Chapter 26

Kessler’s Conference Room at Temporal.

Kessler turned to Kathy, “Get my head of Security...” When Kathy’s frown started, Kessler caught himself before completing the order, then pressed a button on the conference table. When a young woman’s voice answered, he snapped, “Ava, get Hansley in here immediately.”

Kathy, hearing Kessler’s terse instructions to his new assistant, and without thinking, snapped back at him. “No need to bite her head off. A normal tone would have worked just as well, and besides, she sounds like she’s tired.”

“We’re all tired,” Kessler grumped but didn’t comment further, just glared at Kathy. I gave her a taste of being an Op, so I only have myself to blame. If I force her to return to being my assistant/secretary, she’ll make my life hell. I need a good assistant, but I need another good Op more, and from all indications, she is going to be just that.

A few minutes later, Sgt. Hansley walked in, weaponless as usual. Security was a broad term at Temporal. The two officers assigned to the detail did little more than maintain weapons for the Ops and assist Operations. There had never been any need for a real Security force. An occasional fistfight was so rare that it remained the height of gossip for days.

Hansley, who was expecting to be reamed out about challenging Kathy, was, instead, offered coffee or stim before Kessler got down to business. Addressing Hansley, Kessler said, “There have been some extenuating circumstances lately that I will have someone bring you up to speed on the details later, but basically, Kathy, Thad and Mack were fired on by aliens. First off, I want you and Cromwell to be armed at all times — and I do mean all times. And that means both a sidearm as well as a rifle. And if you two haven’t kept up with your weapon proficiency, I want that corrected ASAP. Even if you have kept up with the minimums, some extra practice could very well save your life.”

Hansley gaped at Kessler as if he thought his boss had finally lost his mind, but Kessler continued, “We will need constant monitoring of the time chamber area — our connection to the timeline — both physically and by the main computer system. I need you to set up a means of killing anything unauthorized that enters the area from the timeline. Chances are, if we are breached by these aliens, they will instantly fire on us, so you need to be prepared for that. And, in case you think I’m overreacting to the aliens that attacked Kathy and her group, they fired without warning while using automatic weapons, so keep that foremost in mind as you make your decisions about our defense. Be certain before you fire, of course, but be alert. You are going to need some additional personnel as well, but I will see to that — hopefully.”

Hansley’s look of incredulity increased. “You have twenty-four hours to give me a basic proposal for the defense of the chamber. I suggest using comp to assist in the outline. In the meantime, one of you needs to be in the time lab, armed and with a weapon in hand.”

Kessler pressed the button again, and when Ava answered, he started to snap out his thoughts but changed his mind when he remembered what Kathy had said. “Ava, please get a memo out to all personnel informing them there is a distinct possibility that we will be attacked, probably by aliens — time unknown. Therefore, everyone who is firearms qualified is to wear a sidearm any time they are outside their residence and should otherwise keep one within easy reach. And... those who aren’t weapons qualified are to immediately check in with comp to be scheduled for the necessary training as soon as it can be arranged. This means everyone — no exceptions.

“Also, Ava, please keep track of the acknowledgments and notify me of anyone who doesn’t acknowledge within one hour of the time the order was released.”

Kessler was tempted to call on Kathy to brief his Security personnel, but just as the thought crossed his mind, she stood. She had finally convinced Kessler and Jamison of the danger, and as far as she was concerned, had shifted the responsibility to someone else, but the fatigue she had been holding at bay was now fully upon her, and was clearly visible on her face. “Come on, Mack. I don’t know which one of us is going to fall out of their chair first. I’ll show you where you can sleep, then I’m going to my place, get out of this outfit, take the hottest shower I can stand and sleep for a week.”

Mack, fighting the fatigue that had built up over the trip, nodded absently to Kessler while following Kathy out the door, even as Kessler started explaining to Hansley why security had suddenly become paramount. He was not being blasé about it, either.

After Kessler’s voice was cut off when the door closed behind them, Kathy turned to Mack. “We’ll get you settled in later, but for now, there is a vacant apartment next to mine.”

Kathy led the way down the hall a short way, and as she turned to what appeared to be an elevator, the door snapped open. When they stepped inside, Mack noticed there were no buttons or controls of any kind. “My apartment,” she said casually while putting a supporting hand on the rail that ran along the sides of the elevator.

Without any noticeable sound, the elevator started accelerating sideways, then after a brief interval, went up for a few seconds before stopping. As they stepped out, they met a couple waiting to get on. They both nodded at Mack before greeting Kathy by name. It was apparent they knew who he was. Word gets around fast, Mack thought.

Kathy quickly introduced everyone, and Mack understood. He hadn’t even thought about using a different language, just responded as he normally would, except in the proper language. Without further comment, Kathy started down the hallway with Mack following her.

The carpet here was lush and the hallway wider. Holographs line the walls with scenes of falls, rivers, or mountains, all with startling clarity. Mack tried not to gawk and act like a country cousin come to visit the big city, but it was hard. If Kathy noticed, she didn’t say anything about it. When she stopped in front of a door, it slid open for her. “I’ve already arranged with the central computer for you to stay here,” she said over her shoulder as she stepped inside with Mack only a step behind her. “All we have to do now is to complete the voice, fingerprint and facial recognition.”

“What do I have to do,” Mack asked while looking around for some sort of scanner, but he didn’t see anything that looked like one.

“VOICE RECOGNITION COMPLETE,” the comp said, the sound seeming to surround them. Startled, Mack realized that comp must have listened while Kathy and Mack chatted earlier.

“Hold your hands out, palm forward,” Kathy instructed while raising her hands to demonstrate. Mack did as instructed.

FACIAL AND FINGERPRINT RECOGNITION COMPLETE. NAME ASSOCIATED — MACK TYLER.

“How did it know...” Mack began as Kathy cut him off.

“The central computer, or comp as we refer to it, is a highly intelligent AI. It monitors our speech here at Temporal — among many other things. It heard your name and from the conversations, knew who you were. If you need to use the comp, just say ‘comp’. The computer can see and hear you except in the bathroom. It’s voice only there. If you want me, or anyone else, just tell comp who you want.” Thinking of Thad’s sometimes method of answering to annoy her, she added while feeling her cheeks begin to tingle, “If you’re not dressed just tell comp ‘voice only.’”

“You’ve seen us use the dispenser. They are everywhere at Temporal. Just tell comp what you want. If you need a menu, just ask for one, and it will show you a list of the available foods. If you can’t read the language, just tell the computer, and it will change the list to whatever language you’re speaking. It knows your primary language, and it will probably present the menu in that language unless you stipulate otherwise. There are holos beside each food name, and that should simplify things.” Even as she finished her instructions, she reached up and kissed Mack’s cheek before quietly saying, “Thanks for everything, Mack. I appreciate it more than I can say,” and stepped out the door.

This woman is ... different, Mack thought. First, she entices me, then treats me as if I have the plague, then she’s all business before kissing me again. He absently touched his cheek as he looked around the room. There were three seats, though recliner might have been a more correct term. All three sat in a semicircle facing a wall. There is no sign of a TV or holo or whatever it is they use, Mack thought. No telling what these people use for entertainment.

After entering the other room, he put his clothes where Kathy had instructed and saw something he faintly recognized as a bed. Shrugging, he went into the bathroom, only to make a complete fool of himself. After instructions by comp, he showered — or something. He wasn’t quite sure what the little alcove did, but feeling clean, he sat on the bed. He hadn’t been truly clean in so long that he had almost forgotten how it felt, but he was more than ready for sleep. Stretching out nude on the bed felt great as he pulled the light cover over him. Fatigue did the rest.

Mack came awake to the comp. “KATHY IS ASKING FOR ENTRANCE TO YOUR QUARTERS,” it said, shattering Mack’s dreams.

Mack tried to force his sluggish mind into gear. I haven’t slept that deeply in months. No swirling colors, no worrying about where my next meal will come from, or whether the cat will break down the bars during the night. But ... his mouth tasted like something evil had slept in it.

“How do I tell her to come in and wait in the other room until I’m dressed,” he subvocalized.

“KATHY HAS BEEN SO INSTRUCTED.”

I’m going to have to watch that, he thought to himself. That thing hears far too well.

A few minutes later, he walked into the living room, as he had decided to call it, still wearing his old clothes. They were threadbare and somewhat ragged but now they were at least clean. He assumed the computer had somehow taken care of that while he slept. He didn’t know how long he had been out, but he was sure he would like a few more hours of that deep sleep.

He smiled at Kathy, who was sitting and looking up at him. “Uh, would you like a cup of coffee or stim?” he asked while trying to play the host.

Her smile broadened as she said, “Stim, please.”

“Comp. Two cups of stim, please,” he told the room, feeling like an idiot.

Almost instantly, there were two cups of the beverage in the dispenser, and Kathy turned to him. “You have the choice of having comp make it for you or brewing it yourself, but for our time trips we use packets of pre-brewed, as you know,” she said as she motioned to a second dispenser not far from the first one, although it was designed differently. “If I’m in a hurry, I use comp, but if I have time, I like to brew it myself.”

Mack quickly said, “If you had rather...”

Kathy chuckled. “I haven’t had my first cup this morning, and I’m more than ready for it. Maybe we’ll try the other method on the second cup,” she finished with a smile.

It’s going to take a while to get used to this place. So much is taken for granted. He supposed the twenty-third-century was the same way, though. I can see that I’m probably going to make an idiot out of myself on a regular basis.