Chapter1

 

Now was the time for it to begin, thought Jim Kucic as he sat at the controls of his time machine. It was a perfect ten foot metal sphere with a seat in the middle. It was supported by four metal legs with pads. The controls were in front of him consisting of two long handles and a read-out of how much energy was being applied to the crystals that powered the machine. He had found that the longer power was applied the further in time he would travel pushing both levers forward and likewise going backward by pulling back. He had only a rough idea of how much in time he would go applying power and would have to find out by trail and error. Though the power supply was a powerful battery he had found that he needed relatively little for the crystals to do their magic. In front of him was a porthole that gave a view of his basement laboratory and would also give him an idea of just what lay outside. If all he could see was darkness then he would have to continue or else end up in something solid with disastrous results, though the theory on which the machine worked should ensure that did not happen.

What he was doing was traveling not really in time and space but “tapping” an alternate continuum that allowed him to go to different locations, or realities that paralleled our own. How and why it worked he did not really know, simply that it did. He had discovered the power of the crystals by accident when conducting experiments with the conductivity of different materials. Putting a slight amount of power to a crystal and it disappeared. When the power was turned off, it reappeared but in a different location. The more power the more the displacement. The crystals themselves looked like ordinary quartz, but on closer examination, he saw subtle differences in color and with a curious veining. Further experiment showed that if he wrapped the crystals in something like a cloth, it too would be transported. He began to see exciting possibilities; could it also transport something alive?

Soon after he conducted an experiment with a mouse inside a small cage that had some crystals attached. Everything moved and the mouse was unharmed. He was enthraled with the possibilities travel could be made instantaneous from one location to another without the expenditure of a great deal of energy.

 

“Well, what do we have here?” said Professor Weems looking narrowly at him through wire rim glasses. Weems was in his fifties balding, short and pudgy. This contrasted sharply with Jim who was 25, well built and over six foot, with a full head of brown hair and a face that many women found attractive.

“Just trying some electrical experiments on those crystals that were brought in yesterday.”

“Then what is this creature doing in this lab? We are on a tight budget and don’t have time to waste on frivolity.”

Jim thought, if I tell him what I was really trying to do he’ll think I’m crazy and try to have me discharged from the project.

“I don’t know how it got there–maybe we need to call in an exterminator.”

“Humphh, be more careful the next time,” said Weems as he walked away shaking his head.

Jim was relatively new to the project, having just recently completed his PHD in physics. He hadn’t published anything and still had to prove himself. At the same time he couldn’t afford to take any chances that could discredit him with his colleagues. To suggest any kind of far out “super science” could be professional death.

At the same time he was fascinated with what he had discovered: teleportation none the less. This would make his professional career and even beyond. He thought furiously about his next move.

Then he noticed Weems looking at him holding his hands on his hips. He went back to work conducting conventional experiments with the crystals: weight, size, general conductivity and others.

At the end of the day he decided what to do and pocketed some of the crystals to take home. He realized that this was theft of a sort but the crystals themselves had no real recognized value except as experimental objects and if he was right... He had resolved to conduct additional experiments on his own at his home.

In the hall he came across Joan Latti whom he had been dating. She was petite, and very pretty, with dark hair and eyes. But the thing that interested him the most was her intelligence. He could discuss almost anything with her and she seemed to agree with a lot of his ideas. For a moment he thought about telling her of his discovery but then thought that he might be wrong and did not want to look ridiculous to her.

“Hi Jim, what’s up you look to be in a hurry.”

Jim realized that he was anxious to conduct more experiments and that it must be showing.

“I have something I need to do, Joan.”

She frowned and said: “I thought that we were going out to dinner tonight–have you forgotten?

He had with his discovery on his mind, and answered, “No. But this is really important. I’ll call you later and we can set something up for the weekend.”

“OK,” she said as she walked down the hall, her mouth firm.

Jim hesitated, thinking to go after her and apologize but the though of the crystals made him decide otherwise.

 

An hour later he pulled up to his rented house. It was old, small and had only a few rooms, but a relatively large basement, which he would now find useful. It was also isolated out in the woods and a somewhat long drive from the University, but it was also private and Jim liked being out of the city. The fact that the rent fit his budget also helped.

Immediately he began to set up equipment to conduct his experiments and realized that he would need to invest some money to make it work, to go into some debt, but it would be worth it he thought.

Days later he had everything that he needed and was at work applying different voltages to the crystals and putting them into different containers to see what they would transport. He found that if he applied enough power the crystals would disappear–somewhere. Were they somewhere in time or somewhere else?

Just what was he accomplishing here? Time travel while a fascinating concept seemed to be impossible. The biggest argument against it was the Principle of Causality: that causes preceded results. You could not go back in time and kill someone who is alive today. Another point was that time and space are intermixed: to go back in time would also mean to go back in space. If one were to go back ten years, he would also have to go back to where the earth was at that point in time, millions or billions of miles.

There were the theories of alternative universes that co-existed with our own. These were theoretically possible but unprovable by any known means, unless someone were to enter a Black Hole, where there were massive distortions of light and matter. Had he found a way to prove alternative universes?

But if his experiments just disappeared, how would he ever find out? The obvious answer made him pause. He would have to go himself. The thought was both exciting and disquieting.

 

His professional life was suffering. Weems was increasingly exasperated with him, because he could not get his mind fully focused on the work at the University and Joan had not answered his last call. Just when had that been, he thought.

He realized that he would have to take a leave of absence from the University. But could he get back if he did? Weems would just love to have an excuse to get rid of him. If he lost out there and his experiments did not work out, he career would be finished. But he realized that he would have to see this through regardless of the results.

He had constructed a hollow metal globe ten feet in diameter with a porthole for viewing outside. Inside was a seat with the controls in front of it and the batteries in the base. It had cost a lot of money to construct the globe at a local machine shop. He had gotten curious inquiries about it and had answered that it was for deep sea diving.

He wondered if it was enough. Should he take a supply of food and water, perhaps oxygen? He resolved to take the machine for only a short trip and find out.

The crystals themselves were embedded in the control column. As near as he could figure what was happening is that by applying power to them he was “tuning in” on a separate reality in a manner similar to a radio tuning in on different stations. When he was a kid he had seen an old crystal radio set that worked like a radio. What he had here would allow him to not just listen to something in the ether but to actually travel there.

Now was the time to try it out.

Chapter2

He firmly grabbed the control handles, the smooth metal cool in his hands and pushed them forward slightly. At first nothing seemed to happen, then the view outside the viewport grew blurry and indistinct. He applied power for one minute but the view was still the same. He tried to open the hatch to go outside but it would not open. Evidently he was in some kind of field that held it in stasis.

He felt his hands shaking and began to realize just how tensed up he was. I’m taking a chance here–but I’ve got to find out if this works. It’s too important.

Then he made a decision to reverse the control back for one minute. At the end of the minute the view outside was the same as it was at the start. He tried to open the hatch and this time it opened easily. He let out his breath and wiped his brow. It had worked-- sort of ;he had went somewhere and had returned, but where. If all he could do was what he had done what use would it be.

He thought, if there are alternative universes and I’m able to go to them

Impressum

Verlag: BookRix GmbH & Co. KG

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 10.03.2019
ISBN: 978-3-7438-9933-9

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