"Commander, a new temporal message." Johnston's com link announced.
"Put it through to my private station," she said tersely as she watched Cliff staring at the rough surf out the command post's window.
As far as the Leadership knew, Aashif was missing downline. And it was now apparent to her that he had withheld critical knowledge on current operations. She was struggling to appear informed enough not to raise suspicions.
The message from their agent in the STS HQ was brief, reporting the enemy was attempting to construct a massive EMP array in downline Calgary in hopes to disrupt transits. Also, their asset in the Moonbase was dead.
She was wary after the last intel from this asset prompted her downline twin into the disastrous attack on the enemy's hardened HQ.
Her twin had dismissed the failure, contending it was a feint to allow their agent access to some vital experiment, but even that failed. Johnston felt the loathing from the Leadership just based on shared DNA with the cow.
A shiver ran down her spine just thinking of her.
"What's the status of the nuke strikes?" she demanded of the link.
"All aircraft are ready. The fifty-three warheads and their transfer deployment mechanisms are installed and operational."
"Do we have a target over central Canada, over Calgary?" Johnston asked.
"Negative, Commander."
"What's the closest target?" she asked.
"Chicago, Commander."
"Redirect to Calgary." She hoped that would solve any issues with more EMPs.
"There are two other targets in Canada, three in Mexico and the rest are targeting the major cities, military installations and infrastructure in the continental US," the link reported.
She knew this, but tolerated the report with indifference. "I'll be coordinating the attack from aboard my aircraft. Prepare it for takeoff,"
she said.
"Yes, Commander."
"The strike aircraft will be on station with full support from combat drones in eight hours," she said. "I personally will give the weapons'
deployment order."
"Yes, Commander," the link repeated dryly.
There was a timid knock on her office door.
"Come," she said agitated at the interruption.
Her aide entered and announced that the new cull master had arrived and was waiting to see her.
"Send it in," she said knowing the timing of the cull master's arrival was terrible.
A mountain of a creature just squeezed sideways through the doorway.
"Kharg, cull master," it said sharply. "Leadership mission brief." It held out a pad to Johnston, whom promptly dismissed it. Kharg keyed something into the pad, and then left it on a nearby table.
"You! Come with me," Johnston ordered Kharg. "You, too Mr.
Henrys," she added with quick glance at Lutzger apparently sleeping in his cell as she stormed out of her office, heading to her command aircraft.
Cliff had never been in a combat plane before. Johnston was up front at the main com station and there was a lot of activity in the plane with the crew of seven busy since takeoff. The huge brute took up three seats
next to him with indifference. Cliff knew a killer when sitting next to one, but he was not so sure with this monster. Turning to look out the cabin window, he wondered what made the water so many shades of blue.
Johnston interrupted his daydream. "You clear on your mission?"
she asked.
"Yes, ma'am," he replied looking at the floor of the aircraft.
It seemed simple enough to him: ask around and find out who was snooping around the volcano. See if he could find out where the strange transfer devices came from. If he could not find out, they would return to Martinique, but in 1930 just before the discovery of the TRs.
She was following him downline, only to transit the TRs back with her. He did not like his stranding in Iowa, and this was not even the United States. What would Billy do, if he did not come back? Who could save him?
"I'll find out where the transfer devices came from," he said looking at the wooden museum case.
"Good, we'll be there in a few minutes," she explained. "We'll have to move fast once we touchdown. The island is not secure. Understand?"
"Yes, ma'am," Cliff said looking at Martinique out his window as they made a slow descent onto an overgrown runway.
After the four-person security team established a loose parameter around the aircraft, Johnston, Cliff and Kharg exited the plane.
As Johnston readied the transfer devices just a few meters from the aircraft, Cliff stretched and noticed Kharg inspecting a stunted, hibiscus in flower growing in a crack in the old runway.
"You've got your pack and maps of the area?" Johnston asked.
Cliff nodded.
"I have to throw this device through first to make sure everything is clear for our transfer," she said holding a round metallic orb with several lights flashing around its circumference.
Cliff figured it was some kind of sensor to make sure they did not materialize into an airplane during transfer.
"Commander, if something goes wrong, will Billy be okay?" Cliff asked holding his pack by a single strap.
"Don't worry about Lutzger, he's fine," she said depressing a button on the side of the orb.
"He's not fine; he's sick," Cliff said with conviction knowing Billy had not spoken for days.
Johnston looked over Henrys and shook her head while making the final adjustments on the TRs. "You will complete your mission, or I'll kill Lutzger slowly while you watch," she said. "You understand?"
Cliff dropped his pack at the threat to Lutzger.
"What the fuck are you doing?" Johnston screamed in his face.
One of the security team, used to her outbursts, casually looked them over as the cull master continued examining the hibiscus bloom in detail, unfazed.
Cliff remained frozen as hatred for Johnston filled him.
"You fucking imbecile," she yelled, her face reddening. "Pick up your pack; we have to transfer, now!"
Cliff did not remember the punch. He just saw Johnston stagger back clutching her throat.
The nearest security officer took aim at him with a pulse rifle.
Johnston waved him off. "I'll handle this," she choked hoarsely. She got to her feet and slowly moved closer to Cliff, and once within her long reach, she cuffed him in the side of the head, knocking him to the tarmac.
He tried to get up, but she kicked him with full force in the stomach.
He knew she was toying with him. She let him get to his feet as his head cleared slightly. He realized finding the information on the transfer devices for her was now the only way to help Billy and make amends with this maniac.
She approached him again, but instead of avoiding her blow, he charged her, knocking her down. Entangled, they rolled across the crumbling tarmac. The security team watched, laughing at the spectacle.
Even Kharg now seemed amused.
Cliff head butted her, rolled off to one side, and then scrambled to his feet.
He activated the remote he had picked from her flight suit pocket, scooped up the orb from where it fell, and tossed it through the center of the TRs.
Blood gushed down his face from a cut above his eye. He knew the security detail must have guessed what he was planning as they started to run to Johnston's aid.
Grabbing the pack, he bolted to the transfer devices; he was only a couple of meters away.
Johnston got to her feet to draw her phased pistol, but its holster was empty.
Cliff blindly fired a round with her weapon over his back, narrowly missing the aircraft.
She ran after him. Her hand was only inches from his shoulder when she desperately leapt into the air, only to see him vanish before her eyes.
She fell to the tarmac toppling one of the TRs and dissolving their quantum transfer envelope.
Watching, the cull master chuckled softly.
A low-pressure front with severe thunderstorms forced Johnston's command aircraft well east of the Florida Keys. She sat at her terminal as rain swept past her dark window and repeatedly tried to wipe Henrys'
blood from her face and uniform. She knew more information concerning her precious TRs would have to wait.
"Aircraft strike status," she demanded of the tactical officer.
"Fifty aircraft holding over targets, remaining three on target in less than five minutes," he replied.
"Which ones are late?" she asked.
"Salt Lake, Mexico City and Calgary."
Damn, she cursed to herself remembering the weapon system the enemy was deploying in Calgary. They would have to wait a few more minutes.
The pilot interrupted her thoughts. "ETA to south Florida command is thirty-five minutes."
Then the tactical officer reported, "Nuke deployment scheduled in ten minutes on my mark...mark."
Prime: 25 Oct 2068
Jenny could see the Level-3 operations center was near the controlled level of chaos that meant everyone was doing their jobs at optimum efficiency.
"Anything?" John asked looking at the tactical displays in front of Tye, Higgs, Mikael and Jenny.
"So far it's been fairly quiet," Jenny said.
"The secure com link to the Moonbase went down a few minutes ago," Mikael said. "But the base just reported through normal channels everything is secure, and that the link should be back up soon," he added.
"And a few more local thugs had to be moved out of Calgary in Plus," Tye said.
"The EMP array has been fully deployed," Higgs reported after checking his pad.
Jenny knew he was referring to the real EMP being operational as well. "The disrupted com link with Robert and Master Guns is troubling. I wonder what they are facing up there."
"Moonbase secure com is up," the com officer announced.
"Telemetry is active."
Tye opened a new screen to display the relayed solar readings.
"The targeted spectrum is within the threshold," she said. "Duration is at 30 percent, 35 percent, and now 40 percent."
Jenny leaned over to John. "The recalls have already begun," she said. "Using Robert's last estimate to the EMP detonation threshold, we've only got a few minutes. Fingers crossed."
John said stoically and avoiding her eyes, "Then Colonel—"
"You've got to go," she said knowing where he wanted to be and Prime was not it.
"What about the legend? Who's going to push the button?" she said.
"Higgs, where were you born?" John asked.
"Pittsburg," he replied without taking his eyes off the Prime Calgary monitors.
John turned back to Jenny. "There you go: a scientist from earth can give the order."
"Thanks for everything." He gave her a hug and turned to leave then stopped and faced her.
"And tell Master Guns and Robert they've done a good job. I've already told the rest." He then saluted her smartly.
She nodded and then stood at attention, returning his salute.
"Good-bye John," she said as the doors to the operations center closed behind him.
Jenny was nervous, there was nothing to do now but wait as their plan unfolded.
"We've got an incoming aircraft over Plus Calgary," Mikael said pointing to the radar tactical display. "Ground defense is engaging," he reported.
"Any ID on the aircraft?" Jenny asked.
"It has a VTOL profile and is accompanied by numerous RPAs, probably combat drones," Mikael said.
"I knew this quiet was too good to be true," Jenny said and saw Tye grasp Higgs' hand tightly.
Tye looked at the solar readings. "Ninety-five percent," she announced.
"Timberin reports the drones are attacking the ground air defenses.
They have smoke on the VTOL. It's hit," Mikael said.
"The great flare has crossed threshold," Tye reported. "Five seconds to detonation."
Jenny watched the operations center's clock countdown, and then said to Higgs, "Major, give the order."
Higgs looked around the operations center.
"He's left Rodney," Jenny said calmly. "Give the order."
"Initiating the EPFCG," he said and keyed his authorization code into the solar monitor's display." He looked at Tye. She nodded, and then he tapped the holo screen.
The Prime Calgary display instantly failed as was expected.
Higgs brought up John's data-stream image of a globe displaying the primary poles and global instabilities. The Calgary instability was now enormous, and all its flux lines were bright white as it slowly drifted north across northern Canada towards the terrestrial north pole.
Tye nodded to Jenny.
"Stop all recalls!" Jenny ordered into her com.
Plus: 29 Dec 2075
Johnston stared at her stations display. The Calgary aircraft was under attack and damaged, but still appeared to be operational.
"All weapons' deployment in ninety seconds," the tactical officer announced.
"Proceed and get me through to the Calgary aircraft," she ordered.
"Com is open commander," the copilot finally said.
"What's the aircraft and weapon's status?" she demanded.
"We've depressurized but are still operational; the weapon's deployment mechanism is functional," the captain replied.
"Weapons deployment in five seconds, four, three, two, and one.
Weapons systems deployed, commander," the tactical officer reported.
"Communication with the Calgary aircraft lost," he added.
Johnston sighed and then smiled as she sat back and looked at rain streaking her window in front of the dark Atlantic sky.
"Commander," the pilot said as a lighting flash filled the cabin, "we have reports of transfer malfunctions coming in from all over the globe.
And there are no confirmations of downline nuclear detonations."
The enemy's Calgary EMP array now made sense, and she knew the only possible answer was what the Prophesy called a Sojourn. That meant this universe's transfer devices were now undependable. She had probably deployed the Leadership's last nukes to irradiate the prized hydrocarbon accumulations in central Canada in this universe.
"Whiskey," she said to the head of the security detail.
He passed her a half-empty bottle of vodka as she initiated the aircraft's auto destruct sequence.
"I guess this'll have to do," she muttered and then took several large gulps as the cull master watched.
He smiled as she released her Synth.
Prime: 25 Oct 2068
"The Plus Calgary feed has gone blank," Mikael said with clenched fists.
"Prime Calgary reports?" Jenny asked, knowing there had been Air Force aircraft holding outside the blast zone, and they should be over the city by now.
"Air Force recon indicates minimal physical damage in Calgary and has eyeballs on ground defense. West's forces appear unscathed, and the blast zone north of the city is aerially limited but also absolute," Mikael reported.
"Reports from the Chronos lab indicate all TRs have stopped operating altogether," Higgs added.
"The Sojourn is in place," Tye said with relief.
Higgs slumped on her shoulder as she helped him into a nearby chair.
Jenny knew the detonation order weighed heavily on him. His twin's team at the real EMP were to transit to Minus at the last possible second, but the attack on Prime Calgary put his escape in jeopardy.
Jenny ignored the instantaneous celebration growing around her as she sat in down in a nearby chair. They pulled off what seemed nearly impossible for the last few weeks. They terminated the enemy's access into Prime and all downline fractimes. All they had to do was mop up the remaining traitors in Prime. Of course, they would have to monitor TR
function in case the Sojourn reversed, but Tye did not seem too worried about it. The rest, it seemed, was in hands of the Time Corps.
Part 3: Prophesy
"This is what it is to be human: to strive in the face of the certainty of failure…to persist."
Prime: 30 Oct 2068
Tye's quarters in the Mountain seemed empty without Rodney. He had buried himself in work since the Sojourn, an escape from the fact his Plus twin was MIA. She knew both Higgs' formed a tight bond, a relationship as close as real identical twins.
Her heart ached over his pain as she pressed the small, intricate swirl concealing a secret lock on her dresser drawer and softly sang its multi-syllable access song. As the drawer slowly slid open, an almost imperceptible soft green glow emerged. Tye beheld its contents, the Amhrán. It was a kind of living chainmail that had mysteriously come to the family after the funeral of the Family's first matriarch, Zuinall.
Luinan entrusted Amhrán to her before returning to their fractime.
Tye deceived Higgs and the rest of Chronos into believing the EMP alone had caused the earth's magnetic field to reverse. When, in fact, she had added a precious ringlet from Amhrán to the device to enhance its effect so to achieve the necessary energy level. She felt the emerald hem where she had plucked the ringlet; the minuscule loss weighed on her heavily.
In the '60s, she used another precious ringlet to realize Chronos' first transit from Prime to Minus. Another ringlet would have been critical to Minus' early TR research, but in an unprecedented move after Frank Hudson's death, the president selected Tristan as the Vice President. She knew Tristan was aware that the Optimum did not have the last component to realize TR functionality. He did not trust the Optimum and he ensured technology and information were dealt as slowly as possible, if at all, before the transits stopped. Prior to the Sojourn, Optimum researchers had not yet discovered the critical component was missing.
Holding Amhrán, Tye reflected on the ancient cloak's power. A transit with TRs, unlike Amhrán, cannot defeat an active Sojourn and is bound to the mission clock. But unlike TRs, Amhrán was not
geographically constrained but it would not translate organic matter with inorganic although sometimes nearly instantaneous translations could give the appearance of such mixed travel. She knew the Time Corps employed a different, sophisticated technology rumored originating in the twentieth century in Prime. How the Time Corps discovered this technology is unknown to her and the Family.
Holding Amhrán to her breast, guilt washed over her. She knew her love for both Higgs' had effectively compromised her mission. She had new priorities to consider now the Sojourn was in place. Such freedom was a strange feeling after so many decades and holding Amhrán soothed her as she considered her next move. She knew a recall would soon dictate her departure from Prime; it was inescapable. But before that, Plus Higgs' status had to be determined. She would have to go to Minus to verify his planned last-second escape from Prime Calgary.
Her quarter's door chimed and its monitor showed Colonel Scott waiting. Tye was surprised as Jenny had been in either the Capitol or Langley for the last several weeks. Tye carefully replaced Amhrán and sealed the drawer.
"Colonel, it is good to see you," Tye said opening her door, "and congratulations on the new job."
Tye was unsure of the title afforded to the wife of the Vice President, so she had decided on military rank.
"Hi Tye. Thanks but it's hardly a job, and we'll have to see if being the second Lady has any real privileges," Jenny said giving her a warm embrace.
"I'm worried," Jenny said as she sat down on one of the quarter's bunks. "I know Higgs is miserable. You're miserable. It is affecting productivity and morale."
Tye knew it was nearly impossible to hide anything from her long-time friend and colleague. "I am asking permission to leave," Tye blurted
out. "I must go to Minus to confirm Rodney escaped the blast. I will start with Captain Mackinac."
Jenny studied her face for several seconds. "Permission granted, but how do you plan to get there?"
Tye looked at the dresser holding Amhrán. "There is more I need to tell you." She touched the swirl on the dresser and sang.
Minus: 11 Mar 2068
John stood and stared at the cold stone in a chilly Kentucky winter wind.
He arrived in Minus seven months ago through second-gen TRs. He was welcomed here. His commission was transferred and special considerations given to him as a new citizen. It was amazing the government acted so quickly in providing such low priority considerations such as a driver's license and passport, given World War III had ended only a few years ago. It was obvious the Optimum party was an efficient machine.
John's job was similar to his in Prime, to introduce and explain fractime and Prime's history of transit research. He was restricted to briefing only a few in the highest echelons of the Optimum. In return for TR tech, Prime would receive Minus' faster-than-light technology.
He knew it was a rash decision to leave Prime, and like most of his other life-changing, feeling-based decisions, the one to come to Minus was not at all what he expected. Moreover, seeing his own name on the headstone in front of him was disturbing on all sorts of levels, but not as disturbing as seeing Helen Mackinac's name beside his. She had died in her sleep a few weeks before his arrival. There was no cause determined.
Her daughter, Steph, thought it was simply a broken heart.
Steph and he formed a bond of sorts out of some kind of mutual need. He could not quite get his head around it yet. His daughter in Prime
died at age eight, but Minus Steph was in her late twenties. Nevertheless, he recognized her when they first met. She was married and expecting a child in summer and had her own life, but she still called to check up on him almost every day.
Yet, life in Minus seemed unnatural. He could only hope he would get used to it. There were few alternatives with travel back to Prime blocked by the Sojourn, and he hated the idea of getting involved with any downline TR research. He was glad the Optimum seemed more interested in maintaining their power base than developing and applying TR tech.
He sighed turning to walk back to his small Lexington apartment he had rented to be close to Steph on weekends. The apartment John rented was basic. He had a generous stipend, more than he could spend and more than he wanted to spend. He glanced at the inactive net center. He was tired of all the political turmoil in the news and parallel universes that were not.
He shivered. He just could not seem to get warm despite notching up the heat and the thick, red-checked, flannel shirt he had pulled on after returning from the cemetery. It was almost dinnertime, but he was not hungry and decided again on single malt.
He recalled of Jenny's fondness of Talisker as he found a bottle in the kitchen just as the net center self activated announcing a reminder.
All Prime and Plus personnel stranded in Minus would rendezvous tomorrow. He already decided not to attend.
A knock on the apartment's front door startled him. As he activated the doors security screen, he saw Tye. She was wearing a bright-green cloak, no shoes, no coat.
"Hello Captain," Tye called out, rubbing her hands together against the chill.
"Tye! I can't believe it," he said opening the door and then setting the whiskey bottle on the foyer table next to his apartment's keys. "Of course come in. Come in," he said closing the door behind her.
"It is good to see you," Tye said.
"Yeah," he said sincerely, "same here."
"How are you?" she asked.
He looked away from her to the bottle on the foyer table.
"That good, huh," she said.
"Well, things are working out, sort of," he said taking the whiskey back to the kitchen. "You need some clothes or something? I've got a clean sweat shirt, some track pants and wooly socks," he said digging through a pile of clothes in the small laundry next to the kitchen. "Is that Luinan's transit cloak?"
"It is called Amhrán, kind of a family heirloom. And yes, Luinan wore it when she first met Colonel Scott, and I would love some warm clothes."
John handed her the garments. "These will have to do until tomorrow. Colonel Scott had guessed the cloak was a transit device."
As Tye took the bundle, Amhrán disappeared and John quickly turned around to face the remaining pile of dirty clothes.
"Have you seen Higgs, the Plus Rodney?" Tye asked.
"No. But I've been out of touch a bit," John said being somewhat less than truthful. "Do we know if he made it out in time?" he asked realizing he should have known Plus Higgs' status.
"That is why I'm here."
"You're in luck, there's a meeting of all Prime and Plus personnel in DC tomorrow. Our mission clocks should have allowed everyone who made the recall to attend. Unless he had the old TRs," he said.
"No, the EMP mission used a second-gen, monopole TR set."
"Is everything okay?" He could tell she looked stressed.
"Prime Higgs and I need to find his twin," she said.
The insinuation of a relationship was not lost on John. In fact, it was obvious something between the three was going on prior to his departure from Prime. "Now this is a mission I can complete; we'll go together. I have transport to DC arranged," he lied but knew it would be easy to organize in the morning.
"Thanks, I knew you would be able to help," she said taking a seat at the kitchen table.
"So, tell me how everything went after I left," John said. "The Sojourn obviously is working. How is everyone else? Would you like a drink?"
Tye giggled. "A drink would be great."
"I remember. Soda and a twist?" he said trying to remember where all the ingredients should be and if any glasses were clean.
"Perfect," she said.
John scrubbed a glass from a pile in the sink. He gave a sigh of relieve when the cap to the soda water gave a reassuring hiss as he re-opened the bottle; he rarely used a mixer. He handed the virgin cocktail to Tye, joining her at the kitchen table.
She took a sip then said, "Colonel Scott is fine. Sort of."
John smiled at the jibe.
Tye continued, "The president appointed Tristan Vice President—"
"And Jenny hasn't figured out if that's a good thing yet?" John laughed.
"Exactly," Tye said with a wide grin.
"Dutch and Robert?" John asked.
"Both fine. But Robert was green for a week after they got back from the Moon, and Dutch is working on refining the phased pistol for production for a major military contractor. Mikael has Jenny's old job at Langley."
John rolled his empty glass around its bottom edge on the table.
"No word from Plus, obviously," Tye added.
John knew they were both worried about Carl as well as their plus colleagues and decided to change the subject.
"Any ideas what Prime will do with FTL? Follow Minus' lead?" he asked.
"Future knowledge cannot flow backwards. The Time Accords you know," she replied.
"I was just wondering what if any plans are currently in Prime," he said.
"I do not know," she said. "I have been immersed in designing a monitoring system for the Sojourn; they can be ephemeral by nature."
"And temporary can be subjective, especially for a planetary timescale," John added studying her face.
"It seems stable enough for now," she added.
"Long enough for the Confederation to clean things up upline?" he asked.
"Hard to say. I feel we still don't know the true nature of the enemy,"
Tye said and then finished her soda.
John knew he had too much time to think about the events of the last few months, but as result, something was bothering him. "There's something nagging me," he said, "Carl's return mission to Minus 1902
appears to be a paradox. He only went back because he found the TIA in the first place. But what if he didn't return?"
"Degenerating fractimes exhibit anomalous and unpredictable temporal structures," Tye explained. "They are the direct result of influences from other fractimes therefore technically such a situation is not truly paradoxical."
"I guess that makes some sense," John said. "And Prime is degenerating?" he asked.
"Quite significantly and, in part, certainly because of copious enemy transits not to mention numerous temporal loops including significant anomalies surrounding the TIA. It is the Time Corps mission to repair
such damage. That is why others and I are in this sector; the Family's mission is basically the same as the TC's, but our approach differs."
"And the consequences of such repair work?" John asked.
"There are common events across the fractal sectors that shape the future, not just events in a single fractime shaping its future, but the combined future of all fractimes. This is because at some point in time transits become common between fractimes; their timelines converge.
Their collective present and future are dependent on the shape of their pasts. So, the Time Corps believe it is in the best interest of their future to try to buffer any anomalous events that crop up now and then in individual pasts, especially before significant divergence. They have a large database on which to test various situations and tend to be very pragmatic in their approach."
"I get that," John said. "So, what if Carl didn't return to Pelee?"
"The timeline would have healed, at least partially. The topic is—"
"Under study by loads of sisters." John finished her sentence.
Tye giggled.
John adored her childlike sense of humor but also often compared her to the old, sci-fi character Spock. "So if Carl had not returned to Piquet the TIA would never have been found?" he asked.
"You can not apply logic to such a temporal loop and ultimately, the Time Corps would have had no choice without the Sojourn."
More quantum bizarreness, he thought and then asked, "No choice?"
"Erasure. Complete eradication of Primes continuity," Tye said flatly.
"Seems drastic," John said through an obvious smirk while glancing at the bottle of scotch. "Why not just try again in Minus, why sacrifice Prime when upline still exists." John suddenly had a feeling of epiphany creeping over him, followed by goose bumps. "What are the TC and Family protecting?" he asked.
Tye glanced out the now dark kitchen window.
"It's okay, I can guess. It's the FTL drive. Its discovery in the timeline just as Minus is threatened by war is too coincidental."
Tye was silent and then said, "Let's hope the paradox, so to speak, created by the enemy surrounding the TIA, ironically may turn out to be their undoing."
"The legend has fulfilled his destiny then," John said a bit sarcastically.
"Captain, we all have freewill. The Family is direct by nature and the fact the Queen told you about an ancient legend is far from indirect, thus has significant purpose, I'm sure."
"Even for the benefit of an earthling so far downline?"
Tye raised her eyebrows slightly. "I believe Luinan believes the legend has merit. It surely has bearing on future knowledge that she could not share against the flow of time," she said.
It was getting late and John caught Tye suppressing a yawn. "Time for more talk tomorrow. I'll take the couch. You have the bedroom."
Tye started to protest, but then relaxed as she got up from the kitchen table. "Thanks, Captain."
John smiled and then said, "Get some rest soldier. Let's hope we find Higgs easier than history says it was."
Tye giggled again as she closed the bedroom door behind her.
They arrived at the rendezvous just before noon. They found an e-board that would let them know instantly if anyone searched the listing for them now or wanted contact later.
"Rodney's name is on the list." Tye said excitedly as she sent a notification request.
John was surprised to find only fifty-six extra-Minus personnel listed as making transit to Minus before the Sojourn. Most were from Prime; only a handful was from Plus. In fact, there were many more Optimum security personnel then attendees.
He saw arms waving across the room amid a small, subdued group.
Tye must have seen them, too as she began to rush through the security personnel and attendees. John had barely managed to keep up when they found Higgs.
Tye leapt into his arms for a long embrace.
"Captain, good to see you again." Higgs said obviously straining to take his eyes from Tye.
"Glad you made it out." John said shaking Higgs hand firmly.
"Yeah. It was close. We got news there was an aircraft approaching Plus Calgary from the southeast just as Plus' ground defenses smoked it over the city. It was strange. I saw a brilliant flash just as we made transit."
"Several reports confirmed the flash was coincidental with a burst of radiation, but Prime Calgary received no damage." Tye said.
"Tye how did you get here?" Higgs asked. "You weren't on the list."
"Family secret." she said coyly. "Rodney will be relieved you are well."
"Tye, I have to return to Plus," Higgs said almost pleading. "I have an idea that can boost the warp envelope of Minus' FTL drive by at least 40 percent, and that has obvious consequences to our war. I just need some files from the Mountain's lab. There is also talk of a follow-up to the Bonaventure and scoping engineering has already begun."
"When do you want to leave?" Tye asked.
"Ah, as soon as possible." Higgs said. "But I'll need to stop by Prime as well to pick up a project of Rodney's that I know would be better in Plus than Prime," he whispered.
"You'll have to get undressed," she said with a smirk pointing to a vacant net station's cubicle off the main room.
John followed them and stood guard at the doorway as they undressed. Gazing across the rendezvous attendees, he smiled considering just how close both Higgs' were to Tye.
She interrupted his daydream as she handed him the CDU he gave her that morning. Amhrán reappeared around her just as his face reddened and with a naked Rodney Higgs in hand, Tye mouthed thanks before vanishing.
