by Neely Dobbs
* * *
While returning to Farthing, Jazon reviewed his encounters with Hoga. In spite of his life-altering experiences and revelations, he felt well rested. I wish I had gotten more specific answers but, curiously, I'm at peace with the progress made on this trip. Hoga has managed to inspire confidence that the Wasp problem— and any other problems— will be dealt with and resolved successfully. He vaguely recalled the strange dream sequences and symbols, plus the strong sense of purpose. It seemed they had been numerous, yet so insubstantial their substance had faded immediately; he could not remember the specific details of any of them. They're gone for now, whatever their meaning and duration.
Duration! The thought of ‘duration' reminded him of Hoga's parting words. What notable object or situation was Jazon to observe in Farthing? He re-focused his thoughts onto the world around him and carefully scrutinized his surroundings, watching for clues. He noted that the increased frequency of structures signaled their nearness to the town. The muffled sound of the rolling wheels suddenly changed to a rhythmic clacking. With a start, Jazon leaned out the coach's window and peered down at the road. He saw a cobblestone surface.
His mind rebelled. They could not have paved the dirt thoroughfare overnight! Other, more subtle changes now registered. Many of the previously weather-worn structures displayed evidence of fresh paint. In fact, there are several new structures. That's just not possible!
By the time they reached the train station, the frequency of changes had diminished. Jazon exited the carriage, thanked the driver and entered the uncannily familiar station. The building and its interior looked essentially unchanged. The clerk, however, was not the same person.
This clerk was a matronly woman. She greeted him cordially and asked if he would like a ticket. He declined and said, “I saw an older man working this window… when I was last here.” He almost had said “yesterday,” but caught himself when he remembered the unexplained extent of the changes he had seen.
Before he could mentally construct a question that would elicit a time-specific answer, the woman frowned slightly and countered, “You must be mistaken. I've had the job for a while, and my sister takes the only other shift…" Then she brightened. "Oh, I know! You must have come by when one of us had gone out for a meal break. My nephew fills in for us then. Nice young man, almost twenty years old?”
“No, ma'am. It was an older man, well past middle age…and, frankly, he was kind of surly.”
She snapped her fingers. “Of course! No question about it now. You must mean Hallney. I'm sorry; I misunderstood. I thought you meant you were here recently. Old man Hallney has been retired for nearly a year.”
Jazon managed to mumble his apologies, turned, and raced for the stairs. He was suddenly fearful that somehow his starship and the modern landing port had been a dream. However, the stairs to the landing bay were just as he remembered. Joyous relief washed over him when his ship came into view.
ADIZ welcomed him with an unusually energetic greeting, then activated the light ramp to transport him aboard. Jazon asked without delay, “ADIZ, how long have I been gone?”
The robot hesitated for an uncharacteristically long time and finally said, “If I might, Sir, I would suggest that once we leave this region of space, I can interrogate Kepren. I really can't answer you until then. Will that be satisfactory, Sir?”
Jazon sighed with resignation. “I guess it will have to be.”
