Silence was the order of the day as everyone accepted the electronic pads.
“Master Chief,” Virginia said, taking over after Alice had taken her seat, “you will notice that your first fifteen thousand pages are filled with Einstein’s and other noted scientists’ theories on time displacement and its quantum limitations — theoretically speaking, of course. Familiarize yourself with them as much as possible. I’m afraid it’s quite heavy reading. You will learn why as we go along. You will also see the dossiers on several scientists of German background, familiarize yourself with them also. We need your report on the mechanical and scientific feasibility related to these men and their work to compare with my physics department assessment”—she paused and then went all the way in—“in twelve hours.”
“Thrilled,” Jenks said, but his eyes did look to the pad and the headings of several of the entries. He had to admit, he didn’t believe in the theory, but as an engineer, he was intrigued nonetheless.
“Dr. Morales, you will see the main factor in your upcoming research is the Traveler herself, Moira Mendelsohn; she is your target. You and Europa will dig until you have everything you can find on her. We want the number of hairs on her head if you can get it.”
Xavier looked from Director Compton to the young face of a girl in ragged clothing that was now up on the large monitor. She had a sad face and Morales could see that the picture was made by blowing up a section with only her in it.
“If she’s alive, find her. Without this woman this operation is done before we ever start,” Niles said as he pulled a chart out from his stack of papers. He nodded at Virginia to conclude her brief.
“All departments, historical and sciences, will be coordinating with Alice and she will correlate any and all information. Colonel Farbeaux, you are well versed in the German language and have tactical military training, which could become useful. You will be attached to the security department answerable to Commander Ryan and Captain Mendenhall for the duration. You will be included on any field operation if called upon for same,” Virginia said as all the eyes in the room watched the Frenchman. They waited for the witty rebuke that they knew would be forthcoming. There was none, just a raised right brow as he sat silent.
All sixteen department heads nodded their understanding. Virginia looked at Jenks as she sat back down on Niles’s left. The director cleared his throat.
“Professor Ellenshaw, you have been kept as a part of the team for the simple reason you knew about it from Pete Golding, when the operation was first discussed over a year ago during our search for the alien power plant and its theoretical time warp capabilities. Now that we have proof other than the alien aspect”—Niles paused as Anya Korvesky entered the conference room and then sat next to Will Mendenhall—“that was provided by our asset in Israel, you are retained to be the historical expert on this mission. For the time being the Paleolithic aspects concerning the history of Antarctica: animal life, human or subhuman habitation, and its environment. We will get you assistance if and when we have need for more advanced theory on the continent that existed over two hundred and fifty thousand years ago.”
Charlie nodded. “I request a geologist to assist me as we will need a complete geological makeup of the continent at the time in question. May I suggest Lieutenant McIntire and her geology department?”
“Agreed,” Jack said as he looked over at Sarah. She was typing furiously on her electronic pad. “But as we discussed, no one outside of the complex is to be aware of what it is we are researching. Everything is on a need-to-know basis where inquiries are made to outside sources.”
“Oh, yeah, need to know, that’s always a good thing,” Jenks said with a huff.
“Dr. Morales,” Niles said, ignoring the pessimistic master chief as best he could, “we need that report on the Traveler in no less than three hours. Can you give it to us?”
“Europa, have you started collating the data from the file coded ‘Traveler’?”
“Three thousand seven hundred and seventy-two historical references to the personages known as ‘the Traveler.’”
“Thank you, Europa, complete cycle and we will be with you momentarily.” He turned his attention back to Niles and those around him. “We’ll give you what we can in one hour, anything later and we would be redundant as I suspect that Europa will have everything on this woman there is to know — if she’s still alive, that is. Moira Mendelsohn will soon not have a secret to hide, if she has any.”
The conference room went silent as most sets of eyes went to the large main monitor where a lone picture illuminated the room with her black-and-white shades.
The Traveler.
5
Carl Everett collapsed into the large ferns that lined the game trail. The large rabbit he had trapped was lifeless in his hand as he managed a quick peek onto the game trail he had just left. For the past seven days he ate what was left of his rations from the escape pod and had supplemented that with berries and fruits he wasn’t quite sure would poison him or not. He was looking forward to the protein the rabbit would surely give him. His appetite had returned in a most ravenous way after the effects of the over-oxygenated air had subsided to the point that his body slowly became used to the pristine air of an earlier world.
“Come on, where are you?” he asked no one. He examined the game trail but failed to see the large animal he thought he heard a few moments before. He hadn’t seen the beast but he knew it was large enough to send the smaller wildlife scurrying for cover in fright. He placed the rabbit at his feet and covered it with the soft moist earth in case the blood that was on its fur attracted whatever it was that was stalking him. He slowly laid aside the bow and arrows and then withdrew his nine-millimeter Glock from his shoulder holster. He slid the slide back an inch and saw the chambered round. He had four bullets left. He had gone through his entire arsenal in just the first five or six days of this marvelous adventure and he regretted every time he remembered the rookie mistakes in safeguarding his firepower. He had become very efficient with his knife, traps, and his bow and arrows, but soon came to realize just how much he missed his everyday conveniences such as MREs and automatic weapons.
The slow wavelike motion of the earth originated north of him where the skies were black and red. Carl grimaced as the rolling sensation struck and he actually lost his balance as the earthquake shook the area. Mount Erebus was raising her skirt for the third time that day. The great volcano was spewing forth a noxious cloud of methane that seemingly rolled down its slopes and into the dying jungle around the base. The volcano was over a thousand miles away but the effects made it seem just out of view. In the three weeks Carl had been marooned he had calculated that the earth movement occurred far more frequently since the day he had arrived. He knew instinctually that Erebus was close to blowing. The fires caused by the eruptions had burned millions of acres of jungle and were driving the wildlife out of the area.
The earth movement slowed and then dissipated in its snakelike motion toward the east. He lowered his head at the soothing relief he felt when the ground beneath his feet ceased its movement. He knew he felt like all humans did when the only thing you ever trusted in the universe was the earth under your feet. When that was compromised you would lose faith in your abilities to stay alive. He lifted his head just as some very strange ratlike creatures scurried past his feet in flight. He shook his head knowing his clawed adversary was near. He had soon learned that every species of animal alive at this time had either very large teeth or equally large claws — and they used them with great advantage. He was but a puppy in a savage world never meant for mankind.