 
#####  TELEPORTATION – DO WE BELIEVE?

Published by David Gill at Smashwords

Copyright 2019 David Gill
By the same author

PHASEWAVE – ALIEN CREATION 2017
For "M" – she knows why
INDEX

Prologue

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

#####  PROLOGUE

Fifteen hundred years after its surviving population abandoned planet Earth, Vennica, the central planet of the resurgent society, is in decline due to lack of investment and has not developed socially and technologically for a period of fifty years, while its secondary planets – the United Colonies - have made significant advances in both those areas. The Phasewave Company, once the biggest earner on Vennica but now starved of cash, has decided in an act of desperation to resurrect a previously attempted human teleportation project in order to try to restore its finances. Based on the existing Phasewave network and its proven technology for removing the time-lag from phased transmissions, teleportation would allow humans to travel instantly throughout the developed universe and ultimately change the course of humankind. However, the Company's first attempt at human teleportation, forty years earlier, had ended up in a public disaster, and its survival now hinges upon its capability to achieve a successful human teleport. As a source of income, the Vennican government relies heavily on the taxes it imposes on the United Colonies and their associated outstations, but while Vennica has allowed its defence forces to stagnate, the Colonies have developed sophisticated weapons and attack vessels. Believing themselves to be in a commanding position, both financially and militarily, the Colonies are now determined to take over the running of Vennica and finally break free of its financial yoke.

#####  CHAPTER ONE

Outstation Three, Colonial Year 1499

Two people, an older man and a young woman, sat motionless at the consoles of a control room, staring out in silence through viewing screens at the surface of an empty planet. After a time, the man got up, stretched and yawned.

'I give up,' Lew said. 'How long was it this time?'

Maia checked the time. 'Fifty five minutes. You're a real pussycat.'

Lew walked around the room, massaging his shoulders. 'It felt like a lot longer. What was my previous time?'

'Thirty six minutes.'

'What's your longest time without moving or talking?'

'You mean with you? I don't know; you've never beaten me. I can go for days without talking to Dennis.'

'I can understand that, but I still intend to beat you before I leave.'

'That seems unlikely. How long have you got left?' Maia asked.

'Ten days and eight hours,' Lew replied. 'Just a few hours less than the last time you asked me.'

Maia laughed. 'You're going to miss all this when you've gone. D'you know the name of your replacement?'

'Not yet, but we should find out when the shuttle manifest comes through. I've already booked my seat home.' Despite Lew's excitement at his impending repatriation, he knew that he was going to miss Maia's company; having her around had been the only thing that kept him sane during his stint on Outstation Three.

'Which reminds me, isn't tonight the Centennial eve?' Maia asked. 'Aren't all the computers supposed to run backwards or something at midnight?'

'That's just an old wives' tale,' Lew said, 'but I think we should have some kind of celebration. Maybe a few drinks after your shift?'

'You'd have to first prise the keys to the liquor store from Dennis's cold, dead fingers.'

'Or you could use this instead.' Lew held up and dangled a small metal object on a piece of string.

'Is it my imagination, or is that a key to the booze cabinet?'

'It's the ultimate achievement of my engineering skills in the tool room over the last year, and whatever Dennis decides, we're going to party tonight.'

'I can't believe you've finally revealed your dark side. I just knew you were hiding a secret.'

'So now you have to tell me why you were sent here,' Lew said. 'Nobody your age ever comes to a place like this unless they are sent here.'

Maia got up and strolled around the instrument consoles, relieved to be moving again. 'I will let you know – in exactly ten days and seven hours.' She liked Lew and got on well with him but was concerned about his replacement; she was going to be stuck with whoever came out for the rest of her contract, and they were unlikely to be as amenable as Lew was. She stretched her arms and ran her hands through her shock of unruly, ginger curls, then automatically glanced over the inert panels in front of her. Nothing ever changed on Outstation Three. 'Tell me again what happens to all this stuff we are supposed to be monitoring,' she said.

'All the signals we receive are sent to Vennica for analysis, and I haven't a clue what happens to them after that. I also have no idea why our government has the slightest interest in what goes on in the United Colonies.'

'Has there ever been any action out here?'

'I can't recall anything in particular. There were a couple of attempted invasions of Vennica about fifty years ago, but, apart from an ongoing campaign by the Colonies to avoid paying taxes to Vennica, it all went quiet after the Colonies got together and formed an alliance. I understand that the original agreement with the Colonies to use this place only stretched to the year 1500, which coincidentally ends today, but I've not heard any rumours about shutting the place down. It's hard to work out why this Outstation is still manned when so many others have fallen by the wayside, especially as it is such an unpopular posting, being so far away from Vennica. The usual reason people come here is to save some extra money for their retirement, which is why you shouldn't be here. You're young and should be enjoying life, not wasting it in a place like this with the likes of me.'

'And our illustrious Station Commander,' Maia added. She glanced over her shoulder. 'I haven't seen Dennis recently. Are you sure he's still alive?'

'I guarantee it. Put something in the oven; that'll flush him out of his bunk.'

'He's got a big porn collection.'

'What makes you think that?'

'I came across it when I accidentally found myself inside his cabin one day.'

'You were taking a risk invading his privacy. What would you have said if he'd caught you? He's prickly at the best of times.'

'Coincidentally, he was outside checking an antenna when I went in.'

'I'm now beginning to see why you were sent here,' Lew commented. 'What kind of porn was it?'

'I only know of one kind of porn – the human kind. Have I missed something?'

'You need to ask Dennis that question; I'm not an authority on the subject. At least it explains why he spends so much time on his own. Not that he's missing anything.'

Maia sighed. 'There must be more soul-destroying jobs than this, but I can't think of any.'

'The Home Guard in peacetime was pretty bad, but this is a killer,' Lew said. 'I think I would have gone mad if you hadn't arrived. By the way, what part of Vennica are you from?'

'You've left it a bit late to ask. Anyway, I'm a Southland girl. What about you?'

'City boy, born and bred in Kalmis. I can't wait to go back, but I'm desperate to know why you are here. Give me a clue.'

'Let's just say I was deliberately sent here to annoy you. I've had specific training in how to wind people up.'

'I can believe that. Do you remember when you turned up for your shift wearing your pyjamas? Did you see the look on Dennis's face?'

'They weren't pyjamas; they were leisure wear,' Maia said. 'Dennis didn't bat an eyelid and never mentioned them.'

'I'm just fishing now - which of your particular, obtuse lifestyle skills got you sent here?'

'If you wait just under ten days and seven hours, you will find out. D'you want to push your luck and have another go?'

'I've just got time for one more before I go off shift,' Lew said. 'Why not?'

Maia and Lew returned to their seats and resumed their silence, staring out, motionless, through a viewing screen at a blank horizon.

The grating screech of an alarm siren urgently shattered their reverie. Lew jumped to his feet, and Maia ran over to the master console and checked the screens.

'An unidentified vessel has entered the prohibited zone and triggered one of the Sentinels,' Maia said. 'It's not showing on radar.'

They listened intently as their station transmitted automatic warnings on the emergency frequencies. There was no response.

Lew adjusted his screens. 'I've got something on radar,' he said. 'It's heading straight for us. No, wait. It just disappeared. That's strange; it must have been a spurious warning.'

'The missile battery hasn't activated,' Maia pointed out.

'It won't until the radar has locked on. I'll raise the blast shields, just to be on the safe side.'

The communications console burst into life, and the bleary face of the Station Commander, Dennis Summerfield, appeared on the screen. 'What's all the noise about?' he enquired.

'We received a zone incursion alert,' Lew replied, 'but the intruder disappeared from radar and failed to respond to our challenges. I'm about to activate the blast shields.'

Dennis yawned. 'It sounds like a false warning. Don't bother with the shields; we haven't used them for years, and they probably won't work after all this time. I'm on my way.' The screen went blank.

'If there's a vessel out there, why isn't it responding to our calls?' Maia said. 'They can't have had a total radio failure.'

'Maybe they had an electrical fault or something.'

'But the vessel must be aware that it has entered a prohibited zone, and there would be radios in its escape pods and survival equipment. Why isn't it showing on radar? This looks suspicious.'

Dennis joined them in the control room, still fastening the buttons on his shirt.

'Something triggered one of the Sentinels, and now it's disappeared from the radar,' Maia said. 'That can't have been a spurious warning.'

'All the Sentinels are active, but they're not picking anything up,' Lew added. 'Hang on, there's something on the visual tracker; a contact is approaching our overhead at high level.'

The three of them peered into a viewfinder, but all they could make out was a small wedge of reflected sunlight crossing the screen. Lew increased the finder's magnification, but the glare of the sun distorted the shape of the vessel, making it difficult to identify.

'Looks like it could be a transporter,' Dennis said. 'That's hardly a threat to this station.'

'It's almost overhead and hasn't responded to our warnings,' Lew said. 'We must consider it a threat and put up the blast shields.'

'There hasn't been any military activity here in living memory,' Dennis pointed out. 'Whatever is up there is going to stop and drop a landing vessel, and then we'll find out what it wants. Sounds like it may have suffered some kind of shutdown.'

'The intruder has illegally entered a prohibited zone on sovereign territory and failed to acknowledge our transmissions,' Maia pointed out. 'It could be deliberately avoiding our radar. Shouldn't we manually activate the missile battery?'

Dennis shrugged. 'Could be that our radar is on the blink. I can't see anything here to worry about. They probably had an electrical overload or something.'

'This is our last chance to raise the shields,' Lew persisted.

'It's in the overhead now,' Dennis said. 'We'll wait and see; there's no point in putting up the shields if all the crew want to do is stock up on water.'

Maia observed the contact on the tracker slow to a halt above them. 'It's just detached a vessel!' she warned.

They all stared curiously at the extra white blip that had suddenly appeared on their screen.

'It's accelerating fast! It's a missile!' Lew shouted.

Maia stared in horror at the missile hurtling towards them. 'Put up the screens!' she screamed.

Lew hit the switches, and the building creaked and shuddered as the blast screens forced their way from their housings and started to grind upwards. 'It's too late!' he shouted.

Dennis Summerfield, the last person ever to command Outstation Three, glanced up through the transparent roof panels and, for the briefest of moments, saw the dreaded sight of a missile's nosecone about to crash into the base. The first stage of the missile exploded at an altitude of fifty metres above ground level, the shockwave destroying the control room and everyone inside it, before the body of the missile penetrated the base foundations and detonated. The explosion destroyed the whole base, and when the dust finally settled, only a deep crater remained to greet the next arriving vessel, ten days and eight hours later.

Phasewave Company Headquarters, Kalmis City, Vennica, Colonial Year 1500

'Come on, everybody. Do you believe that human teleportation is achievable, and if so, should we be pursuing this as our next strategic project? Give me a show of hands.' Joshua Sterling, Chairman of the Phasewave Company, looked expectantly around the main boardroom. Everyone, apart from one man, raised their hands.

'Are you still not on board, Mike?' Joshua asked. 'Why are you the only one here with reservations?'

The Kalmis Phasewave Base Manager, Mike Casino, looked back at the twelve accusing faces staring at him. He hated being the centre of attention, especially at events like this where everyone in the room was senior to him. 'There are more immediate concerns,' he explained. 'All our Phasewave machines are now over fifty years old and, quite frankly, they are falling to pieces. On the Kalmis base alone, we're lucky to have ten on line at any time, and, due to a lack of spare parts, I am now going to have to cannibalise one of those machines to keep another two functioning. I appreciate that everyone is getting excited about teleportation, but I think we're taking our eye off the ball by ignoring our basic function, the one that continues to provide our only source of income and which has subsidised all our previous failed attempts at diversification.'

'At the moment, we're not in a position to waste money on your machines,' Kai Little, the Chief Scientific Advisor, responded. 'Once we've demonstrated the feasibility of teleportation, demand for our shares will soar, and the potential rewards will then allow the Company to develop the teleport system and at the same time replace any ageing equipment.'

'Even if we do produce a teleport system, it'll take years to refit all the stations with the necessary transfer equipment and gain public use certification,' Mike pointed out. 'We need to start replacing the machines right now; the Phasewave platform will essential to support a future teleport system, and without a reliable network, you won't be able to use it for human transportation.'

'I take on board everything you've said,' Joshua interrupted, 'but we'll only be in a position to address your concerns if we continue to move forward with this project. Mike, we're all in agreement that you, with your experience and background, are the most suitable person to be in charge of the teleport project.'

'That's a big ask,' Mike said. 'Other than the fact that the first, failed attempt took place forty years ago, I know nothing about teleportation.'

Andy Duvall, Director of Advanced Technology, spoke. 'The project wasn't a total failure. Practical and political considerations led to its abandonment, but we believe that, with the advanced technology now available, the original project could be successfully revisited.'

'That's not strictly true,' Mike said. 'All research facilities on Vennica have been shut down to save money; there have been no technological advancements in the last forty years.'

'From the Company's view,' Joshua explained, 'the capabilities being offered by a new teleportation system will be the next logical step in hyper-technology, where a person steps into a Phasewave transmitter and then, moments later, emerges at another unit anywhere in the inhabited universe, courtesy of the Phasewave Company. That's going to be the biggest, furthest-reaching event ever, and it will change the whole of society. We must put aside our old-fashioned ways of thinking and embrace the new.'

'What size budget do you have in mind?' Mike asked.

'We're going to fund the project differently this time,' Kai said. 'Instead of wasting man-hours and money setting up a bloated and expensive research unit, we'll only release funds on request to meet the immediate situation.'

'So I have to ask every time I need cash?' Mike said.

'The money is there for when you need it, but the budget as such will be tightly controlled.'

'What about staff and facilities?'

'Let us know what you want and we'll consider each item separately,' Kai said. 'It's the way things work nowadays.'

'I don't think we need to be reminded of that,' Joshua prompted. 'A decision has been made, and the teleportation concept is no longer open for discussion. From now on, we must all stay on message. I'm going to leave it at that for today. Mike, I want you to meet with the Operations Managers once a week to keep the momentum going. Keep them up to date with your progress, and I must stress again that everything we discuss at these meetings is extremely sensitive; the press and media must not get even the slightest hint of what we are doing. I also include the government on that list; this is our big chance to make serious money and break free of government restrictions, and I don't want them trying to get in on the act. Let's take our usual show of hands. Are we still in agreement?'

Once again, everyone but Mike eagerly put their hands in the air.

'Looks like you're still outvoted, Mike,' Joshua said. 'I hope your scepticism won't prevent you from bringing in a successful result on this very important project. That's all for today, gentlemen, and don't forget, Mike, it's our turn to attend the government meet and greet tonight.'

As Mike left the Phasewave Headquarters building, he stopped and looked at the magnificent surrounding gardens that the Company had constructed in the city centre, regardless of expense and despite their own financial situation. He was less than pleased to find that the board had dumped another contentious project on him, especially one with such a controversial background, and he didn't relish the idea of making small talk all night with total strangers at the government's monthly meet and greet cocktail party. Maybe it was time to think about retirement, he thought. Once again, he looked around the beautiful oasis in the heart of Kalmis City, and as he stood there admiring the view, he asked himself if he was ready to give it all up after putting twenty five years of work into the Company. From being the most successful and wealthiest company on the planet, he had seen the Phasewave Company fall in stature over that period of time to become practically bankrupt and heavily in debt. Contributing to that decline was a never-ending catalogue of failed ventures, nearly all of which had been pet projects proposed by an ever-changing cast of chairpersons who then disappeared after pocketing absurd amounts of remuneration as a reward for their contributions to the financial woes of the Company. He bitterly recalled the last project he had been personally involved in - the Water Generator debacle - a project that should never have seen the light of day and that mercilessly exposed the Company to the media ridicule it deserved. Resurrecting a forty year old, failed teleportation project was, in his private opinion, the final act of desperation by a bankrupt company, but he was aware that if he continued his stand and objected again at the next meeting, there was a good chance of finding himself standing somewhere else – in a queue at the Re-employment Facility. It was a sobering prospect. So, he decided, the next time he was asked the question, 'do we agree that human teleportation is achievable?' there could only be one answer - 'You bet your sweet life we do!'

That evening, Warwick Sutherland stood at the side of the main reception room in Government House, watching a cocktail party unfold and carefully observing the gathering of politicians, staff members, selected media representatives and senior figures in the Vennican business communities, whilst at the same time attempting to put names to faces. As a government aide, he was unique in the fact that after starting as an intern, he had now spent a year and a half working in the President's office, which was something of a government record. He was tall and thin, and others had told him that he looked like an intellectual, even though he did not consider himself particularly intelligent. Outwardly, he was the epitome of discretion, for which virtue he retained the confidence of his superiors, but that outer shell of respectability concealed a wicked sense of humour that he only revealed to an inner circle of friends. Occasionally, the President would ask for his honest opinions in certain matters, which he was prepared to give without reservation, even though he knew that each time he did so, he put his job at risk. The monthly parties, one of which he was now attending in the role of event manager, were usually good-natured affairs that presented an opportunity for people to network at an informal get-together. However, they did occasionally result in the odd drunken outburst, at which point, as duty events manager, he would normally call the ever-present government security to remove the offenders.

He spotted a couple of female interns eying him up and knew that they were calculating whether it was worthwhile cultivating him as an ally, particularly as he had been in his position for so long and was well past his use-by date. He knew one of them as Jan, but the other was obviously new to the job and did not conform to the seemingly mandated requirements of being tall and good looking with long hair in order to work there. She was petite and animated, and spent most of the time laughing or smiling and waving her arms around, which, in his opinion, was not a career move in a humourless society such as theirs.

Another figure in the crowd caught his eye. Walking towards him with a determined look on her face was the Defence Minister, Meg Ryse. He searched around for an escape route, but she already had him pinned in her sights. Trying not to reveal his feelings, he inwardly groaned. Meg was a tall woman with dyed black hair, chiselled features and a dark-eyed, piercing stare. She never smiled, and according to popular opinion, was the most disliked minister in the government. Despite her apparent lack of qualifications and ability, which people openly discussed around the government offices, she appeared to have inherited her ministerial appointment only because nobody else would touch it. Trying to flog defence in an era where there had been no military action on Vennica for as long as anyone could remember was widely regarded as the dead end of a government career.

Meg came to a halt before him, leaving him with the distinct impression that he was now her prisoner and would remain so until she had obtained whatever it was she had in mind.

'I want to talk to someone from the Phasewave Company,' she said, omitting any pretence of a greeting.

Warwick cast his eye over the crowd in the room. 'Joshua Stirling, the Chairman, is over there, and the man talking to him is Mike Casino, the Kalmis Base Manager.'

'I'll talk to the chairman,' Meg said. 'Go and fetch him.'

'It might be better if you first have a word with Mike,' Warwick cautiously suggested.

'I only deal with the top of the food chain,' Meg pointedly stated.

'If you don't mind me asking, is this going to be a political or a fact-finding meeting?'

Meg gave Warwick's request some consideration. 'I need information. Does this Mike character know anything worthwhile?'

'Actually, I think he does. He's spent all his working life with the Company, including a spell in Head Office. He probably knows more about the Phasewave Company than anyone.'

Meg grunted. 'Very well. Bring him over.'

Warwick left to cross the room, trying not to smile at Meg's expectation that the top executives of private companies were eager and willing to jump to commands from some self-important and incompetent government minister. Mike Casino was a straight-speaking man with a lived-in face who always looked uncomfortable wearing a suit, and after attracting his attention, Warwick managed to draw him away from his group.

'Hello, Warwick,' Mike said. 'Are you the duty bouncer tonight?'

Warwick had spoken with Mike on many occasions, and found that they both shared the same sense of humour. 'I'm afraid so,' he said. 'I hate to interrupt you, but the Defence Minister requests the pleasure of your company.' He saw the other man's expression immediately change.

'I can't believe you managed to say the word "pleasure" with a straight face,' Mike said. 'What have I done wrong to deserve this?'

'I think she is after some information.'

Mike looked over to where Meg was standing. 'She looks like she's in a bad mood,' he said.

'She always looks like that,' Warwick said. 'I wish I could give you a clue to what she wants, but I have no idea what that might be.'

'Got it. I'll watch what I say.' Mike accompanied Warwick to where Meg was waiting for them.

Meg launched straight into a conversation. 'Warwick tells me that you know everything about the Phasewave Company. Is that true?'

'I wouldn't put it that way myself,' Mike replied. 'Is there anything in particular that you wish to discuss?'

Meg stared at Mike, feeling slightly irritated at his casual response and wondering if it was worth her while to engage him in conversation. After a moment's reflection, she decided that since he was already standing there, it wouldn't be a complete waste of time. 'I want to pick your brains. We need to go somewhere private. Warwick, you may leave us.'

Warwick gratefully fled, and Meg led the way to an adjoining anteroom. 'What does your company do in the way of research and development?' she said. 'Do you have a dedicated facility for that kind of thing?'

'We don't do anything like that, and we have no facilities,' Mike replied. 'Why do you ask?'

'You are probably aware that I recently visited the Colonies; I took a sick child for an operation, one that the surgeons on Vennica said could not be accomplished.'

'I seem to remember the occasion,' Mike said. 'Didn't the child die?'

'Only due to the incompetence of the surgeon,' Meg snapped. 'But that is bye the bye. During my stay in the Colonies, it struck me how much ahead of us they are with their technology. Everything: domestic machines, public transport, autos, rocket ships, all seemed to be better than anything we are capable of producing on Vennica. Even their military forces appear to have superior equipment than ours. Why is that?'

'Unfortunately, technology seems to have gone out of fashion on Vennica,' Mike replied. 'The Phasewave Company used to have a big Research Unit on the Kalmis base, but they shut that down forty years ago. I only have one project on the go at the moment.'

'What is that? Does it involve advanced technology?'

'To a certain extent, it does, but the project is commercially confidential, and I'm not allowed to discuss it.'

'As Defence Minister, I have the highest security clearance on the planet. You have to tell me.'

'I'm sure that the government respects your confidence,' Mike patiently explained. 'Equally, the Phasewave Company respects mine. I'm afraid the answer is no.'

Meg struggled to control her irritation, which was now flaring into anger. To whom did this middle-ranking manager with a badly fitting suit think he was talking? Eventually, she asked, 'Why did your company shut down its research facility? What was the reason?'

'A Company employee lost his life during an experiment, after which the government fined us several billion dollars. They also confiscated valuable assets and swapped them for unprofitable power stations. Ever since, the Company has struggled to stay solvent and is hardly able to maintain its current inventory; the existing Phasewave machines are so dated they look like they arrived here with the First Ships. What are your opinions on the present day status of Vennican technology?'

'I have just undertaken a review of our defence equipment ....'

'Was that because of the attack on Outstation Three?' Mike interrupted.

'That's classified information,' Meg said. 'Who told you?'

'I heard it on the news this morning. They said it was a missile attack; do you think it was the Colonies kicking off again?'

Meg was lost for words. 'I cannot possibly answer that question while the issue is under review, and you shouldn't automatically assume the Colonies are involved just because they were the closest planets.'

'Of course not,' Mike pleasantly agreed. 'Is it then your intention to try to introduce new technology on Vennica?'

'That's why we're talking now. Yours is the largest commercial company on the planet, and we appear to have something in common: a desire for better technology. I was thinking along the lines of a possible joint venture.'

'That sounds like a sensible idea, but I know for a fact that the Phasewave Company is not in a position to provide any financial backing. What do you want from me?'

'Right now I don't want anything from you. I will sound out some other government departments and try to put a scale on what we should be looking at. If finances are a problem, I may be able to help you. I'll contact you next week to discuss this further.'

Meg turned and walked away, leaving Mike wondering what plans she had in mind for him.

As Mike departed the anteroom, Warwick appeared by his side. 'How did the meeting go?' he asked, with a smile on his face.

'Thanks for lining me up for that,' Mike said. 'Remind me to break your arms and legs sometime.'

'I'd like to say that Meg gets better for knowing, but I can't,' Warwick continued. 'What was your first impression?'

'My first impression was that she considers me to be a solution looking for a problem. She talks about technology, but I'm not sure she fully understands what she is saying. I presume that there's not a man in her life.'

'Rumour has it that she once invited a man round for dinner - and then ate him!' Warwick said. 'Sorry, that was just my bad joke. I assume she told you her story about taking the sick kid to the Colonies.'

'She did wait until her second breath before mentioning that. I kind of remembered what she was banging on about, but fill me in on the details.'

'Meg would do anything to get noticed, and then one day she heard about this young girl who was terminally ill. The hospitals here said they couldn't cure her, so Meg made a big show of taking her to the Colonies for treatment, where she died. As a publicity stunt, it worked well, so well in fact that she was made a local senator when she returned to Vennica. The minister position had been vacant for months, and she bid for it thinking it was a promotion. She probably knows less about defence than I do.'

'I mentioned the attack on Outstation Three, and she assumed it was still secret.'

'Wasn't that in the news this morning?'

'That's what I heard.'

'As Defence Minister, surely she should be up to speed on these things.'

'Well, she now intends to improve the Vennican technology,' Mike said. 'I can't argue with that, but I'm not convinced she's the right person to do it.'

'From what I hear, Meg's only concerned about her career and is always looking for ways to advance it, which usually translates into trampling over everyone she meets in the process. I think you'll need to watch your back if you have any dealings with her.'

'So long as I can get my machines replaced, I don't care what she does. It was nice seeing you again, but I'm off home now.'

'Would you like a drink before you go?'

'Thanks for the offer, but I have another appointment. I'll see you around.'

#####  CHAPTER TWO

After arriving at his home on the outskirts of the city, Mike took a cold drink out of the chiller, sat back on a sofa and put his feet up. He swallowed a mouthful of beer and regretted not staying on at the cocktail party with Warwick. Why did he tell him he had another appointment when he didn't? His partner, Mel, crossed the room on her way out.

'I've left you a meal in the oven,' she said, packing her handbag. 'It just needs heating up. Can you let me have some change for a cab?'

Mike pulled out his wallet and handed her some small denomination bills. 'Where are you off to tonight?'

'I'm out with the girls again.' She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and bustled through the door, still trying to rearrange her handbag.

Mike sipped his beer and reflected upon his relationship with Mel. She was an attractive woman ten years younger than he was, and they were slowly drifting apart. When they first got together, fifteen years ago, he wanted a family and she didn't, then, a few years later, she did, and he found he couldn't. He knew that she went gambling because, unbeknown to her, he regularly checked her private bank account and had seen the hundreds of dollars withdrawn from cash machines inside a Kalmis casino. Mel worked in the real estate business, and, whilst he had once seen her in a restaurant having lunch with another man, he did not believe she had ever been unfaithful. Soon she would leave him, and then he would become one more friend-less middle-aged man living on his own. He opened another beer and cast his mind back to the day's events. What was he going to do about the teleport shipwreck that the Company had dumped on him? The previous attempt at teleportation had been a disaster, although he was very young when it took place and could not remember much about it. In the morning, he would ask his assistant to dig out the reports from the Company archives. What had happened to the teleport equipment they used? He was certain it wasn't on the base; after all this time, somebody was bound to have moved it. The proposal to revive a disastrous, forty year old experiment with no budget, staff or research equipment appealed to his sense of humour and made him laugh out aloud. Teleportation was the stuff of science fiction and comics, or the febrile minds of the Phasewave board members. He went back to the chiller and recovered another beer from the chiller.

The world collapsed on Warwick Sutherland the moment he woke up. Carefully clutching his head, which felt as though it was about to fall off, he pulled himself upright in bed and delicately looked around, becoming slowly aware that he was naked under a blanket and not alone in his bedroom.

'Are you okay?' Ara asked.

Warwick traced the source of the voice to a young woman lying on top of the covers next to him. She looked vaguely familiar and was fully clothed.

'You can't remember last night, can you?' she said.

Events from the previous evening floated to the surface of his mind. They had carried on drinking after the cocktail hour and then, what happened after that?

'My head hurts,' he complained.

'I'm not surprised, considering the amount you were putting away.'

'It was that last bottle. What was in it?'

'There was no last bottle. You just mixed too many cocktails.'

Warwick looked at her again. He had definitely seen her before. He swallowed hard. 'It's Anna, isn't it?'

'It's Ara!' the woman snapped. 'Will you please stop calling me Anna?'

'Sorry.' Warwick rubbed the sleep from his eyes and watched Ara cross the room to the kitchen and return with a glass of water. Then he recognised her – she was Jan's friend, the bubbly one, although she wasn't smiling now.

She handed him the glass, and he drank some water.

'What happened,' he said. 'Did we, you know, do anything?'

'Not really,' Ara said. 'You took your clothes off and collapsed unconscious on the bed. I didn't know whether to call a doctor or an undertaker.'

'Have you been here all night?'

'Yes. I was worried that you might vomit and choke.'

'Thanks for that. I hope you didn't get the wrong impression of me. I usually behave myself.'

'Don't worry. It was partly Jan's fault; she was the one who kept fetching you drinks. Listen, I have to go to work. Are you going to be alright on your own?'

'I'll be fine,' Warwick said, finishing the glass of water. 'I really am sorry about last night.'

'That's okay.'

'Maybe we could get together again some time?'

'Maybe,' Ara said. 'I must be off now.'

Warwick watched as she left his apartment. More memories of the previous evening returned. They had definitely had a good time after the cocktail party ended, and Ara had been a bundle of fun. He made a commitment there and then that he would not make a fool of himself at their next encounter, which he was already anticipating.

Tula Khan walked into Mike's office. 'Here it is,' she said, handing him a thick file. 'These are copies of all the reports I could find about that last teleport.'

Mike accepted the file. 'Is all this from the archives?'

'Yes, I went back forty years. The teleport certainly made the headlines at the time. I've put all the press releases at the back of the file; they make compulsive reading.'

Mike sat at his desk and started to plough through the stack of papers, trying to establish the main points of the reports. After an hour, he called Tula in again.

'I've got another challenge for you,' he said. 'It looks like a team of six researchers was involved in this experiment, although that was forty years ago. Do you think any of them might still be around?'

'I can try to locate them, but I'll need to visit the Personal Movements Archive. I probably won't be able to obtain anything until tomorrow.'

'Give it your best shot,' Mike said. 'I don't anticipate finding any of them after all this time, but at least we'll be able to say we made the effort. Without that team's input, this project could take years to achieve anything.'

The following morning, Tula turned up again in Mike's office. 'I searched everywhere,' she said, 'but it looks like the whole team left Vennica at the same time to work off-planet. Five of them have vanished without trace, but one, a guy called Zac Buchanan, has come back and is now living in Kalmis.'

'I think he was the team leader. How old would he be now?'

'I got the impression that it was a fairly youthful team,' Tula said, 'so I guess he would be about sixty five years old.'

'That sounds about right. My next request is can you find out where he lives?'

'It's already done.' Tula handed Mike a sheet of paper with an address on it.

Mike smiled. 'I've got to get up early to catch you out. I always said that you should be running this company, not those dullards in headquarters. You make everything look easy; how do you do that?'

'I keep my ear to the ground,' Tula said.

Mike looked at the address again. 'Zac's living in Spencerville,' he said. 'I think I'll drive out after lunch.'

'Are you seriously going to start this teleport business again?' Tula asked.

'The main board think I am, but personally, I don't believe there's any way it's going to work. I'll go through the motions, but as soon as I start asking for money, I think they'll quickly go off the idea.'

'Let's hope so. It sounds dangerous to me.'

'It sounds dangerously career limiting to me,' Mike said. 'I wonder what physical state Zac is in. People who spend time away from Vennica tend to live shorter lives than residents.'

'Then you'd better get in while there's still a chance of him being alive.'

'It's not that urgent; I can't imagine anything happening to him before lunch.'

Spencerville was a neglected suburb some thirty kilometres from the city centre. The area had once supported heavy industry but was now a dormer location providing cheap, old homes for people who worked in the city but could not afford the cost of housing there. Mike parked his auto and approached one of many small, identical units lining a deserted street. There was no immediate answer when he knocked on the door, and he was about to leave a note behind when the door opened a crack and a face peered out.

'I'm looking for Zac Buchanan,' Mike said, holding up his works pass. 'I work for the Phasewave Company.'

The door slowly opened and Mike found himself looking into the wizened features of an old man. Although age had caused the man's hairline to recede into a thin mat of greying hair, his intelligent eyes, behind thick-rimmed spectacles, were bright and inquisitive.

'Are you Zac Buchanan?' Mike enquired.

'I'm Zac,' the man confirmed, in a voice that sounded younger than the person Mike was looking at. 'What do you want?'

'I need to talk to you about a project you were involved in. May I come inside?'

Zac reluctantly pulled the door open, and Mike entered a room containing only a minimal selection of worn furniture. The adjoining room appeared to be a workshop, where Mike observed a bench covered in electronic equipment. There were no signs of a female touch inside the room, so he assumed that Zac lived there alone. Zac led the way to a table and chairs and they sat down, looking at each other.

'I'm searching for information about a teleport experiment that took place forty years ago,' Mike said. 'I understand that you were the team leader of that project.'

Zac did not show any signs of surprise but nodded his head in agreement.

'The Company intends to restart the project,' Mike continued, 'and I'm trying to find out what happened the last time it was attempted.'

'Are you from head office?' Zac suspiciously asked.

'No. I'm the Base Manager here in Kalmis. I've been through all the archived company reports, but they don't give me a clear picture. Would you be willing to tell me what you remember about the project?'

Zac pulled himself to his feet. 'I'll make some tea.' He walked slowly across to the kitchen area and switched on a kettle. 'What did the Company tell you about me?'

'They didn't tell me anything,' Mike said. 'You have to understand that there are very few people like me who have worked for the Company for more than twenty years. The people in charge are always career seekers who move about every three years or so to whoever pays the most money. Forty years is a long time in my line of work.'

'It was a long time in my line of work. Did you know I was banned for life from working here?'

'No, I didn't,' Mike said. 'Did the ban apply to all your team?'

'Yes, unfortunately it did. How much do you know about Phasewaves?'

'I was trained as a Phasewave engineer and have spent twenty five years working on them,' Mike said. 'Without wishing to sound conceited, I can say I probably know more about Phasewaves than anyone else in the Company. I also have to front up that I did actually work for a spell at head office.'

'At least you are a worker,' Zac said. He carried two cups of tea to the table. Mike accepted one, although he normally never drank tea. 'The Company destroyed my life, so why should I now help it?'

'I'm sorry things turned out for you the way they did, and if I was in a position to change anything, I would, but since you appear to be the only living person who knows what went on before, all I can do is ask for your help. I will obviously pay you for any work you do.'

'I cannot be officially employed,' Zac said. 'My ban is for life.'

'I'm sure I can reward you in other ways, maybe in kind,' Mike said. 'Is there anything I can do to persuade you to share your experience?'

Zac took a while before answering. 'There is one thing I want, but I think it would only be possible if you were able to recover the original equipment we used.'

'I doubt that the original equipment still exists.'

'I suspect you are right; the equipment was inside the Research Unit when it was officially shut down. After I left Vennica, I heard that the Company had put it into storage. It may still be there, somewhere on the base.'

'I'm afraid the Company no longer has any research facilities, but there are some older storage facilities knocking around the site.'

'Then the original research building might still be there.'

'I know every square centimetre of the base. Where was the research building sited?'

'It used to be at the end of the parallel perimeter track.'

Mike tried hard to remember what was in that location. 'That area is hardly ever used; the only building out there is one of the storage sheds.'

'Then that could be the one. What do you use it for?'

'It's where we retain refurbished spare parts for the Phasewaves. I've been inside it a few times, but I've never noticed anything unusual. D'you think there could be anything left?'

'It's a possibility.'

'I'll drive out there tomorrow and take a look. Could you describe what I should be looking for?'

'I could, but it might be easier if I come with you. Just to make sure, you understand.'

'That would be very helpful and much appreciated,' Mike said.

'However, I don't think your Company would approve of me entering Phasewave property after my previous involvement,' Zac said.

Mike thought for a moment. 'After all this time, I don't think the Company security will currently hold any information on you, and I will personally sign you on and off the base. I don't wish to impose upon you, but I could collect the plans and keys to that building this afternoon, and we could both pay it a visit in the morning. Do you have an auto?'

Zac shook his head.

'That's all right. I'll pick you up in the morning. I'm assuming, of course, that those arrangements would be acceptable to you.'

'It'll be like going back forty years in time,' Zac said. 'My money is on the equipment still being around somewhere because no-one wanted to be associated with the project after it failed, and it would have been a big job to dismantle and move it all. After all this time, who knows?'

The next morning, Zac sat in Mike's auto as he drove away from the security centre and onto a narrow side road inside the Phasewave base. He finished pinning a security pass to his jacket and looked up through the roof window at a Phasewave machine towering above them. Fourteen more machines stretched in a straight line ahead, bordering the road down which they were driving. He pointed to his new pass. 'I never imagined I would be wearing one of these again.'

'Consider it a belated present from the Phasewave Company,' Mike said.

'It's also a long time since I was this close to a Phasewave,' Zac said, watching as the giant machine slid by them. 'I'd forgotten how big they are.'

'They're getting old now,' Mike commented. 'Money is tight, and we have to recycle any parts we replace. After we have beaten and bodged them back to life, the parts are stored in this storage shed for future use.'

Mike pulled over and parked next to a large, unmarked building. 'This is the storage facility I was thinking of. Does it look familiar?'

Zac carefully examined the building, which looked rather shabby and untended at close range. 'It could be,' he said. 'I won't know for certain until I see inside.'

'Let's take a look,' Mike said.

The two men left the auto and walked across to the building. Mike unlocked the main door and pulled it open, revealing a dark interior.

'The power should be on,' he said, searching for the light switches. Yellow lights in the high ceiling eventually flickered into life, illuminating rows of racks loaded with spare parts. Piles of stacked wooden crates surrounded them, and the air tasted of dust.

'This looks familiar,' Zac said, 'but when I worked here on the project, the Research Centre took up the whole building. Now it looks more like a warehouse.'

'That's a start,' Mike said, casting his eye around the large, silent room. 'You wouldn't believe it by looking at them, but these parts on the shelves are worth millions of dollars. Fortunately, you can't use them for anything other than repairing Phasewave machines, which is why we don't worry too much about the building's security. In which part of the building were you working before you left?'

'The pressure chambers were over here.' Zac led the way to the rear wall of the building. They looked around, but there was no sign of anything out of the ordinary.

'It looks like everything's been removed,' Mike said. 'We shouldn't be surprised after all this time.'

Zac closely examined the back wall. 'I'm sure this wall wasn't here when we carried out the tests. I think this wall may have been added at a later date.'

Mike pulled some folded sheets from his jacket pocket and opened them out for Zac to see.

'These show the position of the original wall,' Zac said, examining the plans. 'It's further back than this one.'

Mike knocked on the wall next to where they were standing. 'This is only a partition wall, but it certainly looks as though it's been here a long time. D'you think there could be any of the original equipment behind it?'

'The wall appears to have been added after the laboratory had been shut down, and there must have been a reason for doing that,' Zac observed. 'If it's only a partition, we could easily knock a hole through and see what's inside. Have you got a crowbar or any heavy tools?'

Mike searched around and came back with two iron levers that were used for opening wooden boxes. 'You'd better help me do this; if anyone disturbs us, I'll handle it.'

The two men worked together and quickly broke a hole in the wall. Zac bent down and peered through it. 'It's here!' he shouted.

'Are you sure?' Mike said.

'Yes, I can see it; the equipment is still here. Take a look.'

Mike looked through the wall and saw two very large cylinders, positioned end-on to a wall, and a row of workbenches supporting instrument panels. 'This looks promising,' he said. 'We'll make a doorway. You take your side.'

Together, Mike and Zac smashed out a rectangular section of wall to create an entrance into the newly revealed room. Mike kicked clear some pieces of broken wood, and the two of them clambered inside and walked over to the benches.

'Wow,' Zac said. 'This place looks as if it hasn't been touched since I was last here.' He pulled a grimy mug from a rack and shook his head in disbelief. 'This was my coffee mug. I can't believe everything is still here where I left it.'

'I must admit I wasn't expecting to find anything,' Mike said, observing the layer of dust that coated everything inside the room. 'These cylinders look familiar. What are they?'

'They should look familiar; they are modified plasma chambers from Phasewave machines.'

'Ah,' Mike acknowledged. 'At least I know where to come when I need more spare parts for my machines. What's that you're looking at?'

Zac was standing motionless next to a bench, with a huge grin on his face. He put his hand out and gently caressed the glass screen of a control station. 'This is the real reason I wanted to come here today. This is my supercomputer.'

Mike stood next to him. 'Are you telling me that you actually made this machine?'

'Yes. This is all my own work; this is Able, my baby.'

'Able? I didn't know computers had names.'

'This one is a very special computer.'

'In that case, d'you think Able will work again?'

'Yes. I built this machine to last. It's unlike normal computers because it does not have an operating system; it functions using artificial intelligence and can actually teach itself to carry out tasks. That's why it's called a supercomputer, and it has the facility to repair itself if it suffers any damage. Even after forty years have gone by, Able is probably still one of the most advanced computers on the planet; I can't believe it was just abandoned here.'

Mike looked around. 'What functions was Able carrying out during the teleportation project?'

'Follow me.' Zac walked to one of the huge cylinders. He took hold of a handle at the end of the unit, rotated its lock and swung open a heavy hatch. Mike joined him and looked inside to where a plinth stood on the floor in the centre of the chamber.

'These two cylinders are the compression chambers,' Zac explained. 'High tech scanners are built into each of their walls, and the chambers are cooled by liquid nitrogen during operation. The chambers are identical and are linked together through a Phasewave machine. At least they used to be.' He took Mike to the other side of the chamber and showed him a row of what looked like tall cabinets that reached almost to the ceiling. 'This you have to see,' he said, sliding open the doors on the nearest cabinet. Inside, it was stacked with electronic panels and relays.

'What's that? Mike asked.

'This is the real Able, the main body of the supercomputer. What you saw on the bench was just the control panel, and the rest of the computer fills these cabinets. It consists of twelve individual modules and weighs over a tonne.'

'It certainly looks impressive,' Mike said. He looked at the two big cylinders butted up to the wall. 'You must have struggled to get those monsters into position.'

'They each weigh seven tonnes; we had to have the floor strengthened to take them.'

'I'm beginning to wonder if that is why this place was walled up,' Mike speculated. 'It probably would have been easier building a wall than trying to remove the heavy stuff. Will any of this kit will ever work again?'

'I'm pretty sure the computer will still function,' Zac said. 'It will need to be tested, but after that it can be used to check the other system components.'

'Do you know of anyone who would be familiar with this machine and could do the testing?'

'This is the only one of its kind ever made on Vennica. I am not aware of anyone else with a working knowledge of this machine.'

'That doesn't sound promising,' Mike said, 'but it does lead to my next request.'

'I know what that will be,' Zac said. 'I really need time to think this over before I make a commitment. I would also like to point out that the Phasewave Company could hardly be described as a friend of mine, and you could find yourself in trouble if they find out you are using my services.'

'I don't intend to advertise your presence here, but I'm willing to argue the toss with the Company if they were to take issue with the way I'm running the project. The directors are only interested in making money, and they would be unlikely to interfere if I pointed out that their actions would inflate the costs of the project. I only wish I was in a position to offer you something that would change your mind.'

Zac was quiet for a while. 'Let's talk this through logically,' he said. 'Who's going to make up your research team?'

'I intend to use a couple of my engineering apprentices.'

Zac raised his eyebrows. 'Seriously? Apprentice engineers?'

'Let me be honest with you. I've been involved in other projects similar to this that have all ended in failure, and I genuinely don't believe that human teleportation will ever get off the ground. Even if it does work, I believe that the costs of setting up a universal system would prove to be way beyond the Company's means. Finding this original equipment has changed my views somewhat, but unless I can be convinced otherwise, I'm not going to waste time resurrecting an expensive project and recruiting another research team, only to end up in the same disastrous situation as the first teleport attempt. I've survived in this company long enough to know a bad project when I see one.'

'You sound very negative about the project, and I can understand why,' Zac said, 'but my team ran the project for over a year and at the time it was cancelled, we were only a step away from perfecting the technique. I genuinely believe that a human teleport remains a distinct possibility.'

'I wish I could share your optimism, but at the moment, without your assistance I doubt that I and the apprentices would even be able to work your computer, let alone complete a teleport.'

'Then I will make you an offer. I'll set up Able and carry out functional tests of all the equipment, and after that you'll be on your own.'

'That's very kind of you,' Mike said. 'At least that way we will be starting from a sound base.'

'Let's hope that your apprentices think the same way. However, on the plus side, you'll be starting the project with the benefit of a year's background experience, and everything you'll need to complete your project is in this room, right before you.'

Mike started to feel a bit more optimistic. Maybe, if he could persuade Zac to stay with it, this project could work. He looked back at the compression chambers. 'Tell me, what exactly do the scanners inside those chambers achieve?'

'These high definition scanners have several functions. Using electron pulses, they are capable of mapping anything you want to teleport, including an entire human body. The first scan run sends data to the computer, which then works out what it needs to do to achieve the right amount of compression. Then, using the scanners' laser beams, it carries out a second run that, along with an increase in chamber pressure, effectively reduces to a form of digital code whatever it is you are intending to transmit. That code is then transmitted to the receiving station. When the transmission reaches the receiving station, which for the purposes of this experiment has got to be the adjoining compression chamber, the computer reverses the electron pulses and laser beams to regenerate the sample to its original state.'

'That sounds incredible,' Mike said. 'What would the commercial setup look like?'

'If the teleport system ever takes off, all of this equipment will have to be replicated and installed at each Phasewave base. No doubt it will take years to construct and will definitely cost a fortune.'

'Why did the original project fail?'

'It wasn't a failure of the equipment,' Zac explained. 'Once we became functional, we started to teleport inanimate objects.' He picked up a metal ingot from a bench-top. 'In fact, this ingot was the first object we ever transmitted, and the system worked perfectly, but that was only because the ingot was reformed entirely from scanned data. When we tried to teleport organic material, however, the results were inconsistent because we were using the DNA from the material's genome to reform it. Several attempts later, though, we managed to successfully transfer a piece of freshly cut tree trunk and assumed we were home and dry.'

'So what went wrong with the human transfer?'

'The system is required to identify and process both inanimate and organic materials at the same time, so it would automatically transmit a body and anything it was carrying or wearing. We had already established that the transfer of organic material was a lot more complicated than we had anticipated, and we were working with the supercomputer to resolve an issue we were having with the genome when the Phasewave Company decided to press ahead with the transfer before we had resolved it.'

'My issue with the genome is that I have never heard of it,' Mike said. 'Where does that fit in?'

'The human body contains trillions of cells, and each cell has a genome. The genome contains DNA, which forms the blueprint for the reconstruction of the body after transmission, but that DNA already contains code, and any further shrinkage would be likely to corrupt it. We were still trying to resolve that problem when the Company decided to go ahead with the first teleport. I fought hard to delay the opening ceremony, but the Company had already arranged it and was adamant that the teleport must go ahead. I resigned the day before the teleport, and afterwards, I was blamed for the outcome.'

'What were you testing at the time?' Mike asked.

'We eventually managed to successfully transfer organic material by tweaking the scanner to only pick up a selection of undamaged genomes to use for the rebuild, at which point we turned our attention to living material. Before progressing to a human form, we planned to send a calf through the system to make sure it was working properly. As team leader, I had volunteered to be the first person to travel through the system, but I was still unhappy with certain aspects of the recovery process because our test results whilst transmitting organic material were inconsistent, and they needed to be one hundred per cent successful before we could attempt to transmit live material. Then, because of my reluctance to approve the system, the Company decided to replace me with one of their own directors and use a member of staff for the first transfer. It turned into a complete disaster. After the man went through the teleport, and in front of all the waiting media, the receiving chamber opened to reveal this mound of twitching, unidentifiable flesh. Half its organs had developed externally, along with some distorted limbs, all entwined with strings of clothing. It had no head and lived for only a few minutes.'

'That must have come as a hell of a shock to the crowd,' Mike said. 'I'm assuming that the teleport failed because the scanners failed to identify and use the undamaged genome, so if I now continue the project from that point, should I be looking for an alternative method to identify them?'

'Yes. The teleport worked perfectly when we were transmitting a piece of tree trunk, but although plants share a lot of human DNA, it is contained inside a more rigid structure than human tissue, and I believe that property offers it a certain amount of protection during shrinkage. Based on the results of all our original experiments, I had reluctantly come to the conclusion that the equipment we were using was functioning as intended, but human genomes were unable to survive the compression process.'

'So what did you intend to do next?'

'I once met a scientist who told me about something called a genetic imprint, but I did a lot of research and wasn't able to find out anything about it and decided it existed only in his imagination. I have now had years to reconsider what he told me and think he may have been right; what he was talking about could be described as an electronic blueprint of all DNA in a living entity. In other words, the imprint is the parent of the DNA inside the genomes, but, because it has no physical content, its DNA is not affected by the compression process, whereas a corrupted genome was responsible for the monster that was created on the first attempted teleport.'

'Is the scanner sensitive enough to pick out an imprint?' Mike said.

'The imprint is invisible and can only be detected as a minute pulse of energy when it exits the body at the moment of death, which is effectively what happens when the body is reduced to code. The scanners are perfectly capable of picking up the imprint but will have difficulty identifying and selecting it. However, I believe that someone might eventually be able to overcome the problem and that if the teleport process is ever going to be successful, using the imprint is the only way we will achieve it.'

Mike mulled over what he had just heard and started to feel deflated. If a highly experienced scientist like Zac and his supercomputer called Able couldn't find the imprint, what chance did he have? 'Well,' he finally said, 'you've been a great help, and I really appreciate what you have shown me. I know you would like to see Able working again after you have checked all the equipment, so would you be prepared to help me restart the project? We can call this laboratory the Research Centre. Maybe, for old time's sake, you could stay on board long enough to see us send that metal ingot through the system?'

Zac considered Mike's request. 'That makes sense, and I would definitely like to confirm that Able is capable of working again. If it's okay with you, I'd like to take home the two control modules and calibrate them in my workshop.'

Mike could see no reason not to let the old man take the equipment; after all, he was the only person who knew how it was all supposed to work. He nodded to Zac. 'Okay. Why not?'

'Then can you give me a hand with them?' Zac got down on his knees and unplugged two heavy computer modules from their racks. The two of them lifted the modules from the rack and carried them back to Mike's auto.

'I'll start working on these modules as soon as I get home,' Zac said, 'and then hopefully I can use them to start up Able. Once Able is up and running, it will test the software and the scanners. What I need you to do is see if you can trace and activate the original connections to whatever Phasewave unit the Company used to link the compression chambers. Once you have done that and the equipment checks out okay, you should be in a good position to start your experiments. I wish you luck.'

Mike started the auto and they headed back down the perimeter track. Luck wasn't what he needed, he thought. If he intended to see the project through, what he actually needed was a miracle.

#####  CHAPTER THREE

Two young electronic engineering apprentices sat waiting outside Mike's office, speculating why they had been summonsed.

'Have you done something wrong again?' Leanne asked in a quiet voice.

Jon cautiously looked over to where Tula, Mike's assistant, was working. 'Why is it always my fault?' he whispered. 'For all I know, you could be responsible for this.' He raised his voice. 'Tula, are we in some kind of trouble?'

Tula looked up from her work. 'You certainly look guilty, so you must have done something wrong,' she joked. 'Take my advice; it's always better to own up sooner than later.'

Leanne and Jon worriedly looked at each other.

Tula laughed. 'Take it easy. Today, and for one day only, the Gods of engineering are smiling, and soon you might be let off the hook.'

'Give us a clue,' Leanne said.

'You can't get off the hook that easily,' Tula replied. 'My lips are now officially sealed.'

'I think we're going to be given a project,' Leanne whispered.

'I doubt it,' Jon said. 'The Company doesn't do projects anymore.'

Just then, a buzzer sounded and Tula got up and showed the visitors to Mike's office. 'Don't forget,' she said, in a loud stage whisper. 'First one to cough gets a pardon.' She opened the office door and motioned them inside. 'In you go.'

Mike was sitting at his desk talking to an older man when the apprentices entered the room. He rose to his feet and indicated for them to sit at his desk.

'First of all, I'd like to introduce my colleague, Zac,' he said.

Zac nodded a greeting.

'I think you may all be seeing more of each other over the next few days,' Mike said. 'I know that you apprentices are hoping to complete a research project to help gain your certified engineer qualifications, and so far I've been unable to offer you anything significant. However, I now have a very important project lined up for you, but it's top secret, and I can't emphasise enough how sensitive the subject is. Zac here has kindly volunteered to help us in the initial setting up of the project. Forty years ago, he was the team leader on a teleportation project, which took place on this base in what was then known as the Research Unit. The Company abandoned that project, and they have now decided to revisit it, which is where we all come in.'

Jon sat, open-mouthed. 'Are you asking us to take part in a teleport experiment?'

'I'm not expecting you to be part of the experiment,' Mike explained. 'I just want you both to be part of the teleport project.'

'But we're training to be electronic engineers, not scientists,' Leanne pointed out.

'I'm well aware of that,' Mike said, 'but I don't think you will be asked to do anything beyond your capabilities.'

'Where will this take place?' Jon asked. 'Will we have to live away from home?'

'No, we have fortunately found the laboratory where the initial experiments were conducted right here on the base, along with all its original equipment. At present, we are using the building as a storage unit, but I now intend to turn it back into a Research Centre. I'll take you all down there after this meeting.'

'You just mentioned equipment,' Jon said. 'What will we be using?'

'I'll let Zac describe it to you,' Mike said. 'Zac, if you wouldn't mind.'

'The set-up is quite straightforward,' Zac said. 'It basically consists of a supercomputer, three-dimensional laser and electron beam scanners and transmitting and receiving compression chambers. I'm in the process of checking and calibrating that equipment, after which it will be ready for your experiments.'

'I've never even seen a supercomputer,' Leanne said. 'How can we get checked out on it?'

'Don't worry,' Mike said. 'Zac actually built the supercomputer in question, and he'll be able to show you what it can do once it has been set up and is running, but the Phasewave platform is central to the teleport process, and that is where your inputs will be most valued. You are now going to witness an experiment that has not been attempted for forty years, and if it is successful, your involvement in the project will significantly boost your CVs.'

Later, Leanne and Jon sat in the back of Mike's auto and looked at each other excitedly; not only had the feared punishment failed to materialize, but they were about to take part in a unique and significant experiment. Mike parked his auto outside a shabby looking building and opened up the boot. Inside was an industrial vacuum cleaner, along with buckets, brushes and cleaning materials. They all pitched in and carried the contents to the rear of what Leanne at first assumed to be a warehouse. When they reached a back wall, they found two workers fitting a door into it. Mike greeted the men, who obviously worked for him and dutifully stood aside to let them pass into what appeared to be some kind of laboratory. Leanne and Jon stood and looked up at the two giant cylinders in awe.

'I never knew this place existed,' Jon whispered to Leanne.

'Me neither,' she replied.

'Okay everybody, welcome to the new Research Centre,' Mike said. 'Let's get this place cleaned up, and then we can start work.' He stood back and watched with satisfaction as his two apprentices leapt into action to start cleaning away forty years of dust and grime.

Mike took Zac to one side. 'I've identified the Phasewave connections we need to link the compression chambers; re-establishing them is not going to be a straightforward process, and I'll do it when I can find some quiet time. I have to leave now to attend my weekly torture session with the Phasewave managers; can you find something for the apprentices to do after they have cleaned up?'

'No problem,' Zac said. 'There's a tool collection available, so I'll let the apprentices loose on the scanners; all the moving parts will need to be serviced before they can be activated. That should keep them occupied for a few days. In the meantime, I'll get on and refit the two computer control modules that we dropped off earlier, and then we can try to start up Able. I must admit to feeling a certain amount of trepidation after it has been inactive all this time.'

'I'm not surprised,' Mike said. 'Until two days ago, none of what's happening here must have crossed your mind. When the men have finished fitting the door over there, I'll issue us all with coded access passes, and nobody else will be allowed inside here until the project is complete.'

As Mike started to leave the laboratory, Zac called out after him, 'Good luck with the meeting.'

'Thanks. It's supposed to be a routine catch-up, but I bet the managers start harassing me to give them a completion date.'

'Considering that we haven't even started, isn't that being a bit unrealistic?' Zac asked.

'You don't know these guys,' Mike said. 'I'm off now; keep an eye on the apprentices while I'm gone, and I'll give you a lift home when I return.'

Inside the Phasewave headquarters boardroom, Mike attended a meeting with the five Operations Managers. Present were Tony Hix, the Senior Operations Officer, Jay Byron, Sami Lu, Sarah Cunliffe and Barry Bridges. Mike knew them all. They sat down around a table.

'What have you got to report so far?' Tony asked.

'I've carried out an investigation into the last teleport attempt and discovered that all the original equipment involved is still in place on the base,' Mike replied. 'I intend to restore that equipment and use it in the latest attempt.'

'Wouldn't it be safer to start off with some new kit after all this time?' Sarah suggested. 'Will any of the original stuff still be in working order?'

'Whatever we do is bound to involve the same kind of equipment – computers, scanners and compression chambers. The original equipment is mostly unused and sticking with it will be quicker and cheaper than starting again from scratch. It's already in place, and all we need to do is check and calibrate it before we start carrying out any experiments. I'm also going to employ some of my engineering apprentices on the research team in order to reduce the expense.'

'We appreciate your cost-watching, but don't cut corners on this project,' Sami warned. 'The Company is relying on a successful outcome.'

'Have you been able to identify the cause of the previous failure?' Barry asked.

'Not yet,' Mike responded, mindful to keep Zac's name firmly out of the conversation. 'From the archived reports, I've managed to establish that the system had not been fully evaluated at the time the teleport was carried out. I now intend to carry out extensive tests, starting with static objects and hopefully progressing to live animals, including calves, until I can confirm that the system is safe for the teleport of human beings.'

'That sounds like a sensible approach,' Tony said. 'I don't want to put any pressure on you, but can you provide us with an estimated date for your first teleport attempt?'

'I'm afraid not,' Mike replied, trying to keep a straight face. 'I wasn't aware that there was a timescale on the project.'

'There isn't,' Tony quickly pointed out. 'It's just that there are a few significant Company anniversary dates coming up in the calendar, and the board thinks it would generate a lot of good publicity if we were to combine two events together.'

'I simply cannot give you a date,' Mike said. 'Today is the first time my team has set eyes on the equipment we intend to use, and so far we've no idea whether it will work or not. I'm sorry I can't be more precise, but I'm doing the best I can.'

'In which case, I understand how busy you are going to be and we won't waste any more of your time,' Tony said. 'We'll see you again next week.'

As Mike drove away from the headquarters building, he tried to quell the frustration he felt every time he had dealings with staff at the Company's headquarters. Eventually, he allowed himself a smile. As predicted, the managers were demanding a finish date before he had even started the project. He could hardly bring himself to believe that senior Phasewave managers were so ignorant that they believed he and a couple of engineering apprentices, using forty year old equipment, could produce a successful outcome to the most ambitious and sophisticated project ever attempted by the Company, especially one which came with such a dubious history. No wonder the Company was practically bankrupt.

The next day, Mike was standing in the laboratory next to Zac as he started to power up Able. Across the room, the apprentices, sensibly dressed in overalls, were leaning inside the chambers machine disassembling the scanners, with only their legs visible outside. The open chambers appeared to have been eviscerated and a pile of detached components was starting to stack up on the floor between them. Mike carefully watched Zac select different controls as his sophisticated computer went through a self-test programme and tried not to panic at the realisation that Zac would be leaving the team once it was working. He would be taking over from Zac, and there was no way he would ever be competent enough to unravel the workings of his supercomputer.

'I came in early this morning and managed to link a Phasewave to the chambers,' Mike advised.

'I bet that was a pain after all this time,' Zac commented.

'Fortunately, the number of machines in use has not changed over the years, so the plans still showed the original connections. How's your computer doing?'

'Considering that it's not been used for forty years, the old boy is doing okay,' Zac said. 'It should soon be through with its checks.'

Just then, the screen flickered into life and a picture of a face appeared.

'Who the hell is that?' Mike asked, staring at the image of a young man with long, wavy black hair.

'That's me when I first built Able,' Zac said, somewhat offended. 'Who did you think it was?'

'Well, I guess it could be you, although you looked a lot younger then.'

'Are you trying to say that I now look like an old man?'

'Heaven forbid,' Mike said. 'It's just that now you look a lot more, shall I say, distinguished.'

Zac grunted. 'I'll let you off this time.' He turned back to the screen. 'On a lighter note, Able is now officially up and running and looking for work.'

The picture on the screen dissolved into a mass of code.

'Should it be doing that?' Mike asked.

'Yes. It has linked up to the Phasewave system and is refreshing its memories from the Phasewave Data-net. In human terms, it's trying to find out who it is and where it is. I'll leave the computer running day and night from now on to make sure that it can collect all the data it's looking for.'

Mike breathed a sigh of relief. 'Thank goodness the computer's working. Has it suffered from its long shutdown?'

'No, it appears to have stood up to its dormant period very well indeed; all I needed to do was carry out a few minor adjustments to the control modules. Hopefully, it will soon be ready to start testing the teleport software, and then, after the scanners have been serviced, it will calibrate them.' He glanced around the now gleaming lab. 'This is a really nice setup, and it feels good to be back in control. Your apprentices are a couple of workhorses; I know from experience that those scanners can be a bitch to take apart.'

'It's good to hear you say that,' Mike said. 'So, one computer down and two chambers to go, and then we can start.'

Just then, their conversation was interrupted by the sound of someone loudly knocking on the laboratory door.

'I told security that the Research Centre is now off-limits until further notice,' Mike said. 'Who can it be?' He walked over to their newly fitted door, opened it and found himself face to face with Meg Ryse, who was accompanied by a security guard.

'I'm sorry to disturb you, Mister Casino,' the guard said, 'but this lady just turned up at the gate and said she had an appointment with you.'

'No, she doesn't,' Mike said. 'Meg, what are you playing at?'

'Don't you remember?' Meg answered. 'You told me to drop in whenever I was passing by.'

'I said no such thing. You can't come in here; it's off limits to unauthorised personnel.'

Meg looked over Mike's shoulder and saw Zac and the apprentices staring at her. 'Who are those people?'

Mike did not want to start an argument in front of the guard. 'They are my apprentices,' he said.

Meg looked again. 'That old man with the glasses can't be an apprentice.'

Mike thought quickly. 'Yes he is; he's an adult apprentice.'

'What are you talking about?' Meg said. 'There's no such thing.'

'The Company runs an adult apprentice programme to bring older workers up to speed so they can work longer before retirement,' Mike said. 'He's one of them.'

Meg stood, confused. What was the man trying to say?

Mike turned to the guard. 'You shouldn't have brought this visitor here. Why did you allow her onto the base?'

'The lady told me that she was a government minister and you had arranged a meeting with her,' the guard explained. 'I knew you were in here because this morning you collected security passes to the building.'

Meg had spotted the massive compression chambers. 'What are you doing back there? What are those big, round things for?'

Mike reached behind him and managed to pull the door shut, blocking Meg's view. 'Even a government minister is not allowed onto base without a prior appointment. I must insist that you now return with the guard, and you will not be allowed onto the base again without my personal approval.'

'Why are you being so obstructive? Why can't I just come inside and see what you're up to?'

'As I explained to you when we first met, this is a private company project and you don't have security clearance,' Mike said. 'This project has nothing to do with you.'

'I have top government security clearance, and I think that over-rides anything necessary to get inside this crummy place.'

'Your government clearance doesn't apply here, and you lied to the guard.' Mike turned to the guard. 'Please escort this lady from the base and don't allow her back without checking with me first.'

Meg bristled and raised her voice. 'If that's the way you want to play, I will sort out my own clearance, and then I will find out what you are trying to hide. You are going to regret treating me like this.' She turned and stormed off, pursued by the guard.

After Mike had calmed down, Zac approached him.

'I take it that the lady is not a friend of yours.'

'Hardly. She is the Defence Minister, and I met her recently to discuss advances in technology. Unfortunately, I let slip that we were working on a commercially confidential project, and it now looks like she wants to stick her nose in.'

'I pity your having to deal with the government and people like her,' Zac said. 'I have less time for them than for the Phasewave Company.'

'Why is that?'

'It was the government that banned me from working on Vennica.'

'I just assumed you were banned by the Phasewave Company,' Mike said. 'How did the government get involved?'

'The government banned me at the Company's request. By the way, is there something you should be telling me?'

Mike did not understand. 'Such as?'

'I may be old, but I'm not deaf – can you confirm that I am now officially an adult apprentice?'

Mike was amused. 'Meg caught me off guard when she asked who you were, and because you are not supposed to be working here, I couldn't think of a better title for you.'

Zac laughed. 'Why don't you just refer to me as the senior apprentice? But remember to let me know when I'm up to speed and can go back to work. Would you agree if I were to say that my career is going backwards?'

'I'm beginning to suspect that if I'm not careful how I handle our obnoxious friend the minister, I could find my own career going backwards,' Mike said. 'Let's hope she doesn't do something totally and utterly stupid.'

'From what I've seen so far, I wouldn't count on that,' Zac said.

#####  CHAPTER FOUR

Meg Ryse flung open the door to her office and angrily demanded coffee from her aide, who was quietly sitting at her desk outside. She sat down again, still furious that some self-important know-all from the poxy Phasewave Company had dared to thwart her. Well, she would teach him a lesson; she was now going to make sure that he would be sacked by the end of the day, and she was looking forward to doing so. Meg's aide rushed into the room with her coffee.

'Get me the top man in the Phasewave Company,' she demanded.

Moments later, her messager rang and she heard the deep voice of Joshua Sterling, the Chairman of the Phasewave Company, speaking. 'Joshua,' she breezily greeted him, 'it's me, Meg Ryse. Can you spare me a moment?'

'Er ... yes,' Joshua said, clearly not recognising her name. 'I'm sorry; who did you say you were?'

'I'm the Defence Minister. We met a long time ago, so long ago that I don't suppose you remember me at all.'

'Of course I do,' Joshua tactfully lied. 'Yes, of course, the Defence Minister. What can I do for you?'

'I met your Base Manager, Mike Casino, the other day and we had a discussion about advanced technology. I know this is a very sensitive subject and don't want to get anyone into trouble, but he let slip about your secret project.'

Joshua was alarmed to hear what Meg was saying. 'That project is top secret. He had no right discussing it with you.'

'Don't worry, as Defence Minister I have the highest security clearance in the land, and people give me secret information every day. Your project sounds really exciting, and I was thinking that it might have a military use, in which case we could possibly make it a joint project.'

'Please bear in mind that this project is still in its experimental stage,' Joshua explained. 'At its present stage of development, I could not contemplate any form of project sharing, but might I ask in what way would human teleportation be of use to the government.'

Meg nearly fell over when she heard the words human teleportation. She grabbed a notebook and pen from her desk and started frantically writing down what Joshua was saying. 'Our armed forces are desperately in need of modernisation,' she continued, 'and I have been tasked to look at any advanced technology that might give our forces a tactical advantage. Your teleportation sounds as if it fits the bill perfectly. I'm not a scientist or anything, so could you briefly describe to me how it works?'

'Certainly,' Joshua said, delighted for a change to be able to share his views with an interested audience. 'As you are probably aware, the Phasewave system removes the time lag from communication transmissions, and the teleport process takes advantage of that facility. The teleport will first reduce a human being to an electronic state and then transmit it through the network to another Phasewave machine that will change it back into a human form. Imagine jumping into a compression chamber and instantly arriving at the other end of the universe. It is going to be the biggest event in human history.'

'Well, I can definitely say that the government would be interested in that kind of joint venture,' Meg said, making a mental note that Mike was now going to have to be saved from oblivion. 'I would personally like to be involved in the project.'

'Right now I don't think that would be wise,' Joshua said. 'The last time this was attempted, it ended up a disaster, which is why I don't intend to release any information about the project until the system is proven to be working correctly and consistently. For the time being, I suggest that we keep this information to ourselves.'

'But do you think human teleportation is achievable?'

Meg's request was music to Joshua's ears. 'Oh, most definitely,' he said. 'Things have come on a lot in the last forty years, and we can now revisit the project using the latest technology.'

'Joshua, can I be open and honest with you?' Meg asked.

'What is it?'

'I'm embarrassed.'

'Why is that?'

'I don't want Mike to get into trouble because he has been so helpful. It may have been my fault that he accidentally let slip about the teleportation, but while wearing my minister's hat, I had to put the government's interests first and approach you. I hope you understand.'

'Of course I do,' Joshua said. 'Mike is a highly valued member of our team, and I assure you that he'll not be in trouble over this. You have no need to be concerned; if we can't trust the Defence Secretary, who can we trust?'

'You're a very caring person,' Meg said.

'I still can't recall meeting you,' Joshua said, 'but your name does sound familiar.'

'That's probably because last year I took a sick child to the Colonies for an operation which the doctors on Vennica would not perform.'

'Ah, I remember now. It was a tragedy; you must have felt really bad about it.'

'It's nice of you to appreciate my feelings,' Meg said, remembering that the stupid kid died and almost ruined her PR campaign. 'A lot of people sniggered at me and treated me with contempt when I returned with the child's body, but your response has been very mature and considerate. Thank you very much for such a supportive comment.'

'We harvest and we winnow, and life goes on,' Joshua said. 'I think we have like minds, and I'm very much looking forward to meeting you, preferably in the near future.'

'Of course,' Meg said. What was the guy babbling about? 'In the meantime, I'll obviously respect your confidentiality.'

'I think that would be a good idea,' Joshua agreed. 'Let's keep it just between the two of us.'

Meg switched off her messager. She was excited upon hearing the teleport revelation but then started to think about it because Mike had already confirmed that there had been no advances in technology for ages. And what was all that crap about winnowing and harvesting? The man sounded out of his mind. She picked up her messager again and called her mother.

'Is that you, Meg?' Isabel responded.

'Hi, Ma. This is just a quick call. Do you hold any shares in transportation companies? You know, people transporters and stuff like that?'

'I would think so,' Isabel vaguely replied. 'What is the reason for that question?'

'I've just had confirmation that the way we travel in the future is going to completely change. My advice is for you to sell any stocks you hold in those companies as soon as possible.'

'Are people now going out of fashion?' Isabel inquired.

'Not yet. I can't tell you any more right now; you will just have to trust me on this one.'

'Very well. You've always given me good advice in the past; I'll ring my broker straight away.'

'Do that, mother. You won't look back; something incredibly big is about to happen.'

In the quiet of the Research Centre, Mike watched while Zac and his team stripped down the scanners they had removed from the compression chambers and once again wondered how he could persuade Zac to stay on after they had put the equipment back together. He was heartened with the way Zac had taken control of the situation; he seemed to enjoy the work and got on well with the apprentices, which was a good sign. Just then, his messager rang.

'Is that Mike I'm talking to?' a familiar female voice demanded.

'Hello, Meg,' Mike replied, experiencing a sinking feeling at the sound of her voice.

'Joshua has just told me about the secret teleport project, the one you tried to keep hidden from me. You now have to brief me on the project and share all its details with me.'

Mike was stunned. 'I can't believe Joshua told you that,' he said.

'Do you doubt my word?' Meg sounded offended. 'Do you doubt Joshua's word? If you do, I will call him right now and sort this out.'

Mike was completely blindsided and struggled to work out an adequate response. 'Of course not,' he managed to say. 'I apologise for my query, but you caught me by surprise because this is such a hush-hush project.'

'Teleportation is just the kind of high technology project that the government is looking to invest in,' Meg said. 'Joshua is happy to have a government input, but only with the proviso that its involvement does not become public knowledge.'

'I understand,' Mike said.

'I'll call round tomorrow for a briefing,' Meg said, and cynically added, before hanging up, 'If it's not too much trouble, perhaps you could brief your security staff to let me onto the base.'

Mike was shaken. Why had Joshua confided in the government after all the steps they had taken to keep the project under wraps? What was he going to do now? He was tempted to call Joshua to confirm that the conversation with Meg had actually taken place but that risked Joshua taking his inquiry the wrong way. It was one thing upsetting the likes of Meg, but challenging his chairman's decision had only one outcome and definitely wasn't on the menu.

Zac walked over and joined Mike. 'Are you okay?' he asked. 'You look like you've seen a ghost.'

'It's worse than that,' Mike said. He relayed the content of his conversation with Meg.

'Are you telling me that she'll be coming to the Research Centre for a briefing tomorrow?' Zac said.

Mike nodded. 'I'm sorry, but I need you to be with me at the briefing.'

'If she turns up, I'm out of here. There's no way I'm going to cooperate with that woman.'

'She's not a threat – yet,' Mike said. 'I've had experience in handling members of the government, so there's no need to be concerned; you just have to flatter them and try not to show that you think they're a bunch of Morons. I admit that will be difficult in Meg's case, but I'll make damned sure she doesn't interfere with our operation. I still can't believe that Joshua talked to her about our secret project.'

'It doesn't sound right,' Zac said. 'Is there any other way she could have found out?'

'The information could only have been supplied by someone high up in the Company. She wouldn't have dared to use Joshua's name if it hadn't come from him.'

'How much are you going to tell her?'

'As little as possible. Let's get together later today and come up with a plan for the brief. I don't think she has a technical mind, so she probably won't be able to follow anything complicated.' Mike sighed. 'This is not what I need right now, just when things seemed to be coming together.'

Zac squeezed Mike's arm. 'Don't worry; I'll be right there with you. You play mister nice guy, and I'll be the stroppy senior apprentice. I'm looking forward to a fight with a government minister; she won't get much cooperation from me if she starts laying the law down.'

'I have a feeling that Meg would be more than happy to take on both of us,' Mike said. 'Let's hope it doesn't turn physical,'

Peter Robinson, the Head Surgeon at Memorial Hospital in Kalmis, brought up a set of images onto a wall screen. He was a man short in stature, but his full head of white, upstanding hair made him appear to be taller, although, much to his chagrin, it also made him look older than his years.

He looked around the room where twenty of his medical staff were sat, waiting to hear from him at their weekly conference, which the hospital staff had unofficially and unkindly named "Show and Tell Week". 'These images are brain scans of a male patient, who was admitted to this hospital only three weeks ago,' he commenced. 'They show clear signs of diminishing brain function over a very short space of time. After being admitted, his mental facilities rapidly deteriorated and did not respond to any form of treatment. Whatever was affecting him continued to damage his brain until he finally died, three days ago. Other, similar cases have been reported, so this appears not to be an isolated incident. Has anyone here got any suggestions as to what may have caused this?'

'It could be a virus or a reaction to a toxin,' one of the doctors suggested.

'I agree,' Peter said, 'but an autopsy and standard tests were unable to confirm the presence of a virus, and if this was a reaction to a chemical or drug, the effect should have weakened with time or responded to treatment. In this case, however, after receiving a variety of treatments, it looks like the patient's body continued to recognise the condition as a threat and reacted accordingly. Eventually, it shut down all brain activity, killing the patient in the process.'

The doctors and surgeons discussed the case between themselves, then asked Peter what his thoughts were.

'As yet, I haven't been able to reach a conclusion,' Peter said. 'The fatalities reported so far seem to have been confined to the Kalmis area and across Southland. The victims all suffered from the same accelerated dementia until they died.'

'It sounds like they had taken a bad batch of recreational drugs,' one of the team suggested.

'As far as I could ascertain, none of the victims had any signs of drugs in their systems. Something unusual is attacking peoples' brains, so why can't we identify and treat it? I can only assume that the same trigger is involved in all these cases. What then makes the human body react in a different manner to other illnesses? Has anyone here got any ideas how we can treat this condition or picked up on any relevant research?'

A surgeon at the back of the room put her hand up. 'I've recently read a research paper on this subject which was submitted by Professor Lionel Fielding of the Southland Sedgwick Institute. His view is that a particular agent is affecting a person's genes and altering their production of protein molecules, in turn leading to changes in the physical structure of neurones. Normally in such cases, the genes themselves would remain unaltered, but if changes to the genes became permanent, the damage to neurones would continue to take place, overriding the defensive mechanisms within the brain and leading to the symptoms you have just described. The author also said that from the cases he had personally observed, he had calculated the time from exposure to the agent to death as being approximately six weeks.'

Peter looked around the room. 'I think that is a very sound assessment of this subject, which is taking on all the characteristics of a motor neurone disease, but we still need to identify the cause and produce an effective treatment. Has anyone got other ideas?'

Another surgeon put his hand up. 'I've been researching brain development, particularly in adolescents, and there appears to be an application in use which could possibly be used to treat the symptoms of these cases. The name of the treatment is plasticisation. Has anyone else had dealings with this?'

Nobody had. 'As you are aware,' he continued, 'the basic difference between the adult and the young brain is due to the brain producing molecules that fix behavioural patterns as it ages. By neutralising those molecules, the brain can revert to its youthful state where the brain can effectively load-share to compensate for any damage to the brain, such as that caused by this particular problem. In that state, the younger brain is also capable of rapid regeneration.'

'In what condition would that leave the patient afterwards?' someone asked.

'Unfortunately, they will be left with the mind of a child, only with a young, receptive brain which, hopefully, would quickly learn to catch up with its previous state of development.'

'That's an interesting proposition,' Peter said. 'Please will you all keep me informed if you come across any developments.' He switched off his projector and looked around the room again. 'Let us be prepared. From what I understand, the number of reported cases is starting to rise, and I'm concerned that we may be seeing the start of an epidemic.'

'I'm impressed with your apprentices,' Zac said. 'They work as a good little team.'

Mike watched as Jon and Leanne lifted a section of scanner and carried it back to one of the chambers. 'I think they're enjoying getting stuck into a project; there are so few on offer nowadays,' he said. 'Last year, I had to second our apprentices to other electronic companies for them to get any experience at all. In the past, we used to receive hundreds of applicants for our apprenticeships, but now hardly anyone bothers with us, despite the Phasewave Company still being one of the biggest companies on the planet.'

'You've also got a good worker as an assistant,' Zac said. I'm very impressed with her.'

'Me too,' Mike said. 'Tula has degrees from the best university on Vennica, but with the economy in its current state, she simply cannot get a job worthy of her qualifications. The only reason she's still here is because her family live in this area. It's a real shame when such talent goes to waste; I've always maintained that she should be running the Phasewave Company.'

'From what you've told me so far about the Company, I'm sure she would make a better job of it. Well, once you're able to start your experiments, it won't be long before the team becomes wrapped up in its own project. I think the apprentices are going to find that suitably challenging, and if it all comes about, extremely rewarding.'

'I have been thinking about that imprint you mentioned,' Mike said. 'How will we ever be able to identify it? Have you any ideas?'

Zac remained silent. He had been thinking of nothing else since he first met Mike but remained cautious about committing himself until he could determine how the project was progressing. 'I have a few ideas, but at the moment they are just speculation. I think you should take things slowly at first until you find your feet, and I suggest you start by teleporting inanimate objects, progressing to organic materials and then to flesh and bone. Eventually you'll arrive at a fork in the road where you can choose to stick with the genome or look for the imprint, which is the point I'd reached when I left the first project.'

'You've already pointed me in the direction of the imprint,' Mike said. 'Why wouldn't the scanner be able to identify it?'

Zac was wavering, because he knew how difficult it was going to be for Mike to take the project forward and he wanted to help him. 'The scanners are extremely sensitive and will automatically record the imprint when it is released.'

'Then what is the problem?'

'The problem is that we don't know what the imprint looks like, so we can't tell the scanner what it should be seeking, even though it will almost certainly be able to pick up its trace. Only after we've identified the imprint will we be able to programme the scanner to pick it out.'

Both men remained in silent reverie while they considered how to approach the problem. Mike was staring absentmindedly at a control panel in front of him when he became aware that he was looking at two blank screens, which he had not noticed before.

'What are these screens for?' Mike asked, pointing to them.

'Each compression chamber is equipped with a camera that enables us to monitor what is happening during the transfer,' Zac explained. He switched the screens on and Mike found himself looking at the interiors of the two identical chambers.

'The cameras must be pretty tough to take the pressure change,' Mike commented.

Zac gave a hollow laugh. 'I can't even begin to tell you about the problems we had fitting those cameras. It took almost as long to install them as it did to modify the chambers.'

'So, going back to the first attempt to teleport a human, were you watching it on those screens?'

'I'd left the team by then,' Zac said, 'but the others saw what took place.'

'Did they see the monster regenerate in the receiving chamber?'

'They certainly did.'

Mike was puzzled. 'If they saw what was happening, why didn't they warn the Company before they opened the chamber to the media?'

Zac smiled. 'You are very astute. Let me explain what happened. After I resigned, the Company replaced me as team leader with one of their directors, and he was determined to take all the credit for the teleport. Just before that first attempt, he told the five remaining team members that their services were no longer required and that they were to leave the building and take no further part in the proceedings. They complained loudly and bitterly about their treatment so, because the building was already filling up with dignitaries and the media and he did not want to cause a disturbance, the director told the team members that they could stand and observe while the teleport took place but were not to undertake any actions or become involved in any way. That is exactly what they did. They stood and they watched the drama unfold on the TV screens, and then threw the Company off a cliff by not issuing a warning. After all, they were only doing what they had been told to do.'

'I shouldn't say this,' Mike said, 'but it sounds like the Company got exactly what it deserved. What happened to the director?'

'I understand that he was never heard of again. Are you squeamish?'

'Not particularly. Why do you ask?'

'Whenever the cameras are switched on, everything they record is automatically stored in the computer's memory, and now the computer is working, I can show you exactly what happened that day.' Zac picked up the keyboard and brought a menu onto the screen. He selected an item and a video started playing. Mike watched and observed the figure of a man lying motionless on a plinth, and then rapidly shrinking until it disappeared. The scene then shifted to the receiving chamber, which had filled with condensation. As the mist inside the chamber slowly cleared, he was presented with the sight of an unidentifiable, heaving tangle of flesh, limbs and organs that looked like it was trying to drag itself across the plinth. The camera's view was then blocked as people scrambled into the chamber.

'Dear God,' Mike said. 'That looked terrible.'

'Whatever it was lived for only a few minutes, but the video was going out live through the media, so you can understand the revulsion it generated.'

'I'll do my best to prevent that from happening again,' Mike said.

'I hope so,' Zac said, and then added, 'I couldn't face doing another stint on the Colonies!'

Mike laughed. 'You've mentioned working on the Colonies before; did you have any trouble finding employment there?'

'There were plenty of jobs available, and I was never out of work. I did most of my research in the defence sector.'

'What did that entail?'

'The Colonies are streets ahead of Vennica,' Zac said. 'I spent most of my time working on anti-detection devices and missile technology'

'Were your efforts successful?'

'Very much so. As a result of the research projects I was involved in, all Colonial combat vessels now have the facility to be completely invisible to any detection systems.'

'How does that actually work?'

'As soon as a vessel identifies a radar, laser or microwave signal, for example, they will simply activate a protection system that will baffle the return signal and make them invisible.'

'That's worrying,' Mike said. 'Are the Colonies planning to attack Vennica?'

'Who knows?' Zac said evasively. 'If they were to attack, Vennica would be practically defenceless. In the event, I don't think it would lead to an all-out war; I think that the whole of the United Colonies would instead put pressure on the Vennican government and force it to capitulate.'

'Does our government know any of this? Mike asked.

'I doubt it. Are you suggesting I pass that information on to the government?'

'I think we should show our concerns by giving Meg a heads-up.'

Zac shrugged. 'We could try, but I don't think she will take much notice of anything I have to say.'

'She'll be here soon. I'll give her a guided tour of the Research Centre and then suggest that she should talk to you about the Colonial defence systems. If she declines, we'll at least have allowed her the opportunity to discuss the subject.'

After security had delivered Meg to the Research Centre and she had wafted away introductions to the team, she stood and took in all the details of the laboratory, only half-listening to Mike as he tried to explain the functions of the various pieces of equipment. 'What are those big things again?' she asked, pointing to the compression chambers.

Mike walked over to one of the chambers and opened its hatch. 'These are the chambers which will contain the teleport specimens. They go in one and come out of the other.'

Meg bent down and poked her head inside the chamber, while Mike tried to ignore Zac, who was grinning at him from across the room and making a motion to slam the hatch shut. A picture of Meg's body lying half in and half out of the chamber flashed through his mind and he saw the news headlines that accompanied it: Minister crushed by compression chamber. Government announces a day of celebration. If only.

'There's not much inside there,' Meg said, backing away from the chamber. 'Is it complete?'

'Yes, the plinth is all that is necessary.' Mike said. He pointed to the gaping holes in the sides of the chambers. 'These are where the scanners fit; they are being overhauled as we speak.'

Meg stood back and measured the distance from where she was standing to the chamber door. 'Is this the best place to stand when the chamber is opened? Where will the cameras be sited?'

Mike was momentarily lost for words. 'I don't know,' he said. 'Obviously I didn't attend that first teleport, but I imagine that the cameras would have been lined up on the far side so that they would be facing into the chamber when the hatch swung open.'

Meg grunted and walked around the chamber, trying to establish the best position to remain in camera shot in front of the opened hatch.

'I think we have covered most things now,' Mike said. 'Is there anything else you want to talk about while you are here?'

Meg shook her head. 'Most of what you told me sounded like gibberish, especially the bit about reducing a body to some kind of code. I don't really care what you are fooling around with so long as the teleport works. I've finished here.'

'Before you go,' Mike suggested, 'I think you should talk to my senior apprentice, Zac.'

'Why would I want to talk to an old man like him?'

'Zac has been working on defence projects for the Colonies. I thought he might be able to bring you up to speed on their technological developments.' Mike waved Zac over and introduced him to Meg.

'I understand you have something to tell me,' Meg said impatiently. 'Spit it out.'

'I spent years working on the Colonies, mainly connected with defence projects,' Zac said. 'I have to say they are light years ahead of Vennica when it comes to weapons development.'

Meg stared at Zac in silence, seeing only an old man dressed in shabby overalls.

'Tell the minister about the protection devices on the defence vessels,' Mike prompted.

'All Colonial defence vessels are now fitted with anti-detection devices which make them totally undetectable,' Zac said. 'In a conflict, they would be able to penetrate any Vennican defence system with ease.'

Meg looked at the old man with distaste. 'That's just plain ridiculous,' she said. 'The Vennican defence forces have always maintained the ability to fight off any invasion of sovereign property.'

'That's not what happened on Outstation Three,' Zac countered. 'Your defence systems were useless.'

Meg stared at Zac in amazement. How dared he challenge her statement? 'You obviously have no idea what you're talking about,' she said, 'I've heard enough.' She turned and started to walk from the building.

Mike caught up with Meg at the door. 'Did you find any of that information useful?' he asked.

'What do you think?' Meg snapped.

'Zac was being serious,' Mike said. 'I think he was highlighting a genuine threat to our defence systems.'

Meg snorted. 'He's just a rambling old man, and I have no room for time-wasters. You've already told me that he's undergoing retraining, so I hardly think he is a good look for your project. Get rid of him. I'll let you know when I am ready for another visit.'

Mike watched Meg leave the Research Centre and then made his way back to the laboratory where Zac was filling his salvaged mug with coffee.

'I think you just wasted your breath,' Mike said.

'I'm not surprised,' Zac said. 'I told you that she wouldn't listen to me, but the future will determine which one of us is right.'

'You seem to know a lot about the attack on Outstation Three. Don't tell me you were involved.'

'Apart from creating the anti-detection device on the attack vessel and the detonation profile of the twin warheads on the KA86 hypersonic missile, no, I had nothing to do with it.'

'You can't be serious.'

'I am. The Colonies had complained long and hard about the presence of that listening station, the lease of which expired on the last day of the year 1499, and Vennica completely ignored their complaints and never attempted to address the lease problem, despite repeated warnings. The attack was the Colonies' way of reclaiming its territory, whilst at the same time presenting an opportunity to test one of their attack systems.'

'If what you say is true, don't you feel guilty for being partly responsible for the deaths of those people in the base?'

'In spite of my hostile feelings towards your government, I was willing to share my knowledge with the Defence Minister, but you just witnessed her reaction when I attempted to do so. I cannot be blamed for those deaths any more than your Defence Minister can.'

'Perhaps talking to her wasn't such a good idea after all,' Mike said. 'Did I tell you that she wants me to get rid of you?'

Zac burst out laughing. 'Why am I doing this? First, I find out that I'm being re-trained, and now you tell me that I'm going to get the sack. I was only joking when I said I my career was going backwards.'

'This may not provide you with a great deal of comfort,' Mike said, 'but if it helps, I guarantee that you will definitely not get the sack until all the equipment has been checked out and is working.'

#####  CHAPTER FIVE

On the way back to government house, Meg received a call from her mother.

'Hello, Isabel,' Meg said. 'Thanks for returning my call.'

'I've only just got back from shopping. What can I do for you?'

'Did you sell your shares?'

'Yes. I pulled out of the transport ones, and my broker is now going to reinvest the money.'

'How much are you talking about?'

'Oh, I think it is about half a million dollars.'

'In which case, forget about your broker. I have just set up a new company and you can invest that money in it.'

'I don't know about that. My broker has already started to look at alternative investments for me.'

'This is a golden opportunity, and you will be the first shareholder. I will make sure that you get preferential dividends, and when this new thing takes off in a few years' time, you will be looking at massive profits. I can guarantee you a twenty percent return on your investment right from the start.'

'I'm too old to invest in anything risky.'

'There's no risk at all. It's not yet common knowledge, but the government is underwriting the venture I'm talking about. It's as close to a sure thing as it gets, and you'll never have an opportunity like this again.'

'Well, I suppose it wouldn't do me any harm to have a little flutter.'

'The shares you've just sold would all have slumped over time, so you have already saved money by avoiding that loss, but during that time your investment in my company will have soared. It's a no-brainer.'

'When you put it like that, it certainly sounds attractive. Will you let me have your company's bank details?'

'I haven't yet set up a company account; can you put the money into my personal account?'

'I'll do that right away,' Isabel said. 'You won't do anything risky with that money, will you?'

'Never fear, mother,' Meg said. 'I'll always look after your interests. Trust me.'

The next morning, Mike was working in his office when he heard a commotion outside the door. He ran out to find Tula trying to prevent another woman from entering the room.

'I'm sorry to disturb you,' Tula said. 'This person was trying to force her way into your office.'

'Call off your lapdog,' Meg said. 'We have something important to discuss.' She rudely pushed her way past them and plonked herself down at Mike's desk.

Mike looked at Tula and gave a helpless shrug. She rolled her eyes and went back to her desk.

'I wasn't expecting you,' Mike said, casually retrieving the papers on his desk.

Meg placed a heavy carry-case on his desk and opened it up.

Mike peered inside and was shocked to see that it was jammed with bundles of banknotes. 'What are doing carrying this much cash around?' he said. 'You could get robbed.'

'This is a present from the government.'

'For what?'

'The government is making an investment in the teleport project, and this payment is to cover any expenses during the start-up period. After the last teleport fiasco, the government doesn't want it made public knowledge that it is backing a re-run of the same project, and the only person in the Phasewave Company who knows about this transaction is Joshua, but he is happy to go along with the government plans, only so long as they remain completely confidential.'

'You've taken me by surprise,' Mike said. 'Do you want a receipt or something for the money?'

Meg shook her head. 'There's no need for formalities. Half a million dollars is peanuts to the government. What I do need though, is copies of the blueprints or plans for the equipment you are using.'

Mike was immediately suspicious and glad that he and Zac had already foreseen such a request. 'To be honest with you, I haven't yet seen any signs of such documents,' he said. 'Forty years is a long time to keep paperwork.'

'The documentation isn't for me; it's for the bean-counters in the treasury. For some reason they don't trust ministers to look after their investments. They need proof that I haven't just taken the money and gone on holiday, but they'll accept anything so long as it's in writing.'

'I'll take you down to the Research Centre. Zac might know if there is anything hiding in the cabinets.'

'Zac?' Meg queried. 'I told you to get rid of him.'

'It's in the pipeline,' Mike replied, 'but he needs to finish cleaning up the laboratory and repairing some equipment before I can sack him.'

Zac searched the last cupboard in the laboratory and closed its doors. 'There's definitely nothing in here,' he said.

'The plans must be somewhere,' Meg said, looking around the room.

'I'm told that the original Research Unit once comprised the whole building,' Zac said. 'After walling up this section, I understand that everything the other side of the wall, including all the documents, plans and test records, was discarded and disposed of. What you see here is all we have.'

'I still need evidence to prove to the government that you're not wasting your time in here,' Meg said.

'I'm sure we'll be able to find something to satisfy your needs,' Mike said. 'I'll search the Company archives; they might still contain records relating to the last project.'

Mike drove Meg back to the base entrance, but before leaving his auto, she turned to him and said, 'I shouldn't need to remind you, but you are not to discuss this project with anyone, and you must be discreet when making payments. Nobody else must know about it, so keep your trap shut.' She let herself out of his auto and walked over to the adjacent parking lot to collect her own vehicle.

Mike was again seething with helpless frustration after listening to Meg's warning but had managed to control his feelings by the time he returned to his office.

'Who's your new friend?' Tula asked. 'Let me guess: she works for the government.'

'She's not a friend; she's the Defence Minister, so you can sleep well tonight knowing that your country is in safe hands.'

'She seems pretty feisty. I feel sorry for any poor soul who takes her on.'

'Start now; you're looking at one,' Mike said. 'If you have a moment, come into my office.'

Tula followed Mike into his office and gasped as Mike opened and held out a case full of money for her to see. 'What are you doing with all that money?' she said.

'I can't discuss that with you right now, but at some future date, I may call on you to confirm that you witnessed that minister, whose name is Meg Ryse, hand me this case full of money. I also want you to witness me locking it inside my safe.' Mike closed the case and placed it inside his safe. 'I haven't counted it, but that case allegedly contains half a million dollars, and one day I will tell you all about it.'

'Then in the meantime I'll try not to speculate why someone I've never set eyes on before would force her way into your office and dump half a million in cash on your desk,' Tula said. 'How far have you got with your teleportation project?'

'That's supposed to be top secret,' Mike said.

'You seem to be spending a lot of time down in the storage shed with Zac and the apprentices nowadays, and I know from the security logs that a female guest paid you a visit yesterday, with your permission.'

'What storage shed?' Mike asked, with a smile.

'The one you are about to drive to.'

'Ah, that storage shed. It's now called the Research Centre. I'll see you in a little while.'

'And if you don't see me in a little while, I'll presume that your teleport has actually worked and look forward to receiving a postcard from wherever you ended up.' Tula gave a wicked grin. 'Give my regards to Zac.'

'Meg gave you half a million dollars?' Zac was incredulous. 'Does the government normally chuck that kind of cash around?'

'Not to my knowledge,' Mike replied. 'She told me that the payment was to cover our start-up costs, but I wouldn't trust her as far as I could throw her. Any project expenditure is already covered by my budget, so that money will remain untouched and locked in my safe until I can work out the real reason why she has given it to me. The fact that it was all in cash also makes me suspicious. Meg doesn't strike me as the kind of person who easily gives up, so, although there may not be any documents left in this building, I think we will have to throw her a bone to gnaw on. You must have been involved in multiple projects during your working life; have you retained any records or documents that we could give her?'

'I still have access to my research files,' Zac said. 'I'm sure I will be able to rustle up some kind of technical documentation that will be complicated enough to satisfy our friend, even if it has no bearing whatsoever on this project.'

'You and I are starting to think alike,' Mike said. 'By the way, Meg queried why I hadn't yet sacked you. I told her I would once you had cleaned the place up.'

'I hope she appreciated your concern for your senior apprentice. I'm glad I'm not doing this for a living.'

Mike chuckled. 'Just remember that my apprentices are expected to take part in a major project before they become qualified. This could be your last chance.'

The lights in his living room were switched off that evening when Zac sat down in a much-used leather armchair before the fire with his customary cup of tea. It was a familiar routine of his, and due to his failing eyesight, which prevented him from reading at the end of the day, he often spent evenings sitting in the dark and reliving major events that had changed the direction of his life. Now, something from the past had returned, and he found himself being pulled in several different directions after discovering that achieving human teleportation appeared to be once again within his grasp. Despite his yearning to pursue the project further, he had no desire to get involved in its accompanying political machinations, while at the same time not wanting to let down the man who had befriended him. He rationalised that unless he could work out a way of identifying and retaining the imprint, he would be of no use to Mike anyway, so raising his hopes at this stage by agreeing to help solve the problem for him would be pointless. Only if he could determine a way forward would he be able to continue his support for Mike's team and achieve a successful teleport. He focussed his attention on the imprint problem and tried to work out how the scanners' three-dimensional laser and electron beams might be able to differentiate the imprint from the genome. For what felt like hours, his mind went round and round in circles comparing the differences between the genome and the imprint. The only conclusion he was able to reach was that because they both contained DNA from the same person, it would be almost impossible to differentiate between them, rendering the process futile. Then he remembered the scientist who told him about the imprint saying that the imprint was always a purer form of DNA because it did not degenerate as fast as the genome, which lost segments of chromosomes containing DNA as a body aged through wear and tear. Zac replayed their conversation in his mind and suddenly experienced a moment of clarity. He jumped up, unable to contain his emotions. For forty years, he had been trying to work out how the imprint problem could be resolved, and now it had become clear. The transmitting scanner would record all the scanned information, including DNA, so all it had to do was compare the DNA measurement points and identify the one that was different, which, by definition, had to be the imprint.

Delighted with his analysis, he made himself a fresh cup of tea. The fire had gone out and the room was lit only by shafts of yellow light coming through from the street lamps outside his home. In the semi-darkness, he could see his hands were shaking as he poured the tea into a cup. He sat down again, nursing his hot cup. How was he going to prove it? He would first try using rabbits to identify the imprint and then programme Able to select it during the teleport. If that worked, they could then progress to experimenting with larger mammals such as calves, which would replicate the mass of a human body.

Zac sat back in his chair and closed his eyes, knowing that he would now stay with the team and see the project through to the end and that Mike would be grateful for his input. After the teleport had proved to be successful, he could then switch his attention to something that was of greater interest to him. According to his understanding of the teleport process, using younger DNA to reconstruct a human body would reset the DNA in the genomes throughout the body at the same time, which could only result in the regeneration of a younger body. In which case, he would make sure that he would be one of the first persons to teleport, and when he came back younger, he would be able to relive part of the life he had lost in exile. Wow! He finished his tea and went to bed a happy man.

Damien Mountford, Chief Medical Officer in Southland, greeted the white-haired surgeon whose face appeared on his conference screen. 'How are things in Kalmis nowadays?' he asked.

'I'm getting nowhere,' Peter Robinson replied. 'This UV17 problem has now resulted in twenty-one known fatalities in Kalmis, and we are aware of another thirty cases undergoing treatment. I'm talking to the Health Minister on an almost daily basis to try to get it declared a notable disease, but the answer is always that it is not a communicable condition and therefore cannot be notified. Apparently, the government will have to declare a state of emergency to get it notified. What's going on in Southland?'

'As you stated, unless the disease is contagious and is being spread by physical contact, it'll remain out of sight, and we'll be unable to determine its true extent. We've now had forty-three fatalities in Southland, and countless patients have been admitted for testing, but my feeling is that we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg. There's quite a lot of concern over here about our lack of progress in identifying whatever is causing the epidemic, and I think we'll soon start seeing public demonstrations. So far, I haven't been able to discover any effective treatment for it. Have you had any success?'

'Not yet,' Peter said. 'I still don't know what's causing this problem or how it's spread, and the government doesn't seem to be at all concerned about the rising number of fatalities.'

'That's because once the government declares a state of emergency, it becomes liable for the cost of treating the condition, and the government hasn't got any reserve funding. It's trying to ignore what's happening in the hope that it will die down and go away. At the moment, the situation is hopeless.'

'In which case I will involve the press in Kalmis and try to whip up some support. I believe that the plasticisation procedure will be effective, but I haven't yet been able to carry out a trial on a suitable patient; I'm not reaching people in time to treat them before they are too far gone.'

'Be careful what you say to the press,' Damien warned. 'The government is still our employer, and we still want to be employed after this mess is over.'

'I hear what you're saying,' Peter replied, 'but until the government becomes involved, we're going to be stuck out on a limb. I'll be careful what I say, but can you do anything from your end?'

'I have a few contacts in Southland,' Damien said. 'Let me see what I can come up with.'

General Steve Compton, Commander in Chief of the Vennican armed forces, addressed the Security Council meeting, which was attended by the President, John Bridges, the Defence Minister, Meg Ryse and the General's defence expert, Harry Anderson.

'The President has asked me to convene this meeting to bring the Defence Minister up to date with our investigation into the events surrounding the explosion that destroyed Outstation Three,' the General said. 'Harry, our defence specialist, has concluded his investigation into the attack and destruction of our listening post and will now brief you on his findings.'

Harry cleared his throat and shuffled his papers. 'First a little background information,' he said. 'The base primary defence consisted of six passive satellites, known as Sentinels, which covered the visual horizon around the base and prohibited zone. The Sentinels use microwave technology to detect any unidentified movements within their range, and triggering any one of those Sentinels would automatically activate the remaining five and the primary ground-based radar array. In turn, once the radar had locked on, it would arm the missile batteries and prepare them for launch. In addition, the defence system would transmit all transmissions and any conversations in the control room back to Vennica. That system functioned well, and we received a transmission from Outstation Three. This is the final recording of that last transmission, which lasted two minutes and twenty seconds.' He switched on the recorder.

The group sat and listened in silence to the alarm warning of an intruder in the prohibited zone, followed by the audio warning alerts sent out on the emergency channels. The transmission continued to record comments made by members of the crew and ceased at the point where a missile struck the base.

The General nodded at Harry. 'An intruder triggered a Sentinel and was momentarily picked up on radar before becoming invisible to both primary radar and the microwave umbrella,' he said. 'Because the radar trace was lost, the missile defence battery did not activate, and only a visual sighting confirmed the intruder's approach when it was nearing the overhead. The late deployment of blast shields played no part in the loss of the base; the missile was so powerful and penetrated so deep that it would have obliterated the base with or without the shields.'

'I would like to add that when the Colonial Representative, Sy Miller, was asked to explain this act of aggression, he initially suggested that Outstation Three was being used to stockpile armaments in breach of our agreements with the United Colonies,' the President said. 'He also claimed that an accident must have triggered the explosion of the illicit armaments, which then detonated the missiles in the defence battery, in turn causing the destruction of the base. When I played him the recordings made during the attack, he said they were obvious fakes and strenuously denied that the Colonies were involved in any way. Despite our own personal convictions, I must stress the fact that at this moment no evidence exists that would confirm the identity of the perpetrators of the attack or explain their motives for doing so. Miller made no mention of the fact that the historical lease of the station expired on the day of the attack. Our government has only paid lip service to that lease, and the Colonies have made no attempts to discuss extending it, so I assume it was not relevant to the attack.'

The General continued. 'The most important question is: after the initial contact, how did the vessel manage to avoid detection by the sentinels and radar before reaching the overhead?'

Meg, who up to that point had only been half-listening, remembered Zac's warnings about the Colonies' advanced anti-detection capabilities and spoke without thinking. 'I believe I can answer that question.'

The President was surprised to hear Meg's claim, because she rarely spoke at their meetings, which in his opinion was wise, as usually she had little to offer. 'What makes you say that?' he asked.

'I have heard that the Colonies have developed anti-detection devices that make their vessels invisible, and that is what we should be doing, updating our armed forces instead of just talking about it.'

'When did you receive this information?' The President immediately asked. 'What did you do with it?'

Meg realised that she had inadvertently put herself in a precarious situation. 'At the time, I reported it to the armed forces,' she lied.

'I have never heard of such a thing,' the General said. 'Who received this report of yours?'

'How am I supposed to remember who receives my messages?' Meg said. 'I sent the message to everyone. I send hundreds of messages to people; I cannot be expected to remember all their names.'

'We'll get back to that, but who informed you about these Colonial developments and when?' The President asked.

Meg was about to mention Zac when she realised that he would be tracked down and interviewed, and if he was interviewed, he would almost certainly reveal her part in the teleport project she had just invested in. 'You are confusing me with these questions. I simply cannot remember these things when you put me under pressure. It could have been office gossip. I had no idea whether it was true or not.'

The President lost his patience. 'Meg, you have failed to recognise the seriousness of this situation, and if you did withhold information about the anti-detection devices, you could be held responsible for the deaths of three people. From here on in, General Compton will be in charge of this incident, and you will report directly to him. In future, it would help if you could remember that. General, I want you to stay behind. This meeting is now closed.'

The two men watched in silence as Meg flounced out of the room ahead of Harry Anderson.

'Whatever were we thinking when we made that woman the Defence Minister?' the President mused.

'We anticipated that a promotion would keep her from causing any more trouble,' the General recalled. 'Do you remember the outcry when she took that sick child to the Colonies for treatment?'

'I'll never forget it,' the President said. 'She single-handedly managed to alienate the entire medical establishment on this planet, and then the child died anyway, confirming that the medics here got it right first time. It's becoming increasingly obvious that she has no intention of controlling her behaviour, but keeping her in check is going to be difficult because she has a massive public following and an almost saint-like popularity.'

'I get the impression that her mind is on something else when she should be concerned only about the defence of Vennica. Isn't that what Defence Ministers are for?'

'She must have received information about the anti-detection devices from someone, but I can't believe that she alerted the forces about the risk they presented because we both would have been included on the briefing list,' the President said. 'As for stating that she cannot remember who gave her the information, that sounds like an out and out lie. As you pointed out, with that information we might have been able to save those lives lost on Outstation Three.'

'I think you're right, but why would she lie about those things?' the General said. 'We shouldn't have to keep telling her what to do. I will look into it further, but if this attack proves to be the start of a military offensive by the United Colonies, I think we will need to employ a more effective Defence Minister.'

'I am in full agreement. I will initiate the process; let me know if you have anyone in mind for the position.'

#####  CHAPTER SIX

Zac was unusually quiet while Mike drove him to the Phasewave base in the morning. As they approached the base, he caught sight of the line of Phasewaves strung along the horizon and was again surprised to see how big they were when seen close up. 'I want to stay with the project,' he said, breaking his silence.

The comment took Mike by surprise. He pulled his auto onto the side of the road and switched off its turbine before turning to look at Zac, uncertain whether he was joking or not. 'Do you mean that?' he said. 'What's changed your mind?'

'I've given it a lot of consideration,' Zac said. 'Initially, I didn't want to give you false hope by indicating that I could help solve your problems when I knew I couldn't, and that is why I agreed to go only so far. Since then, I've spent a lot of time wondering how I could make the system work, and I think that I might have the solution to the imprint problem. I believe that identifying and using the imprint is achievable.'

'How do you intend to do that?' Mike asked.

'Put simply, it boils down to the fact that the DNA in the imprint is always going to be younger than the DNA in the genome. All I need to do is calibrate the scanner to detect the different DNA and use it.'

'You make harnessing the imprint sound simple, but I suspect it will involve a lot of trials and tests.'

'I'm not sure it will,' Zac said. 'Although the imprint is minuscule, and the human body contains trillions of genomes, the scanner is sensitive enough to detect it. Now I know what I'm looking for, identifying the imprint should be a relatively straightforward task. I will need to sacrifice some rabbits in order to capture the imprint, but after that, the rest of the process should be uncomplicated.'

'Let's hope you're right, and thank you for offering to stay with the project,' Mike said. 'You've given me a ray of hope that we're not wasting our time.'

They stopped at the base gate and showed their passes before proceeding to the Research Centre.

'What's your programme now?' Mike asked.

'I'm not going to rush into anything,' Zac said. 'Although there aren't many stages of the project left to complete, I'm going to double and triple check everything before taking any actions; I don't intend to be railroaded into making quick decisions like the last time. The apprentices have serviced the scanners and should be installing them as we speak, you have already coupled the compression chambers to a Phasewave unit, and by the end of today, Able should have checked and calibrated the whole setup. We will then be ready to start testing.'

'Once again, you make it sound so straightforward.'

'Well, let's all pray that it turns out that way,' Zac said.

'Hopefully, it will. In the meantime, I was wondering how we would be able to check the physical state of, let's say for the sake of argument a person who has just gone through the teleport, and I remembered that the medical centre on the base once purchased a body scanner that nobody ever uses. If I borrowed that scanner, we could take a pre and a post scan of the person and compare them to see if anything has changed. Does that sound reasonable?'

'It sounds exactly what we need,' Zac said. 'I presume we could also use it on the rabbits and calves, or any other live object we send through.'

'I'm sure we will be able to adapt it to accommodate such objects. I'll go ahead and commandeer the scanner. If I remember correctly, it's just a flat platform, and the scanner travels full length above the platform. It gives printed readouts of all the parameters, and for a full human scan, we can attach various electrodes to a body to provide even more information. It's a good piece of equipment, although so far it has turned out to be a complete waste of money. Let's hope that we reach the stage where it will be of use.'

In the laboratory kitchen, Leanne handed Jon a cup of coffee. 'I was writing up my notes last night, and when I read through them afterwards, they sounded like a science fiction story,' she said. 'I'm now beginning to wonder if this whole teleportation thing is just a joke. How can a person possibly be transmitted invisibly from place to place across the universe?'

'I used to think like that,' Jon said, 'but I believe that there is something behind it. Zac achieved so much all those years ago, and I think he's now onto a winner. In fact, I'm willing to bet on it. Are you on?'

'Let's wait and see,' Leanne said. 'Zac is now going to send the ingot through, and only when I see that lump of metal emerge in the receiving chamber will I consider changing my mind. Don't forget, all this kit is forty years old, and we haven't actually renewed any of its components.'

Jon peered out of the kitchen into the laboratory. 'Drink up. It looks like they are getting ready to do the run,' he said. 'Let's find out which one of us is right.'

Leanne and Jon finished their coffees and joined Mike and Zac in the laboratory, where they stood and observed while Zac climbed into the transmitting chamber and carefully placed the ingot on its plinth, before joining the others at the control station.

'Watch closely,' Zac said. 'This experiment is either going to be a stunning success or a tragic failure, and all I can say in my defence is that this worked the last time I did it, forty years ago.' He carried out a final check of the chamber door seals and activated the liquid nitrogen cooling systems.

Everyone stood and watched in anticipation, waiting to see if the resurrected equipment would actually work. Zac initiated the start sequence by selecting four switches to the on position. Four green lights illuminated, one by one.

Zac explained the light functions. 'The first green shows that the scanners are activated, the second indicates that the chambers are linked, the third light shows that the chamber hatches are locked and sealed, and the last light shows that the chambers are ready to pressurise on the computer's demand. The remaining switch initiates the transfer. Let's see what happens.'

Zac pulled the switch and immediately a loud whirring noise emanated from the adjacent scanner, followed by a short pause until the scanner burst into activity for a second time. The pressure gauges on the control panel swung round in unison, indicating a sudden pressure increase in both chambers, and the ingot started to shrink. Then the second chamber's scanner whirred into life, and the chamber pressures fell, filling both units with a white mist as the air inside them expanded. The mist slowly cleared and there, sitting proudly on its plinth in the receiving chamber, was the metal ingot. There was silence in the room as three of its four occupants stared in disbelief at the ingot. Then Zac started clapping and they all joined in.

'We did it!' Zac cried. 'It worked.'

Leanne could not believe her eyes.

'Not science fiction,' Jon whispered to her.

Leanne shook her head, unable to accept what she had just witnessed.

Zac opened the chamber and retrieved the ingot, which they passed between them, carefully examining it from every angle.

'This appears to be the same ingot,' Mike said. 'Well done, everybody.'

Zac smiled. 'It was easy,' he joked, placing the ingot in the centre of the bench before them. 'I know we are all feeling excited that the equipment has worked as advertised, but let's not forget that this is exactly where we were forty years ago. We still have a long way to go, and much of that way is uncharted. Next on the list is to teleport an object with organic content, so let's find a suitable object and arrange the next teleport.'

After dropping off Zac in Spencerville, Mike arrived home that night to find Mel waiting for him in the lounge, where she had laid out a table for dinner, complete with lit candles and an opened bottle of wine.

Mike was pleasantly surprised. 'What's the occasion?' he asked.

'I thought we might spend a nice evening together,' Mel said.

Mike immediately guessed her meaning and his heart sank. 'We first need to talk,' he said.

'Why?' Mel said.

Mike could think of nothing to say, other than, 'You're leaving me, aren't you?'

Mel remained silent, unmoving, but her face went pale. 'How did you know?' she eventually asked.

'This has been a long time coming,' Mike said, 'but I want you to know that I don't blame you. I completely understand and won't try to make you stay.'

Tears welled in Mel's eyes, and Mike handed her a handkerchief. 'You know there's nobody else, don't you?' she said.

'Of course,' Mike replied. 'Now we have cleared the air, let's at least enjoy the meal together.'

Mel touched Mike's arm. 'Thank you for being so reasonable. This has been very difficult for me.'

Mike and Mel dined together and talked of old times, and afterwards, Mike remembered it as one of the most enjoyable meals they had ever shared. After much discussion, they both accepted that Mike's job had taken over his life, which he knew, and that Mel had come to hate the Phasewave Company, which he didn't know. Later, they sat together by a fireside and he asked Mel what she intended to do in the future.

'A job has come up in Southland,' she said. 'It would be a promotion for me, and I don't know whether to take it or not. Quite recently, I've started to feel that Kalmis is closing in on me, but everyone I know lives here. I don't want to end up somewhere I won't be able to meet anyone.'

'I can't help you with that,' Mike said gently. 'There's no hurry; you can leave whenever it suits you.'

'I don't want to drag things out; I was planning to leave tomorrow.'

'That's too soon; we haven't discussed finances yet.'

'I don't want anything,' Mel said. 'I can make a living doing my job, and you owned this house before we met. You love this place, and it was my decision to leave. I don't want to take anything from you.'

'The house is too big for one person to manage, and it's served its purpose as a family home. Now is the time for both of us to move on. You'll need something to start up with, and I'll need a smaller place, so I'll split the house with you. After all, you've spent the last fifteen years living here.'

'That's a very kind gesture, but you don't have to do it.'

'The house will fetch a good price, and I don't need the money,' Mike said. 'I'll put it on the market when I've finished my current project, which should be fairly soon, and we'll share the proceeds.'

'Only if you're sure,' Mel said.

'We're agreed then.' Mike checked the time. 'I have to be up early tomorrow. If you don't mind, I'll go and do the dishes.'

Mel got up and took Mike by the hand. 'The dishes can wait until morning,' she said, and led Mike upstairs to their bedroom.

'I guess I'm the chef for today,' Mike said.

Zac, Leanne and Jon crowded round a bench in the laboratory, anxiously watching as Mike, armed with a large knife, approached a pumpkin that had just been through the teleport. He made a deep cut that split the pumpkin into two and released a pile of mush onto the bench top.

'As advertised,' he said, 'the hard outer skin of the pumpkin is intact, but the soft centre has turned to pulp.'

'On the last teleport, the log went through perfectly because the hardness of the wood protected the genome,' Zac added. 'Without that type of protection, the genomes in the fleshy centre of the pumpkin have been corrupted during the teleport.'

Leanne added the previously teleported log and ingot to the pumpkin on the bench top and took a photo of them. 'It's for my project notes,' she explained.

'What we've just demonstrated with the pumpkin is that trying to compress the genome inside variable density organic subjects can produce unpredictable results,' Mike said. 'Now we understand that, we can proceed to the next stage, which involves replacing the genome with the imprint. I need to talk to Zac for a moment, so why don't we all take a break before we go any further?'

Leanne and Jon retired to the kitchen, leaving Mike and Zac standing in the laboratory.

Zac pointed to the back wall. 'I've installed the body scanner, and it appears to be working. Perhaps you'd like to see my readouts.'

Mike laughed. 'I'm afraid you'll have to save them for later. One of the Phasewave machines is playing up, and if I don't spend more time in the office, the Company will think I've done a runner and take me off the payroll. I guess we've now reached the hard bit – identifying the release of the mysterious imprint which only occurs when a live animal ceases to exist.'

'You mean the invisible, elusive, hitherto unidentified, fascinating genetic imprint that has never been seen and may or may not actually exist?'

'That'll be the one,' Mike said. 'Do you have any ideas?'

Zac accompanied Mike as he made his way through the building. 'I've no shortage of ideas,' he said, 'most of which will unfortunately not be achievable in my lifetime. I'll sit down with the apprentices later and bounce some of my ideas off them. Maybe their young, uncluttered brains will be able to throw some fresh light on the subject.'

'Then I'll leave you to it,' Mike said. He stopped in the middle of the loading bay where Leanne and Jon had made enclosures out of packing cases for three rabbits and a calf. Hay littered the floor, and the smell reminded Mike of the countryside. He hung his arm over a wooden railing and the calf licked his hand.

'So this is Calvin,' Mike said. 'Who came up with that name?'

'That was Leanne's idea; she's grown very fond of our Calvin.'

'Hopefully, she won't have grown too fond of him,' Mike said, turning for the exit. 'I'll give you a lift home later.'

The apprentices were still sitting in the clapped-out armchairs in the kitchen, drinking coffee, when Zac joined them, pulling up an old office chair.

'We understand you want our help with a problem,' Leanne said.

'I do,' Zac said. 'The problem itself is quite straightforward, although I suspect the solution will prove to be a lot more complicated. If my understanding is correct, at the precise moment a living creature dies, it releases a minute pulse of energy that only exists for a split second. That energy pulse, or genetic imprint, contains a body's original DNA, which I now plan to use for the teleport instead of the genome. For the sake of this discussion, let's assume that we are referring to human beings as the teleport subjects and replace the term "death" with "loss of life". The two problems we need to resolve are identifying the imprint and capturing the imprint. The capture bit is going to be a fight between Able and me, but off the top of your heads, do you have any ideas how we might first identify this imprint?'

'When is the technical moment of loss of life during the teleport process?' Jon asked.

Zac turned to Leanne. 'Can you answer that question?'

'I'm thinking about it,' she said. 'Presumably, a person would be alive while their body was being scanned and would then lose their life during the compression process, but the compression process itself could not cause the loss of life because that would be unthinkable. Nobody would want to remain conscious while they were being compressed into computer code.'

'I can't argue with that,' Zac said. 'Jon, what's your opinion? Where do you think loss of life occurs?'

'I think Leanne is right. The body must be technically lifeless before the compression starts, so it must lose its life at the end of the first scanning process, before the compression starts. Is that right?'

'Or it could occur at the very start of the compression process, before the chamber starts to pressurise and the lasers start reducing the body,' Leanne added. 'What exactly is the computer doing at that moment?'

'The computer is not only controlling the whole process, it is actually generating the process,' Zac said. 'Although a supercomputer delivers the goods, one of its few failings is that it is very difficult to work out what it has actually done to get there. In most cases that is irrelevant because nobody would have reason to question its performance as long as it was achieving what it had been tasked to do. In the past, I have tried to unravel the computer's methodology, but all it produces is readouts containing masses of almost undecipherable code. It writes its own programmes as it goes along and often changes codes as it does so, sometimes even generating previously unused codes. It even creates new computing entities within its own system and dedicates them to specific tasks. During the last teleport, we never got to this point, but I'm now looking at everything in a different light. I think I need to dig deeper into the computer software to find out what is going on during the processes. At the moment, I can't ascertain with any certainty when the event occurs; the most likely scenario I can imagine that would fit the bill is if the body was somehow rendered unconscious during the scan run, which would mean that a human being would then be unaware of the following compression process. If that were the case, it is logical that loss of life would occur at or just prior to the first point of compression.'

'How will you go about checking all this?' Jon asked.

'I need to determine the two points in the process at which a living teleport subject first becomes unconscious and subsequently lifeless. To do that, I think I need to experiment with the rabbits to ascertain the point of imprint release. Only after I've obtained that information will I be in a position to attempt to capture the imprint.'

'That sounds like a complicated task,' Leanne said. 'Have you any idea how you intend to go about it?'

'That's a very good question,' Zac said. 'All I know is that the scanning processes involve the use of optical probes, which work in conjunction with the electron beams. They are incredibly sensitive and can "catch" the minutest particles. It sounds complicated, and I assure you that it is, but I am confident that Able is capable of sorting it out.' He leaned back in his chair and scratched his head. 'Thanks for your inputs. I now anticipate spending several hours wrestling with Able, so I'd like the two of you to take the afternoon off to catch up writing your notes, or whatever else you need to do, and we'll meet again in the morning.'

'Do you think we'll actually be able to carry out a live teleport of a rabbit tomorrow?' Leanne said.

'That's my intention,' Zac said, 'but if I can't identity the imprint, what will happen next is anybody's guess.'

After the apprentices had left the building, Zac started his quest by uncoupling the Phasewave links in order to disable the teleport function. He activated the scanner in the transmitting chamber and after completing a dummy run to confirm that the scanner was working correctly, he selected a rabbit, wrapped it in a bandage to stop it moving and ran it through the body scanner in order to record its physical state. Then, he strapped the rabbit to the plinth inside the first compression chamber and ran the first stage of the teleport scan, confirming that, as he had anticipated, the rabbit was alive but unconscious at the end of the scan. Therefore, he surmised, the scanner must somehow have rendered the animal unconscious during its first pass, although he had no idea how it had achieved that using only its optical probes and electron beams. Notwithstanding, the test had confirmed that the imprint would appear during the second part of the process: the compression run. Zac set the computer to operate at its absolute minimum compression for a period of one tenth of a second, and then commenced the second part of the process on the unconscious rabbit. The run finished almost instantaneously, and Zac removed the motionless rabbit from the chamber and placed it on the body scanner to find that the rabbit's heart had stopped beating. The body scanner also confirmed that the compression had not had time to take effect and the rabbit's lifeless body remained physically unchanged. He had narrowed down his search to the very beginning of the compression cycle.

Zac pulled up a chair to the computer monitor and opened up the supercomputer's integrity files. After a lengthy and careful examination of the extensive historical computer readouts, he managed to narrow the time-line on the screen to where he assumed the rabbit's imprint emerged and thought he could discern a faint trace standing out amongst the sets of genomes. After adjusting the computer setting to reduce the amount of genomes it was picking up by ninety per cent, he bandaged a second live rabbit, strapped it onto the plinth inside the compression chamber and repeated the process. When he subsequently checked the computer readouts, there, exactly where he expected it to be, was the trace of the imprint – loud and clear. Zac felt intense relief. Although the tests had unfortunately cost the lives of the two rabbits, they had confirmed his assumptions, and, more significantly, he had proved beyond doubt that the imprint actually existed. Having established the existence of the imprint, his next step would be to instruct Able to select the imprint and send it as part of the compressed code through to the receiving chamber where the receiving scanner would then use the imprint's DNA to reconstruct the subject being teleported. The only thing still puzzling him was how Able had managed to render the rabbits unconscious during the first scan, but after some consideration, he worked out that it could possibly take place if the electron beams suddenly reduced the subjects' metabolic rates. However, the system worked, and he had to accept that if Able was capable of compressing and resurrecting a human form to and from a string of code, then it was unlikely to have difficulty introducing an additional state of unconsciousness in the process. Two rabbits had given up their lives to confirm his theories, which he regretted, but their deaths had been a small price to pay for such a huge breakthrough.

Zac went to the kitchen and made himself a cup of tea. He felt a great sense of achievement, coupled with relief, but was pleased that his endeavours to achieve a successful teleport were finally paying off. It looked like the whole project was about to come to fruition, and in the morning, the team would now be in a position to attempt the first teleport of a live animal. Zac sat down, drank his tea and savoured a wonderful feeling of contentment that he had not experienced for a long time. After finishing his tea, he began to feel weary and packed up the laboratory, but, not knowing what to do with the dead rabbits, he wrapped them both in paper and put them in the fridge to be disposed of later. Because he had finished earlier than anticipated and after spending a day indoors, Zac decided to stretch his legs by walking down the road to Mike's office to catch his lift home. It had been a significant day for both him and the project, and he was looking forward to another momentous occasion the following morning when the first live teleport was due to take place. He was also looking forward to a significant engagement of a different kind that he planned to undertake later that evening.

#####  CHAPTER SEVEN

Sy Miller had a surprise that night when he opened his apartment door to find himself looking at an old friend. 'Zac!' he said. 'Is that really you?'

'It is,' Zac replied. 'I'm sorry to call unannounced like this.'

'You're always welcome here,' Sy said. 'Come on in.'

Zac walked into the apartment, which was impressively furnished, and he was reminded that there were at least some benefits going with the job of Colonial Representative.

'What are you doing with yourself nowadays?' Sy asked.

'I'm working on a teleportation project at the moment.'

'Weren't you involved in something similar a long time ago?'

'This is the same project, only forty years later.'

'Have you had any success with it?'

'I certainly have, and it looks like the project is just about ready to undertake its first human teleport,' Zac said. 'I think I am in a position to make it work, and when it does I want to return to Sollus and take the teleport project with me.'

'Who owns this project?'

'It belongs to the Phasewave Company, with a possible government involvement. Do you think the Colonies would be interested in such a project?'

'You know that the Colonies are always looking for anything involving advanced technology, and stealing it from the government would make it even more desirable. What kind of money are you looking at?'

'I'm offering the teleport to your government for free, but there is a probable side effect to the process called rejuvenation, and that is of more interest to me.'

'So you can regain your youth? If what you say is true, that will be amazing and a guaranteed winner. How long would it take to set up the programme on Sollus?'

'Not very long. I already have a supercomputer there and an archive containing all the necessary copies of the plans and blueprints. All I would need to do is reproduce the compression chambers and scanners; I think it could be up and running within six months.'

'I can safely say that the Colonial government would be more interested in the teleportation process,' Sy said. 'Whatever happens, the Vennican government must not get their hands on it. Can you arrange that?'

'I've already confused the government with some incorrect paperwork, but I might have to leave the planet in a hurry. Could you provide me with transport to the Colonies? I also might want to take a friend who is working on the project with me.'

'I can arrange that. Do you have travel documentation?'

'I haven't planned that far ahead. I'm not sure I will qualify for an exit visa.'

'It doesn't matter; documents can be arranged for both of you. I have several Colonial sympathisers working in the immigration department, and the Vennican travel requirements are easy to bypass; I do it all the time.'

'Thank you for your kind offer. Before I leave, can you put my mind at rest?'

'I hope so. What is your concern?'

'I was obviously aware of the destruction of Outstation Three, but since then there appears to have been no reaction from the Vennican forces, or none that I am aware of. Was the raid on the Outstation considered to be a success?'

'I think the answer to your question is yes and no. It has been an open secret for years that the United Colonies intend to take over the running of this planet from the Vennican government. In addition to testing our own attack capabilities, the raid on the outstation was intended to provoke an assault on the Colonies by the Vennican forces, which would have given us a legitimate excuse to retaliate by attacking this planet. Unfortunately, the Vennican government appears to exist in a world of its own, and it failed to respond as we had anticipated. The raid was also intended to divert attention away from another, clandestine attack on this planet which is underway at the moment and which is designed to sow unrest amongst the Vennican population and turn them against the government before we replace it. Is that sufficient information to answer your question?'

'Not quite. Should I be aware of this clandestine attack?'

'Not at the moment, and I can't reveal any more information other than to say that you will soon be picking it up on the news headlines. All I can tell you is that as a Colonial citizen you will be offered protection.'

'Then I shan't ask any more questions about your activities. Thank you for your assistance. I will make contact again if and when the first teleport has been successful.'

'Let's hope for everyone's sake that it works this time.'

'Don't worry; I'll make sure it does,' Zac said, with more confidence than he was feeling.

Mike had been dreading returning home that evening. He reluctantly opened the front door to his house, to be greeted with a wall of silence. For the last twenty years, the house had always been warm and welcoming, but now it felt cold and unfamiliar, and the rooms contained shadows that he had never noticed before. He walked through its rooms, half-expecting to bump into Mel, but did not need to open the empty wardrobe to know that she was gone, never to return. It was as if the life and soul of the property had somehow drained from it, leaving only memories in their places. An envelope with Mel's writing on it lay on his study desk, but he could not bear to open it and put it aside in a drawer until he was ready to face its contents.

The friendless surroundings were merely a taste of what was to come, Mike suspected, a bleak warning about the future he was contemplating. He looked around the lounge; the house was far too big for one person, and he would never find the time to maintain it. Soon his project would be finished, and then he would get the place valued and onto the market. At that moment, his future options appeared to be limited, and he accepted that living on his own was going to be a lonely experience, wherever he settled. He went to the fridge, only to find that Mel had left him a meal, as she had done so often in the past, but the sight of it made him feel even more unsettled. He grabbed a beer from the cooler and sat down in his usual armchair where, unable to face reminders from the past, he spent the rest of the evening drinking to ward off unwanted memories until he fell asleep in the armchair.

Zac spent the next morning rechecking his calculations and programming Able to identify and select the imprint, while the apprentices checked the rest of the equipment. By mid-day, their checks were complete, and Zac made the decision to teleport the remaining rabbit.

'If this experiment works, it will be the first time ever that a living entity has been successfully teleported,' Zac said. 'Hopefully, we are about to make history. Jon, I want you to take the controls while Leanne sorts out the rabbit.'

'Shouldn't we wait for Mike?' Leanne asked.

Zac considered her suggestion for a moment. 'No,' he said. 'As part of the analysis and confirmation process, I think we need to try this on our own; there's no point involving Mike if I've got it wrong. Besides which, he's now stuck on the base trying to fix one of the Phasewave machines that's playing up.'

Leanne went ahead, strapped the struggling rabbit to its plinth, and then joined the others to watch the teleport on the viewing screens. Jon selected the appropriate switches, and they saw the rabbit disappear and the receiving chamber fill with mist. Leanne ran to the chamber and shortly afterwards emerged carrying a very much alive rabbit, which was struggling and kicking as it tried to escape its restraining bandages.

Leanne had a huge smile on her face. 'It feels pretty strong and healthy to me,' she said. She handed the rabbit to Zac who held it still on the body scanner while they tried to obtain some relevant readings.

'From what I can see, this little critter appears to be perfectly sound,' Zac said, removing the bandages and handing the rabbit back to Leanne. 'Well done, everyone. You've just made history. I'll call Mike; I think he has been waiting for this moment.'

After taking a quick photo of Leanne protectively clutching the rabbit, Zac left the room and called Mike to tell him the news and send him the photo. As he expected, Mike was delighted.

Zac returned to the laboratory. 'Mike sends his congratulations to the team,' he said. 'He liked the picture of the rabbit, especially as it appeared to be completely unfazed by its newly acquired fame and achievement. I also have to tell you that Mike is determined to be here when we teleport the calf and suggests that we do it tomorrow afternoon. Well, everybody, I think we have just overcome an enormous hurdle, and I can no longer see any obstacles in our way to achieving our goal of human teleportation. Once the calf has gone through, it won't be long before we see it followed by our first human teleport, but keep your fingers crossed until we actually witness that happening.'

Mike was driving Zac home that night when he broke the news about his split with Mel.

Zac was surprised. 'I'm sorry to hear about that,' he said.

'It's just one of those things,' Mike said. 'It's been building up for some time, so I can't say that it came as a complete shock. Unfortunately, I'm going to have to sell my home, which I've lived in for half my life.'

'That's a real shame,' Zac said. 'I know from what you have told me that the house meant a lot to you.'

'It still does, but nothing stays the same, and I want to make sure Mel is treated fairly. Actually, it's not far off our route; would you like to take a look at it while it's still in my possession?'

'I'd love to, but don't put yourself out for me.'

Mike took the next turning off the freeway. 'It's no problem; I'm not doing anything else this evening.'

After they arrived at Mike's home, he ushered Zac through the front door. 'Come inside,' he said. 'Welcome to my castle.'

Zac looked around the rooms, impressed by the quality of the build and décor. 'This place is huge,' he said. 'It must be worth a dollar or two.'

'The Company has always paid well, and I got into this neighbourhood before it became popular,' Mike said. 'I've been here for twenty years now. Mel is responsible for all the interior stuff. For a change, would you like a beer instead of tea?'

Zac hesitated, and then said, 'Why not? After the way this this project is turning out, I think we deserve to cut ourselves a bit of slack now we have done the first live animal teleport.'

Mike picked up two beers from the fridge and they sat in the lounge. 'Why don't you own an auto?' he asked.

'I couldn't afford one,' Zac replied.

'You must have been well paid for the kind of work you were doing. Don't tell me you blew your life's savings.'

'I knew I wouldn't need much money to live on after I returned to Vennica, so I sponsored a university department on Sollus. It now has a Buchanan wing and provides courses in artificial intelligence.'

'I'm seeing a side of you I didn't know existed,' Mike said. 'Coming back here must have been a difficult decision for you to make.'

'In the kind of job I was doing, I was always travelling and didn't really settle anywhere. I never had the opportunity to take a partner, so I wasn't leaving much behind.'

'How's this for an idea?' Mike said. 'My partner has left me, and I don't like the idea of spending all my evenings alone, so why don't you come and stay here with me until the project is complete?'

'I couldn't impose on you,' Zac said.

'You wouldn't be imposing on me. I'm already driving you to and from Springfield every day, so it wouldn't inconvenience me at all.'

'You don't want to spend all your time in the company of an old man, but thank you for your offer.'

'I'm sure you have tales to tell, and we do have a lot in common,' Mike said. 'Due to your guidance, it looks like this project is going to end sooner than expected, so it would make sense for you to stay here until it's over. You can rest assured that I wouldn't mind your company for a few days.'

Zac took a mouthful of beer. 'I've got to admit that living in a nice place like this and drinking someone else's beer has a certain attraction,' he said. 'If you're convinced that I won't get on your nerves, let's give it a go.'

'Then pack your bags tonight, and you can move in after work tomorrow,' Mike said. 'How would you like another beer?'

Mike stood at the edge of the park in the centre of Kalmis, enjoying the morning sunshine and the luxury of spending a couple of hours away from the base. He had just come from a meeting he had attended with the Phasewave managers and was in good spirits. The teleport project was picking up, and he was well ahead of the game. The managers seemed to be quite happy with his progress, although they were still keen to set a date for the first teleportation. To take the pressure off, he had told them he should be finished in a months' time, and the Company was now making plans around that date. He stopped at a street stall and bought a coffee to take away, reluctant to leave the park on such a pleasant day. As he was leaving the stall, he heard someone call out his name and looked round to see Warwick Sutherland approaching in the company of a pretty, young woman.

'I thought it was you,' Warwick said. He turned to his companion. 'Ara, this is my friend, Mike.'

Mike and Ara exchanged greetings, and then she left to join the queue for coffees.

'I think I've seen Ara somewhere before,' Mike said. 'She looks familiar.'

'You've probably seen her at the monthly parties, she's a government intern.'

'Yes, I remember now. She's a bonny girl; are you two an item?'

Warwick blushed. 'Well, we get on really well together, and she has a fantastic sense of humour. I would definitely describe being with her as an uplifting experience.'

'I'm very happy for you both,' Mike said, 'but how can she work for the government and still retain a sense of humour?'

'It doesn't sound right, does it?' Warwick said. 'How is Mel nowadays?'

'I'm afraid we've just separated,' Mike said. 'It's been on the cards for some time.'

Warwick was shocked. 'I'm sorry. I had no idea.'

'It's just one of those things. We're still friends, and there were no other parties involved. Anyway, how's life in the hallowed halls of government treating you?'

Warwick looked around cautiously. 'Would you like to hear some gossip? The skids are under Meg Ryse.'

'What's happened?'

'Apparently, she has proved to be so useless at her job that the other ministers noticed.'

'Has a minister has ever been sacked before?' Mike asked.

'They come and they go, but I am not aware of any recent sackings.'

'I'll be pleased to get her out of my hair,' Mike said. 'She has been nothing but a pain.'

'Unfortunately, she'll have to stay in position until her replacement has been approved, so it could take a while,' Warwick said.

'In that case I will hold back on the celebrations. Thanks for that good news; you've just made my morning.'

'Why don't we get together for a drink sometime?' Warwick suggested.

'That sounds like a good idea. I'll give you a call.'

Mike left the central area with his coffee and made his way back to the auto park. He was pleased that Warwick had found himself a nice girl friend and to see them so loved up. It reminded him of when he had once been young and chasing girls, and he tried hard not to speculate about what Warwick had described as an uplifting experience.

Warwick held Ara's hand as they strolled into the park carrying their coffees. They found an empty bench and sat in the sunshine, taking in the view. Warwick had never felt so happy in his life, and it was all due to the captivating woman he was sitting with. After their disastrous first encounter, Ara had forgiven him and become part of his life. In his eyes, fate had brought the two of them together, and he could not bear to think of a life without her. Although Ara had not overtly revealed her feelings, he remained hopeful that she felt the same way about him. After all, they had known each other for a whole ten days.

'Who's Mike?' Ara asked.

'He's in charge of the Kalmis Phasewave base,' Warwick replied. 'You may have seen him at the meet and greets.'

'I think I saw him talking to that minister, the one everyone talks about.'

'That'll be Meg Ryse, the Defence Minister. She's giving Mike a hard time at the moment.'

'I hear that she's someone to avoid.'

'Oh, yes. She's a force of nature; you definitely don't want to get on the wrong side of her.'

'If I do, I'll call on you for help,' Ara said, laughing.

'You know I'd lay down my life for you,' Warwick said, 'but I don't think Meg would be satisfied with that. She's a fearsome woman.'

'Then consider yourself lucky to be working for the man at the top,' Ara said. 'By the way, have you any idea what you're going to do when you finish your contract?'

'The President thinks that I should take up a career in politics, and if I want to go down that track, he's offered to sponsor me for a permanent position in government'

'I think you would make an ideal politician, or ambassador,' Ara said. 'Are you going to accept the offer?'

'I'm not sure. I know I've been lucky working for someone who appreciates what I do, but the thought of having to put up with the likes of Meg every day isn't very appealing.'

'You need to stick with what you're good at.'

'I guess I'll probably end up going down that route, but what about you? Where's your future heading?'

'I want to be taller,' Ara joked, 'but I think I've left it a bit late.'

'Then don't hold your breath.' Warwick pointed Ara's cup. 'Don't forget your coffee.'

'I don't know why, but it tastes bitter today,' Ara said, pouring the remains of her drink onto the grass. 'I've also had a splitting headache all morning; would you mind if we go back now?'

Warwick was immediately concerned. 'Are you okay?'

'Yes. I think I've spent too much time in the sun without a hat.'

Ara remained silent on the way back, which was unlike her, and Warwick started to worry. 'Maybe you should go to a doctor,' he suggested.'

'Don't be silly, it's just a headache.'

'You never get headaches.'

Ara laughed. 'So in the few days since we first met, you have become an expert on my medical history. I could be a perpetual hypochondriac for all you know.'

Warwick was reassured and put his doubts behind him. He held her hand tightly as they walked towards the city centre and decided that he was definitely falling in love for the first time in his life.

#####  CHAPTER EIGHT

Zac met Mike in the loading bay and handed him a sheaf of documents. 'These are for our friend,' he said.

Mike leafed through the pages of diagrams and computer code. 'Has this anything at all to do with our project?'

'No, I dug these out of my archive. I've actually included in this selection some of the code for the anti-detection device fitted to the Colonial vessels. I don't expect Meg to understand any of it, but your Defence Minister will inadvertently have in her possession enough information to work out how the anti-detection devices function. Don't say I haven't tried to help out this government.'

Mike shook his head. 'Your expertise will never be recognised by the likes of Meg.' He nodded in the direction of the laboratory. 'Are you certain we're ready to put the calf through today?'

'I am. It's the next logical step to take.'

'This is going to be the cruncher,' Mike said. 'Just the thought of it is making me nervous.'

'Me too. The calf has a body mass approximately the same as an average person, so if we crack that, we will then be looking at undertaking a human transfer. It could take place very soon.'

'Fingers crossed,' Mike said. "I think the apprentices are getting excited.'

'Leanne will never forgive me if something bad happens to Calvin,' Zac said. 'He's become part of the family.'

'When do you want to send him through?'

'We've nothing to lose; why don't we do it now?'

'You're on,' Mike said. 'I'll go and round up the apprentices.'

'How are you doing, Calvin.' Leanne stroked the calf's neck and the calf looked up at her with liquid, brown eyes, making her smile. She was thankful it had successfully made it through the teleport, but a reading on the body-scanning monitor had captured her attention. She frowned. 'Jon, something is wrong here. Come and look at this.'

Jon put down his post-teleport checklist and joined Leanne next to the body scanner where, retained by padded straps, a still-sedated calf lay on its side with its legs tucked beneath it. 'Calvin is now the most famous calf in history,' Jon said. 'If only it could understand what it has done.'

'At least it will be spared a visit to the butcher.' Leanne handed a printout to Jon. 'Do me a favour and check these comparisons.'

Jon picked up the printed sheets and compared the figures. 'There must be a mistake. According to these readings, this calf is now nearly a kilo lighter and overall nine centimetres smaller in length than the original. Did we make a mistake when we carried out the first body scan?'

Leanne picked up a printed photo of the original calf and then stood back and compared the image with the calf on the bench. 'Is my eyesight failing, or does this calf actually look smaller to you?'

Jon took the photo from her. 'Are you sure this photo is of the calf that was just sent? Just look at the size of its ears. Don't you think they look much bigger than the ones on this calf?'

'We only have one calf in the lab, and I took that photo only an hour ago,' Leanne said. 'What's going on?'

'The physical scan shows no abnormalities at all, but something must have happened to the calf during its transit. It looks like it's shrunk.'

'We need to inform Zac and Mike,' Leanne said.

'You're right. Let's go and find them.'

'It's true,' Jon confirmed. 'The calf appeared to be younger after it came through the teleport. There's no doubt about it.'

'The calf is lighter and shorter than the original, with smaller ears,' Leanne said. 'Its readings show that all its internal organs are intact. Should we be concerned?'

'It might be caused by a slight anomaly with the imprint,' Zac said, 'but if everything else checks out okay, I can't see it being a problem. I don't think anyone would object to losing a few years going through the teleport.' Although Zac had already worked out what had happened by comparing data from the teleport scanners, he was still thrilled to hear the news confirming his theory, but he kept his feelings to himself.

'The successful teleport is terrific news; let me thank you all for what you have done,' Mike said. He opened a drawer, took out a bottle of champagne that he had saved for the moment, and poured the warm liquid into four coffee mugs. 'Excuse the rudimentary utensils, but here's to our famous calf, Calvin,' he proposed, adding, 'and to a great team effort.'

Everyone drank a toast to the calf and the team.

'So, who's going to be the first human to go through the teleport, and when do we do it?' Leanne questioned.

'Okay, here's what's going to happen next,' Mike said. 'First of all, I must stress the need for the utmost secrecy; nobody must find out what we have done before the Company has been informed. In the morning, I will announce to the main board that the teleport process is ready to transfer a human being, and then I will see what it wants to do. I expect it will want to invite a large media presentation to the first official teleportation, but before that, I'm pretty certain that it will want to carry out its own, private teleport in order to avoid a repeat performance of the last attempt. You've all done a great job, and it looks like the project is set to deliver, but we must keep quiet about this until we know where we're going next. Leanne and Jon, you can go home after you have taken care of Calvin, and Zac and I will clear this place up. I'll be in touch with you when I have something to report.'

After the apprentices had left, Zac and Mike started to close down the laboratory.

As Zac was about to shut down his computer, he stopped and turned to face Mike. 'I have an important request to make,' he said. 'I want to be the first person to go through the teleport.'

'You know I can't make that decision,' Mike said. 'It will be up to the Company or possibly the government to decide who will be the first person to be put through.'

'Then how about Meg?' Zac proposed.

Mike laughed. 'I bet she would do it just for the publicity. Tempting isn't it?'

'Seriously,' Zac said. 'I have to go through the teleport, and I want to do it in secret tonight.'

'What? I can't risk upsetting the Company or the government. It's simply not possible. Why do you want to do that? What's the urgency?'

'You owe me,' Zac said. 'I came up with the solution to the teleport process, and without my assistance you would still be stood here trying start up Able. I delivered what you wanted, and this is what I'm asking for in return.'

'Don't make things difficult for me,' Mike said. 'We are all about to make history, and I'm employed by the Company. I can't risk spoiling everything after what we've just achieved. When this event goes public, it's going to be the biggest thing to happen in our lifetimes, and our team is going to be subject to a lot of public interest.'

'Let me explain,' Zac said. 'The reason I came back from the Colonies was that at the end of my time there I had physically slowed down and started to feel ill. I took a full medical check and discovered that I actually had the body of a much older man, which was caused by exposure to excessive radiation during the time I was working away from Vennica. It was a sign that my lifetime was nearly over, and I came back to Vennica, my home planet, to spend my final days here. I need to go through the teleport to take advantage of the teleport system's rejuvenating properties. I don't believe the Company will ever allow me to do so if they discover my previous involvement with the project. However, if you agree to put me through the teleport tonight, the Company need not know anything about it.'

Mike felt his resolve start to waver. He knew he owed Zac but was also aware how the Company would react if it discovered what he had done and where it would leave him.

'Sending me through will help you,' Zac pleaded. 'I've only a short time left and have nothing to lose by attempting this teleport. It doesn't matter if I die going through the process, but whatever happens to me will prove beyond doubt whether the system works or not. Either way, you will then be in a position to manage the system correctly without risking another debacle like the last time this was attempted.'

'I don't know,' Mike said. 'I would be very unhappy sending you through first.'

'I would do it by myself, but I need you to operate the system. If anything goes wrong, I want you to dispose of my body and nobody will be any the wiser. Apart from you, I have no close friends or relatives on this planet. Do you remember when you offered to pay me for my services in kind? I now want you to honour that commitment.'

'This is insane. You want to do this based on one successful teleport of a calf. There is still a risk, no matter how small. What if the system fails to identify the human imprint?'

'Would you prefer that to happen before the eyes of the Company, or the media?' Zac said. 'I built Able, and I know that the computer is fail-safe. Able is designed to repair itself, and its internal software will automatically rectify any deviations from its parameters, which is why I can say with all certainty that it will not fail. You know as well as I do that the next teleport subject has to be a human being, and there's less risk putting me through than using a Phasewave employee. Think how the Company would treat you if it found it was facing another disaster. This is what we've both been working for, and I'm now prepared to prove the system.'

Mike was in a quandary, but he was starting to understand where Zac was coming from. 'Are you absolutely certain that this is going to work?'

'Yes,' Zac replied, 'and I'm willing to put my life on the line to convince you.'

Mike sighed wearily. 'Okay,' he eventually agreed, with great trepidation. 'I've only ever assisted you teleport the ingot; you'd better re-brief me on what you want me to do.'

Zac quickly briefed Mike on the switch sequencing. 'You don't know how much this means to me,' he added. 'I know you won't regret doing it.'

'I'm already beginning to regret agreeing to help you. Let's get on with it before I change my mind.'

'Follow me,' Zac said. He activated the control panel, sealed the hatch on the receiving chamber and adjusted the nitrogen pressures. Mike opened the hatch of the transmitting chamber for Zac to enter.

Zac held out his hand. 'Thank you for doing this for me,' he said.

Mike was so tense that he was unable to speak. He shook Zac's hand and helped him onto the plinth.

'I'll see you next door,' Zac joked. 'Wait a moment!' he took off his glasses and handed them to Mike, 'I won't need these again.'

Mike took the glasses and left the chamber, then swung the hatch shut and locked its handle, leaving only the operation of the switches to complete the start sequence. As he approached the console, he was consumed by an intense feeling of alarm as the enormity of what he was about to do hit him. He stared at the glasses he was holding. Was that all Zac was leaving behind? Was he really going to bury Zac in the desert if it all went wrong? He could end up in prison.

Using the pre-teleport checklist that Jon had produced, Mike double-checked all the items on the list and switched on the cameras to observe Zac lying motionless on a plinth inside the transmitting chamber. He then selected the programme switches on and watched the lights turn green, one by one. Finally, he reached out and held the Start switch. Fighting against all his instincts, which were screaming at him not do it, he moved the switch to the on position. The now familiar whirring noise of a scanner broke the silence in the laboratory, followed by a slight delay, and then the scanner started its second run and Zac slowly shrank from view. Mike heard the receiving chamber spring to life and transferred his gaze to the adjacent screen, which immediately filled with a white mist. The mist slowly started to clear and a dark object appeared inside the receiving chamber. For a moment, Mike thought his heart had stopped beating. From the camera angle, he could not work out what the dark object was, only that it remained motionless. He rushed to the adjoining chamber, deactivated the lock and threw the hatch open in time to see Zac fall from the plinth clutching his throat. He ran over to him only to be hit by a flying button as Zac, gasping for air, tore his shirt open, before collapsing on the floor,.

'Are you alright?' Mike asked.

'I certainly am,' Zac managed to say.

Mike was amazed to see that Zac looked much younger and had a full head of black, wavy hair, which, he realised, was the dark object the camera had revealed. He helped him to his feet.

Zac undid his belt and unbuttoned his trousers.

'What are you doing?' Mike asked.

'These clothes are strangling me. I'd forgotten that I used to be much bigger when I was younger. I'm going to need some new clothes.'

Mike stepped back and cast his eye over Zac. He was now taller than he had been when he entered the transmitting chamber and looked about twenty years younger. They stepped out of the chamber into the laboratory.

Zac looked around wildly and fist-pumped the air. 'I did it!' he shouted. 'I did it! Mike, check me out.'

Mike guided Zac to the body scanner and attached its electrodes. The scanner travelled up and down the platform and a printout appeared. Mike looked it over but could not find any irregularities. 'It all looks good,' he said. 'How do you feel?'

'I feel terrific,' Zac said. 'I can't wait to go back to the Colonies and find a partner and have children and regain the life I lost. Wow!'

Mike's legs were trembling with exhaustion, forcing him to sit down. He watched while Zac, trying to hold his dangling clothes together, bounded into the cloakroom to see himself in a mirror. He felt incredibly relieved that Zac had gone through the teleport in one piece and that he could now truthfully declare to the Company that the system was working and ready to accept a human teleport.

Zac returned from the cloakroom with an enormous smile on his face. 'We need to keep quiet about this,' he said. 'Even I didn't recognise my own face.'

'Yes, you can no longer be seen around here looking so young; that would be impossible to explain without giving the game away. You appear to be about my size, so at least I can give you some of my clothes to wear. From now on, however, I suggest that you stay out of sight at my place until after the Company officially launches the teleportation programme. That will give us time to work out something for your future.'

'That won't be a problem,' Zac said. 'My business here is finished; the teleport has been proved; Jon is now checked out to work Able; and both apprentices are capable of finishing off what we started and completing their project. This has been a fantastic day. Let's celebrate by sending out for a meal and having a few drinks tonight.'

'The way I feel right now, I'll be lucky to make it to my bedroom.'

'You ought to try going through the teleport,' Zac said. 'I can highly recommend it.'

'No thanks. I've had enough excitement for one day.'

'Just give me a moment,' Zac said.

Mike watched, amused, as Zac, struggling to keep his clothes in place, accessed his computer and erased something on the screen before shutting the computer down.

'Is the computer okay?' Mike asked.

'Yes. I just deleted the video of me going through the teleport because I didn't want the apprentices stumbling across it. Now, where are we going tonight?'

'Home,' Mike said. 'I'm too knackered to do anything else.'

'You're beginning to sound like an old man,' Zac said. 'It's time to get out there and have some fun before it's too late.'

'That's a bit rich coming from someone who can't even keep his pants up,' Mike pointed out.

Zac looked on while Mike cleared the dining table and piled the dishes in a sink. It felt strange to be sitting there wearing Mike's clothes, and he was finding it difficult to adjust to the size and shape of his remodelled body.

'I hope you enjoyed my amateur attempt at fine dining,' Mike said, re-joining Zac at the table.

'It was far healthier than a takeaway,' Zac responded. 'By the way, what was that we just ate?'

'Rabbit casserole,' Mike said. 'It was a leftover from the freezer. Rabbit pie used to be my favourite dish, but I don't know how to do pastry.'

'I can't say I've ever seen it on a menu anywhere,' Zac said. 'Hang on! Don't tell me that I've just been eating the teleport bunnies.'

'You only used them to identify the imprint,' Mike said. 'I found them in the laboratory fridge. There was nothing physically wrong with them, but don't let on to Leanne that we ate them.'

Zac laughed. 'Then don't tell her I actually enjoyed eating them. At least she got to keep the one that got through.'

'That was a milestone in itself,' Mike said. 'Which reminds me; I have to ask you a question. Although I suspect you will think this a crazy idea, would it be possible to increase or decrease the size of whatever you are sending through the teleport?'

'Are you thinking in terms of turning a common or garden rabbit into some kind of giant bunny that serves ten?'

'I confess that may have crossed my mind, but could you alter the physical size of a rabbit or a person during the teleport process?'

'I've never considered that aspect,' Zac said, 'but there is no way the equipment we are using could restructure DNA.'

'I was thinking more along the lines of altering the compression characteristics. Could that be done?'

Zac scratched his head. 'Now you mention it, I think it could be possible. Normally, the transmit and receive protocols are synchronised to ensure there are no size anomalies, other than those caused by the use of the imprint, but it would be quite feasible to make an adjustment and change the output dimensions. One of the problems would be that an increase in size would also need a corresponding increase in mass, but we could apply an overall replication of a body's cells to keep everything in proportion. However, I think that the process would only be short-lived because when the system regenerates a body, the DNA in the imprint resets the DNA in the body's genomes, which control ageing. That means they will no longer correspond to the size of the body and over time the body would probably revert to its original form. I don't think you would be able to create a race of giants by using our teleport process, but it might have a culinary application.'

'I'm sure the Phasewave crowd would manage to find a way to make money out of it,' Mike said. 'While we're on the subject, would it be possible to carry out repeat teleports on a human body?'

'That sounds like the quest for eternal life. I see no physical reason why the process could not be repeated, but I think that would lead to some serious ethical problems.'

'Then perhaps we'll keep that bit of knowledge to ourselves for the time being,' Mike said.

'Talking of which, when are you going to bring Meg up to date on our teleport progress?' Zac asked.

'Once I've informed the Company that we're ready to carry out the first human teleport, I assume all dealings with the government will go through them. So far as Meg is concerned, she thinks we're still trying to sort out the rabbits.'

Zac eyed the dishes stacked in the sink. 'At least you can confirm that two of those rabbits have been well and truly sorted out tonight,' he said.

'It's a shame, but without their involvement, we wouldn't be where we are now,' Mike said. 'We've made terrific progress with the project so far, and it's been a busy week for everybody.'

Zac yawned. 'It certainly has; I can feel the effects of the adrenaline starting to wear off.'

'I'm pretty sure I drained my energy bank this evening.' Mike sat down at the table and noticed a news headline on the television, which had been left switched on.

'What's this about?' he said, turning up the volume.

The newsreader announced that the as yet unidentified medical condition that was attacking people's brains had now spread across Vennica and was affecting hundreds of people. Zac immediately became alert. Was this evidence of the attack Sy had told him about? He concentrated as the newsreader went on to say that many of the victims had already died and no treatment had so far proved to be effective. With no cure in sight, the government was considering declaring a state of emergency.

'Another disaster, that's just what we need,' Mike said. 'How come we are only being told about it now?'

'I've heard it's been going on for a while,' Zac commented. Was this the work of the Colonies or just another outbreak of a disease? As he recalled what little Sy had told him, he became convinced that he could detect a Colonial hand behind the outbreak.

'I wonder what's causing it,' Mike said, as if reading Zac's thoughts. 'You'd have thought they would have worked out what it was by now.'

Zac did not want to get drawn into the conversation, but Mike had put his job and his freedom on the line by taking part in the teleport, and after such a huge favour, Zac felt that he was duty bound to help him out rather than feign ignorance of the subject. 'It might be an attack by the United Colonies,' he suggested.

'What do you mean?'

'I have no proof, but I know that the Colonies were working on all sorts of offensive strategies against Vennica, including the use of microbiological and nerve agents.'

'In what way would we be affected?' Mike asked.

'I wasn't involved,' Zac said. 'I can't say.'

'Hundreds, if not thousands of people out there are dying,' Mike said. 'We need to help them if possible.'

'Well,' Zac reluctantly acknowledged, 'I was primarily involved in weapon development and was not privy to that side of things, but if I was looking to attack a planet such as Vennica with an unidentifiable toxic agent, I would consider releasing small quantities of the agent into the domestic water supplies at irregular intervals and spread over a large area. The random nature of the agent's effects would make it almost impossible to trace.'

'Is this what you meant by applying pressure on the planet instead of going to war?' Mike asked.

'Yes, and don't expect me to try to explain that to Meg.'

'That would definitely be futile. I've just had an idea – right now, there is no cure for the condition, so explain to me why we couldn't run affected people through the teleport. Surely the rejuvenation process would remove the agent and restore the victim to health.'

Zac took his time considering Mike's idea before giving a measured response. 'I'm not sure that it would,' he finally said. 'If the toxic agents used in these types of attacks were capable of finding and corrupting DNA in their victims' brain cells, the agents could also find and corrupt the DNA contained within their imprints. That would be disastrous, and we would have no way of knowing it had happened until after the teleport had been carried out. However, I do believe that it could possibly be used to treat other forms of illness.'

'It was just an idea,' Mike said. 'If I may say so, you sound very relaxed about these threats. Aren't you worried that you too could be affected by those toxic agents?'

'I'm assuming that if the Colonies' intention was to kill everyone on this planet, they would already have done so,' Zac said, remembering that Sy had offered him protection from the attack. 'When I returned to Vennica, I didn't expect to be around long enough to be worried about things like that, but now I'm younger, it's become a problem, which is one of the reasons why I want to return to the Colonies as soon as possible and start enjoying life again.'

'You know that I'm going to have to pass the information about the toxic agent to Meg.'

'I expected as much. How do you intend bringing me into that conversation?'

'I'll tell her that I sacked my senior apprentice after he finally got round to cleaning up the laboratory, but before I kicked him out, he spilt the beans on the possibility of a Colonial attack.'

'And do you think she will take any notice?'

'Not a chance.'

Mike was wrong. The next day, Meg rushed through the government building, already late for the meeting that she had called. Warwick showed her into the President's office, where she found the President and General Compton impatiently waiting for her.

'There had better be a good reason for this urgent meeting,' the President stated.

'There is,' Meg said. She repeated what she had just heard from Mike about the Colonial attacks that he believed were caused by exposure to a toxic agent. She had expected to receive congratulations for the revelations, but the two men sat and stared at her, clearly not believing what they had just heard.

'Who gave you this information?' the President asked.

'Mike Casino, the Phasewave Base Manager,' Meg said.

'And how did he find out about the Colonial plans?' the General said.

'He heard it from one of the apprentices, a guy named Zac, who had done a lot of work for the Colonial forces and knew all about the toxic agents that are causing the brain damage.'

'If this man Zac had gained so much experience working for the Colonies, how did he end up apprenticed to the Phasewave Company?' the General asked. 'How old is he?'

'I reckon he must be in his sixties,' Meg said.

'Be serious!' the General exclaimed. 'Are you trying to tell me that the Company is taking on sixty year old apprentices? That's just plain ridiculous.'

'Zac was employed as an adult apprentice,' Meg explained. 'The Company has a special scheme for older people to get them back to work.'

'Do you have any evidence to prove this theory about the Colonies attacking us, other than hearsay from this so-called adult apprentice?' the President asked.

Meg shook her head.

The President could clearly see that Meg had been strung along, and the Phasewave Company was probably having a good laugh at her expense and naivety. 'Do you expect us to believe that rubbish?' he said. 'Meg, you need to go away and have a good think about what you are doing, and don't call us to an urgent meeting again unless you can provide hard evidence to support what you are saying. I have never in my life heard such nonsense as adult apprentices.'

'It's true,' Meg cried. 'Zac was being re-trained before he could return to work. Mike can vouch for him.'

'Where is this Zac character now?'

'I don't know. Mike sacked him.'

'Just go away,' the General said, turning his back on her.

After Meg had left the room, the two men stood and stared at each other.

'I think Meg must be having a breakdown,' the General said. 'Mind you, the last time we talked to her she did mention that someone had given her details about anti-detection devices that were supposedly fitted to Colonial vessels, but she couldn't remember who it was. I wonder if this Zac character was the source of her information. Maybe I should talk to Mike Casino about him.'

'You mean Zac the sixty year old apprentice who was being re-trained to go back to work before he was sacked? I doubt such a person exists, and even if he does, he doesn't sound like the kind of person who would have acquired any specialist skills while he was working for the Colonial forces.'

'You're right,' the General conceded. 'I think he must be a figment of Meg's vivid imagination.'

'She's out of control,' the President said. 'It's definitely time to move her on.'

#####  CHAPTER NINE

'I'm sorry; I can't read this anymore.' Ara handed a book back to Warwick.

'I'll bring you some more,' Warwick said.

'No, you don't understand. The words don't mean anything to me; the letters are all jumbled up. It's this disease I've got.'

Warwick looked at Ara as she lay in the hospital bed. Her face was ashen and she appeared to be shrinking before his eyes. He remembered how she had been only a week earlier – lively, full of life and happiness. Now this had happened. The thought brought him close to tears.

Just then, the door opened and a doctor entered the room.

'Hello,' he said. 'Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Peter Robinson, the Chief Surgeon here at Memorial hospital.'

'I was told somebody was coming,' Ara said. 'Can you help me?'

'Do you want me to leave?' Warwick asked.

'Please stay,' Ara said. She turned to Peter, 'If that's okay with you.'

'Stay by all means,' Peter said. 'Ara, I may be able to help you, but first I am required by our regulations to advise you that what I am about to offer you is an unapproved procedure that may be effective in restricting the effects of this progressive dementia. It's a new treatment that plasticises the brain and reduces it to a younger state.'

'Why is it an unapproved procedure?' Ara asked.

'The only reason the procedure has not been certified is because it has not been trialled sufficiently. Most patients we see are too far gone by the time we identify the brain degeneration, and as a result, attempts to carry out this treatment have not shown an acceptable improvement in their conditions. What I'm trying to tell you is that the development of this treatment is still in its infancy, and if you do decide to go down this route, it will necessarily be at your own risk.'

'I need to know more about the procedure,' Ara said.

'It's a multi-part procedure. First, we will put you into stasis, which is a form of coma, by injecting liquids into your bloodstream to slow down your body's metabolic rate, and then we will cross-focus laser beams through your skull to destroy any damaged brain tissue. Finally, we will inject another fluid to fill the void around your brain, and this fluid, which contains powerful chemicals, will rearrange the molecules inside the brain to break up the chains they have formed.'

'What state will Ara be in if she survives?' Warwick asked.

'Because Ara has only recently started showing the first signs of dementia, I believe there is a good chance of a successful treatment, although some brain tissue will already have been destroyed. After the operation, she will have lost a significant amount of her short-term memory, possibly even reverting to a childlike state. Fortunately, we have recently discovered a medical breakthrough that should help Ara enormously. Before the operation, we will test Ara and record her memory patterns and brain cell codes during the test. After she regains consciousness, we will play back those recordings to her whilst carrying out similar tests. During post-operative treatment for similar brain damage, it has proved to be a very successful technique to speed up recovery from memory loss. Her modified brain cells should rapidly adapt, and she will be in a good position to relearn all she needs.'

'It sounds horrible,' Ara said. 'What will happen if I decide not to go down that route?'

'Sadly, everyone I have seen so far has not recovered, and as we speak, no treatment exists that has been proven to cure this condition.'

'I'm confused,' Ara said. 'I don't know what to do. What would you do in my position?'

'Faced with the unthinkable yet inevitable alternative, I would have no hesitation going for the plasticisation. You are losing brain cells as we speak, so I would recommend that you take the treatment as soon as possible. If you are in agreement, I will rearrange my surgery schedule and carry out the procedure first thing in the morning.'

'Then I don't think I'm left with a choice,' Ara said, looking at Warwick. 'I'll do it.'

'I know you are doing the right thing,' Peter said, patting her hand.

Warwick was unable to speak, and took her other hand in his.

Inside the Phasewave headquarters boardroom, Mike once again attended a meeting with the five Operations Managers.

'I understand that you have made significant progress with the teleport project,' Sami said. 'It has come to fruition a lot sooner than we expected.'

'We have had an exceptionally good run,' Mike replied. 'All our tests have gone smoothly, and we are in a position to carry out our first live teleport of a human being.'

'How confident are you?' Tony asked.

'The final successful teleport involved a calf, which was chosen because it was representative of a human being in size and mass. It went through the process without a hitch, meaning that there is no requirement for further testing before we carry out a teleport on a human being.'

'Are you absolutely certain that no damage will be caused to a human body during the teleport?' Sarah asked.

'Yes,' Mike affirmed. 'We have installed a full body scanner in the laboratory and have taken scans of our test subjects before and after the teleport. So far, we have found nothing of concern.'

'Then this needs to take place tonight,' Tony said. 'We have a staff member, Jeff Kincaid, who has volunteered to be the first person to be teleported. Obviously, we can't make any arrangements for a public display until we have confirmed that the system is functioning satisfactorily.'

'I can arrange to carry out a teleport tonight,' Mike said. 'I will need my two team members to assist me.'

'Whatever you say, but keep it at that. I won't be attending; for obvious reasons, the fewer people who know about this the better.'

'I think you are doing the right thing by carrying out the teleport in private,' Mike said. 'Although the system appears to be working perfectly, there's always going to be a small element of risk at this stage of development.'

'I will arrange to have a medical team standing by outside the building while this takes place. Let's pray that we won't need them this time.'

It was after midnight when Mike drove in darkness up the sweeping drive to Joshua's huge mansion. As he approached the mind-blowingly ostentatious building, he idly wondered how much a property that size would fetch on the market, but it was way beyond his comprehension.

Joshua met Mike at the front door. 'What happened?' he anxiously asked.

'Everything worked perfectly,' Mike said. 'Jeff went through okay.'

A look of relief flooded across Joshua's face. 'Thank God for that. What state was Jeff in when he came out of the teleport?'

'He was perfectly healthy and normal,' Mike said. 'He actually enjoyed the experience.'

'Is that true?'

'Yes. It was a short, uneventful process, but there was one unexpected side effect.'

Joshua's face fell. 'What was it?'

'It was nothing to worry about, but Jeff appeared to be younger after the teleport.'

'Is there an explanation for that?'

'Yes. It was an unwanted side effect of using younger DNA than is normally available in the human body. We are trying to find a way to circumvent this problem, and it shouldn't delay the project. In the meantime, I don't expect many people would object to losing a few years in the process.'

'Are you telling me that Jeff's body was actually rejuvenated during the teleport?'

'In effect, it was. There's no cause for concern; we've worked out what caused it and will be able to adjust the teleport system to negate the change.'

'How much rejuvenation is the process capable of receiving?'

Mike suddenly realised that Joshua was only focussing on the rejuvenation properties of the teleport. 'It depends,' he continued, whilst trying to work out how much younger Zac had ended up. 'The DNA we use does age, but not as fast as the DNA in the body, so a young person will not rejuvenate a great deal, but, taking the example of a sixty five year old man, he could probably lose twenty years.'

'Are you telling me that a sixty five year old going through the process will come out with the body of a forty five year old?' Joshua asked.

'It would appear so, but don't forget that this system is primarily for human teleportation, the rejuvenation is just an aside.'

Joshua became animated. 'This is incredible. Kai and I spent most of this evening crunching the numbers and we worked out that it will cost hundreds of billions of dollars to set up a universal teleport system, dollars we don't have. If we just stick to the rejuvenating properties of the teleport process, it will generate cash from the word go. It could be introduced right here on Vennica, and the potential earnings from rejuvenation would be beyond calculation.'

'Does that mean you intend to consider only the cosmetic route?' Mike queried.

'Faced with a multi-billion dollar, time-consuming alternative, wouldn't you? We could call the machines Rejuvenators or something like that. Would we need to do anything to the equipment?'

'No,' Mike confirmed. 'In fact, if we discarded the teleport function, we could simplify the process because there would be no need to use two compression chambers or to link to a Phasewave machine. One chamber could be adapted to both transmit and receive, meaning that a customer would remain inside the chamber while they were compressed and rebuilt by the teleport process. It would save the Company a lot of money, and the process could be carried out anywhere.'

'This is really exciting news,' Joshua said. 'Obviously, if we do go down that route, we would be looking to take advantage of your expertise in these matters. This could be a major development for your career.'

'Thank you,' Mike said, knowing that he had no intention of setting up such a network and that his career had already ended.

'I'll ensure that you and your team are handsomely rewarded for all your efforts,' Joshua said. 'Tomorrow I'll call a board meeting and plan the necessary PR releases and an official proclamation of what we have achieved, followed by another teleport, which will be the first official teleport, for public consumption. It is vital that none of this information leaks out, so will you ensure that your assistants understand the need for absolute discretion, at least until we go public. I will personally congratulate Jeff Kincaid and tell him to stay out of sight until the ceremony takes place. Does anyone else know what happened tonight? What about that government minister, Meg?'

'I've not been keeping her up-to-date with our activities, so she has no idea that we have completed a successful teleport and that the equipment is ready to go into service,' Mike said. 'The only record of the event is on the video captured by the computer.'

'Then I want you to make sure that video stays inside your Research Centre and is not copied.'

'I can secure the video, and I'll warn the team,' Mike said. 'Before I leave, I would like to make a suggestion. This rejuvenation process could also be used for combatting medical problems and diseases; on purely humanitarian grounds, shouldn't we be making that part of our expansion plan?'

'No way,' Joshua said. 'We now have a golden opportunity to create wealth for our Company with minimum outlay. If we advertise the fact that we are able to use our Rejuvenators for humanitarian purposes, the government will almost certainly try to commandeer our system and use it for their own ends without payment. This Company has no intention of assisting the government in any way, shape, or form. Forget about it.'

Meg sat at her desk, fuming. She was still smarting from the President's rebuff, especially as she had gone out of her way to reveal the source of the microbiological attacks. At the very least, she had expected to receive some kind of recognition for her efforts. To add fuel to her anger, a letter from the Patents Office lay open on the desk in front of her stating that the information she had supplied to support her application for a teleportation patent was inapplicable and appeared to refer to some other application. She snorted in frustration. What did they mean? The stuff Mike supplied her with was full of computer-speak and diagrams, which would have satisfied anyone. It was probably too technical for them to understand, but it now meant that she would have to waste her time getting some other, less sophisticated material from Mike. After giving the subject more thought and becoming even more frustrated, she decided that it was time for action. She wasn't going to sit there twiddling her thumbs, waiting for government half-wits to tell her what she could or couldn't do; it was time to demonstrate what real leadership was all about. She buzzed her secretary and told her to get hold of the Commander of the Home Guard.

The next morning, Mike was in the Research Centre with the two apprentices, when the door burst open and Meg Ryse entered the laboratory, accompanied by six armed soldiers.

'I want you all out of here, and from now on you are banned from entering this building,' Meg said. 'For security reasons, the government has now taken control of the teleport project. These premises are now under the protection of the Home Guard.'

'What are you talking about?' Mike said. 'This is private property. You have no authority here.'

'I'm talking about national security,' Meg said. 'This project is essential to the defence of this planet.'

'You are talking pure crap,' Mike said. 'Remove these guards and leave the building before you make a complete fool of yourself.'

Meg ignored Mike's comments. She motioned to the soldiers and they immediately seized Mike and the apprentices and manhandled them to the exit.

After the Home Guard had ejected the teleport team, Meg strolled around the laboratory, noticing that it no longer stank like a zoo now that the rabbits and calf, which had been prominent during her last visit, were gone, and there was no sign of the old man. The place was looking better and tidier already. She looked curiously at the equipment in the room, wondering if she could use any of it, before deciding that she did not have a clue what it was intended to do. Well, the government was full of scientists who did sweet nothing for a living, so she would hand over the project to one of them. Her new company, TecTravel, was already the registered owner of the teleport process, and when the patent office finally got round to approving her application, she would then sell the system to the government as her own invention, saying it was part of a joint programme between her and the Phasewave Company. Meg allowed herself one of her rare, grim smiles. Let the Phasewave Company suck on that.

Mike arrived home in a foul mood, and Zac quickly fetched him a beer.

'What's happened?' Zac asked.

Mike filled him in on the team's physical removal from the Research Centre. 'You're lucky,' he added. 'You too would have been thrown out if you'd been there. Being physical restrained by armed guards on my own base was a thoroughly unpleasant experience; I'm ashamed that the apprentices had to suffer that kind of behaviour.'

Zac fetched a beer for himself. 'What are you going to do about Meg?'

'I've submitted a full report to the Phasewave board, and it's now in their hands. They were just about to announce the first live teleport of a human being to the media and have now had to put it on hold. To say they were angry would be a gross understatement, especially when I told them that the Defence Minister herself had personally commandeered the Research Centre and ordered her troops to throw us out. I guess they are currently working out a response to the government's actions.'

'Employing armed soldiers from the National Guard would appear to have been a bit of an over-kill,' Zac said. 'What do you think is going on?'

'Meg is definitely up to something, and I still haven't worked out the significance of that half million dollar payment.'

'After everything we'd achieved, I still find it difficult to accept that someone just stepped up and stole all our work,' Zac said. 'This is going to end in tears.'

'I take it that you have backups of all your software and the work you have done while you were on the project,' Mike said.

'Oh, yes. I never trusted that woman, but surely there's no way the government can steal the teleport system and use it themselves. What happened to the rule of law on this planet?'

Mike shrugged. 'I can't begin to tell you how this government has upset me; I'm determined to make sure that it's held to account for its actions.'

'Do you have any ideas how to go about that?'

'Yes. First, we need to sort out this business with the money. I intend to go to the board and dump Meg's half million dollars on the table and ask them to give it back to the government. When I spoke to Joshua last night, he stated that he didn't want the government to have anything to do with the teleport, which makes me suspect that the Company knows nothing about the payment. I intended to bring the subject up with Joshua at the time, but he was in such a good mood after hearing about the teleport that I didn't want to risk spoiling the occasion. If I'm correct in my assumption, revealing the payment should give the Company some leverage against the government.'

'Everything in this sad saga points to Meg Ryse,' Zac said. 'She's the snake in the grass; can't you do anything about her?'

'I'm hoping that revealing her clandestine payment will start the process, but I need feedback from someone in the government,' Mike said. 'I'm going to ask Warwick Sutherland, the President's aide, round for a drink.'

Mike fetched another two beers.

'Maybe this aide can throw some light on what caused Meg to bring in the National Guard,' Zac said.

'I'll give him a call right now. He's only young, but I think you two will get on well together.' Mike left the room to make the call and returned five minutes later looking shaken.

'What is it this time?' Zac asked.

Mike sat down heavily. 'I've just received some bad news. Warwick has a girlfriend, and she has just found out that she has picked up this dreadful brain disease.'

'I'm very sorry to hear that,' Zac said. 'Are they close?'

'I think they are. Ara is a lovely person, and Warwick is devastated. This is such bad luck. She's due to start an unapproved course of treatment in the morning, and Warwick has asked me if I have heard of any other treatment for her illness. He sounded desperate, so I said I would try to find out if there was anything else out there.'

'I don't know what to say.'

'Can you think of any way in which we could help her?' Mike said. 'She's going to die if we don't do anything. If we could gain access to the Research Centre, would it be worth offering to put her through the teleport?'

Zac was torn. 'Everything I've heard about this disease, or whatever it is, has indicated to me that it would be a mistake putting her through the teleport. How would we feel opening up that chamber to find that we have inadvertently turned Ara into a hideous monster? We would both end up in jail for doing that. Also, from what you have told me about the presence of the National Guard, it seems unlikely that they would let you anywhere near the teleport equipment.'

Mike sighed. 'I guess you're right. I don't want anything to happen to either of us, but it is so frustrating sitting back while this is happening and being unable to do anything about it.'

'I wish I could think of something else that would help,' Zac said, 'but by all accounts, the condition appears to be untreatable.'

Mike thought for a while. 'If this toxic agent was created by a biological warfare agency, wouldn't they also have developed an anti-toxin to protect the people using it?'

'I don't know,' Zac said. 'It would be a reasonable assumption, but I have never been involved with the agency in question.'

'You once told me that Colonial agents are putting this into our drinking water supplies. Is that correct?'

'I was only speculating when I said that, but I think you're probably right.'

'Then how do those agents protect themselves from the toxin?'

'I have no idea.'

'Are you in contact with those agents?'

'No.'

'Assuming that an anti-toxin exists, would you be able to contact anyone who might be in possession of such a thing?'

Zac once again recalled Sy offering him protection from the attack, presumably by supplying him with an anti-toxin. He decided that he should at least make a gesture to help a friend, even though he was uncertain whether Sy had the authority to release such a substance to a Vennican citizen. 'Would you mind if I borrowed your auto?' he said.

'D'you know how to drive?'

'Of course I do. You're talking to a man who has flown rocket ships.'

'Pull the other one,' Mike said.

'It's true. I was involved in many test flights whilst checking out the programmes I was working on, and every now and then, when the flight crew got bored, they would allow the techies onto the flight deck to try their hand. I have to say those things have to be the best big-boys' toys on the market.'

'You never cease to surprise me,' Mike said. He found his auto key and handed it to Zac. 'Just bear in mind that this is my auto, not a rocket ship, and I want it back in one piece. Where do you intend to go?'

'I don't know yet, but I could be a while. Don't wait up for me.'

Sy Miller put his eye to the spy hole in the door and saw a tall stranger with dark hair standing in the corridor outside his apartment. 'I don't know you. Go away,' he said.

'It's only me,' a voice said. 'Let me in.'

'It's the middle of the night,' Sy shouted through the door. 'Go away, or I'll call the police.'

'I've got something to tell you,' Zac said. 'Please let me in.'

Sy was determined not to let the intruder inside his residence, but the voice definitely sounded like Zac's voice. He put his eye to the door again to get a better view. Actually, on closer inspection, he determined it did look like Zac, but a much younger version of the Zac he knew. 'Are you Zac's son or brother?' he asked.

'No. It's definitely me – the real Zac. I urgently need to speak with you.'

A door opened down the corridor, and Sy knew that his neighbours were becoming concerned about the sound of raised voices in the corridor outside. Reluctantly, he opened the door and watched the other man enter the room and stand beneath a light, looking down at him. 'I don't understand what's happening,' Sy said. 'I met Zac only last week and on that occasion he was a small man with grey hair and spectacles, which you definitely are not. Who are you?'

'Believe it or not, I am that same Zac,' the man said. 'What can I say or do to convince you?'

Sy looked him up and down. 'Well, I admit you look like Zac did a long time ago, but how can you explain your appearance if you are who you claim to be?'

'Last week I came to this apartment,' Zac said. 'I asked for a passage ...'

Sy clutched Zac's arm tightly and held a finger to his lips. He silently guided Zac through his apartment to a small, windowless room at the back of the building. Once inside, he switched on the lights and operated another, adjacent switch.

'Sorry about that,' Sy said. 'I've just found out that the government could be monitoring my communications. With the electronic protection on, we can talk freely inside this room.'

'Why is the government monitoring you?'

'It's to do with the attack on Outstation Three. They have finally woken up and worked out that the Colonies must have been involved. Now, if you really are who you claim to be, you will be able to tell me more about that incident.'

'I worked on the anti-detection device on the attack ship, and on the guidance system for the KA86 missile,' Zac said.

Sy relaxed. 'Then I guess you must be Zac, although I still don't understand why you have turned up looking so much younger. How could you possibly revert to a younger state?'

'I've been rejuvenated,' Zac said. 'I've recovered twenty years of my life by going through the teleport process.'

'You certainly have done something,' Sy said, 'but I'm not convinced about this teleport thing you are talking about. Have you had surgery?'

Zac laughed. 'No way. The rejuvenation process is just a by-product of the teleport process, but it's probably going to become the most popular procedure ever.'

'I can't think straight,' Sy said. 'If it is you, Zac, what are you doing knocking on my door at this time of night?'

'I have a huge favour to ask, but first let me tell you that I know about the toxic agent that is affecting peoples' brains, presumably after being released into the planet's water supplies.'

'I cannot comment on that,' Sy interrupted.

'Let me continue. A friend of mine, the person I mentioned when I was asking about travelling to Sollus, knows of a young woman who is in hospital suffering from this toxic agent. I don't want you to say or do anything that might incriminate you, but she is going to die unless she gets treatment.'

'You know how the Colonies work, Zac. I am the Colonial Representative; I am not allowed to become involved in operational matters.'

'Just hear me out. She is due to have treatment tomorrow morning, but it is an unauthorised procedure and may not work. Before it takes place, I said I would try to find an antidote to the toxic agent that is causing the problems, and you once offered me protection from the viral attack. Could I obtain some of that anti-toxin?'

Sy stared at Zac for a long time before answering. 'I need to make a call. Would you mind waiting in the room next door?'

Zac went into an adjoining room and paced around it. Sy's unintelligible, muffled voice resonated in the background as he spoke to someone on his messager. He eventually opened the door and motioned Zac back inside.

'I have no wish to become actively involved in this affair,' he said, 'but I have found out that an anti-toxin does exist. Unfortunately, there are only limited supplies available, and they are for the exclusive use of the agency involved and Colonial citizens, such as you. The agency also pointed out the dangers of you inadvertently becoming a suspect by revealing a cure for a condition that the medical profession is still struggling to identify.'

'I knew it was a long shot,' Zac said.

'I'm sorry I can't help you, but that was out of my hands. I share your concern about the young woman you mentioned, but the Colonies are serious about taking over the planet and of necessity, there are bound to be casualties on both sides before the conflict is resolved. The toxin is particularly potent because it becomes inactive as soon as it has affected a person's brain, which means that it cannot be accurately identified. Its release should result in a few hundred deaths at most, which is a small price to pay compared to the carnage the planet would suffer from a full-scale assault. I only wish I could have been of more assistance in this matter.'

'Oh well, you did your best,' Zac said. 'Thanks for trying.'

'It was the least I could for a fellow Colonist and remember to contact me immediately if you find yourself suffering from the symptoms,' Sy said. 'Tell me, do you still intend to return to Sollus?'

'The teleport system has now been proven to work,' Zac said. 'I was the first person to use it and, as you can see, I have regained twenty years of my life. I feel amazing. My eyesight is perfect and I'm as fit as I was when I first left Vennica. I definitely want to return to the Colonies and continue developing the teleport system. There are a lot of other applications that I would like to research, and I'm keen to leave at the first opportunity.'

'I've made some provisional travel arrangements,' Sy said. 'Now you've decided to go, I will firm them up.'

'I also want to take the friend I mentioned with me; he made the project possible.'

'Do you trust this person?'

'Yes. I just trusted him with my life.'

'Then I don't think there will be a problem.'

'Many thanks for your help with the travel arrangements,' Zac said. He checked the time. 'It's late; I should return home and leave you to get some sleep.'

'I don't think I will be getting much sleep tonight,' Sy said. 'What is the name of this man you want to travel with?'

'His name is Mike Casino.'

'And may I ask how you intend to travel now that you will obviously look nothing like the images on your current documents?'

'I hadn't considered my documentation, but now you mention it, I can see it'll be a problem.'

'I think I will be able to assist you with that, too,' Sy said. 'Give me your messager number, and send me some up-to-date mugshots of you and your colleague. I'll make a few calls and contact you very soon. I feel that I should say it was nice meeting you again, but I'm still not quite sure to whom I would be referring.'

#####  CHAPTER TEN

Although Mike was exhausted, he found he could not sleep. He restlessly tossed and turned for a long time, and the last thing he remembered was checking Zac's bedroom at three in the morning and finding that he was still absent. Then, after eventually falling asleep, he was woken what seemed a short time later by the smell of cooking and went to the kitchen to find Zac frying a stack of bacon and toasting bread.

'I apologise for raiding your food supply, but I promise to replace it,' Zac said. 'I'm absolutely starving.'

Mike helped himself to a coffee and sat watching Zac buzz around the kitchen while he started to wake up. 'Slow down, you're exhausting me,' he said. 'Did you find out anything last night?'

'Yes, but it's both bad and good news. I discovered that an antidote for the particular toxin does exist, but the bad news is that it is in such short supply that it is being retained solely to meet the needs of Colonial agents. There was no way I could get my hands on it.'

'That's a real shame, but thanks for trying,' Mike said. 'May I ask who you were in contact with?'

'I contacted the Colonial Representative, a guy called Sy Miller, but I must stress that he was not in any way involved in distributing the toxic agent.'

'So what's the good news?'

'The good news is that I have got myself a passage to the Colonies; I leave in seven days' time.'

Mike was surprised.

'I've also obtained a passage for you.'

'Me?' Mike asked. 'Why would I want to go to the Colonies?'

'Whichever way the teleport project goes, it's going to be a huge success, so what do you intend to do after it goes public?'

'It looks like the Company only wants to use the cosmetic application and intends to bin the teleport side. Unfortunately, it expects me to do all the spadework and set up a network of Rejuvenator centres across the planet.'

'Is that such a bad thing?'

'The reality is that if the venture fails or loses money, my name will be plastered all over it. However, if it starts making money, my boss, Tony Hix, will step up and claim the credit and probably be given a seat on the board.'

'What a crap deal,' Zac commented.

'It's just the way corporate culture works. With the Company's current lack of activities, there aren't many opportunities for promotion once you're an insider, and the competition is intense. It's known as a vulture mentality.'

'Then come with me to Sollus,' Zac said. 'I already have another supercomputer there waiting for me.'

'You told me Able was the only one of its kind.'

'It is – on Vennica.'

'So there is Son of Able out there in the Colonies.'

'Strangely enough, I never did get round to giving it a name. Building it was the first thing I did when I arrived at the Colonies, and it is still the most advanced computer anywhere and is running night and day at the Buchanan wing of Merton University.'

'You're losing me,' Mike said. 'How does your supercomputer feature in the future?'

'Apart from the supercomputer, I still have the original blueprints and software codes for the scanners stored in an archive at the university,' Zac explained. 'I also have access to all the corrections we made to identify the imprint and achieve the final teleport. When I contacted Sy, I told him about our success with the project, and he indicated that the Colonies would be very keen to adopt the teleport technology. He also agreed that we could market the rejuvenation side ourselves. That will be worth an absolute fortune to us.'

'Are you seriously suggesting that we steal the teleport project from the Company?'

'Don't forget that I have wasted most of my life because of that corrupt company and equally corrupt government, so it would give me great pleasure to take back what I rightfully consider to be my own project. You have just perfectly described the treatment you are going to get from the vulture culture you have spent most of your life working for; now is the time for a change.'

'I don't know what to say,' Mike said. 'I'm still trying to come to terms with the fact that you revealed details of what is still a top secret project to a Colonial agent.'

'It's not what you think. I have known Sy for years, and when I turned up looking twenty years younger, it took some explaining to convince him who I was. I had to explain what happened before I could approach him about the anti-toxin, although I'm not a hundred per cent certain that he believed my story. He actually accused me of having undergone surgery. However, he coughed up two free tickets to the Colonies, along with the necessary travel documents for both of us; you have to come with me.'

Mike remained silent. 'All this has come as a bit of a shock to me,' he eventually said. 'I have to admit that I don't relish the thought of spending the rest of my life bouncing between the Company and the government, and after being physically thrown out of my own Research Centre, I no longer feel any attachment to the teleportation project. D'you think we'll be able to leave Vennica without getting caught?'

'I don't see it as being a problem. Security on Vennica is lax, and Colonial ships come and go all the time with impunity. When we get to the Colonies and brief the government on what we have brought with us, they will regard us as heroes. Compare that to your recent confrontation with the Home Guard when they treated you like a criminal for carrying out your job. Together, we can develop the teleport system for both human teleportation and rejuvenation and make a real contribution to the advancement of the human race.'

'Your offer is very tempting, but right now I can't see how I will be able to sort out my affairs and dispose of this house within the next week. Let me try to work something out.'

'Don't leave it too long,' Zac warned. 'I have a feeling that Meg is going to kick off big time when she finds that the teleport system has come to a grinding halt.'

'What makes you say that the system will stop working?' Mike asked.

Zac grinned. 'I'll let you know when we are on the way to Sollus. Now, I need to go and sort out my own house. Perhaps I could borrow your auto again.'

'Of course,' Mike said. 'I now need to contact Warwick and let him know that I haven't found anything that would help Ara's situation; it's a conversation I'm not looking forward to.'

'Good morning, Steve,' the President said, showing the General into his office. 'I've just had an acrimonious conversation with Joshua Sterling, during which he complained vociferously about his research facility on the Phasewave base being taken over by the Home Guard. Do you know anything about it?'

The General was stunned. 'This is the first I've heard of it,' he said. 'Why was the Home Guard involved, and who authorised it?'

'Apparently they were authorised by our minister, Meg Ryse. She's waiting next door to be interviewed, but I wanted to talk to you first. Are you certain you were unaware that this was about to happen?'

'Definitely,' the General replied. 'What's going on? Why was the Guard called out?'

'I wish I knew the answers to those questions, but we'll soon find out.' The President buzzed his aide and had the Defence Minister sent in.

Meg was wary when she entered the room. She had pressed Warwick hard to find out what the meeting was about, but he had obstinately resisted her crude threats and attempts at coercion. She sat down at the desk opposite General Compton, to whom she had developed an intense dislike.

The President leaned over his desk. 'Meg, I've just been talking to the chairman of the Phasewave Company who has informed me that yesterday you called out the Home Guard and commandeered a research facility on the Phasewave base. Neither the General nor I were aware that this event was taking place. Can you explain the reasons for your actions?'

'Of course I can,' Meg replied. 'During my research into the deplorable state of technological advancement on this planet, I discovered that the Phasewave Company was running a top secret project to enable human teleportation. I immediately identified the advantages that the function would give to our defence force and devoted a considerable amount of my own time to working alongside the research team. My efforts paid off, and the project is about to come to fruition, but the Phasewave Company had other plans: it decided to cut the government out and appropriate the system purely for its own commercial purposes, whereas I believe its primary role should be the defence of our planet. To prevent the system being hijacked, I took control of the situation by calling out the Home Guard to lock down the research facility and safeguard our defence interests.'

'What exactly was you role in the research team?' the General asked.

'The team initially requested my presence as an advisor, but I applied a woman's intuitive touch to my management style and led from the rear.'

'Well, I must say that you have performed exceptionally well under those trying circumstances, and I think you can expect to be suitably recognised for your services,' the President said. 'General, what's your opinion?'

'I can only concur,' the General hesitantly agreed, surprised at the President's unexpected acceptance of what he considered a pack of blatant lies. 'Meg, what are your plans for the future deployment of the Home Guard?' he asked.

'I'm asking for this government's permission to retain their presence at the facility until I can take over full control and bring the project to a successful conclusion by carrying out the very first human teleport.'

'Very well,' the President responded. 'You may keep the Home Guard in place, and I will ignore the predictable moans and complaints from the Phasewave Company until you confirm to me that the project is firmly under your control and you no longer need the Home Guard. Is there anything else we can do to assist you?'

'Yes. I have got rid of the research team and now want you to appoint one of your top scientists to take over the project and finish it off properly.'

'I know just the man for the job: Chief Scientist Doctor Greg Grey,' the President said. 'I will contact him immediately and ask him to touch base with you. Keep me informed about your teleport process and report to me if the Phasewave Company tries anything on. If they do, I will send round another troop of the Home Guard and seal off their entire base. Apart from that, all I can say is well done, Meg.'

'What do you make of that?' the President asked, after Meg had left the room.

'I'm bewildered,' the General said. 'Are we being asked to believe that Meg Ryse controlled a research team working on a project which, if it ever works, will be the greatest innovation in the history of humankind? That's inconceivable.'

'I think we are both aware that Meg couldn't tell the truth if she tried. I have no idea what she has been up to, but she has certainly proved to be effective at upsetting people.'

'You were very lenient allowing Meg to keep the Home Guard deployed,' the General observed. 'How do you think the Phasewave Company will react when they find out she's still in charge?'

'I think the Company will go ballistic, but Meg's a big girl and can look after herself. If we ever needed an excuse to get rid of her, I think she just gave it to us. What was that saying about allowing somebody enough rope to hang themselves?'

'I await the Company's response with interest,' the General said, 'but for a moment back there, I thought that you actually believed that garbage about teleportation,'

'Human teleportation is just a pipe dream being touted by a failing and obsolete institution to shore up its share price,' the President said. 'The Phasewave Company has achieved absolutely nothing during my time in government; all they do is promote themselves and dish out massive bonuses while at the same time pleading poverty and demanding government loans and subsidies. When I spoke to its chairman this morning, he was seething with rage. The next time I speak to him, I expect he will be way beyond boiling point.'

Mike entered the boardroom, where most of the Phasewave Company main board members were already waiting.

Joshua started the meeting. 'Well, Mike, you've called for an emergency meeting, and we're all hoping to hear that you've found a way to resolve this standoff with the government.'

'I think I might be able to help you,' Mike said, 'but first I must ask if you are aware of the government's investment in the teleport project.'

Everyone looked around at each other, seeking a response.

'Do you mean a financial investment?' Sami Lu queried.

'Yes. The government has invested half a million dollars in the teleport project.'

There was a deafening silence in the room.

'What are you talking about?' Joshua asked.

Mike reached down and lifted a carry-case onto the table. He opened it and showed the room a handful of bundled notes. 'I understood from the Defence Minister, Meg Ryse, that there is half a million dollars in this case, which she gave me to pay for the start-up costs of the project. I've kept it in my safe since then, and it has not been touched. I think we ought to hand it back to the government.'

'Why wasn't I told about this payment?' Joshua demanded.

'Meg told me that the payment was confidential because the government didn't want the public to know about it. She also said that the transaction had your personal blessing.'

'I know nothing at all about the payment. What exactly did Meg expect in return?'

'I was led to believe that when you told her about the teleport project, you agreed to share a joint project, and since then she hasn't left me alone. Despite her interference, however, we managed to complete the project without her knowledge.'

'That's simply not right,' Joshua argued. 'Meg contacted me and claimed that you told her about it.'

'No way,' Mike countered. 'She arrived unannounced at the base and talked the security guard into letting her into the Research Centre. I ordered her off the base, and the only reason I allowed her back was that she revealed to me details of our secret project that you had given her, including the fact that you had accepted a government interest on a joint project. She continually pumped me for more details about the teleport system, but I didn't trust her and provided her with as little information as possible.' He shook his head. 'It looks like both of us have been played.'

Joshua had gone red in the face. 'That woman has gone too far. I will personally talk to the President about this. Mike, does anyone else know about this financial transaction?'

'Yes. My assistant, Tula, witnessed Meg give me this case, and afterwards I showed her its contents and made sure she observed me locking it in my safe. I also told her that Meg had indicated it contained half a million dollars, although I never counted it.'

'Thank you for your input, Mike. You may leave now while we try to sort out a suitable response to this new information.'

Mike rose to his feet and pushed the case of money into the centre of the table before leaving the room.

The board members remained silent, staring at the case.

Sami broke the silence. 'I think we now have sufficient grounds for taking legal action.'

'I agree,' Joshua said. 'Sami, start constructing a case against the Defence Minister and, possibly, the Vennican government. I want this affair to be over and done with and for that teleport project to be handed back to us as fast as possible'

'I'll put several investigators on the case,' Sami said.

Joshua added, 'And in the meantime, I'll personally return this money to the President and try to find out exactly how and why the government got involved in our project. Hopefully, our investigators will also be able to discover what Meg Ryse has been up to behind the scenes.'

Mel was sitting in a restaurant, reading the lunch menu, when Mike entered the room and joined her at the table. She smiled a welcome. 'What's happened?' she asked.

Mike was curious. 'What made you say that?'

Mel looked at her watch. 'This is the first time you've ever been punctual.'

Mike laughed, pleased to see that his ex-partner was sounding cheerful and looking well.

'How are you coping, living on your own?' she enquired.

'Wandering around an empty house is a strange feeling, but I'm getting used to it,' Mike said.

Mel handed him the menu. 'What would you like for lunch?'

'Unfortunately, I don't have time for lunch; I have some important things to attend to.'

'Let me guess – they will be Phasewave things.'

'You may soon hear about it on the news, but that's not important right now. I have something to give you.' Mike slid a bulging envelope across the table.

'What's this?'

'Put the envelope out of sight and don't open it in public. I'm going to be away for a while.'

Mel was mystified. 'Where are you going?'

'I can't tell you,' Mike said. 'People will come looking for me, but all you have to do is tell them that we split and you have never heard from me since. After that, they won't bother you again. I have to leave now. Look after yourself.' He leaned across the table and briefly kissed Mel on the cheek, then dropped some money on the table for her lunch and walked out of the restaurant, leaving Mel in a state of shock.

The waiter in attendance politely asked Mel if she was ready to order, but she could not think straight.

'I'm sorry,' she said. 'I've changed my mind.' She jammed the envelope inside her bag, picked up her coat and ran out of the restaurant to try to catch Mike before he disappeared.

After she had left, the waiter noticed the money lying on the table, picked it up and went after her. Once outside, he looked around but could not see Mel amongst the passing lunchtime traffic, and after giving up his search, surreptitiously slipped the money into his pocket and returned to the restaurant.

One week later

Tula burst out laughing. She leaned over her desk and handed back Leanne's messager, which was displaying a photo of a calf. 'It looks like you've become the new owner of a calf, only a very special calf: the first animal to ever be teleported.'

'Oh, Calvin wasn't the first,' Leanne said. She flicked through the pages of her messager and produced a photo of a rabbit. 'This was the first.'

Tula looked at the picture of a struggling rabbit. 'It looks like you were running a farm in that shed. What else were you up to?'

Leanne and Jon looked at each other. 'We can't say anything without Mike's permission.'

'Well, it doesn't look like that permission will be forthcoming any time soon,' Tula said. 'I've been trying to contact Mike for days, and he's not answering his messager. That's so not like him.'

'We were wondering what's going to happen to the project,' Jon said. 'What about Zac?'

'Zac isn't even on the payroll, and so as far as the Company is concerned, he doesn't exist,' Tula explained. 'That's the problem when these secret projects come unglued; nobody knows what's gone on behind the scenes. I've informed Mike's boss, Tony Hix, that Mike hasn't turned up for work, but he too hasn't heard anything from him.'

'What's the Company doing about the government hijack?' Leanne asked.

'After the Home Guard arrived and booted everyone out of the Research Centre, Mike told me that he was going to report everything that had occurred to the Company and they would then take it up with the government. The last time I spoke with Tony, he mentioned that there was a huge row brewing between the government and the Company, but he didn't elaborate. Other than that, I have nothing to report. With everyone running around in circles and Mike missing, I think I must now be the acting Base Manager, at least until someone decides otherwise. This is such an unusual situation, and I can't for the life of me work out why Mike hasn't been in touch.'

'You won't let on to Mike that I told you about Calvin, will you?' Leanne pleaded, aware that she might have revealed too much.

'Of course not, but nothing stays secret around here for very long, and don't forget I was involved when the project first started. All we can do now is to wait until everybody comes back to work, whenever that might be.'

'What can we do in the meantime?'

'The Home Guard is still in place, so stay well away from the laboratory until the Company gives the all clear.'

'Is the government actually continuing the project without us?' Jon said.

'You know more about that than I do,' Tula said. 'I haven't a clue what the government is playing at, but I can guess what the Company's reaction was when they found out about the payment.'

'What payment?'

'There you are – I told you nothing stayed secret for very long. Now, as a self-appointed Base Manager with no powers whatsoever, we can swap secrets. I will tell you that I personally witnessed a government minister, Meg Ryse, give Mike a cash payment of half a million dollars, and in return I want you to explain why the government took so much interest in the teleportation project.'

The two apprentices looked at each other hesitantly. 'When the government took over the lab, they weren't aware that we had already carried out the first human teleport,' Jon said.

Tula was amazed. 'Was it successful? Have Mike and Zac been teleported? Is that why they can't be found?'

'It was successful, but Mike and Zac haven't been teleported to another planet or anything like that,' Leanne said. 'One of the Phasewave staff went through in a private demonstration.'

'Holy crap,' Tula said. 'Are you telling me that the government has just hijacked a proven teleport system that could be worth billions of dollars?'

'Yes.'

'No wonder Tony was twitching. If that's the case, we're now looking at an all-out conflict with the government. We need to batten down the hatches; from now on, everything is going to change, so keep your heads down until all this blows over.'

The two apprentices sat down in a quiet corner of the base cafeteria with their coffees.

Leanne looked around the large room. 'I wonder how much longer we'll be working here,' she speculated. 'How are we going to get our project work signed off if Mike doesn't come back?'

'Don't worry,' Jon said. 'Mike's the Base Manager; he has to come back. Anyway, if he'd been planning to leave for good, I'm sure he would have said goodbye before he left. He was really upset that we were forced to witness what went on with the Home Guard that day.'

'I think we ought to complete our assignments as soon as possible and get them registered,' Leanne said. 'There's no telling what will happen next.'

'We can't submit something that hasn't been released to the public,' Jon said. 'We'll have no credibility, especially considering that our project involves a subject as controversial as teleportation, which already has a history of failure.'

'I guess you're right,' Leanne said. 'I'm just concerned that after completing the project of a lifetime, the government looks like trashing everything we did. Without inputs from Mike or Zac, d'you think that the government is capable of operating the system?'

'They employ lots of scientists, but only Zac really understood how Able worked,' Jon said. 'I can't understand why he simply disappeared without giving any indication that he intended to leave. Why didn't he attend the first human teleport attempt after taking it so far?'

'I don't know,' Leanne said, 'but I really miss Mike. What d'you think has happened to them? Maybe Tula was right when she asked whether they had been through the teleport system. That at least would explain why they can't be found.'

'It's hard to know,' Jon said. 'The laboratory has been under guard ever since we left, but they might have been able to find another entrance and carry out a teleport without anyone noticing. You're right, that would certainly help explain why they aren't around anymore. Maybe they teleported to another location, but as far as we know, the equipment we used was the only set in existence, so how could it possibly be used to send someone to a different receiving station? More importantly, if that is what they did, how would they be able to find their way back again?'

'This whole affair doesn't make sense,' Leanne said. 'I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens.'

'I can't see what else we can do,' Jon said. 'Let's just hope that Mike comes back soon.'

#####  CHAPTER ELEVEN

Mike Casino felt the gravity shift as the giant transporter reduced power. He looked at the viewing screen to see the last speck of light behind them fade from view and said goodbye to Spaceport, probably for the last time. He undid his seat harness, stretched out his legs and looked around the empty compartment they were sitting in. 'That's a relief,' he said. 'We're outside the federal zone; now we can't be sent back to Vennica.'

Zac laughed. 'There was never a danger of that happening,' he said. He reached under his seat and pulled out a padded bag, from which he removed two cold beers. 'This is on me. Welcome to the rest of your life.'

Mike accepted the beer gratefully. 'Why did you say there was never a danger?' he asked.

'No Vennican ship can track us. This is actually a military vessel in disguise and is fitted with one of my anti-detection devices.'

'I can't believe I'm doing this,' Mike said. 'I've always been a law-abiding citizen, and now I'm fleeing my home planet with a stolen project in a rogue Colonial transporter using false documentation. You do have all the software codes for the teleport discovery, don't you?'

'You bet,' Zac said. 'I've got copies of everything we did, and I've already sent a backup to Sollus. We're now set up for life.'

'It looks like we're about to share some interesting experiences.'

'I think that's the understatement of the year. I've plenty of contacts in the Colonies, and we'll have no problems selling our discovery to the highest bidder if we decide to go down that route. I already have video copies of the two teleports; they should generate a huge amount of interest when we show them.'

'Two?' Mike queried. 'I watched you delete your own video.'

'Only after I backed it up elsewhere,' Zac said. 'I can't wait to see myself being regenerated on a big screen.'

Mike laughed. 'Then I suggest you cut the shots of you staggering around trying to keep your pants up. Tell me; what's the attraction of Sollus? Wouldn't the New Colonies be a better bet to start our venture?'

'Most of the New Colonies are dumps, literally. For years, the Old Colonies have been shipping their waste to them for recycling and disposal, and as a result, the smaller planets are now full to capacity and have been abandoned. When we finally release our discovery, I'll be interested to see if it will end up as a true human teleportation device or be used for cosmetic purposes.'

'The teleport can't work without the Phasewave network, and the cosmetic application will always generate more profits,' Mike pointed out. 'I can't for the life of me see why the Colonies would be interested in the teleport side.'

'Using a satellite-based network, the teleport could be made to work outside the Phasewave network over short distances,' Zac said, 'although I too am unsure what value it would have to the military. You have to remember that the Colonists are very curious about any kind of new technology; they will go nuts when they see what we are offering, and I think they will quickly cotton on to the fact that the ability to flit around the universe will give them an unassailable advantage over Vennica in the technology stakes. It could be that if they really go for it, they might look at introducing an alternative system to the Phasewave network, although that would take a long time to set up. Apart from the network base, the only other Phasewave contribution was the compression chambers, which originally started out as plasma chambers designed for the machines, but I have their blueprints in my archive, and we could easily produce our own tailored versions.'

'It looks like you've covered everything,' Mike said. 'I wonder how the government scientists who took over our project are coping. The apprentices were not amused when the Home Guard barred them from their own project, and I feel guilty leaving them in the lurch. Still, they at least they managed to complete their projects and will be able to gain their final qualifications. With those qualifications, they can make fresh careers away from the Company if they want to.' He sipped his beer thoughtfully. 'Before we departed, you told me that the teleport system might stop working at some point, and that you would explain why after we left Vennica. What did you mean?'

'I was always suspicious about Meg's plans, so I programmed Able to shut down after it had completed a certain number of cycles,' Zac explained. 'To reset it would involve applying essential keystrokes during the start cycle, without which the computer would start up normally and then immediately wipe all its memories and computer codes, effectively committing computer suicide. Anyone attempting to restart the computer without knowledge of the additional keystrokes would soon be staring at a pile of inert metal.'

'Wasn't that taking a risk?' Mike said. 'What if it had inadvertently shut down?'

'On the assumption that the project would continue under the Phasewave Company, I told Jon about the impending shutdown and gave him specific instructions about how to restart the computer. He's the only other person who knows how to do that. However, if the government scientists have taken over and have started playing around with the computer, by now they will have rendered it unworkable.'

'That sounds a bit drastic.'

'I know, but there was no way I was letting the government get away with stealing our project, especially when we were planning to steal it ourselves. Just think how Meg will react when she finds out that her plans to hijack the teleport have come to a grinding halt.'

Mike started to see a humorous side to their venture. 'Even better,' he added, 'what will happen when Joshua hands the government that case full of money and demands an explanation for their so-called investment in the project? When Joshua found out about Meg's interference, he was livid; I have never seen him so angry.'

'And I'd love to be in the room when the government produces that case full of money and asks Meg for her explanation.' Zac handed Mike another beer. 'It looks like Meg is going to be granted a final opportunity to showcase what she does best – standing before a large audience and lying through her teeth.'

Mike opened his beer and held up the bottle. 'Here's a fond farewell to our friend Meg.'

Zac held up his bottle in return. 'Good old Meg. She will be sadly missed.'

Meg was sitting in her office, wondering how long it would be before she could triumphantly announce completion of the first live human teleportation ever, when her aide poked her head inside the office and announced that that Doctor Greg Grey, the government scientist appointed to supervise the teleport project, was on the line wanting to talk to her.

Meg picked up her messager. 'I've been waiting for your call,' she snapped. 'Have you carried out a teleport yet?'

Greg replied cautiously. 'We're having a bit of trouble at the moment. It's nothing serious, and we're working on it.'

An alarm went off inside Meg's head. 'What kind of trouble?'

'It's just a glitch with the supercomputer. Sometimes it doesn't want to start up as it should.'

'Tell me what's happening, or I'll come down and sort this out myself. What's wrong with the computer?'

'Well, the whole system spontaneously shut down, and when I restarted the computer, it didn't respond to any inputs. It's completely dead.'

'It can't be completely dead. How long has it been like that?'

'Two days.'

Meg felt her hackles rise. 'You mean to tell me that for two days you have been sitting on a computer you can't fix, and you didn't think to tell me about it! You moron!'

'There's no need to be like that,' Greg responded. 'I can't say I'm surprised to find that the computer is unreliable; this so-called supercomputer is just a home-made contraption, not the top-of-the-line machine that I would have expected a reputable company to use. What am I supposed to do with this pile of junk?'

'Don't ask me,' Meg said. 'Call the people who made it.'

'In case you're having trouble with your memory,' Greg said sarcastically, 'the team that made the computer is the same team you banned from this building. However, I did try to locate the Base Manager, but I can't find him anywhere.'

'Then get off your fat backside and start earning your salary.'

Greg was not used to receiving such abuse. 'Don't you dare speak to me like that,' he said. 'At the moment, there appears to be no simple fix for this problem. If you're so clever, perhaps you would like to fix it yourself.'

'You will either fix it or be fired,' Meg said. 'Take your pick.'

Meg was breathing heavily when she cancelled the call. That man had some nerve, acting above his pay grade and talking to her as if she was somehow his equal. She pursed her lips into a scowl. Well, he was about to find that his days in government were about to come to a bitter end. Meg reminded herself that sometimes people needed a good kick up the backside to motivate them, and started to feel better. Then she remembered that the computer was bust and started to wonder what was going to happen to the teleport if it they couldn't fix it. She had invested her mother's money in the project and was not about to lose it because some dozy scientist didn't know how to turn the damned computer on. Maybe it was time to swallow the dead rat and find someone who could help. She shouted for her aide and told her to get hold of Mike Casino – immediately!

The next morning, Meg sat in the President's briefing room facing a row of suits, none of whom she had set eyes on before, trying to second-guess the reason why she had been summoned to the meeting at such short notice. The panel was chaired by the President, but Meg was pleased to see that the hatchet-faced general was missing, although Warwick was there, hanging around like a bad smell and looking pale and haggard. She braced herself for a round of brisk thrust and parry, but she had dealt with government woodworm before, and they hadn't made her a minister for nothing. Just let them try to pin anything on her and they would soon find themselves facing a very different Meg Ryse from the one they thought they knew.

A tall, thin-faced man stood up and introduced himself as Garth Evans. 'I am the lead counsel for the government,' he said. 'On the President's instructions, I will now question the Defence Minister, Meg Ryse, regarding her involvement in a teleportation project belonging to the Phasewave Company.'

At the sound of Garth's voice, Meg felt a shiver run down her spine, and she had a premonition that this hearing was not going to be the easy win she had anticipated.

'Minister Ryse, it is my understanding that you recently called out the National Guard and placed a Phasewave Company facility named the Research Centre under government control,' Garth commenced. 'What was the justification for your action?'

'My team and I were just about to finalise a unique and complex human teleportation project, and I had good reason to believe that the project was about to fall into the hands of the United Colonies,' Meg replied.

'What was the good reason that made you believe the teleport system was at risk?'

'One of the Phasewave teleport team had worked on the Colonies, and from his behaviour and various remarks he made to me, I believed him to be a spy who was trying to get his hands on the teleport system. In my capacity as Defence Minister, I could not sit back and allow that to happen.'

'What happened to that teleport team?'

'I banned the team members from the Research Centre and put the project under government control. Later, the President appointed Senior Scientist Doctor Greg Grey as the new team leader.'

'I understand that the project, which you stated was about to be finalised, is now at a standstill. What is the reason for that?'

'Unfortunately, Doctor Grey proved not to be up to the professional standard I required; in fact, it turns out that he didn't know how to turn the computer on and off.'

'So there was no problem with the actual computer?'

'It's possible there may have been a glitch or two.'

'What are you doing about it?'

'Me? I'm not doing anything about it. It's the responsibility of the scientist in charge to sort out that kind of problem; that's what he's paid to do. If he's not up to the job, he'll be fired.'

'Why didn't you bring in extra help or employ someone who knew how to operate the machine?'

'I was forced to remove the original team because they were inefficient and could not be trusted; with hindsight, they obviously had information about the operation of the supercomputer that was not made available to us. I understand that Doctor Grey tried to contact the Base Manager, Mike Casino, about this issue, but he was unable to locate him.'

'So you removed all the principal players in the project and replaced them with a team that could not operate the computer. Is that correct?'

'I certainly would not agree with that statement. You are trying to put words into my mouth and trap me into saying the wrong things, but I want everyone in this room to be quite clear that I was acting at all times in the interests of the government, as I always have done.'

'Thank you for that information, minister. Now, will you kindly explain your cash payment of half a million dollars to Mike Casino?'

'I don't know what you are talking about,' Meg said.

Garth reached down and held up a carry-case. 'This case contains a cash payment made to Mr Casino. Were you aware of this payment?'

Meg shook her head.

'Then it may surprise you that in addition to Mister Casino's own testimony, we have a credible witness who watched you give this case containing the money to him in his office. Would you like to comment on that statement?'

Meg hesitated. 'Okay, I admit that I gave that money to Mike Casino, but it was only to ensure that the project was adequately funded because the Phasewave Company, obviously in an attempt to save costs, had not given him a budget. I didn't want the payment to cause any embarrassment to Mike, so I kept it quiet.'

'Where did you obtain such a large amount of cash?'

'My mother had left me an inheritance, and I knew she would want me to use it for a good cause. It was my intention to complete the project before the Colonies got wind of it, and if I had gone through the normal channels, it would have taken months to get government approval. As a result, the teleport project is now about to reach fruition in record time and without putting any financial demands on the government. You have me to thank for that.'

'Tell us about your company, TecTravel, which recently applied for a patent on the Phasewave Company's teleport process.'

Meg was lost for words. She thought furiously. 'That was just a disguise to legitimise what I was doing and to throw off the scent anyone who came snooping. It was never intended to be a trading company, and the patent application was just part of that process.'

'Thank you, Minister. Over to you, Mr President,' Garth said, before sitting down.

The President stood up and continued the interview. 'Minister, first of all let me say how sorry I am to hear that your mother has passed away, but do you really think that she would have approved of you handing over your inheritance to Mike Casino?'

'My mother had just been a little old lady, and I know she wouldn't have understood the significance of protecting the teleport project,' Meg said, making a rotating sign next to her head with a finger. 'What can I tell you?'

'You will no doubt be surprised and pleased then to hear that one of our investigators tracked down your mother yesterday and found that she appeared to be very much alive and well, which must come as a relief to you. She was also very forthcoming about her half million dollar investment in your new company, TecTravel, which she had only recently paid into your personal bank account.'

Meg remained silent.

'Now, let's return to the patent you applied for. What was your agreement with the Phasewave Company in that respect?'

'The chairman knew exactly what I was doing and was in full agreement. I kept him updated of the project's progress at all times.'

'That is strange, because before you arrived, we had a meeting with Joshua Sterling in this very room, during which he returned the half million dollars you gave to Mike Casino, the payment you claimed to have been authorised by this government. He also told us that he knew nothing about any contractual agreements with you and had only recently found out about your cash payment, which you had made without his knowledge or approval. He was also extremely upset that you had employed the Home Guard to ban his Base Manager and research team from the Research Centre, which is Phasewave owned property, and he was even more upset when I told him that you had applied in TecTravel's name for a patent on his own company's teleport prototype. Actually, to say he was upset is an understatement; he was incandescent with rage. It is my opinion that you have behaved in a duplicitous manner unbefitting a government official, and you are to be charged with abusing your ministerial status to steal property belonging to the Phasewave Company.' He nodded to Warwick, who stepped forward and served Meg with an arrest warrant, after which two members of house security escorted her from the building.

The President addressed the room. 'The Home Guard has been ordered to withdraw from the Phasewave base and the teleport project returned to its rightful owners. All we can do now is to wait until we find out what their response will be. That appears to be the end of business for today. Let us all hope that it is also the end of this whole sorry affair, although I fear that will not be a foregone conclusion.'

Tony Hix sat in Mike Casino's office on the Phasewave base and stared absent-mindedly at the line of towering Phasewave machines stretching into the distance while he tried to digest the news he had heard from Tula. It appeared that Mike had split with his partner, apparently unexpectedly, and he had not been on the base since the Home Guard had taken over the Research Centre. He wondered if those actions had any significance. In fact, he wondered if anything he had come up with so far had any significance. Unable to provide any sensible explanations, he eventually gave up speculating and turned his attention to the two apprentices who were sitting, apprehensively watching him, from the other side of the desk.

'Please relax,' Tony said. 'You have done no wrong and are not under investigation. The National Guard has been withdrawn, and the Phasewave Company has now regained control of the Research Centre. My headquarters has tasked me to produce a report on the events that took place here, but Mike Casino has disappeared, and the two of you appear to be the only people around who are familiar with what has gone on. I am relying on your cooperation in this matter.'

'What would you like to know?' Leanne asked.

'First of all, I am desperate to find Mike Casino. Do you know his whereabouts?'

They both shook their heads.

'We haven't been in contact with Mike since the Research Centre was taken over,' Jon said.

'That's a pity,' Tony said. 'I understand that you both attended the first live teleport when Jeff Kincaid went through the system.'

'Yes,' Leanne said. 'We were there helping Mike.'

'Then you are probably going to be my key witnesses in this investigation. Our chairman says that on the night of the teleport, Mike told him about a video that was made of the teleport and he has asked me to secure that piece of evidence; do you know the whereabouts of that item?'

'It will be stored on the computer,' Jon said. 'The computer automatically records all the teleport transactions that take place.'

'Then that's something I will need to look at,' Tony said. 'I have to admit that I don't know where to start this investigation, so why don't you show me the laboratory where you worked and this special computer of yours?'

Ten minutes later, Tony followed Leanne and Jon into a run-down building, where he was amazed to see racks of stored spares. 'I've never been in here before,' he said. 'This looks more like a junk yard than a laboratory.'

'We retain recycled Phasewave parts in here,' Jon explained. 'The laboratory is at the back.'

They led Tony through the storage area and into the laboratory.

'This is it,' Leanne said.

Tony looked around the room, which appeared to contain very little more than two very large cylinders and some benches and cupboards. 'Where's the rest of the equipment?' he asked.

'I'm afraid this is all there is,' Leanne said.

Tony was puzzled. 'Are you telling me that you just completed the world's first live teleport using only the equipment in this room?' he asked.

'It was all we needed,' Jon said, and went on to explain the functions of the various pieces of equipment.

'I'm amazed,' Tony said. 'You've achieved a miracle working with this old stuff; those chambers look like parts from a scrapped Phasewave machine. Is this equipment still functional and capable of carrying out further teleports?'

'It was working when we were last here,' Jon said. 'We'll check it out for you.'

Leanne fired up the scanners, but Jon found that Able remained unresponsive, no matter what techniques he used to try to start it.

'Is that the supercomputer?' Tony asked.

'Yes, but it appears to have developed a problem,' Jon said. 'I'll just go back and check the modules.' He walked round to the cabinets containing the modules and discovered that they were all inert. None of them displayed signs of activity and Jon immediately recalled his instructions from Zac regarding a spontaneous shutdown of the computer. That had obviously occurred when someone had tried to start it without using the correct keystrokes. As a result, the whole computer was now dead. Zac had also instructed him not to reveal his knowledge of the keystroke requirement to anyone, even Leanne. He quickly planned his response to Tony.

'This machine was working perfectly before the Home Guard took over,' Jon said, when he returned. 'This is very unusual because the computer was designed to repair itself in the event of a malfunction. Other than a human input, I can't think of anything that would explain its total inactivity. I'm wondering if it was deliberately sabotaged when the government discovered that they had to hand it back to us.'

'I'm thinking along the same lines,' Tony said. 'Can it be repaired?'

'In its present condition, without any retained memory or software, it is in effect merely a pile of scrap metal,' Jon said.

'Is this the computer containing the teleport video?'

'Yes,' Jon said. 'Everything that has been videoed is retained in its memory.'

'Is there any way we can recover it without starting the computer?'

'No,' Leanne said. 'We won't be able to do anything until it is started up, which includes accessing the recordings.'

'Leaving the video aside for the moment, if it's just the computer that's down, why can't we just get hold of another one to continue the project,' Tony said.

'Able is the only supercomputer on the planet,' Leanne pointed out. 'It uses artificial intelligence, which enables it to work out how to complete any task it is set. Zac made it, and he's the only person who understands how the computer works.'

'Who's Zac?'

'Zac Buchanan was our team leader, but he'd also been on the original teleport team,' Leanne said.

'You're confusing me,' Tony said. 'Are you referring to the teleport that took place forty years ago?'

'Yes,' Leanne confirmed.

Tony was even more confused. 'Are you trying to tell me that Zac was actually on the original project? How old is he?'

'He must be well into his sixties.'

'Mike never mentioned him to me. How did he arrive on the scene?'

'Mike found out that Zac had spent most of his life working on the Colonies but had returned to Kalmis to retire. He tracked him down, and then Zac helped find where the equipment had been stored and stayed on to carry out the experiments that led to the successful teleport. He brought with him a year's worth of experience from the previous teleport attempt and masterminded the whole project.'

'So are you saying that forty years ago an unknown person, Zac Buchanan, actually built this supercomputer?' Tony said.

'Yes,' Leanne said. 'It was built specifically for the teleport project and was the only one of its kind. At least that's what Zac told us.'

'Am I missing something?' Tony said. 'If Zac was the team leader, why wasn't he present when Jeff made the first teleport?'

'Zac disappeared the day before the teleport took place,' Jonathon said.

'What was the reason for that?'

The two apprentices glanced at each other.

'I think that Mike may have sacked him,' Leanne said.

'You mean Mike sacked the team leader who had just completed the most significant project in living memory? You can't be serious.'

'Before Zac left, that government minister, Meg Ryse, visited the laboratory and spoke to him, and afterwards she told Mike to sack him.'

'What was all that about?'

'We don't know,' Leanne said. 'Zac never mentioned it, and a couple of days later he was gone. It was very peculiar.'

'It certainly doesn't sound right,' Tony said, 'but a lot of what I'm now hearing is starting to sound peculiar. We need to get hold of Zac to sort out this computer problem and gain access to that video of the teleport. Do you have any idea where he is?'

'No,' Jon said, 'but he did once mention that he was spending a night with Mike at his house.'

Tony could hardly believe what he had discovered. 'As it stands, it looks like this dead computer is going to cost the Company an absolute fortune, and I'm not looking forward to passing on that kind of bad news to the board because shooting the messenger has featured prominently in Vennican corporate history. Are you absolutely certain that the supercomputer cannot be repaired or replaced?'

'The supercomputer is the central component in the teleport process,' Jon said. 'It was built to be fail-safe, and it didn't malfunction once during the time we were using it. I can't imagine what reduced it to this state. Only Zac can confirm whether it is permanently damaged or not. You really do need to find Zac.'

'That's two people now on the wanted list,' Tony said. 'I'll check with Tula and find out where Mike lives. Thanks for your assistance, and I'll ensure that the Company acknowledges your contribution to the teleport project. If Mike isn't around, as his boss I can sign off your project work, but if you do submit the work you did here towards your accreditation, I guarantee that there will more than a few eyes popping when it comes up for assessment.'

#####  CHAPTER TWELVE

Tony walked around the outside of a drab unit in Spencerville, which was the address where Tula believed Zac lived. He peered through the windows, seeing empty rooms devoid of furnishings and in the backyard found signs of what must have been a large bonfire. He picked up a piece of charred piece of wood and recognised it as the remains of a chair leg. Poking from the ground were the blackened and twisted skeletons of what looked to have once been electronic circuit boards. It looked like Zac had left the property after burning its contents. Why would he do that? Feeling increasingly frustrated and rapidly receiving the impression that he was following a trail that was getting colder by the minute, he got back into his auto and headed to Mike's house, hoping against hope that he would find at least one of his wanted men there.

As Tony pulled up outside Mike's house, his spirits rose when he saw a man in the front garden. At last, he thought, his search could be over. The man was erecting a For Sale sign, and as Tony approached, he turned to greet him. Tony's hopes evaporated as he realized that the man he was looking at was not Mike.

'Are you interested?' the man said. He pulled out an estate agent's card and handed it to Tony. 'This is prime property, and it won't be on the market long. I can reserve it if you want.'

'Thanks, but I'm not here to purchase a property; I'm looking for the previous owner of this house – Mike Casino.'

'I haven't seen Mike for months, and the house is unoccupied at the moment.' He fished out another card and handed it to Tony. 'This is the firm of lawyers in Kalmis that is handling the sale. They might know where Mike is, but I have to say they're not the most helpful company I've had dealings with.'

Tony stared at the deserted building. 'Would there be any chance of having a quick look inside?'

The agent eyed him suspiciously. 'You're not police, are you?'

'No, I'm Mike's boss at the Phasewave Company, but he hasn't been seen for several days, and nobody seems to know his whereabouts.'

'I'm sorry I can't help you with that, but I'll show you round. When you see inside, I think you may change your mind about buying it.'

The agent opened the front door and ushered Tony into the house. 'Everything is in exceptionally good order,' he explained.

Tony walked around the interior, noting that no personal items of any description were visible. The house was still furnished, but it was obvious that its occupants had moved out. 'You're right,' he agreed, 'the previous owners have kept this place very tidy.'

The agent locked up the house and accompanied Tony to the front gate. 'Are you sure you aren't in the market?' he enquired. 'I think this neighbourhood would suit someone like you down to the ground.'

'I'm certain it would, but right now I'm definitely not in a position to move. I urgently need to find Mike; have you any idea where he might have gone?'

'You're asking the wrong person; I hardly knew him. You could try his ex-partner, Mel.'

'Do you know where I could find her?'

'I don't know where she's living now, but she works for our company. If you're going into the city centre, you'll probably be able to catch her in our main office.'

'Thanks,' Tony said. He looked up at the property. 'This is a nice place. If I was the owner, I wouldn't be getting rid of it.'

'Give me a deposit and it's yours. I'll take the board down now.'

Tony laughed. 'If my day gets any worse, I might soon be asking you to sell my own house.'

An hour later, Tony stood dejectedly outside the main building of the most prominent law firm in Kalmis, after a lawyer had politely informed him that they were authorised to speak only to their clients and if he did not leave the premises immediately, they would call the police and have him removed. He was starting to feel more depressed than frustrated and the prospect of returning from his search empty-handed was starting to crowd his mind. As he stood on the sidewalk, trying to work out what to do next and how to stave off for as long as possible his impending meeting with the Phasewave board, a sign outside a building on the other side of the square caught his attention. He pulled out the estate agent's card and found it was his company. Maybe Mel was working there. He crossed the square, entered the office and looked around the reception area.

A smartly dressed woman with a quizzical look on her face walked out to meet him. 'It's Tony, isn't it?'

The voice sounded familiar. 'Mel,' Tony said. 'It's nice to see you. Forgive me for not recognising you.'

'Well, it must be over ten years since we last met at one of your Company events. What brings you here? Are you looking for a property?'

'Actually, I'm trying to find Mike, who appears to have vanished without trace. Do you know his whereabouts?'

'I'm afraid I don't,' Mel said. 'We recently split, and I haven't heard from him since.'

'You're my last port of call,' Tony said. 'I've been to his house, which I gather is on the market. I don't know where to look next.'

'I'm aware of the house sale; maybe you could try the law firm that's handling the sale.'

'I've already done that, but they weren't prepared to discuss their clients. I'm also looking for one of his team, someone called Zac Buchanan. Do you know where I can find him?'

Mel shrugged. 'The name means nothing to me. Have you talked to Tula, his assistant?'

'I have, but she's lost track of Mike and Zac and is no wiser than I am. I just can't understand why two people who were heavily involved in an important project would suddenly drop out of sight.'

'I wish I could help you,' Mel said, 'but Mike never discussed his work with me. However, if you are ever looking for a property, come and see me first.'

Tony laughed. 'I can see I'm in danger of going home with another property I can't afford.' He handed Mel one of his contact cards. 'If by any stroke of luck you do hear from Mike, will you let me know?'

'Of course I will,' Mel said. 'Before you leave, would you like to take a copy of our latest Property Guide?'

Once again, Tony found himself standing on the sidewalk, wondering if he had overlooked anything, but Mike and his team leader, Zac, appeared to have disappeared into thin air. Why? He could not say, so he returned to his auto, now concentrating on his next meeting with the board. They were not going to like what he had to report. Not one bit.

Mel let herself into her rented apartment and dropped her bag and coat on a hall table before entering the kitchen, where she poured herself a glass of white wine. With the glass in her hand, she went to her study, sat at a desk, and pulled a large, sealed envelope from a locked desk drawer. She stared at it for a while and then slit open the envelope, emptied it onto the desktop and examined its contents. A letter from a lawyer confirmed that she was now the sole and rightful owner of Mike's house, and the enclosed bundle contained the deeds, which the firm had re-issued in her name. Another, smaller envelope had Mike's untidy handwriting on it. She opened it and read the letter inside.

I am sorry to leave you like this, but I am going to be away for a long time and will probably never see you again. The lawyers have transferred the house to you, and it will fetch a good price in today's market, so take the cash and treat yourself. I hope you will be happier now that you are free, and you must not worry about me. You are not to tell anyone about what has happened and I want you to burn this letter after you have read it. Goodbye, my love. I will always be thinking about you, wherever I am.

Mel took a deep breath and then sat back in the chair and sipped her wine. She sighed. Over the past few days, her whole life had suddenly turned upside down, and Mike, God bless him, had unexpectedly made her a wealthy woman. She still had no idea why he had so mysteriously vanished and wondered what had become of him. She also wondered how many more people were out there looking for him.

Tony stared back at a set of glum faces as the main board digested his bad news. 'I've done my utmost to track down Mike Casino and this previously unheard of person, Zac Buchanan, without success,' he continued. 'The Personal Movements Archive shows no record of either of them leaving the planet, so they should still be around somewhere, in which case it would appear that they are deliberately concealing their movements, but why they would do so after successfully completing the teleport project is beyond me. I've also taken two of our computer specialists to the research laboratory to look at the supercomputer. They both confirmed that someone had stripped the computer of all its systems and software and that it would remain unusable until its original programmes could be located. They also said that they had never before set eyes on such a sophisticated machine and had no idea how it functioned. I hate to say this, but without Zac's help in resolving the supercomputer issue, I think this whole project is no longer viable.'

'What about the video of the teleport,' Joshua asked.

'Unfortunately, that is locked inside the computer. Until we find a way to start that computer, it will remain inaccessible.'

After a long silence, Joshua asked what happened when he visited Mike's house.

'I called and found it had been put on the market by a firm of lawyers, who subsequently refused to give me any information on their client,' Tony responded. 'After that, I managed to contact his ex-partner, Mel, who informed me that she had not been in touch with Mike since they split up, and she had never heard of anyone called Zac. I asked her if she knew where Mike had gone, and she said she had no idea. That's all I was able to ascertain.'

Joshua's face had turned scarlet. 'For God's sake! Somebody somewhere must be capable of repairing this damned computer,' he said. 'We're not talking about rocket science here.'

'It was built forty years ago and operates using artificial intelligence,' Tony explained. 'Apparently, it's still the most advanced computer on the planet - at least it was when it was working. It's a huge contraption, weighing over a tonne. Zac appears to be the only person capable of restarting the computer. Unless we can find him, I think our project is doomed.'

A gloomy silence descended on the room as the board digested Tony's bad news. He nervously awaited their reaction, conscious that they were all thinking about the loss of their projected profits, upon which the Company's future depended, and he knew from experience that the Company would soon be looking for a scapegoat.

'We must be proactive,' Joshua finally said. 'We have been seriously wronged and now need to pull in all our lawyers and prepare the biggest law suit ever to hit the government. The computer was working perfectly when Jeff Kincaid carried out the first successful teleport, after which the Defence Minister, acting on behalf of the Vennican government, abused her power by using the National Guard to seize our property, and then deliberately destroyed the supercomputer to ensure that we were unable to put our proven teleport system into service. We will take them to court and sue them for the billions of dollars in revenue we would have earned without their interference. I want everyone in this room to know that we cannot afford to lose this fight. Let's get down to work.'

Peter Robinson called his staff together for an urgent meeting. He stood at the front of the room and projected onto a wall a series of brain scans, each of which showed a progressive increase in the size of a brain.

'Finally, I have some good news,' he said. 'The government has declared a state of emergency over the UV17 toxic agent, and we have had our first confirmed success at fighting the deadly disease that has been affecting our population. Three weeks ago, our hospital accepted a young woman, a government employee, with the brain disease and treated her using the plasticisation and memory-pattern recall techniques. As you can observe from the scans, over a period of two weeks her brain mass has increased from a low of fifty per cent of its original mass to over eighty per cent. The young woman in question has recovered most of her memory and the hospital has now released her to her home, where she is expected to make a full recovery and be able to return to work. For the first time, I can say with certainty that we now have an effective solution to the unknown agent that has been responsible for destroying peoples' lives. I have prepared a short video explaining the techniques in more detail, which I will forward to each of you for reference. At last, we appear to have found an effective solution to a serious problem, so let's go out and put an end to this epidemic.'

Kalmis, six months later

'Do you seriously believe that it is possible to teleport a human being?' Max Holmes stared across the table at Jeff Kincaid.

Jeff was becoming frustrated with the questions the portly man sitting opposite him in the briefing room was firing at him. 'How long is this going to go on for?' he demanded.

'We've only just started,' Max said, 'and it will help both of us if you answer my questions rather than asking your own.'

'You know perfectly well that I believe in human teleportation,' Jeff stressed. 'I was the first person ever to be teleported. Why won't you listen to me?'

Max sat back in his chair. 'The reason I can't accept what you are saying is because I have been unable to find anyone who can confirm that event ever taking place.'

'Did you talk to Mike Casino? He was in charge of the teleport team and was there when it happened; he can vouch for my story.'

'Unfortunately, Mister Casino cannot be traced, and for whatever reasons, it looks like he has gone to considerable lengths to conceal his whereabouts.'

'Apart from Mike Casino, his two assistants also witnessed what took place that night,' Jeff said. 'They will be able to confirm my claim.'

'They were apprentices who worked on the team until the project was shut down. After the Company sacked them, they found that they were unable to qualify as electronic engineers, so they left Kalmis seeking employment elsewhere. They cannot be traced.'

'I don't know what to say,' Jeff said. 'Are you sure you're not working for the police?'

'Definitely not,' Max said. 'I'm a professional mediator, and I never use the "P" word in these sessions. The two concerned parties are the Phasewave Company, which claims that the government stole and destroyed a functioning teleport system potentially worth billions of dollars, and the government, which claims that there is no such thing as teleportation, and therefore it is not liable for any damages. The Phasewave Company is relying on you as their only witness, whilst the government is seeking to portray you as an unreliable witness. As the case stands at the moment, neither side is able to satisfactorily evidence its claim, so before this case reaches the courts and builds up considerable costs and attracts the attention of the media, I have been asked to talk to you and try to get you to reconsider your questionable actions.'

'I wasn't aware that my actions were in question. Who are you to tell me what to do?'

'Jeff, I was chosen to be a mediator because I have an abundance of basic, common sense, which I have found to be particularly advantageous in this line of work, and you have taken a public standpoint that cannot be evidenced. I need to resolve that disparity.'

'I have nothing to say, other than I am telling the truth.'

'While we're on the subject of truth, let's go through the few facts I have been able to establish,' Max continued. 'I exhaustively checked the statements you made and found that there is no proof whatsoever to substantiate your claim to have been a human teleport. Only one person has ever been teleported, and that happened forty-one years ago and resulted in the death of the subject being teleported. A more recent attempt to reproduce that project failed for technical reasons before it was able to attempt a teleport and was subsequently abandoned. Those are the facts as they stand. What strikes me as odd about your claim is if the teleport actually took place as you claim, it would have had world-changing significance, but neither you nor the Phasewave Company made any public announcement at the time, and since then there has been no attempt to replicate the alleged teleportation. I have also checked your public platform and note that in addition to the teleport controversy, you also claim to have supernatural powers and can teleport by meditation, which does your credibility no favours at all.'

'When the teleport took place, I was gagged by the Company and prevented from discussing what had happened,' Jeff said. 'Shortly afterwards, I was arbitrarily sacked from my job and found myself unemployable, so I continued to tell my story to anyone who would listen and have now become a cult with a following,' Jeff said. 'I've done nothing wrong.'

'In which case, allow me to draw your attention to the fact that you are producing and selling online a substance called Gaia, claiming that it has magic properties. A laboratory recently tested your Gaia and found it contained little more than yeast extract and ground bones of bovine origin, the consumption of which resulted only in stained teeth. However, you have recently started to produce and sell a Gaia Max substance that has the addition of hallucinogenic compounds, making it illegal.'

'Those compounds aren't drugs; they are made from powdered fungi and are perfectly natural components.'

'I am sorry to hear you say that, Jeff, because it's my belief that you have now crossed a line, an action that, in my opinion, could be likened to crossing the perimeter wall of the Kalmis Penitentiary.'

'What exactly are you after?' Jeff said. 'Are you threatening me with a prison sentence?'

'Of course not; only a judge can do that. However, let me give you this free advice: every week I visit prisons and witness the desperate conditions in which people exist, conditions where survivability is generally associated with invisibility, so I speak with some authority when I assure you that with your shiny, black teeth and multi-coloured hair, you will definitely not fit in with the other inmates. You won't need access to your Gaia Max because there are plenty of hallucinogenic drugs already available in prisons to cater for your recreational activities. In fact, there is probably more drug activity inside the prisons than outside, and that has created an unhealthy sex-for-drugs environment. However, although you won't fit in with the inmates, there will be no shortage of inmates wanting to fit in with you, if you take my meaning. I am the last stop on your journey to a place where you definitely don't want to be, and I have to report any agreement we make to the parties I referred to earlier. It's up to you now, so think long and hard about where you want to go next.'

'What can I do to avoid prison?'

'I can make all these problems disappear. All you have to do is withdraw the claims you have made on your public platform and stop selling inappropriate substances and everything will return to normal; that's why I'm here.' Max pulled out a printed form and a pen and handed them to the other man. 'Sign that and start a new life.'

Jeff studied the form carefully. 'I can't sign this; I'll be signing my life away. What will my followers think?'

'If I was a cynical person, and generally speaking I'm not, at this point I would tell you to stick to your guns, go to prison and then quietly teleport out of the prison by meditation when no one is looking. I think that would definitely impress your followers.'

'You haven't believed a word I've said, have you?'

'I think you're confusing me with one of your followers.'

Jeff looked down at the form again and let out a noise that sounded like a cross between a sigh and a groan. He then reluctantly picked up the pen and scrawled his name across the bottom of the form.

Max retrieved the document and checked Jeff's signature. A faint smile appeared on his face, and in return, he slid over a sealed envelope to the other man.

'What's this? Jeff said, picking up the envelope.

'Let's just say it's a token of gratitude from the government for your cooperation, and hopefully it will help you stay on the straight and narrow in the future. Now, let's try again. Do you still believe that human teleportation is possible?'

Jeff dropped his head. 'I guess not,' he said, in a quiet voice.

'That's the ticket,' Max said. 'You'd have to be out of your mind to believe in that kind of thing.'

#####  CHAPTER THIRTEEEN

Phasewave Company Headquarters - three months later

'This isn't what I expected,' Joshua said. He looked across his desk at Kai Little and Tony Hix. 'What possible interest can the Colonies have in our company?'

'Our shares are at their lowest price ever, and the scavengers are circling,' Kai said. 'It might be that the Colonies are interested in making an offer.'

'I can't see what use our company would be to them,' Tony said. 'They would have to put up a substantial amount of money to bring the network up to scratch.'

'Let's see what the Colonial Representative has to say for himself,' Joshua said. He buzzed through to his office and his secretary ushered Sy Miller into the room.

After exchanging greetings, Joshua asked Sy why he was there.

'I have been invited here today to represent the Sollus government, with the full approval of the United Colonies.'

'Hold it right there,' Joshua said. 'We didn't invite you here.'

'That is partially correct,' Sy replied. 'The invitation was issued by the Vennican government.'

'What's this got to do with the government?' Joshua asked.

'Allow me to explain. The Phasewave Company is facing imminent liquidation, and the Vennican government is not only your major creditor but is also your biggest user and its operations are heavily dependent upon the Phasewave network. Therefore, it is looking for a company with sufficient resources and technical expertise to take it over and ensure continuity of the Phasewave services. The Sollus government is the only organisation in existence that can finance and run a venture this size.'

'The Company is not for sale,' Kai said.

'We have no intention of buying your company. It will be a gift from its de facto owner: the Vennican government. In return, we are willing to make a significant investment in order to bring the Company's services up to an acceptable standard.'

'We don't need your assistance,' Joshua said. 'We can manage very nicely without it and will soon be able to overcome our temporary cash shortage.'

'I would like to point out that after your court case for substantial damages against the government collapsed, your share price, which the brokers had boosted in anticipation of a court ruling in your favour, has dropped to its lowest value ever. Your advertising revenue continues to drop daily, and the major banks will no longer give you finance. You are finished.'

'We'll see about that,' Joshua said.

'Please take me seriously,' Sy said. 'In case you are totally blind, let me point out that of fifteen Phasewave machines on the Kalmis Phasewave base, only eight of them are serviceable, the revenue from which will scarcely cover the base running costs. Off-planet, you have three hundred and twenty four machines, of which nearly half are out of service awaiting spare parts. When we take your company over we will have to inject between two and three hundred billion dollars to bring the network up to its design output. You don't have a hope in hell of climbing out of the mess you have made.'

The three men sat quietly.

'Would you be picking up the company's debt?' Kai asked.

'Your latest balance sheet shows that you owe your creditors the best part of two billion dollars, most of which is owed to the government in unpaid taxes. They are willing to write off that debt to sweeten the deal.'

Joshua became angry. 'Sweeten the deal! We have heard enough. I think it is time you were on your way.'

'Listen to me,' Sy said. 'You have no choice. We'll take over the whole company and rebrand it; we'll get rid of the Phasewave name and call it Nimbus. Most of your equipment suppliers are no longer trading, so we will have to set up new workshops to replace all your fifty-year-old stock with new, up-to-date machines. It will be a colossal undertaking, and only the Colonies have the financial muscle to fund it. I will leave you to consider how you will be able to arrange a handover. You know where to find me.'

Sy walked out of the room, leaving Joshua angry and bewildered. He turned to the others. 'Were you aware of this Colonial offer?' he demanded to know.

'I picked up a few rumours,' Tony said.

'And you didn't see fit to let me know?'

'You know the rules,' Tony said. 'Bad news is never passed upwards in the Phasewave Company.'

'That is ridiculous. At this time, more than ever, we need to be completely open and honest with each other.'

'It's a bit late for that now we are practically bankrupt,' Tony pointed out, 'and since when has this company ever been open and honest?'

'The Company policy has always been to be open and honest,' Joshua countered.

'You know perfectly well that isn't true,' Kai piped up. 'Anyone who disagrees with the board is sacked. This is a vertical management structure, headed at all times by the chairman.'

'I suppose you will be blaming me next for this debacle that now threatens the existence of the Company,' Joshua said.

'In the new spirit of being open and honest, I can categorically state that you put the Company on the road to ruin when you blabbed to that crazy government minister and told her about our top secret project,' Tony said. 'If you hadn't done that, we would now be up to our necks in bundles of dollar bills.'

'She tricked me into telling her,' Joshua said. 'We all know that the project was a success until the government ploughed in. After what they did, how did we manage to lose our case against them?'

'The court withdrew the case because we could not produce any witnesses to support our claim to have successfully completed a human teleport,' Kai said. 'I have to say that sacking all our potential witnesses was the ultimate act of self-destruction, and it happened on your watch.'

'I never sacked anyone,' Joshua objected.

'If you had taken the slightest interest in what was going on, you could have prevented those witnesses leaving the Company,' Tony pointed out. 'The two prime witnesses who observed the teleportation, the apprentices, were sacked without my knowledge and were unable to qualify as electronic engineers. I had guaranteed to sign off their work, and yet I knew nothing about their sackings. You also sacked Tula Khan, who is a very smart woman, and she must have known more about the teleport taking place than she was letting on. She too would have made a credible witness.'

'As for Jeff Kincaid,' Kai interrupted, 'what in God's name made you get rid of him – he was the living proof that the teleport had been successful. We employed the first and only human being who had ever teleported, and then we sacked him. What were you thinking?'

'I can see that you are both against me, so let me explain,' Joshua said, struggling to contain his rising anger. 'As you must be aware, the government indicated that it was prepared to settle our claim out of court, and the replacement Base Manager saw no reason for keeping the apprentices on, so he released them, along with Tula Khan.'

'... and then he replaced her with his girlfriend,' Tony interrupted. 'That was a nice little spoiler.'

'The Base Manager has the right to employ anyone he wants, and it is not for me to micromanage what happens on the base,' Joshua said. 'To finish your list, Jeff Kincaid started to spread the word about being teleported. That was against his restraining order and so he was dismissed from the company, once again, in the expectation that the government was willing to settle out of court.'

'And then the government changed its mind, and you were left high and dry,' Tony said. 'Who in their right minds would have dispensed with their only witnesses?'

'I've had enough of this impertinence!' Joshua shouted. 'If you had secured the video of the teleport, as I instructed you to do, none of this would have happened.'

'I don't know how many times you need telling, but that video was held inside the computer, and by the time I first came across the computer, it was completely ruined. All you can do is blame others for your failings. You caused the demise of this Company, you and your pathetic pet projects.'

Joshua banged his fist on the table. 'Very well! If that is the way you feel, I expect your resignations on my desk tomorrow.'

Kai jumped to his feet and angrily pointed his finger at Joshua. 'So this is your idea of being open and honest! Don't make me laugh. Coming from your mouth, those pretty words are meaningless. Even now, with the Company having only enough cash to meet the payroll for another thirty days, you are still trying to avoid taking responsibility for your actions. There will be no resignations. We are all in this together and will have to accept any punishment that is coming our way. All these years we have stood back and watched while chairmen and directors fleeced this company and allowed our bread and butter Phasewave network to fall to rack and ruin.'

'How dare you try to blame me,' Joshua retorted. 'I am not to blame; I knew nothing about those failed machines.'

'Yes you did,' Tony said. 'Every month, Mike Casino used to stand up and tell the whole board that the fifty year old machines were falling to pieces while all you could do was insult our intelligence by demanding we believe in your stupid projects. That is what brought us to this sticky end, and you are completely responsible for it. We are done here.'

Tony and Kai walked out of the meeting. They stopped outside the building and looked at each other.

'It got a bit heated in there, but thanks for supporting me,' Tony said.

'I've been waiting to speak my mind for years, but unfortunately it now doesn't matter. It looks like the Colonies will inherit our system and seize our patents, and that will be the end of the Company. I wish I had spoken up earlier, but I never believed it would come to this.'

'We dumped the project on Mike Casino expecting it to fail, just like we did the Water Generator project, but somehow Mike managed to pull this one off.'

'The saddest thing is that after achieving the impossible, we all should be rich beyond our imagination, but instead the opposite has happened. Do you think it will ever take place again?'

'Not in our lifetimes. The Phasewave Company has tried it twice and managed to bankrupt the Company in the process. What a track record!'

'What a wasted opportunity,' Kai said. 'That Colonial guy Sy seemed to know a lot about the state our Company was in, particularly the number of unserviceable Phasewaves. He can only have got that information from someone with an insight into the Company.'

'This Company has done nothing but make enemies during its existence; there are plenty of ex-employees around bearing a grudge against us. It could have been anyone.'

'The Colonies will have their work cut out restoring the Phasewave network,' Kai said. 'I don't think they have much expertise in that particular area.'

'I don't they have any expertise. This sounds like a job Mike Casino could get his teeth into; it would be just up his street.'

'I still wonder what happened to Mike,' Kai said. 'He would cry if he could see what's happened to his teleport project.'

'I feel like crying myself,' Tony said. 'To bring you up to speed on Mike's investigation, we've called off the detective working on his case. I have to say it does not look promising. Before he disappeared, Mike transferred his house to his ex-partner, Mel, but we continued paying his salary into his bank account, which hasn't been accessed since Mike left and now contains quite a lot of money. The detective spoke to Mel, and she said that Mike had left a letter behind.'

'What was in the letter?' Kai asked.

'Apparently, Mike said that he would never see her again. She was upset and burnt the letter after reading it, but she said that in her heart she knew that Mike still loved her and that one day she hoped that they would be together again. I think that we must accept that Mike is no longer with us.'

'I feared as much,' Kai said. 'Maybe that last project got him down, although he never showed any signs of being depressed.'

''It's a real shame that it had to happen to such a nice person,' Tony said. 'We'll never know what goes through other people's minds. The detective also discovered that the two apprentices had left the planet and gone to work in the Colonies, some place called Sollus.'

'They'll be better off there; Vennica has very little to offer in the way of engineering careers. All this talk about people leaving is starting to make me feel unsettled, but I guess we'll go back to work, roll up our sleeves and prepare to face the music, just as we always do, and I have to admit that I no longer care what happens to the damned Company.'

The two men were walking away from the building when Tony came to a halt, trying not to laugh. 'I'm apologising for this in advance, but I have to say something one last time.' He mimicked Joshua's sonorous voice. 'Do you believe that the absurd and ridiculous notion of human teleportation is achievable?'

Kai burst out laughing and then managed to say, 'No way! It causes too many problems!'

Phasewave Company Headquarters - one month later

Sy Miller handed over a stack of documents to his lawyer and waited quietly while he checked the signatures. The lawyer finally gave him a nod.

'That wraps it up,' Sy said. 'As from today, the Phasewave Company has ceased to exist and will be henceforth known as the Nimbus Corporation.' He turned to Joshua. 'Mr Chairman, I have already appointed a Chief Executive to run the new company, and your presence is no longer required. You will vacate your office by end of work today. Does anyone have any questions before I leave?'

The persons in the room looked at each other nervously. Eventually Tony asked the name of the Chief Executive.

'Her name is Tula Khan,' Sy said, 'and she has asked me to tell you how much she is looking forward to having you working for her. That is all. Goodbye gentlemen.'

THE END
