Mostrar mensagens com a etiqueta Time traveler. Mostrar todas as mensagens
Mostrar mensagens com a etiqueta Time traveler. Mostrar todas as mensagens

domingo, 19 de julho de 2020

Time Traveller. Part 2. Oblivion.


The three men were in silence, for a moment. There was not much else to say. The one wearing glasses was holding his head in his both hands, shaking it slightly, trying to process what he had just heard.

- How could that be possible? Why did they do that? I wonder if such a complicated trip to the future and with that purpose had helped anyone, anywhere, anytime, anyway…

- I guess we will never know.

- Well, then how would we know I really did get there and reached the intent?

-You would have never gotten back here if you hadn’t.

- Then…?

- Oblivion was rarely used in time travelling. It was efficient when they wanted to send the voyagers back to when and where they came from. Sometimes also to prevent being revisited. You travelled to help them and all mankind in the future. Those must not be the reasons they used it in you.  I wonder what the real intention was…

That was not the only concern in the pale skinned man’s mind, however. Something else seemed to be out of place. He thought the parts they acknowledged about that whole story did not fit well, somehow, but he did not want to express his apprehensions out loud still. He had some doubts, but an idea was building up in his distressed mind. He had decided he needed to think a little longer about it.

The young man had had trouble enough for the moment and maybe he would need time to process some things before anything else could be planned or done.

He tried to avoid his friends’ stares, when he walked off for a while and stayed out in the porch, gazing at a point that could not really be seen in the distance.

His mind was elsewhere, in another place and another time… His thoughts were hastily overflowing and urging for action. He needed to do something.

The pale man sat by the computer and typed some words. The result of the search made him divert quickly to a string of pages, until he thought he found what he was looking for.

He closed the laptop, straightened up and muttered to himself:

- I think it’s more than time to go and see this whole thing by myself…

He walked back to the living room.

- Guys, we need to do something... but first we need to stop at the beach, on our way down to the city.

- At the beach?

He acceded with a faint smile.

- Yes. At the beach…

***

They drove along the beach road to where the mills were standing. The car was parked not too far from their destination. The wooden walkway was quite filled with passers-by. For all that mattered, they were a bunch of beach-goers, walking erratically by the seashore, taking pictures of everything around.

- There they are. And what do we do now?

- There are too many people around. We will need to be careful.

- For all that matters, we are just looking for geocaches…

- Is that the official version?

- Yes. That’s the official one, but I don’t think anyone is interested in what we are doing here, anyway.

They pretended to be taking pictures of every feature of the peculiar rock and shale constructed buildings. There were five of them along a line by the wooden built pathway, facing the sea. Each one was photographed in detail to be scrutinized later. If the pale man was right in his suspicions, they would need to come back to the beach in the evening, for a closer check.

The night came down very slowly. They were sitting out in the terrace, facing the sea and drinking cold beer, almost in complete silence. The place was not busy. They had been analysing the pictures taken and some needed to be zoomed up to show details of what they thought would be useful later.

The pale skinned man was correct in his qualms. There was something there... definitely…

***

The night was fresher and quieter. Three silhouettes moved silently along the wooden pathway. The men knew what they were looking for, but they needed to be careful. The mills were not public property. The owners could have cameras installed around the area, which would be a nuisance.

When they reached the mills, they looked around to certify they were alone, before getting into their target. They jumped over the roped rail, so to examine the first building.

The man wearing glasses suddenly got stiff.

- Do you hear that?

- What?

- Shhh! Listen!

Someone was running on the wooden pathway.

- Quick, let’s hide.

They hasted to the shadow of the round building, hoping they had not been seen by the runner who was getting closer to where they were. Their hearts were pounding hard. They could hear him (or her) coming closer and closer.

A jogger wearing a dark hoodie slowed down and stopped right in front of the mill. Looking around as if checking if there were no one else around, the figure stepped into the private property and disappeared from their sight. They heard a noise. It seemed the door was being forced.

The man wearing glasses whispered.

- Who the hell is that? How come he is here?

- Quiet!

The door seemed to have been opened. It kind of complained in its ungreased hinges, with a distinctive sound.

- He is in! What is he looking for in there?

- Let’s get out of here, before someone shows up. This is getting too dangerous!

- Wait!

The loud sound of an alarm setting off was coming from inside the house. They heard someone hurrying down the stairs and suddenly the hooded figure sprinted past them, jumped over the roped rail and disappeared in the darkness, away from them and from the light.

Not long afterwards a police car, flashing its red and blue lights, raced up the cobblestone street, followed by a white van with red lettering on the side. The two cars stopped by the mill. They heard the noise of people shouting and running closer…

- What the fuck? Did you see that? I can’t believe this!

- What are these guys doing here? What are they up to?

- This is not good news! Let’s get out of here before it’s too late.

- No. Wait! That man did not have time enough to search for things while he was in there. I wonder what he was looking for upstairs. Maybe this is our chance to get in the mill, without trespassing…

- What do you mean? Are you crazy? We cannot go in there. These guys are dangerous and they might know us!

- I’ve just had an idea. We’ll turn around the mill and pretend we are just nosy passers-by trying to find out what’s going on here. We better split!

- This is crazy, man!

- Don’t think much. Just go. Now!

People were coming from different directions. A police event was something the quiet village was not used to, so it was quite a commotion.

They walked around, separated from each other, trying to avoid being seen together.

When the man wearing glasses was approaching the door, he felt like someone pulled him back.

- Hey!

He turned around. A policeman was holding his arm. He stiffened when he realized there was another man, he was sure he had seen before, standing by the officer.

***


domingo, 13 de janeiro de 2019

Oblivion (Epilogue: The Vaccine)



- You will need to start from scratch. All the samples you’re working with are contaminated.

- But I do not have the original DNA for starters. It’s too late now.

- No. It’s not!

The doctor and the chief of scientists looked at the young man. Leona was the first one to realize what he meant.

- What are you saying now? Do you have it?

- I told you I came to help and try to save what can be saved, but we are running out of time.

The pupas were almost ready to eclose. One of the colourful chrysalis would hatch in a very short time and by then, a sample of the fluids running in the fragile body could be taken immediately and used for the production of the vaccine.

The doctor and the chief of scientists had to fight against death and time, both being very strong contestants. That would be a risky operation and had to be done in a very short notice, or it would be too late to save that poor human being, going into such a strange mutation.

- What do we do?

- It’s important to get the sample when the fluid has started running through the wings and body of the new butterfly, a little before it is strong enough to fly by itself. It is when the elements in the DNA are more effective.

- So I was told… this is why I brought them in different phases.

- How long are we to wait?

- Not long, really.

- Now look! It’s eclosing. Slow, my dear…

- Help her!

- Never. The struggle is the most important part of the hatching. If we help her out, she will never fly. She needs the fluids to run through all the parts of her body. Patience is all we need now… and extreme care… to get the fluids at the right time…

- Now. Help me out here, please.

The chief of the lab took a syringe with a very thin needle and got ready. The doctor smiled. Time could be on their side…

***

- I’m glad we could produce the vaccine which is now effective. I was afraid we would never get to it.

Leona was serious and still concerned. The young man standing with her was thoughtful and feeling detached of the drama of that scene.

- But we lost that battle. Some of the very ill clones died before the operation.

- But not that one. He was not impossible to recover. Good he was such a strong specimen.

- We can make more clones, now we have it working properly. We have the means to make better ones!

- We will have to select the best of the best this time, to have his blood helping us to make the perfect others…

- He will be the guinea pig…. A prototype… for a new generation!

The two scientists were over excited. The death of the clones was nothing but a side effect in favour of science. They were babbling like two kids with a new toy.

The woman looked at the young man, standing behind them, in silence. She knew there was a purpose for his trip through space and time and the cost for the favour was yet to be charged. His eyes met hers. She knew it was time to pay her dues.

- I think we must go now. Come with me.

He followed her through the corridors of the Stellar Station to where the old and unused transport terminal was located.

- You’ll have to promise not to change anything. Your presence should not be noticed. The consequences are disastrous if you don’t follow my instructions. It is this or nothing at all…

- OK. Deal.

- Are you really sure you want to do this? You’ll be confined…

- I am. This is the main reason I came here for. Let’s do it. We’ve got little time.

- Remember this: you’ll have just one hour and then you’ll be brought back ahead in time to the time and place when and where you belong to.

- What?

- You won’t be coming back here. Ever again.

***

- What have you done?

- I’ve sent him back… to the past… Wasn’t that what you wanted, after all?

- What did he want here? How can you trust someone you do not know?

- He came to bring us hope. He brought the original material for the manufacturing of a new vaccine. You know the others were not working anymore and that was our last chance.

The supreme got serious, as if disturbed by a thought.

- I know it. And did that work?

- It did. We saved the Thirteenth. He’s recovering quickly. You will need to try one sample yourself: your patches are showing…   

- I will. Thanks for the concern.

- He asked about the 'Oumuamua'.

- What? 

- You know: the first Centaur detected by the Earth scientists...

- Stupid time travellers...

- I know. And he also said something so unbelievably absurd.

- Did he? What was that?

She laughed shyly.

- He said you were planning to destroy the planet…

- Ah! And why would I do that? That’s ridiculous!

- I know it. That’s why I sent him back to the time and place he came from, but I added a sample of ‘Oblivion’ in the capsule. He’ll be OK.

- Good… very good. I wouldn’t have done it better. Very well thought, Leona. You’re a very smart woman.

She smiled. He left a sigh come out as they entered the laboratory and met the two scientists working hard on the production of the new vaccine. The Supreme greeted them and stretched his forearm for the examination of the back furry patch growing over it.

The doctor got a syringe and targeted the blue vein which went up at the pressure of his finger. The man smiled when the needle pierced his extremely pale skin. He had some things in mind and very little time left to do them.

In minutes he was back to his quarters. He stood by a large window, looking to the dark sky outside. He mumbled something to himself and programmed the computer for two actions.

He needed to see the Thirteenth, to check the result of the new vaccine, before hitting the right key. There was something else he needed to do before…

***

- I knew it was dangerous. He is not coming back. We killed him.

- Calm down, man. Something must have happened. It’s not too long…

- You said one hour and that is long gone. Two hours have passed. We killed him.

The young soldier was feeling gloomy and guilty for the fate of his fellow friend. Too late for lamentations. Too late for everything. He’s lost his best friend. He wanted to cry.

He looked at the pale man standing in front of him, who was staring at a niche on the wall of one of the many passageways of the city intricate underground sewage tunnels. A strange hissing sound was followed by a bright glint. There was another flash and then they saw him. 
  
- He’s back!

The soldier felt a twitch in his stomach when he saw his friend lying on the floor. He was not awake.

- Is he OK?

- He’s unconscious, but he’s breathing. Let’s bring him up.

The young soldier opened his eyes as soon as he got up, helped by the other two men.

- Oh, man. I thought we had lost you! Where have you been?

- Uh? I think I fainted. Where are we?

- By the transport terminal in the tunnels.

- What are we doing here?

- You don’t remember? You just travelled to the future and back.

- No way. I had this strange dream, but I don’t remember much of it. I’m so tired now. Can we go home?

The two men exchanged their stares. The young soldier shook his head. The pale man spoke what he had in mind.

- Oblivion.

- What?

He smiled.

- I’ll explain later.

***