by Richard Todd
Lara turned to Gunther, “Would you like to finish the story?”
Gunther continued, “From Lara’s epiphany, many pieces rapidly fell into place. We determined that the craft’s gravity engine was used to manipulate space-time to fold it back upon itself. If you think of space-time as a pliable flat plane, that plane is distorted by gravity.”
Gunther punched up the same space-time wireframe images he had previously shown the generals years before.
“Stars and planets distort space-time in their gravity wells like objects of various weights placed onto the plane.”
“The Grays found a way to use their gravity engine to further distort space-time, actually folding it back upon itself. This is what enables the craft to move through time.”
Gunther displayed an image of a wireframe of space-time curling back upon itself like cosmic origami.
“From that point in 1985, we made the decision to focus on reverse engineering the gravity engine and its antimatter power source. After General Craig’s arrival, this complex was re-tasked to the purpose of developing a practical means of time displacement. The result of our work is the Temporal Displacement System, or what we call the ‘Time Tunnel.’ We believe it is now fully functional.”
“Meaning, you can send someone through time,” said Kyle.
“He is quite astute, as you said, General,” Gunther said playfully with his characteristic smile. He shared a look with Lara, who smiled and touched his sleeve.
“Which brings us to why you’re here,” said the general.
Not sure I like what’s about to come next, thought Kyle.
“Now that we’ve built the thing, we’ve been struggling with what to do with it—or whether we should use it at all,” said the general, “We can study time. We can change time, though, as you can imagine, there are many implications associated with that. And the implications are not limited to history—we’ll get to that. When we began construction of the Time Tunnel, we set up a taskforce to focus on history—past and future. Go Roger.”
Roger continued, “The primary purpose of my taskforce was to identify key ‘inflection points’ in history, where altering the outcome of an event could cause a significant change in the timeline. Our focus was on inflection points that most impacted America. We are in agreement that there is one that has had a profoundly negative impact on the United States, and has rapidly accelerated its decline.”
The general looked Kyle in the eyes: “9/11.”
Roger continued, “Though it is impossible to calculate the full impact of 9/11, there is much that we can quantify. Had the terrorist attacks of 9/11 not occurred, the United States would probably not have gone to war in Afghanistan and Iraq. The total projected costs of those wars alone, including ongoing medical benefits and interest payments on the debt used to finance the war will likely top $6 trillion alone. The total direct and indirect costs to the economy, including ripple effects, are estimated at $10 trillion. Coincidentally, the country’s current national debt in 2008 is about $10 trillion. Of course, in addition to the severe economic impact, the lives of thousands of Americans would have been spared—both those who perished on 9/11, as well as those who died in battle in Afghanistan and Iraq. Additionally, as many as 180,000 Iraqis died in the Iraq war.”
“The part that is most difficult to quantify may also be the most impactful. America’s reaction to the attack was different than previous national crises. Though Americans certainly had fearful reactions to other major crises, like the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, and Sputnik, in each of these events, America leveraged the crisis with bold advances that propelled the country forward. Nietzsche famously said, “What does not kill us makes us stronger.” Though each of these crises inflicted damage on America, each time, America emerged as a more advanced, more powerful country.”
“For example, a key response to the Great Depression was the Works Progress Administration, or WPA, a colossal public works program that produced the most modern infrastructure the world had ever seen. The WPA literally laid the foundation for the post-war economic boom that lasted a quarter century. Seventy years later, we still rely on those roads, bridges, dams, and electrical infrastructure. Pearl Harbor galvanized this country’s industrial capability. By the end of World War II, the U.S. produced half of the world’s industrial output. The G.I. Bill produced the world’s best-educated workforce. That workforce reacted to the Sputnik scare with huge advances in American aerospace, computing, and communications technologies.”
“By contrast, our reaction to 9/11 was markedly different. Instead of transmuting the crisis into the kinds of bold progress we’ve seen historically, America regressed. A national depression pervaded our society. That attitude had an outsized effect on priorities—security was prioritized over infrastructure, education and research. The nation’s security apparatus was ratcheted way up. While our focus has been on the Middle East and security, we’ve allowed our infrastructure and education to deteriorate. Meanwhile, China has made enormous investments in modern infrastructure and has made science and math education a top priority. Chinese students are ranked first in the world in science and math. U.S. students rank 23rd and 30th in science and math respectively. China is expected to become the world’s second largest economy in 2010, and is projected to overtake the U.S. by 2030.”
“If 9/11 did not happen, we can project the probability that a number of material changes would occur in the timeline. Of course, there are many more that we cannot project. As discussed, we believe the Afghanistan and Iraq wars would not have happened. Though there are those in the current administration who advocated war in Iraq independent of 9/11, we do not believe it would have been possible to muster sufficient support in Congress without 9/11. We do not believe President Bush would have been elected to a second term. It is difficult to forecast a Kerry presidency, though we believe it is unlikely that we would be seeking out foreign military engagements. It is, however, likely that the housing crash and subsequent recession would still have happened, which may well would make Kerry a one-term president. The good news is that the country would have much more economic dry powder to combat the recession than it does in the present timeline. Finally, it is impossible to know what contributions that the thousands that died on and after 9/11 would have made. Just one example is Daniel Lewin, the co-founder of Akamai. The algorithms he wrote had a profound impact on Internet performance. He was only 31.”
“Regardless of whether or not these individuals would have changed the world, if nothing else, they are sorely missed by their loved ones,” Roger said.
Kyle felt a bolt of pain as Padma’s face flashed through his mind.
“What we know for certain is that 9/11 inflicted a deep economic and psychological wound on this country and irrevocably changed its path for the worse. While we don’t believe preventing 9/11 would make things all better, we are convinced that, at worse, it would greatly slow America’s decline—perhaps giving it the opportunity to make the choices that would reverse that trend line.”
There was silence in the room.
“You want to send someone back to stop 9/11,” said Kyle.
“Again, very astute,” said Gunther, smiling.
“We want to send you back to stop 9/11,” said General Craig.
Time Tunnel Complex
Mission Control
July 23, 2008
17:15 hours
“Specifically, we want to send you and Colonel Wise back,” said the general.
“Why only two people?” asked Kyle. “Why not send an army?”
“Power,” replied Gunther. “The Time Displacement System requires enormous power. With our current capability, two is the most we can send, with a minimal complement of weapons.”
“What weapons?” asked Kyle.
General Craig held up a credit card, “This weapon.” He slid it across the table to Kyle. Kyle picked it up. The name on the card was “Robert Small.”
“So, this so
me James Bond gadget?” asked Kyle, examining the card.
“James Bond. That is good. Very clever,” said Gunther, chuckling.
“No, actually, it’s an ordinary debit card,” replied General Craig. “We don’t have the power to send firearms back with you—pretty much just the clothes on your back, identification, debit cards, a universal key card to open the hijackers’ hotel rooms, and one other gadget, which we’ll get to in a minute.”
Gus Ferrer stepped in, “We have complete historical financial records, as well as historical records of individuals. We found two wealthy people who died in late August 2001, whose bank accounts and credit cards were not locked up until after 9/11. You’ll have almost unlimited funds to get cash or to buy whatever you need to complete your mission. You’ll have the requisite ID in case someone wants to check to make sure you’re really who you claim to be.”
Roger continued, “We can place the terrorists at certain locations and times. Some spend extended periods in hotel rooms. Some take flying lessons. Some use ATM machines at specific times. Some visit strip clubs.”
“Allahu Akbar,” Kyle snarked, meaning “God is Great,” in Arabic.
“We will drill you on the terrorists’ identities and the times and places they appear,” said Roger.
“Your job is to show up at the appointed times and places and take them out,” said General Craig.
“I see,” said Kyle, overwhelmed.
“There is an issue,” said General Craig.
“Only one?” said Gunther.
The general ignored Gunther, “Your attacks must be tightly coordinated, as the ripple effect from one attack could disturb the timeline and affect the times and places in which other terrorists appear. For example, if one of the bad guys misses a meeting or a phone call, how does it affect the actions of the others? Killing one terrorist may result in losing the rest.”
“Also, you’re going to need to improvise a bit,” said the general. “Gunther?”
Gunther explained, “There is a random effect to this process, due to the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle, which says that particles do not behave in a completely predictable way. There is a probability of possible outcomes.”
“Translation, Gunther,” said General Craig.
“We cannot insert you into a specific time and place with complete precision,” said Gunther, “We can chart a range of likely probabilities for your arrival space-time coordinates.”
Gunther clicked the remote. A 3D scatter chart appeared on the big screen, charting a series of points along three axes: longitude, latitude, and time. The greatest concentration of points clustered in the center of the chart, around a longitude of W 74° 36’ 41.4061”, latitude of N 40° 19’ 10.5961”, with a date of August 23rd, 2001.
Gunther continued, “The time range we will insert you into is a two-week period between August 15 and September 1, 2001. This should give you sufficient time to complete your mission. You will need to adjust the details of your mission depending on the date you arrive. Regarding the place, we have found a location range that is unlikely to be populated, though it will be sufficiently close to civilization to enable you to get in the game. Obviously, it would be undesirable for the two of you to appear out of thin air during rush hour in Times Square.”
General Craig said, “It is important to be aware that your 2001 counterparts will be where they were at that time. Obviously, you must not have contact with them, or anyone who knows them. We anticipated the remote possibility that you might encounter someone that you knew in 2001. One of the reasons you were selected is because of your ability to pass as your former selves with little or no cosmetic work.”
Kyle glanced down at his chest, recalling his 2001 Adonis physique, “I don’t think I would pass as my 2001 self, sir.”
“You’ll get it back, soldier,” said General Craig, “We’ll make sure of that.”
“How do we get back, sir?” asked Kyle. “Or do we come back?”
“You come back,” replied the general. “Gunther?”
“You will take a device with you,” Gunther said holding up a small metal box the size of a cigarette pack. “This is a temporal transponder. It will enable us to pinpoint your space-time coordinates and return you to our time. Obviously, it is critical that you do not lose or damage the transponder. We will have no possible way to return you without it. You will be lost in time.”
“Questions?” invited the general.
All heads turned to face Kyle. Asking him whether he had questions about a briefing on time travel was like asking a dog whether he had questions about his first chess lesson. In less than 12 hours, he had fallen through the earth’s crust, straight down the rabbit hole into Wonderland. He struggled to construct a question that would give the appearance that he was much smarter than he felt.
“How does this actually work? What is the actual apparatus and process?” asked Kyle.
“From the perspective of the temponauts, it is actually quite simple…” began Gunther.
“The ‘what-o-nauts?’” interrupted Kyle.
“Temponauts. That’s what we call you time travelers,” explained Gunther. Gunther clicked the remote. A wireframe diagram of a sphere, surrounded by a donut-shaped ring flashed up on the screen. The wireframe sphere contained figures of two humans.
“The visible apparatus is a spherical glass chamber that hosts the temponauts, explained Gunther. “The sphere is surrounded by a large carbon ring that resembles a giant donut. The ring is the focal point of the apparatus that warps gravity in order to fold time.”
“In other words, it’s the sharp end of the Time Tunnel stick,” added the general.
“The sphere is your portal through time,” said Gunther. “It is your doorway through which you depart into the past. It is also the doorway through which you return. At the conclusion of your mission, when you activate your transponder, the Time Tunnel will locate your time-space coordinates, lock on, and return you to the sphere.”
“The relative perceptions of time between the temponauts and those of us in the complex will be very different. Even though you and Colonel Wise will spend several weeks in 2001, from the perspective of those of us in the complex, you will reappear in the sphere only moments after you disappear into the past,” said Gunther.
“What can you tell me about the actual time travel experience?” asked Kyle.
“No human has ever used the Time Tunnel, so our knowledge is limited,” said Gunther. “What we can tell you is this: first, as we have transported and retrieved animals without apparent ill effects or trauma, we believe the process is safe. We can tell you what we have witnessed as observers, which is that you will experience a humming and an intense vibration. An extremely bright light will precede the actual time displacement. After that point, we don’t know what you will experience. Obviously, we will be very keen to hear your report when you return.”
“Am I assuming correctly that the process of time travel is not entirely risk-free?” asked Kyle.
“That’s a fair assumption,” replied General Craig.
The chief technical officer, John Kaomea stepped in, “We have constructed our version of the gravity engine to the precise specifications used by the Grays. In our tests, the Time Displacement System has performed flawlessly.”
Kyle detected an arrogant tint to John’s response.
“How did you test it?” asked Kyle.
John seemed annoyed at the question, “Because we do not wish to risk interrupting the current timeline in advance of the mission, we have sent both inanimate objects and animals into the future, and then retrieved them. We send them to remote areas of the planet, where the odds of their encountering humans are virtually zero.”
“So, you’ve never tested this by sending anything into the past?” Kyle asked.
“There is no known reason why the process should work differently in the past,” replied John.
“So, that’s a ‘no?’” pressed Kyle.
/> John’s irritation at Kyle’s interrogation began to build, “We’re quite confident of our work. I think it might be best if you focused on your part of the mission.”
“So, that’s a ‘no,’” repeated Kyle.
“You afraid?” snapped Annika.
“I haven’t been afraid of anything for six years, ten months, and ten days, not counting today, Colonel,” replied Kyle, returning Annika’s glare. “My question wasn’t about my personal safety. It was about the odds of a successful mission.”
