The Temporal Key

by Adam Benson

  “Git off my land!” Mack yelled out into the night! “Ya’ hear me? Git gone and stay gone!”

  Nocta’s gun. Dayk told her after he jumped at Mack’s voice. Low intensity, directly into some dried grass. Shouldn’t be difficult.

  Mack shut the truck door with a purposed slam. “I don’t want you here! Go away!” At last he backed his way back up onto his porch. He made a quick peep inside and grabbed his lantern and then came immediately back out to his porch. He sat down in a rocking chair that sat to the far side of the door and lit up a match and put it to the wick of the lantern. From there he watched out into the night with the shotgun draped across his lap. He was too spooked to go back to bed.

  Unless you have a better idea to get him to quit staring right at us with a light on. Dayk asked.

  Thalia thought, trying to come up with some other form of distraction for the primitive man. All of them seemed to involve either a short-lived noise in the distance, or some overly complicated contraption. Without many assets at their disposal there wasn’t a whole lot they could do. There was no way that one of them could operate the truck while the other created a distraction elsewhere, they both had to be there to steal it. The distraction would have to be something that they could leave behind, and that would occupy the man for some period of time. There was nothing else. Dayk was right. A fire. She thought at last. I can’t believe we’re about to light a fire to steal a vehicle.

  Not what you were expecting on your first mission? Come on. Back the way we came. Dayk said, and they both started heading off back around behind the barn. They crept painfully slowly as Mack watched on. As soon as they were behind the truck, they quietly picked up their pace, and then slowed again when they had to trudge past the area between the truck and the barn. Passing the barn, they took off at the best speed they could make and wandered off some distance into the desert.

  About fifty meters out, behind Mack’s house Dayk came across a patch of desert that was surrounded by a large bed of red stone. In the rough center of the area a five-square meter patch of dried grass sat waiting for their arson. This should do the trick. He thought as they came upon it. He looked back toward the ranch house, and saw the man still sitting in the chair on the other side of the structure. He disengaged his cloaking device and opened his palm to scan the area a little better.

  Thalia reappeared next to him and pulled the archiver off of her belt. She found the gun stored in the database and started to rematerialize it. The bright blue flash of the archiver lit up the desert and made her feel exposed in the darkness. He’s not coming this way, is he? She asked as the gun began to take shape before her.

  No. You’re clear. He replied.

  I feel like this thing is lighting up the desert. She said. If he doesn’t see this, then what makes you think he’ll see the fire?

  We might have to tell him about it. Dayk said.

  What do you mean? She asked. Dayk didn’t reply. He stood there watching Mack, waiting to see if he noticed anything going on behind the house.

  The blue beam went dark as the pistol finished rematerializing. It lay on the ground in front of Thalia. She picked it up and handed it to Dayk as she clipped the archiver back onto her belt. Here you go. She said.

  Dayk quickly adjusted the weapon and then fired it directly into the dried grass. As expected, a small fire caught hold and started burning in front of them. He turned back around and looked off toward the rancher. Mack continued to sit there watching the opposite direction. Slowly the fire started to grow, but it was still weak and unimpressive. Dayk fired two more shots into opposite sides of the patch of grass, and the fire started to spread, and yet, the man still failed to notice the growing flames.

  There’s not enough out here to reflect the light. Thalia said.

  The vehicle and barn should catch some of it.

  He’s not seeing it. Thalia complained.

  Watch this.

  Mack kept scouring the area around the truck looking for any sign of movement. The horses were starting to make some noise in the barn and everything around him felt tense and uncomfortable. His foot twitched constantly as he clenched his shotgun tight and looked out into the night. Suddenly, one of the horses started to kick in the barn again, and Mack’s attention was locked onto them. There was a faint flickering glow that seemed to be warming the side of the barn. At first, he thought the light was coming from his lantern, but then he heard something that terrified him, and the light source no longer mattered to him.

  From behind the house a cry rang out across the desert. It was directed and purposeful, like speech, and it had nuances of a soft human voice, but it was different. It was eerily familiar, and yet unlike anything he had ever heard.

  What are you doing!? Thalia scolded as Dayk yelled out “Hello” in his native language.

  I’m getting his attention. He replied.

  Mack jumped out of his seat and flew off of his porch. Once he was on the ground the light from the fire was more obviously glowing on the side of his barn, and he could see little sparks flying up into the sky behind his house. Every hair on his body stood on end and his hands shook against all his control. “What in the hell was that?” He said to himself and he looked back toward the other side of his house. “What the hell was that?” He yelled out.

  I think he’s paying attention now. Dayk said. He’s coming this way, let’s take the long way around to the other side. And without hesitation they both took off running through the desert toward the other side of the house, and around toward the truck.

  A terrified Mack Brazel crept around the back of his house as the light from the fire started to sink in with him. As soon as he passed the corner of his house, he saw the blaze some distance away from his house and the whole situation suddenly hit him like a ton of bricks. “Oh no, oh no! OH NO!!” He yelled. Immediately he started running out toward the flames. He went a short way and then stopped in his tracks. “My bucket!” He cried.

  Mack ran back to the house and grabbed the water bucket off of the porch. The well was just off on the other side of the barn. “Oh no! Oh no! Oh no!!” He cried out again. “Damnit!” He quickly tied the bucket off and threw it down into the well. He pulled up the water as fast as he could, untied the handle and started running out into the desert toward the fire.

  Well, it’s working! Thalia said as they made it around to the other side of the house. The horses were making a terrible ruckus, and they could see Mack running off behind the house with his bucket of water. Poor guy.

  He’ll be fine. And it will be the last he sees of us! Dayk said as they got back to the truck. Let’s do this.

  Thalia opened the door, paying far less attention to the noise she was making, and crawled up inside the ancient vehicle and got her bearings. Dayk stayed below while she looked over the primitive controls. It should work just like I said. She said. Come on. Get in. I’m going to need you to operate those pedals.

  I’m on it, Dayk said as he climbed up into the floorboard of the old truck.

  Outside, Thalia could see a visible drop in the light from the fire. It still raged on behind the house, but it was obvious that Mack had dumped his first bucket of water. She could see his red avatar running awkwardly through the dark back toward the well. He’s back at the well. She told him as he came into view and stopped at the well to get his next bucket of water. She looked right at him as he frantically tied off the bucket and threw it back into the well. If he turned around he could look right at her, but he was too preoccupied by the fire.

  As Mack started pulling the bucket back up, Dayk suddenly slammed the door shut behind him. Alright, I’m in. He said.

  Thalia watched as Mack turned around to look at the truck. He gazed on confused for a moment until a moment of realization seemed to come over him. He dropped his bucket and started searching around for where he left his shotgun. “Damnit! No!” She heard him call out as he searched around the desert. He kept looking back up at the fire every time he rea
lized that it was the firelight that was helping him find the gun, and so his attention seemed torn between the fire and the truck.

  He’s on to us. Thalia said. Let’s do this! With that she turned the ignition and the truck lurched forward and threw them both forward and slammed them into the front of it. The engine revved up in the failed start and the sound of it echoed out through the desert.

  What was that!? Dayk exclaimed as he held his bashed head in pain from getting throttled forward.

  Sorry. Thalia said. The drive train must be engaged. Press the flywheel controller.

  Dayk grudgingly fobbed off his injuries and pushed in the clutch. Thalia turned the ignition again and the truck cranked to life. The engine rumbled out into the desert, just as Mack came back around the corner with his shotgun.

  BOOM! THACK! The shotgun blast rang out and tore loudly through the thin metal of the truck bed. “Damnit! Git outta ma’ truck!” Mack yelled, running toward them in his long underwear with his shotgun aimed. BOOM! THACK! Another round tore into the side of the truck!

  Dhregh! He’s going to kill us! Thalia yelled.

  Mack continued forward, but then his attention was turned back around to the fire that had once again begun to spread. Failing at triage, he dropped the gun and ran back to the well, pulling the bucket back up out of the well. “Don’t steal m’ truck!” He yelled out. With the bucket up and untied, he ran back out toward the fire yelling about his truck and cussing up a storm as he went.

  Disengage the flywheel and increase fuel mixture on my mark. Thalia said.

  Ready. Dayk replied.

  Now! Dayk let off the clutch and slammed down the gas. The truck lurched forward toward the house, peeling out and throwing gravel everywhere. Thalia turned the wheel as hard as she could and the truck smashed through scrub brush and desert, barely missing the side of the ranch house. The horses began to panic, throwing up dust and noise all through the area, while Mack frantically tried to return from throwing water on the fire to retrieve his shotgun!

  Can you steady up the ride? Dayk complained as he bounced around the floorboard, trying to stabilize the gas pedal and get a feel for how much to give it.

  Sorry! Thalia said as she struggled to gain control of the old truck. Watch out! She thought just as they bounced through a roadside ditch.

  “Damnit!” She heard Mack yell behind them.

  BOOM! Another shotgun blast rang out into the night. BOOM! THACK! The passenger side window exploded into a cloud of sharp shrapnel!

  That’s not good! Dayk yelled, unable to see what was going on as he was thrashed around the floorboard.

  I need more power! Thalia said.

  Dayk slammed down on the accelerator and the engine screamed, but their speed stayed roughly the same. Try the transmission! Dayk said.

  Engage the flywheel! Thalia ordered. Dayk pushed the pedal while Thalia pulled the truck into the next gear. In an instant, the speed of the truck increased just as the back window blew out from the last shotgun blast! “Ahh!” Thalia screamed aloud as she started to gain control of the truck, swerving at first, but finally righting the large vehicle and driving it straight down the dark dirt road!

  “Damnit!” Mack yelled as he stopped chasing the truck. “Don’t take my truck!” He called out desperately. He watched as it bumbled along down the dirt road out of his reach. His truck was gone. Feeling wrenched and exhausted, his attention was quickly pulled back to the fire that burned just behind his house. Mack ran back to the well and dropped the bucked back into the water.

  Hey Dayk. Thalia thought as she steered the truck down the road.

  What, Thalia? Dayk asked her quietly in his mind.

  We stole a vehicle. Is that a first for time travel? She asked.

  Yeah, I believe it is. The first vehicle stolen by time travelers.

  Naomi Saulf

  Captain Naomi Saulf was a short, driven woman with natural bleach blonde hair and a penchant for anatomy and physiology. She was young but had moved up quickly in the Army. She had become a nurse during the war, and afterwards she was quickly recognized for her biological talents. Her brilliance and abilities scared many of her male counterparts, and they showed it by degrading her and trying to make her feel less than she was. Other men, men who mattered, saw the spark within her and recognized her brilliance for what it was and helped her to advance. However men perceived or treated her, she was very secure in her skin and knew what she was. She was a strong and optimistic woman whose talents and abilities shone through in every aspect of her work.

  It was more than just her good looks and charm that got Captain Saulf noticed by her superior officers. Naomi was smart; very smart. When she was in high school, she wanted nothing more than to be a scientist. From the time she was very young she had taken a keen interest in biology. She loved animals and was absolutely fascinated by all living things. Her interest in animals went far beyond that of most of her peers. They all “loved animals” and had images of ponies or puppies embroidered on their skirts, or as paintings hanging on their walls, but Naomi really loved animals. She wanted to know everything there was to know about all of them. So much so that she could occasionally be found closely examining a recently dead dog, killed by a car, or a deer carcass, being cleaned by a hunter. She took any class she could that would give her the chance to dissect a frog, or a fetal pig. Any class that had a human skeleton hanging in it, or a gerbil running in a wheel in its cage, Naomi could be found there. Inside and out, Naomi was mesmerized by animals.

  When she graduated high school, she was quickly accepted in the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania. It was the first medical colleges for women in the world, and it was more than an honor for Naomi. Having grown up in Pennsylvania, she had heard of the College early on in her life. As she got older, and her interests became more defined, she had decided that medicine might be the best direction for her to go. The war in Europe had been going strong, and there were growing hints that America might get dragged into the war as well. They would need nurses.

  Sure enough, the following year America was drawn into the war with Germany and the Axis powers. At the end of her sixth semester at the Woman's Medical College of Pennsylvania she decided to enlist in the Army and join the war effort.

  During the war Naomi proved herself to be more than just a nurse. Her expertise and passionate knowledge about the inner workings of the body far surpassed many of the field medics that she worked subordinate to. Her understanding of biology saved many men and got Naomi Saulf noticed by some of the top brass in her division. Whenever anyone approached her it didn't take long for them to discover that, then Lieutenant Saulf, had an ardent knowledge of biology and an enthusiastic interest in science. She was educated, and eager to learn more. When the war was over, once again she wanted to be a scientist.

  And then an opportunity arose.

  During the war, as many German scientists defected to the United States, they brought with them details and terrible stories of Germany's experiments in chemical and biological weapons. The U.S. was far behind anything that Germans were developing at the time. After all, Germany had been the world's leader in science for over a hundred years. Many of the oldest Universities in the world belonged to Germany. Germany's scientists were the cream of the crop, the best in the world, and many of their scientists had access to a horrific collection of lab specimens; terrified humans ripped from their homes and sent into death camps, or worse, the Nazi biologic weapons lab on Riems Island. Many scientists fled Germany to avoid being forced into such monstrous circumstances.

  The United States had no intention of being caught with its pants down in the face of terrifying new weapons. As the German Scientists became employed by and began to share secrets with the American Government, scouts were sent out to find American men and women who would be extremely valuable to the war effort back home at the White Sands in New Mexico. Lieutenant Naomi Saulf was approached by someone she had never seen before, who had been told of h
er talents, and subsequently presented her with a position that included a jump in rank, and an opportunity to put her knowledge of biology to good use. She accepted eagerly and was whisked away back to the U.S. to serve the remainder of her commission at Alamogordo.

  Naomi lived and worked at Alamogordo for almost five years. She was there when they tested the Atomic Bomb, although she wasn't allowed to be there for the actual test itself. She had done exceptionally well there. She got along well with most of her colleagues, although a few still held very old-world attitudes about women in the work place. Her job gave her the chance to do something that she loved doing and still serve her country for the greater good. It felt good, and she loved her life, even if it was in the middle of a sweltering desert.

  After one particularly long and slightly chaotic day at the laboratory, where she worked as an assistant to Dr. Roscoe Burnham in the biological weapons research lab, Captain Naomi Saulf had just sat down to eat her dinner when she got a knock at the door. "Who calls this late?" She asked herself as she got up to get the door. She was dressed down for the night, wearing little more than a night gown and a house coat. She opened the door and peaked out. “Hello?”

  “Captain Saulf,” said a young man in uniform at her front door. “I’m P.F.C. Fillmore from Colonel Turner’s office.”

  “Yes, what can I do for you tonight?” She asked.

  “Ma’am, I have orders to bring you in for a priority one meeting with Colonel Turner.”

  “Right now?” She asked rhetorically. This was the military, of course it was right now. “Hold on. Let me get dressed.” She closed the door and went back inside.

  Before she knew it, she was in the back of a Jeep being chauffeured back to headquarters after an already long day. The Private drove quickly, clearly eager to get back with his charter. He stopped the truck just short of the front entrance and then quickly led her up into the building. “This way ma’am.” She was filed down a long hall and then directed into an open office.