whimper. A poke at a canvas tent brought a feeling of something that was almost frozen solid. Out of the forty thousand in the encampment, four had died in their sleep... their bodies loaded on a wagon for burial elsewhere.

# Chapter 30

### _______________________

As January of 1864 rolled into February, the bitter cold had surrendered to a periodic cold rain.

The clone of Marwal made another attempt at trapping and holding captive the clone of Naffi. While Buck and Teddy were on picket duty, as they walked the perimeter of the camp one night, Teddy was struck in the back of the head and knocked unconscious.

A struggle between the clones ensued with Buck coming out on top and escaping, the attacker slinking off. Again, no description was given of the perpetrator and no action was taken. That was until Buck located Archie's tent and secretly followed him out on duty. A knife to the back sent the detective's clone to a shallow grave as the regiment had been sent out to forage for kindling. Teddy and Jim gladly assisted with the burial and subsequent hiding of the body.

Buck kept a sharp eye out for a new clone as both Teddy and Jim felt justification and yet remorse for their actions.

The day's assignment was at the cook shanty for their regiment. The regimental cook stood over a giant pot of stew, tasting from a spoon before dumping in another half-cup of salt. His hand waved over the pot, wafting the smell up to his nose where deep breaths were inhaled. A hand was then run back and forth across the base of his nose, drawing a scowl from Teddy as he considered the unsanitary habit.

Teddy sat on a bench, peeling and dicing squash as Jim did the same beside him. "A man shouldn't be buried like that, that's all."

"That was no man," Jim replied. "And he doesn't deserve to be called such."

Buck took a seat beside him with another squash, placing a bucket between his brogans.

The cook stood in front of Teddy with a squinted eye after a piece bounced on the floor. "Everything in the bucket, Sergeant."

"If it hits the floor it stays there."

The cook leaned in with a growl. "It's a squash. We pulled it off the ground. What's the matter? You scared of eatin' a little dirt?"

Teddy snickered. "I eat dirt every time I eat your cookin'."

The cook gave a single harrumph. "Expect an extra helping of it in tonight's stew."

Jim poked Teddy's arm. "Let him be. Not good to upset the man that feeds yah."

A captain came into the shack out of the pouring, cold rain outside. "Smells good in here, Sergeant Metters."

"We got a real toad-strangler going out there. Here. Have a sample of tonight's gruel. It'll help warm your bones."

"What's the meat in there?"

"A nice fat rabbit and a couple squirrels. And half a possum from yesterday."

The captain took a sip. "Hmm. Needs salt."

Metters scowled and grumbled as more was added to the mix.

"Nothing but wet and mud out there. And command is talking about a move."

"This time of year?" Teddy asked. "Another month I can see, but we still have some harsh weather to get through. Not going anywhere fast if we're traipsing through that mud with this rain."

"Doesn't matter. General Grant has been given control of the Army of the Potomac. He's been giving us fits out west. And he has fifty thousand new recruits who'll be joining his ranks here. Intelligence says it's gonna be a hard Spring for us all."

Jim asked, "Captain? A move to where?"

"Maybe south down the Shenandoah and over to Charlottesville. Word is coming in of troops pouring into Fredericksburg. There's been a lot of reports coming back from pickets that the Union cavalry has been probing the area around Culpeper. If that's the case it may be an attempt to cut off our supply lines. We can't let that happen."

Teddy asked, "How are our own numbers, Captain? We have replacements coming to fill out our ranks?"

"I shouldn't say this and don't pass it around, but we're in dire need of those replacements and few are coming. Like I said, we might be in for a hard Spring."

The emptied cup was set on a table. "Thank you, Sergeant. That was just what I needed."

The captain moved to the door and then out into the pouring rain, his splashing boots heard as he hurried away.

Teddy looked up at Metters. "He called you sergeant? That in the Union army? For killing more of us than the Yanks?"

Metters waved a knife. "Keep at it and there might just be one more. And with all three of yah, I might just make officer."

Teddy chuckled. "Well, congrats anyway."

Jim said, "If they are moving toward Culpeper we should be on the move now. That means giving up on Winchester as well. And Longstreet needs to be moving his division down here pronto. I was surprised the bluecoats let him winter in Gettysburg to begin with."

"We've been to Culpeper. We can do that march in three days."

"Not in the mud out there. Will take us twice that time. The Yanks can be there in two."

"They don't move before March. Nobody wants to fight in this cold slop."

Jim shook his head. "They have a new commander. He don't care. I've been reading the handful of papers circulating around the camp of late. Our side calls him a buffoon and a drunk. Their side says he flies around using the little wings on his back because he keeps winning battles."

"We keep winning battles."

"True. But their recruit numbers keep growing. Ours aren't. We lost a lot of good men last summer. The fresh fish coming in? They don't have the years of seasoning we lost."

"Same for the other side. These new recruits have yet to see the elephant."

"Only they got more of 'em. Just sayin'."

Teddy turned, "Buck? You got no comment? You can see the future, right?"

"This is all new to me. The longer I'm here the less I know what will happen next. Gettysburg went much better than expected."

Teddy chuckled. "I still can't believe you were trying to convince us it was you who assassinated Meade."

A corporal stuck his head into the shack from the storming weather outside. "Sergeant Metters. Get your chow ready. We're gonna have a line coming through here in about ten minutes. The order to march just came down. We'll be moving out in about three hours. Heading down the Shenandoah."

Metters looked at the trio. "Chop what you got and dump it in this pot."

Teddy scowled. "That won't have time to fully cook."

Metters began scraping together the other materials on his table to add into the pots of stew. "It'll have to do. We can't waste what we got so little of. Here, fill your tins right now before this goes in. Then get out of my kitchen. And Andersen. You've just been promoted to dog robber. When you're done grab a ladle and get ready to fill some bellies. You other two can go pack duds."

The door was opened to a gully washer. Teddy pulled his cap down and his collar up before stepping out into the now ankle-deep mud. His brogans quickly filling with water as he sloshed off toward their wood plank shanty. Men were moving hurriedly around through the rain.

Blankets were rolled, tents collapsed, knapsacks packed and hoisted. In just under the three hours as commanded, the troops were lined up in columns for the march. At 2:00 PM, with the rain still falling at a moderate clip, the Army of Northern Virginia began their trek.

Teddy growled as he looked down at the mud, the cold rain dripping from his face. "What a miserable day to move."

Buck replied, "Has to be done."

The march was hard. The soaked columns of men only progressed five miles on the first day. The rain had let up, but a cold drizzle remained as the skies grew dark. The columns had moved to the side of the muddied road, seeking whatever high ground was available. Nothing was dry. Only wet and deplorable, as close to wretched as was possible.

Minimal comfort was found by those who found something to lean against. For the others it was a night where arms were wrapped around folded up knees and heads leaned forward. Only a lucky few achieved sleep.

As the dawn began to break, a soldier rode down the line on a horse. "Peas on a trencher! Peas on a trencher!"

It was the call to eat breakfast. Haversacks were opened and hardtack pulled out. Where water had pooled and looked to be clean, the hard, flat biscuits were dipped and consumed. Ten minutes later the same rider came by again. "On your feet!"

The columns again formed up and day two of the heavy-footed march began. It was another day without sun, the temperature hovering just above freezing. The rain had come to an end, but the temperature was beginning to drop.

Teddy grumbled. "We've only made eight or ten miles. That means some of the men probably haven't even left camp."

Jim replied, "Not that this is any help, but the Yanks are likely marching in this too. And if we're lucky we could reach Kernstown by nightfall. Might even be lucky enough to find a barn to sleep in."

The agony of the hike continued. The temperature fell during the morning as a north wind picked up. Cold, wet, and tired feet began to ache. Soldiers shivered as they bunched as close together as they could, taking turns at the windward side of the column to partially block the beastly chill from reaching their comrades. Faces were sallow, always looking down at the muddy ground in front of them.

As the afternoon progressed, the temperature dropped below freezing, while a light snow began to fall. The only consolation was a ground that was beginning to harden. After a full day of marching, the front of the column had just reached Kernstown as the last light of the day again disappeared. The Confederate force having traveled another twelve miles.

A command went down the line and the troops took positions for the night, again on the side of the road. Blankets were pulled and wrapped around bodies that just couldn't seem to get warm, the light snow of the day now picking up. The few fires that were lit struggled to stay so. Again the men took turns sharing what little warmth there was with their comrades.

As the next morning's light began to show, the skies opened up and the snow poured from the heavens. The temperature remained well below freezing, the roads now hardened and covered with puddles of ice. The snow on the ground was between four and then six inches deep.

By noon, Middletown was achieved and the drifts were reaching eighteen inches. The town was turned into a giant soup kitchen with the supply wagons having gone forward through the night on the hardened roads. After filling their bellies for the first time in a day, the greycoats marched on. There was no other option.

A lieutenant came down the line, falling in with a row of men who were marching eight abreast. "Listen up. If we can keep this pace we reach Harrisonburg in three days. Riders have gone ahead to alert them we are coming. We'll do our best to have hot meals, and if possible, warm bunks for those we can. After that it's another two or three days to get us all to Charlottesville.

"Preparations are already beginning there as well. Engineers are marking trenchlines and the locals, including volunteers coming over from Richmond by rail, will be constructing housing. Unfortunately the rails between Staunton and Charlottesville are down. Word is Yankee saboteurs took out the bridges a few days ago.

And just so you know how important this move is, there are large columns of bluebellies marching in this madness too. If we don't make Charlottesville before they do, we'll have to go all the way down to Lexington and over to Lynchburg. So keep those spirits up and feet moving forward. We'll show those Yanks what a Southern man is made of."

Teddy grumbled to Buck. "Last I knew they were made of the same stuff we are. Only they're better supplied."

Buck nodded at the Lieutenant as he moved on to pass the message to the next set of rows. "We have to do this, Teddy. They are right. If Grant manages to cut us off from Richmond we are finished. Without resupply we'll be starving and after a few days of fighting, running out of ammunition."

"We whipped 'em in two days at Gettysburg, we can do it again."

"Had they taken the offensive at Gettysburg we would have lost."

"How can you say that?"

"Look at these last two fights. Great victories even though we were heavily outnumbered. And what happened during each one? They tried to play defense, waiting for us to come to them and allowing us to outflank them. Had Grant been in charge, Gettysburg would have never happened like it did. At best we'd be huddled around Richmond while they tightened the noose around our necks."

"Which side are you fighting for?"

Jim said, "He's right. Hooker was meek. And Meade? Well, he got himself killed. Our best chance to end this war has always been a truce. And that's what General Lee is angling for. If we hold out and manage a truce, we win."

The following day the snow stopped. Two feet of the white powder covered the ground. The landscape to either side of the road looked like it had been sprinkled with a thick coat of sugar. The skies soon cleared to a bright blue and the temperature again warmed. With that warmth came the mud.

Heavy, mud-covered boots trudged along as a seemingly endless procession of soldiers and wagons marched south. Each new morning was met with word that another few dozen men had passed during the night. There was a reason the two armies had taken up winter encampments instead of fighting on. There was only so much the Human body could endure.

When Harrisonburg was reached, hot meals were again waiting. The 3rd Alabama was given the use of two empty barns. The animals the barns had contained the summer before had been purchased by the Army and made into stew.

# Chapter 31

### _______________________

Marwal hopped up on the table in the lab on Mentox-II.

Nunol again asked, "Are you certain you want to do this?"

"I believe it to be a superior opportunity. If this next fight goes as planned, there will be a surrender and prisoners will be taken. All this is new history, coming about since Naffi's clone was sent through, so he will be unaware of the coming ambush.

"And it won't be so difficult to gain access to prisoners as it was when surrounded by friendlies. If all goes well, I may even gain access to Naffi's clone at Rockfish Gap. The move by the Union General is brilliant. It brings the end of the war back to where it should be."

In a flash the clone of Marwal was dropped in a field near Fredericksburg. A quick swearing in had him on a wagon hurrying out to join the Union Army. Two days later he was mustered into an advance division that had taken Rockfish Gap, the path through the mountains leading from the Shenandoah over to Charlottesville. A trap was being set.

Timber was cut and trenches dug. The cold and the snow made the work difficult, but the men had motivation. The Army of Northern Virginia was expected in as few as four days. Breastworks were soon covering large swaths of the hillsides on either side of the gap. As an extra effort, care was being taken to hide their existence from the trail below.

If all went as planned, fifty thousand troops under the command of Maj. Gen. Ulysses S. Grant, would be positioned and waiting for an ambush. It was an ambitious plan, and one the archives were showing had worked.

The clone of Marwal, now named Ryan Potter, worked hard at a shovel. The soldiers on either side of him doing the same.

Another private, Timothy Prack, stopped for a quick break to catch his breath. "I never knew soldiering was so hard. I thought I was coming out here to fight."

Ryan replied, "This trench might just be what saves your life."

"Or takes it. Although, I will say I'm a lot warmer since I started digging. All these rocks though... those little beasts are confounding."

"You'll get your fight soon enough. Lee's men will be marching right up through here. What you'll find the hardest to do is to just let them pass."

"Let them pass? Why would we do that?"

"For this to be effective we have to strike a major blow. A good portion of Lee's troops, maybe a quarter, need to move through this gap. We then attack, dividing his force. Grant will be waiting on the other side with another thirty thousand men. With luck, the southern force will be cut in half, the remainder heading south in an attempt to get to Lynchburg."

"How is it you know any of this?"

"You just have to watch and listen. Hang around near the officers and you pick things up."

"Yeah, like extra work."

"Like the plans for this fight. Now, get that shovel moving so this can all be brought together.

Either side of the gap was soon covered with entrenchments that ran for nearly two miles alongside the road and rail going through. The north and western perimeters of Charlottesville had been flanked by another fifteen thousand Union troops, preventing much needed southern supplies and reserve fighters from gaining access to the coming battlefield. The archive had the event marked as a resounding defeat for the Army of the South.

Ryan took a break, sitting on the stump of a tree that had been felled for the breastworks. Looking down the line of trenches, two per side of the hill, sometimes three, he wondered how it would be possible to disguise them. A light snow continued to fall from above, but not enough to offer the blanket of cover that would be needed.

Another private came up from the path, offering water. It was gladly accepted by each member of the trenching crew. Other crews sawed timber, and still others embedded those timbers in the breastworks.

Timothy finished a ladle of water from a bucket and wiped his chin. "Fifty thousand of us. Look at 'em. How are they all gonna fit in these trenches? There's too many."

Ryan pointed. "That way, toward Staunton, we'll have those woods to either side filled with men. Probably half this force if not more. On the other end, as I said, Grant will have another thirty thousand. Those who don't fit in the trenches will be our reserves, further up the hills."

"Will not be a good day to be a greycoat."

"Indeed. History will record it as a slaughter."

"You sure are certain of yourself."

"Look around. Dead of winter and we're out here preparing for a great battle."

"Lee has to know. They have videttes riding all over these mountains and the Shenandoah."

"They aren't being effective. Their intelligence says we are marching on Culpeper first, and then down to try to capture Charlottesville. Only we aren't going after Charlottesville. We have this fight and then we go for the finish around Lynchburg."

Timothy nodded. "Wouldn't that be something? We capture Lee and they would have to give up."

"They will."

"You know anyone who has died in battle?"

"Personally, no."

"I do. Four brothers in a family from my hometown in New Hampshire. All four sons rushed in and signed up. All killed at Gettysburg. Which is why I joined. You?"

"I like digging trenches in the snow."

Timothy sat silent for several seconds before breaking into a laugh. "You are something, Ryan. I almost can't wait to hear what you'll say next."

A sergeant came up. "Off your rumps and back at it. Trenches don't dig themselves."

Ryan picked up his flat shovel, ramming it into the hard ground before scooping a load of dirt to toss on the front side of the trench. Five thousand men on either side of him were busy doing the same, accompanied by another five thousand across the way.

Three days before arrival turned into two and then one. The crews were hard at work dragging branches and boughs from felled trees up the slopes to place as disguise for the newly dug embattlements.

Ryan stood down on the mud-covered road looking up with a cut branch in hand. "No way they are going to miss this."

A sergeant came up behind him. "You have your orders."

Timothy dragged a pair of branches behind him. "I don't know. It's not bad. And if they've been marching for a week? Not much attention gonna be paid to the hillsides."

"We need a good heavy snowfall."

"You know, you've been acting like you know what's going on all the time, and now you're as uncertain as the next man."

"That's what we Humans do, isn't it?"

"Humans... now that's an odd thing to say. You sure you're not from the moon or something?" A chuckle followed.

"Not from the moon, but somewhere much farther."

Timothy smiled as he shook his head. "Well one thing is for certain, I'll have plenty of stories to tell about my friend Ryan when I get home."

"Let's hope you get home, Timothy."

The comment brought a scowl. The remainder of the day was spent camouflaging before trenches were populated. Fires were allowed during the course of the night, but had to be fully extinguished before first light. The first of the cavalry videttes were expected to be passing through the next morning.

Ryan warmed his hands on the fire along with five other soldiers in a slightly expanded opening in their trench. All down the line, similar flames burned.

Timothy Prack spoke. "Ryan here thinks Lee will be surrendering after this fight."

Another private rocked his head back and forth in agreement. "Let's hope so. I've had enough of being out here in this freeze. Don't know that I've ever felt this cold."

"Be happy you aren't having to march."

"At least they're moving around. Even with this fire my teeth are chattering."

Ryan said, "The fighting here will be over tomorrow. After that we move south toward Lynchburg."

"Lynchburg?" The private scowled. "Why can't it all end here?"

"Because Lee will escape and try to move his remaining force back to Richmond. We'll be cutting him off from doing so. After that we all go home."

"What do you do back home, Ryan?"

"I'm a detective. I track people down."

"Who pays you to do that?"

"Government, businesses, private citizens."

"Huh. Didn't know you could make a living at that."

"A very good living if you are well known enough."

The private smirked. "Then how come I haven't heard of you?"

"You got money and someone you want found?"

"No."

"There's why."

The others in the group chuckled.

The private crossed his arms. "You barely look in your twenties. How is it you would become a famous detective?"

"Because I'm good. And I normally don't use this body. I'm much older than this in person."

The private stared for several seconds. "I guess I don't really know what to say about that."

The others again chuckled.

Most of the night passed before a heavy snow began to fall.

Timothy nodded his head in approval. "Well look at that. Just what you said we needed. All our tracks will be covered and the rebs won't know what hit them."

A corporal came down the line. "No more logs. Orders. And before light, even if you only have embers left, the captain says they have to be out and buried. We can't have smoke rising and giving us away."

Ryan said. "We'll have it out, Corporal. Just keep making everyone aware of how important this is."

An odd look was returned.

Timothy moved in close to the flame. "Wonder how long we have to wait before they show?"

"Most of the day."

"What? Why?"

"Videttes will be through first in the morning. We've replaced all the normal pickets with our own men in disguise. The rebs riding through will think everything is clear. Troops and wagons will show after noon. We'll have to sit here all quiet as they march by. Fighting probably won't start until almost evening."

Timothy looked at the others. "And he seems to know what he's talking about."

"Just overheard officers talking, that's all."

The now irritated private asked, "And when would you have heard that?"

"Last time I went to relieve myself. Officers like to talk it up."

Timothy frowned. "Means we got at least twelve hours of this cold coming without a fire."

"You'll survive. We have plenty of blankets. And if enough of this snow falls on top of us, well that's an insulator too."

The gab continued until the fire had been reduced to embers. A stack of rocks was moved among the glowing heat. Melting snow soon had the embers extinguished. Several shovel-loads of dirt were heaped over the stack. A similar scene played out up and down the trenches.

As first light appeared the snowfall continued, but began to lighten. Four inches of fresh powder covered everything. Wagon tracks, hoofprints, footprints, and any damage caused by construction of the breastworks... were no longer visible from the trail. Instead, a pure white sheet blanketed Rockfish Gap.

A whisper went down the line. "No further talking. No raising heads."

Buckets had been left for those who needed to relieve themselves. Absolutely no noise of any kind was to escape the trenches. Some made their final jokes about everyone holding their breath.

As Ryan had predicted, the first of the cavalry videttes came riding up around 10:00 AM. The vidette's own tracks were the only evidence that anyone had been there. Even deer, foxes, and rabbits were staying away from the overwhelming smell of Humans, but the lack of their tracks was not noticed. The videttes trotted by, staying on the path, not detecting anything out of the ordinary along the way.

A group of officers along with hundreds of cavalrymen on horseback were next. Around 1:00 PM the first of the wagon's appeared. Dozens bumped and bobbled past, their horses huffing having come up an incline in the snow. At one point, another brigade of cavalry bolted around the wagons to bolster the riders who had gone ahead.

Behind the cavalry were the first of the troops, still marching eight abreast. Their faces only looking down at the snow-covered ground in front of them. Row after row trod past, not caring about the woods that surrounded them. Only thinking about the warm meals, and hopefully roofs over their heads that would be awaiting them in Charlottesville. The plan for the two-mile-long ambush was working perfectly.

A sneezing Union soldier brought only a few turned heads. The eyes of the men looking up were tired. The pallid looks told of their hunger. More than one fell to the ground only to be helped up by his brethren as the line marched on. For hours, men, wagons, and horses passed before whispers went down the Union lines to prepare. The fate of a large portion of the Army of Northern Virginia was only moments away.

# Chapter 32

### _______________________

Within seconds of each other, nearly ten thousand of the best riflemen in the Union Army stood at once and took aim. The first volley was devastating, taking out a third of the Confederate troops in the gap before a single rebel rifle was lifted. Sporadic defensive fire, going up into the hills where smoke from the assault was roiling, was then returned. A second Union volley twenty seconds later, cut in half the remaining number of rebel troops as they began to seek any cover available. There was none.

Ryan pulled a cartridge from his box. The end paper was bitten off and the contents poured down the barrel. The ramrod was removed and used. A percussion cap was placed on a nipple. Aim was carefully taken as orders rolled down the line to cease fire, causing Ryan to move his ready finger from the trigger. After a series of calls down from the hills, the remaining Confederate troops under threat of annihilation in the Gap— surrendered.

On either end of the mountain pass the fight continued. The cavalry riding up front had charged forward, only to be repelled by the thirty thousand troops in wait on the road to Charlottesville. Breastworks stretching nearly a mile in each direction formed a crescent shape, creating an impassable obstacle.

Columns of Confederate soldiers, nearly five thousand in number, who had come through the Charlottesville end of the gap, quickly formed into their regimental battle lines. Volley after volley of cannon fire and lead bullets cut their ranks by a quarter before the first of the regiments could attempt to move forward. A swift retreat found more Union soldiers waiting in the trees behind them. Taking stock of the dire situation, the pair of generals in command offered the surrender of themselves and their men.

At the entry to Rockfish Gap, Lee commanded his troops with precision and daring. After fifteen minutes of fight, the Union units firing on the rebels from the surrounding trees were pushed back. The price in Confederate lives was high, but the initial Union ranks were broken. A swift counterattack and slaughter of those rebels convinced Lee the fight had to be abandoned.

The remaining troops at the Staunton end of the gap, those of Rodes's division, O'Neal's brigade including the Alabama 3rd, were ordered to cover a retreat that would take the remainder of Lee's army south toward Lexington and over to Lynchburg. The Union troops, under orders from Grant's command, would only lightly pursue.

Jim scowled as the regiment was pushed into the fight. "We've just lost almost half our ranks."

Teddy replied, "We don't know that."

Buck shook his head. "No. He's right. That is Grant's Army out there. The bulk of it if not all. They were waiting for us. And after a week on the march in the cold and snow... we were ready to be beaten. I fear this war is lost this day."

"It's not lost so long as I can load this rifle and pull the trigger."

"Then you best get ready for what's coming. We have five weary regiments against what looks like twenty."

"You heard Rodes. All we have to do is slow them down."

The 3rd set up a defensive line along the banks of the South River, just below the hamlet of Waynesboro. Ice covered small pools of slow-moving water. Pure, white snow capped the trees of the forest in before them. Flurries continued to fall, but the cold was not on anyone's mind. In the forest, the first of the Union troops could be seen cautiously slipping through the trees.

A pair of cannons had been set up just behind the men of the 3rd, across the river. Loud booms were followed by iron balls screeching over their heads, exploding into the trees beyond. A charge forward by the Union troops was repelled by the rifles along the river.

A hundred yards further up, the Alabama 26th had crossed over and taken a stand on the other side of the frigid, icy divide. Again a pair of cannons had been left to offer aide. A similar scenario was taking place just to the south with the Alabama 5th. Behind the three regiments, the Alabama 6th and 12th were left as reserves.

Five miles to the north and west, the long train of Confederate troops had been ordered to move at double time. O'Neal's brigade, having been given the command to hold for at least two hours, was looking at the impossible.

Buck took aim and fired, his feet constantly slipping in the mud of the bank as he pressed to keep himself from sliding down to the water. A cartridge was removed from the box, opened, poured, and packed. Seconds later, the rifle was again thrown over the bank's edge and a shot fired. Fifty yards away, through the trees, a Union soldier fell. The process was repeated.

Over the course of a half hour, the Union troops had charged forward three times with each attempt being repelled. But each attempt also brought them closer. And each attempt brought more casualties to the Glorious 3rd. Jim had his cap knocked from his head, Teddy had taken a graze to his left shoulder. A constant parade of bumblebees buzzed past, the sound most often associated with Minié balls whizzing by just overhead.

On the fourth charge, the Union line again faltered, but was this time reinforced. The brown trunks of the forest trees turned a dark Union-blue. Smoke obscured visibility. The order was shouted out by Captain Sands to ford the river and take position on the other side. Part of the Alabama 6th had come up to offer cover for the defilade.

Teddy grimaced as the waist-deep, frigid water soaked through his uniform, his rifle and cartridge box held high over his head. "This is gonna cost us."

Buck said, "If we don't make it up that bank and through those trees, we'll be captured."

"I'm starting to think that might be a better plan."

Jim stopped mid-stream, turning to fire a one-ounce lead bullet into the first bluecoat who came through the smoke. As he moved to hurry from the river, a boot slipped, taking him and his cartridge box under. A quick hand under his shoulder by Teddy had his head back above water. The other bank was reached, and the men scampered up the side.

Minié balls piffed in the snow, cracked off the trees, and buzzed by overhead. The trio found defensive position just behind a fallen tree. The next rebel up the bank took a ball in the back, falling face forward to land just in front of the others. Jim scampered over the trunk, snatching the dry cartridge box and rifle from the dead man's hand.

Teddy asked, "How many left in there?"

Jim shook his head as it was opened. "Four."

Buck managed a quick count. "I have six."

Teddy added, "Seven. We share until we're out and we then fall back. Not the two hours Rodes ordered, but we've done all we can."

Jim loaded the rifle of the fallen soldier before him, his own still dripping from his dunk in the river.

As Buck did the same he could see action behind them in a field. "We're losing our artillery."

Three additional minutes of sending lead shot across the river saw the three up and running for the opening of the field. Trees cracked, branches were cut and fell, the onrushing Union troops were now fording the river just behind. The field in front of them stretched out, running several hundred yards before rising up onto a grassy knoll.

As they sprinted across the field, still dripping from the river, but not feeling the cold, a cannonade of twenty artillery pieces firing, roared over their heads, crashing into the trees beside the river where the Union troops continued to cross. Buck looked to either side, taking note of only fifty men running along with them, out of a company that had one hundred forty only minutes before.

As the sprint continued, a second volley of canister shells from the Confederate artillery exploded into the Union ranks. It was then that a row of Confederate soldiers came over the rise, stretching out for a half mile in either direction. Lines of sharpshooters moved forward, picking away at the few Union troops who were making it to the opening of the field. The delay by O'Neal's brigade had been used to set up battle-lines for a stand.

The remains of the Alabama 3rd were absorbed into Ramsuer's brigade with his four North Carolina regiments, making up a fifth as the remains of the Alabama 5th and 26th joined them. All were resupplied, the most wet given dry blankets as wraps.

Wave after wave of Union soldiers attempted to cross the South River, only to be cut down on the near side. Trees were split and burned. White smoke and red blood covered the once pristine green and white forest. After an hour of folly, orders came for the Union troops to withdraw. The Confederate Army of Northern Virginia, what remained of it, packed up and continued their move south.

Jim scowled. "Can't believe I lost my cap. I've had that since I first mustered in."

Teddy picked his from his head. "Here. You can have mine."

"Not the same."

Buck let out a deep breath as the order to double-time had dropped back to standard. "We've just seen the beginning of the end, I think. We just lost twenty thousand men. And a quarter of Stewart's cavalry were at the forward of our columns."

Teddy said, "We don't know what happened up there. They might still be fighting their way to Charlottesville."

"Grant made a bold move. Those troops had to be there for days to enact that ambush. Charlottesville is probably already in his hands."

"You are just a ray of sunshine today. We just lost three-quarters of our regiment back there. Give us something positive to think about."

Jim said, "Will take us two days to get to Lexington and then another on a train to Lynchburg. If Grant brought his army down to Charlottesville, he can be in Lynchburg in two days. That again gives him the upper hand with fortifications. Who's to say he's not there waiting when we come through the mountains?"

Teddy sighed. "The two of you might as well be wearing blue."

Buck pulled a piece of soggy hardtack from his haversack. "This war was flawed from the start. The north had the industrial base and the people to fight it. You had a good run, superior generals and soldiers who were committed, but those things are no longer an advantage. The Yankees have them too. There's a good chance this will all end at Appomattox."

"Appomattox? You back to foretelling the future?"

"One possible future."

Two days of march saw the forward columns passing to the east of Lexington after it was learned the rail bridges going east had been destroyed. The direction was down to Glasgow and to the James River. Videttes had come back with word the road along the river was clear. And just to the other side there were no signs of Union troops, but the northern cavalry had been active, taking out many of the pickets and harassing the outskirts of Lynchburg.

The sun had set, and the column had come to a halt. The bitter cold of the week before continued to dissipate, only just dipping beneath freezing during the darkness of night. The combined Alabama regiment of Brig. Gen Ramseurs, was camped in a hollow. Fires raged for the first time in a week, the Union Army already knowing exactly where they were.

Buck sat beside his friends with a steaming tin of stew. There was no beef to be had, only the butchered remains of a horse that had been injured and was faltering. The men were happy to have what meat they could get.

Teddy blew on his stew as it warmed his cold, tired hands. "If this does come to an end, I'll be happy to get home to my farm. No man's soul should have to go through what the Yanks have put us through."

"They fight for what they believe too. This was a strange war, pitting brother against brother."

"Was?"

"I had hoped to make a difference. To bring about change. And I'd have to say I wouldn't have wanted to go through this without the two of you. You are both glorious soldiers. You've fought well in every battle since I joined you at Chancellorsville."

"As have you. Crazed at times, but that seems to have worked. And Mr. Harrison here... solid as a rock. Rarely complains with more than a grumble, and is always there by your side when the fight gets hard. You, sir, are a warrior." Teddy raised his tin of stew as a toast. "Or just an ornery old badger. I haven't figured out which."

Buck raised his tin. "A little of both maybe?"

Jim raised his own. "Has been an honor to know the two of you... at times."

The men chuckled.

The night that followed was peaceful with the temperature having moderated by morning. The fire was fed most of the night and the weary soldiers slept hard. As first light showed in the valley along the James, a cloudless sky could be seen up above.

A private came walking through their camp. "Up and moving. You've got twenty minutes before we march."

A second private followed with a pail of bacon fat coming from the cook's fire where bacon had been served to the officers, placing it beside a freshly stoked fire to warm and liquefy. As each of the soldiers around them came forward, a ladle of grease was spooned into their tins over a portion of cornmeal. The concoction was stirred with a ramrod to a dough-like thickness, which was then wrapped around the ramrod and cooked over the fire.

Teddy nodded as he pulled back a portion and popped it into his mouth. "I think that's the best sloosh I've ever had."

Jim chuckled. "Probably horse bacon."

"If so, I'm gonna have to start frying more horse."

When the morning meal had been consumed, knapsacks were donned and rifles shouldered. The march continued.

# Chapter 33

### _______________________

The day-long march ended with the combined regiment setting up an encampment in a field on the outskirts of their destination, Lynchburg. The fortifications in and around the town, along with the three thousand troops garrisoned there, and with the rebuilding of supplies, had the men of the Army of Northern Virginia in the best spirits they had seen in a month. It was only then that most learned the fate of the almost 40 percent of their army who had been cut off at Rockfish Gap. It was a devastating blow to an otherwise proud force.

Teddy poked at a campfire with a stick. Sparks fluttered up, uncaring of the Southerner's plight. Jim leaned back against his pack and bedroll. Buck sat beside Teddy as he contemplated his options.

Teddy said, "Can't believe my old regiment was captured. I'd be headed to some Yankee prison right now."

Jim asked, "Isn't your farm somewhere near here?"

"About sixty miles. Would be out mending fences and repairing the barn about now. Plowing is only a few weeks away. Never would have thought it before all this, but there's something to be said about plowing. It's like a salve for the soul. Especially when you got good ground that you know will grow just about anything."

Jim nodded. "Never particularly liked the smell of fresh cotton, but it's something I now long for. The farms around my home were all growing cotton. I know we're not near the season, but I sure would like to be home for the harvest this year. What about you Buck? What calls you home?"

"I remember the smell of the cold, clean steel that made up the skyscraper I lived in. It was about eight hundred stories up. Had the most amazing view of the city below. Of course I was too buried in my work to ever take much notice."

Teddy and Jim stared for several seconds before breaking into a laugh.

Teddy shook his head. "You are a most unusual fella, Buck Andersen. But I've been glad to know you."

A captain rode up on a horse. "Just to let you know, we'll be resting here for another day. Union activity to the north is picking up and Lee wants to get us to Richmond. In two days we board a train. Some of the troops will be boarding tomorrow. We should be in Richmond before the next day is out. Pass the word."

The officer rode toward the next group of soldiers.

Teddy raised a fist. "Finally. A train. Wasn't sure how much more walking my dogs could handle. And it feels good to be back on my own land."

Ten minutes later, a second rider came by. "Plans have changed. We'll be catching the train in Appomattox tomorrow. Would otherwise take too long to move us. So bury those fires and strap on your sacks. Gonna be a full day's march."

Teddy's glee turned to a growl. "Not what I was hoping for."

Jim stood, pulling his pack up over his shoulders. "We either fight here or at Richmond. The latter is well defended and supplied, out here we'll be begging for food in a month if they surround this place."

As the columns formed up, a third rider approached. "Private Buck Andersen?"

"Here."

The rider trotted over. "You have orders to report to town. You'll be meeting up with Captain Alton at the courthouse. It's in the center of town. You can't miss it. This is by the request of General Lee. Here are your papers with the order."

Buck asked, "What's this about?"

"I don't make the orders, Private. I just deliver them."

The rider was soon off to pass on another message.

Teddy patted Buck on the shoulder. "Maybe it's a medal for your assassination of Meade."

Jim smirked.

"Maybe. I'll try to catch you on the road to Appomattox. If not, back at Richmond."

As the columns waited for the march to begin, another rider followed. "Stand down. Camp where you are. Tents and all. Rodes's division will be staying here in Lynchburg to bolster their defense."

Teddy rolled his eyes as he slid his pack from his shoulders.

Buck asked, "What of me? I was ordered to the courthouse."

The rider shook his head. "I only have division orders. Sorry."

The next regiment was notified.

Buck shrugged. "Guess that means I still go."

The two-mile hike to town was met by one sentry after another, each allowing him to pass. Once inside the town limits, directions were given and directly followed. When the courthouse steps were reached, no one was there waiting.

Five minutes passed before a private came up. "Andersen?"

"Yes."

"Come with me."

The private was followed across the road and down a narrow alley. At the far end, a turn was made and a door opened. "In here."

"What's this about?"

A knife was put to his back. "In."

On the other side of the door, two men were waiting with rope.

A third man came from a back room with a grin.

Buck shook his head. "I suspected."

The clone of Marwal walked fully into the room. "Tie him up and you can go. Make your way quietly out of town in your civilian clothes as directed."

The deed was done, the men were paid and sent on their way.

Buck Andersen was bound to a chair with rope.

The clone of Marwal grinned. "You are a slippery one. I hoped to catch you at Rockfish."

"We never quite made it in. Lost two thirds of our regiment in the retreat."

"Yes. I tried desperately to get to the front lines, but these armies seem to have rules."

The clone pulled up a chair, taking a seat just in front of Buck Andersen. "I have to ask again. Why are you doing this?"

"You've seen my commercials where I advertise for adventures?"

"I have."

"I took on a number of those adventures, most with heavy constraints so my life was protected. As a result the thrills were also diminished. Here? I make friends. We die in battle together, only I get to be reborn. I guess I don't need to tell you how that feels. There is nothing like it."

"I never thought a citizen of your stature could be so conceited as to value his adventures over the lives and well-being of the Empire."

"You killed my family."

"That was an accident. Even so, you had all the power and wealth an individual could want. And somehow that wasn't enough?"

"It was, but you took my family. Now, I've been given a chance to bring them back by changing the past. As I said before, if I can effect a change that ripples forward to the point of taking out Nunol, or even the entire OSSHR, I can restore the existence of my family."

The clone of Marwal thought over the concept. "While I sympathize with you over your loss, I can't allow you to be successful. You jeopardize the existence of everyone who currently lives."

"I don't care. The hubris of the Empire took my family. I owe nothing to any of them. And how much are they paying you? I'll double it."

"It isn't about the money, although the pay schedule is quite generous. For me it is about protecting my own. And even myself. What happens if one of your changes makes my family no longer exist? I can't very well allow that now, can I?"

Buck sighed. "It was a bio-link? What you attempted to cut from your arm before?"

"It was." The clone held up his left forearm, displaying four small bumps on the inner side.

"Dr. Reno suspected such. But you have no machine to make use of them. How will you do so?"

A scalpel was unrolled from a cloth. "I can only tell you this will not be pleasant... for either of us. For me, I must slice into my arm and carefully remove a nodule. For you, I must remove an eye and implant the nodule on your optic nerve. I'm afraid it may mean blindness in that eye, but since you won't talk, it is our only option."

"And through that link you can trace my link to its source, also finding the location of Mentox-I."

"That is the plan."

"And what if that fails?"

The clone shrugged. "There is always interrogation."

"Interrogation won't work. I don't know where the station is. That location setting has been given over to Dr. Reno. I don't have knowledge of its whereabouts."

"Then I suppose this will have to work."

"When the link is attached, what happens to me then? Would you be willing to release my clone so it might live out its life here? I promise to behave. This war will soon be over."

"The war will be over tomorrow. And no, I cannot allow you to remain. There is too much risk to the Empire and her citizens. This all ends here today. And for what it's worth, I used to very much enjoy the broadcasts of your adventures. Our Empire is indeed a dull place. But that does not give any individual the right to destroy the lives of others."

The clone of Marwal pulled a small table over to the chairs. He picked the scalpel up from where it had been laid. A grimace followed as a small incision was made in his forearm. Using the flat side of the scalpel blade, a nodule was gently pried from the wound.

Buck asked, "You have four of them. Any reason why?"

"I'm told there is a high chance the link will not bond. Therefore, we may be trying this multiple times."

The nodule was carefully placed on the cloth that had contained the scalpel.

The clone said, "This is the part that will be quite unpleasant for you. And please do not try to struggle, it will only lead to more pain. I can beat you senseless, within an inch of your life, and still make the attachment. Your consciousness has no bearing on the link's effectiveness."

A hand reached over to the table, retrieving a spoon.

"What is that for?"

The spoon was held up to Buck's eye. "Need I explain?"

"Yes."

"With this implement I will remove an eyeball. That will allow access to the optic nerve. Do you have a preference for which eye is used?"

"Does it make a difference?"

"Not at all."

The spoon was moved in close. The eyelid was held open as insertion into the side of the eye began.

Buck jumped, yanking his head back as the door going outside was pulled open. The spoon lodged in the opening between his eyeball and temple. The owner of the building stepped in.

"What is this? What's going on here?"

The clone replied, "Private business. Leave us!"

"Boys! Come quick! One of you go get the sheriff! Now!"

Two young men in Confederate uniforms came into the doorway behind the owner. The Marwal clone grabbed the scalpel and leaped from his chair. A scuffle ensued with the clone bursting his way out into the street. Ten frantic steps were managed before the clap of a musket being fired echoed down the street. The lead bullet exiting the smooth-bore weapon buzzed for only an instant before striking the clone in the back of the head, its life-robbed body falling forward and sliding to a stop on the dirt of the street.

Buck Andersen was untied from his chair. A doctor was found, and the protruding spoon gently removed from his eye-socket. After a round of questioning about the incident, and about the note showing a forged signature of General Lee, Buck Andersen was released to go back to his unit.

Back on Mentox-I, Naffi stopped the playback as he sat back in his chair. "We marched toward Appomattox only to have the Union Army arrive there with a hundred thousand men. We were in the open and after a morning of battle found ourselves to be completely surrounded. The train Lee and his staff had taken had been stopped there on the tracks. He was captured. The Army of Northern Virginia surrendered. It seems time may have corrected itself."

Reno looked at the display. "Another seventeen years?"

"Yes. After the capture we were stripped of our arms and put on trains to go home. I had every intention of returning to Washington to stop the assassination of Lincoln, but thought the event might have little impact. He was an individual and the war was over."

"What of the woman? The surgeon's sister?"

"I got word shortly after that she was killed at Rockfish Gap. My Human heart felt sad and for the remainder of my years I wasn't attracted to another."

"So you gave up on making a change?"

"Marwal's comment about his own family was weighing on my mind. My thought at the time was 'who am I to risk the existence of others?' Nunol... yes. Others in the Empire? But after much thought, I believe my family's death to not have been an accident. And I am no longer bothered by the possible demise of others."

"So no contemplation of turning this station over to Nunol?"

Naffi shook his head. "None at all. I came to the realization there would be no harm if these other people should no longer exist. No one would morn their loss. No one other than those on the other station would even know. And new people would live.

"Marwal took this job. He assumed the risk. As callous as it may sound, there are no others in existence that I care about. Except Vara. We might want to bring her to the station during our journeys."

"Does she have family?"

"Orphaned. Like you." Naffi paced around the lab. "Before returning to Mobile, I followed Teddy Johnston to his farm. It was a day and a half walk. He offered that I could stay as long as I liked, but I didn't want to risk endangering him or his family with a Marwal encounter. So I traveled west to the frontiers in hope I wouldn't be found. And I wasn't.

"But that trip made me rethink our strategy of how we effect change. We need record access going all the way back to Nunol's ancestors at the time of the eradication of Humans. And we'll want to study Human archive access of who might have interacted with our people during the attack of Earth. If we are to target a specific family line, it has to happen at the time of interaction between our species."

"I believe that to be a near impossible task as it is also possible our interactions may work against us. The complexities of changing the past and predicting what variations might happen in the future is beyond the grasp of our science and math. Every new event, even something as simple as a delay, is a new variable that may expand into more variables as time moves forward. The possible outcomes of even the minutest change are near infinite."

"So you are saying we would have the same chance of forcing the outcome we seek by selecting a random point in Human history and traveling there? And that our interactions, whether highly involved or minuscule, have equal chance of yielding the desired effect?"

"That is my unfortunate conclusion, yes."

Naffi shifted in his chair. "Then I see only one option."

"And what would that be?"

"We continue our endeavors, making the most of our time in the past. We want change. But we cannot control how that change will ripple forward, so any change will have equal chance of effect."

"I believe I may have an alternative. What if we attempt to alter Human knowledge? Perhaps our interaction with past scientists might accelerate Human technology growth, thereby allowing them to field a more fitting defense of their planet for when our forces arrive?"

"Are you suggesting we attempt to resurrect Humanity?"

"I wasn't," Reno replied. "But I would not be opposed to that either. I have no loyalty or allegiance to an Empire and people who are opposed to my work and who so willingly threw me out. The pursuit of science takes precedence."

"I feel torn," Naffi said. "I now despise my own kind and find myself wanting to be Human. And at the same time, I am Opamari and Humans are nothing more than a conquered species in our distant past. Here— I am seen as a murderer and thief. There I can be anything I want, including being a hero. Perhaps it is time the galaxy once again had Humans."

"I believe you have just defined our mission going forward."

Naffi returned a slow nod. "Yes. It's time you continued your endeavors in research, time for us to resurrect Humanity, and time for me to go on more adventures. And along the way, perhaps we can repair the present. Prepare a clone. I wish to continue my journeys."

~~~~~

# What's Next?

### _______________________

This Human is asking for your help! In return for that help I have a free science fiction eBook short story, titled "THE SQUAD", waiting for anyone who joins my email list. Also, find out when the next exciting release is available by joining the email list at comments@arsenex.com. If you enjoyed this book, please leave a review on the site where it was purchased. Visit the author's website at www.arsenex.com for links to this series and other works.

The following preview of the next book in the series is provided for your reading pleasure. I hope you enjoy!

Stephen

(Flip the page!)

(Preview)

## QUANTUM

(Vol. 2)

### Napoleon

### Chapter 2.1

### _______________________

Reno asked, "When and where would you like to travel next?"

Naffi thought for a moment. "Hmm. I could go back to the war between the States. Perhaps earlier in the conflict? Or maybe to fight for the other side? Although the thought of fighting against Teddy and Jim gives me a feeling of nausea."

"Make your decision. I'll bring around a clone. Caucasian?"

"As good as any, I suppose."

Reno returned with a Human body a short while later. After Naffi lay back on the table, a bio-link was inserted and validated. Sensor hookups completed the preparation effort.

As Reno began the reset sequence, the hum of the power generators ramping up sent reverberations through the station. Instead of the normally increasing frequency and lessening amplitude, the frequency dropped and the amplitude grew, violently shaking the walls of the lab. A high-pitched alert screeched, and a message flashed on the console.

Reno yelled out, "It's the generators! One has spiked out of control!"

A series of buttons were pressed, sending an emergency shutdown to the surging, ultra-powerful, energy-creating unit.

Naffi began to remove the sensors that held him in place. "What's happening?"

A heavy rumble rocked the station.

"We just had an explosion! And we have fire! There was a power surge from the other generators when that one went offline, it appears to have blown out a transformer coupling! The halls outside are filling with smoke! I'm shutting down the other generators!"

Lights in the lab went dark with much dimmer emergency lighting kicking in to illuminate the room.

"What do we do?"

Reno took in a deep breath. "We put out the fire. Should it spread it will be our end. We are living in a confined space— in space. Fire is our enemy. You need to order your maintenance bots to extinguish the flames."

Naffi hurried to the console, opening a comm. "Pietri, have all maintenance units work to put out that fire! Immediately!"

The bot replied, "I am sorry, sir. We cannot comply. We do not possess the programmed knowledge for this task. Can you explain what might be required?"

Naffi's jaw dropped as he turned to face Reno. "What? How do these ultra-expensive machines not have expertise in such? Someone in my corporation is going to pay for this shortsightedness!"

Reno returned a look of unease. "Fire suppression was a primary skill for my prior maintenance team."

Naffi replied with scorn. "Would you like me to apologize now or should we focus on getting this catastrophe under control?"

"The clone." Reno pointed. "Send it out to stop the flames."

A diagram of the station was pulled up.

Reno said, "You will find suppressors at each of the five flashing locations out in the hall. There are masks there as well, although they are sized to fit an Opamari face."

The clone spun on the pod slab and stood.

Naffi scowled. "I do not see this ending well."

The door to the hall was cracked open. Smoke roiled in.

Reno shook his head. "It is spreading! We should evacuate, but that smoke is coming from the direction of the bay!"

The clone walked out. The door was closed. The Opamari Naffi made several jerks as if wanting to cough.

Reno took his shoulder. "Here. On the table. Allow me to put you under."

"What? Why?"

"So you can focus. If your clone fails, I will awaken you, but we cannot have your body here distracting the clone from what is needed. We need to keep your mind focused there."

"Very well."

The former Opamari businessman hopped onto the table and laid back. The sensors were once again connected and a sleep-shot administered.

Reno moved to watch on the display. The clone had reached an emergency station and retrieved a mask.

"The fit is poor." Several deep coughs followed. "I will need a wet towel. I'm heading to the kitchen."

A hurried run had a towel soaked and wrapped around the lower, open area of the mask. A suppression canister was grabbed. The naked clone rushed toward the now glowing end of the hall. Flames shot from a side room. Smoke boiled out, initially clinging to the ceiling before settling toward the floor as it cooled.

"This will not be pleasant."

Reno said, "Pull the tab, aim, and squeeze the trigger."

"Why does this station not have a fire suppression system of its own?"

"The infrastructure was not of my design. And when was the last time you heard of a fire aboard a space vessel such as this?"

A stream of dry chemicals spewed from the canister. The flame receded but returned as soon as the stream stopped.

"This isn't working!"

"Keep trying!"

Several further attempts were made, pushing the flame inside the doorway. The canister then ran dry.

"I'm out!"

Reno shook his head in disbelief. "Get another!"

Two additional canister runs were made before the flame was extinguished. The environmental system began filtering the air, a task the console display reported would take more than an hour.

The clone of Naffi returned to the lab. The skin on its front-facing surfaces was heavily blistered.

"Please terminate this clone and wake me, in that order. I am in extreme pain."

Reno looked around the lab. "Kill it? With what?"

"With whatever you can find. Please. This is excruciating!"

The clone was led over to the pod and made to kneel on the floor. Reno forced its head over before hurrying back to the console controls.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going to crush your head with the pod."

"Please hurry."

The commands were typed in. The pod slowly closed over the blistered body of the clone, stopping as it came into contact with its head.

"What's happening?" A pained and irritated Naffi clone begged.

"The safeties won't allow the pod to close. I'm sorry. Give me a few minutes and I will see if an override is possible."

The clone pushed itself to its feet. It stumbled to the door and out into the smoky hall, going past the area of outed flames and ending in the docking bay. An airlock was opened with the clone stepping in. When closed, the button for the outer door was pressed.

A rush of air pushed the damaged body out into the cold vacuum of space. Liquids leaked from every orifice on its body, freezing almost instantly. The lack of atmosphere and the ultra-cold quickly robbed the clone of its life. Naffi awoke on the table, his eyes without emotion, staring at the ceiling for several seconds before turning to glare at Reno.

"I am sorry," Reno said. "I had nothing prepared for ending the clone's life."

Naffi took in a deep breath and let it out slow. "Give me a moment for my rage to subside. You do not want to know what I am thinking right now."

Reno smirked. "If it is violent I am not worried. There is nothing within this room for you to use to harm me."

Pietri came over the comm. "A restoration effort has been initiated. We will have estimates for repairs once an evaluation is complete."

Two months passed as every piece of equipment was examined. A plan for repairs and to acquire spares was put in place.

Naffi moved to a table in the station dining room, carrying two packaged meals, as Reno collected beverages.

"I just received status from Vara. The restored generator will be here tomorrow. The other parts following in a few weeks."

"Have you decided on a time and location for a journey?"

Naffi shuddered as he had a momentary thought of being connected to the blistered clone. "I have. I won't be returning to the war. Instead, I found what I believe to be an interesting time where I might have technological influence. There was a scholar named Pierre-Simon Laplace, in the land of France, who was instrumental in the development of mathematics, statistics, physics, and astronomy. We had talked about accelerating Human knowledge, I thought this to be a suitable time and place to begin such."

"What is the Earth-time where you wish to travel?"

"The year is 1784 A.D."

Reno asked, "This scholar and this place, other than what you mention, what is notable about him?"

"It was a time of revolution for his country. I had the thought this might work in our favor. The new nation was soon to be ruled by one of Laplace's students, so I reasoned we might also find favor with this student, perhaps even accelerating his rise to power."

"And what is the name of this youth? I'd like to look up the historical information surrounding him."

"Napoleon Bonaparte. But why bother with research when we can have the archives instantly uploaded through the means of a memory injected clone?"

Naffi chuckled. "Hmm. I should have considered that. It worked well for my attaining knowledge of the Civil War, it will work equally as well here."

A single clone was prepared. Memories were injected and a bio-link connected to Reno. The memory transfer was almost instantaneous. Using the bio-link equipment a second time, the link was disabled in the clone and a new link-end inserted. The second bio-link was then connected to Naffi and the equipment was wheeled back.

Naffi sat up, taking control of the clone only moments later. "Excellent use of our resources, Reno. We should have been doing this all along."

"You are to be congratulated for your suggestion. Why waste a perfectly good clone on a memory transfer? We now both possess the same knowledge."

Naffi lay back on the table as the clone entered the pod. "Strange. Aside from my attempted firefighting, I miss this sensation. I know how relieved I felt when each clone had passed and the bio-link was disconnected, but I hadn't thought of the link being something I would miss. I am still in awe of your genius with some of this, Doctor."

"This genius was Dr. Bouthis. And please stop calling me doctor. I am only Reno now."

The sleep injection was performed as the pod reset sequence was activated. Minutes later, the clone of Naffi was standing in a field in the French countryside, between the cities of Orleans and Paris. Clothing was acquired from a local farmhouse before a trek north was made. The clone arrived in Paris two days later, just after noon.

Naffi sped through the recording. "I had a difficult time at first. There were guards surrounding École Militaire, the military school where Laplace was a professor of mathematics. It took six months of work for me to gain the monies that allowed me to purchase clothing worthy of an introduction. During that time I wrote out many of his coming mathematical formulas, ones that later became the basis for his groundbreaking work in celestial mechanics. In a matter a days I was able to accelerate his work by several years. I just wish I had an understanding of the math I was using."

"Perhaps it would have been better had I taken on this journey."

"As to the math and physics of it, yes. And we still have time to do such."

"It says your clone survived for two years. What transpired during that time?"

"After spending time with Laplace, I came to realize he was difficult to work with. He demanded full explanation of the formulas I had laid out for him, only I was unable to deliver those explanations. The formulas were in my head, but their meaning and their use— those were beyond me. So I attempted to follow Napoleon, joining the military and specifically the battalion he was eventually given to command."

The recording was set to play during a cannonade of the Siege of Toulon. The clone of Naffi defended a battery of artillery against an attack by British soldiers. The defense was successful, but not before a musketball found its mark, killing the embattled clone.

Naffi sat back from the darkened display. "I have to say, I'm uncertain as to why, but I find witnessing the fights between these Humans to be tremendously satisfying. The excitement, the thrill of risking one's life... I find myself eager to participate. I believe Credin once stated that it was because I had no fear of death. Perhaps that is true."

A check of the archives revealed only a slight acceleration of Laplace's works, resulting in little change to the archives and no change to the Opamari ancestral trees.

A frustrated Reno asked, "What is our plan from here?"

Naffi gestured toward the pod. "I believe it to be in our interest to have you travel back to meet with Laplace. Explain the formulas. You might even take credit, stating they had been stolen from you by me, your protege."

"A protege who will look exactly like me?"

Naffi chuckled. "There are other bodies from that time that are not Caucasian, although that number is limited. Perhaps we give your genius mathematician a birthplace of somewhere else?"

"I believe I have a place. The French wrestled the British for power over the Indian peninsula during this era. The Kingdom of Mysore was a powerful French ally, located toward the southern regions of the peninsula. We will warm a clone from this region and inject its memories with the archived information of both Mysore and France."

"An excellent plan. And you will want to earn yourself some sort of royal title. It will allow you to approach Laplace with credentials, something I lacked."

Reno paced the floor of the lab. "I would like those credentials to have some basis. We will send my clone to a point several years earlier, allowing me to build wealth and to acquire the prestige you believe I will need."

He sat and crossed his arms. "When we first began this adventure I was both angry at Nunol for pinning the blame of changes on me and shutting the project down, and eager to continue my research. I now find it far more fascinating to venture to the Human past than I do to continue my work. In fact, I seem to have lost much of that scientific desire."

"In reality, what more is left for you to accomplish?"

Reno smirked. "This solution is far from perfect. My original goal was to send someone back to the past and to then bring them forward again to the present. With these clones, a genius development by Bouthis, we now no longer need to bring anyone home. And with the accelerated time coming forward, something I would not have thought possible, the current setup makes even more sense. Other than minor nuisances such as not being able to communicate with the clone going back in time, I don't see anything that needs to change."

"Would communication backward be possible?"

"I don't see how. The time acceleration coming to present day, and the wormhole restrictions we continue to see, would prevent it."

Naffi shrugged. "Well there we have it then. May we proceed?"

"By all means. I will have to find passage from Mysore to France, but I believe that task to be easily achieved."

"That voyage may take many months."

"We'll set the journey for three years earlier than your last visit. Given my knowledge, I believe wealth and title can be achieved during that time. Place me near Mangalore. I will make effort from there."

A clone of Indian heritage was warmed, injected with memories from the location and era, and brought to the lab. After first being bio-linked to Naffi, it received a second bio-link to Reno. Minutes later, the naked clone was standing on the banks of the Netravati River, twenty-five kilometers from the coastal town of Mangalore.

Less than a minute later, Reno awoke with a smile. "A fantastic and wondrous journey."

"Six years," Naffi said. "I would have to believe you were able to make your way to Paris."

"I was. But I arrived in the area while your clone was alive. Your original visit was too close to the city, so I was prevented from entering until your clone had passed."

"You met with Laplace?"

"He was quite accepting of the Asif of Bidnur, the title given me by Tipu Sultan himself, the prince who ruled the Mysore Kingdom. And I would add the title of Faujdar, but I declined the offer. If you search your memories you will find that Tipu Sultan pioneered the use of iron-skinned artillery rockets. I aided in that effort with the result being several new victories over British backed forces, helping to expand his kingdom."

"At what point did you arrive in Paris?"

"Spring of 1785. I did meet your friend Napoleon while spending time with Laplace. An interesting, intelligent, and driven individual. He had stopped in for a visit."

"And Laplace?"

"Pierre Laplace originally published his first work on celestial mechanics in 1796. I managed to bring that in to 1787. I also usurped the works of Joseph Fourier and Évariste Galois, giving Laplace credit for those as well. I'm certain the archives will make mention of his stellar achievements."

"Will we find the name of the Asif of Bidnur in the archives?"

"Doubtful. I made every effort to remain behind the scenes and Laplace seemed all too willing to take full credit for the advances and the acclaim that followed."

"And your death?"

"Cholera. Quite unpleasant."

A check of the archives was performed. While advances in math and science were evident, none were significant enough to alter the Opamari family trees and timelines.

Reno sat back in his chair. "I expected more. Perhaps our attempt at accelerating knowledge won't have the effect we desire."

"Nonsense. I would have to believe any such changes will be cumulative. However, I'm of the growing opinion that change through conquest might be a better option."

"Would this be because you desire to go back to a fight?"

Naffi smiled. "Is there a reason we shouldn't enjoy our journeys? You seemed quite satisfied with Laplace."

"He was brilliant. Although not very endearing. How is it you believe we should proceed?"

Naffi tapped the armrest of his chair as he thought. "What if we were to focus our energies on building an empire? And what if that empire was responsible for pushing forward discoveries in both the sciences and warfare?"

"Are you suggesting we tamper with the Napoleonic Wars?"

Naffi began to smile. "That is precisely what I am suggesting. We have a complete history of battles and of the mistakes that were made by both sides. What if some of those grand mistakes were avoided? And what if advances in weaponry enabled a single, strong empire that spanned the continent and beyond? I would have my adventures with battles while you focused on the advancement of Human knowledge."

"I would agree to such a plan."

Naffi looked down in thought for several seconds before raising a finger. "What of Marwal? Neither of us had an encounter with his clone during our journeys."

Reno turned to the console. "Our link to Mentox-II reveals several jumps. Three to the north side of Paris that show a maximum duration of fifteen days each. I can only conclude the clone of Marwal to have had difficulty adjusting to the time and location. The revolution was a brutal time. And there was another jump to Mangalore, which I departed from after the first day, taking just such a precaution."

"So we keep on the move and we become difficult to track?"

"It would appear so."

Naffi stood. "This is excellent news. Let us prepare a new clone. I would like to befriend Napoleon Bonaparte. It's time history recorded an expansion of the French Empire."

A hand was extended with Reno being helped from his chair.

"Plan your journey, Naffi. You'll be leaving in an hour."

~~~~~

**O** nce again, this Human is asking for your help! If you enjoyed the book, please leave a review on the site where it was purchased or downloaded. And by all means, please tell your friends! Any help with spreading the word is highly appreciated!

Also, I have a free science fiction eBook short story, titled "THE SQUAD", waiting for anyone who joins my email list! By joining, also find out when the next exciting release is available. Join at comments@arsenex.com. Visit the author's website at www.arsenex.com for links to this series and other works!

Take care and have a great day!

Stephen
