Chapter 22: Justin Time

I know that guy, Justin Time. I've met him before. I hope I never stop meeting him. Never met him, you say. Sure you have, Time, Justin ... middle name Nickov. Everybody knows him.

"I gotcha," Mother said.

She wasn't alone ... Justin Time was there, too.

Thankfully, neither Mother nor Justin were counting when she made the save. We all got got... 'gotten ... took ... taken?'

When this whole shebang got started, there were just two of us, Simone ... and yours truly.

When Ship decided to clone Simone, there were still two ... I'm fairly certain Ship was only in it for the sex. When she managed to piss off the Powers ... then we were three.

Gil and Barb got stirred in like cream and sugar and we are five. Mother and Justin inadvertently added our little spy (who I still don't have a name for because no one has told me ... yet.)

Now we are six ... five students of anthropology ... and a study subject.

Doc would love to meet her.

The Powers are going to get their original adaptive membership study ... today.

What I didn't understand is why Mother didn't just pop back in time and start over.

So ... I asked.

I made an appointment with the Powers that Be for our group. I wanted all six of us there.

On a Tuesday, nearly a month later, we met in the Accommodations Suite with The Powers. I asked my question ... this is the answer I got.

"We couldn't go back in time to redo the experiment because we couldn't change your future.

"The 'Blanks' have been presented to the Smith. The government has made a Seven Million dollar Grant in the name of your professor to the Anthropology Department at the University.

"Incidentally, the red obsidian blanks have given the Military new insight on the use of obsidian in electronics.

"Steven A. has his Masters by acclamation after presenting 'Stone Blanks in Time and Space' and is working on his dissertation for his Ph. D ... The subject of his research is 'The Ship and it's place.'

"John 'the snakebite kid' has been on Daytime TV talk shows lamenting his abandonment by Ms Berger. Most of his very public rants have specified Ms Bergers' lack of subservience and Ice Queen sexual proclivities..."

Simone looked indignant.

"You four have been the subject of much speculation in all the Media.

"Mr Kirby, the story of your true occupation was sold to The Inquirer, by a confidential secretary in the Agency, for a million dollars. You couldn't go home if you wanted to. All those stolen aircraft..."

'Uh oh!'

"Ms Gil, your husband received a Double Indemnity Insurance payoff ... his present wife is very pleased to spend it."

Gil smiled.

"Ms Belant, the Seals are pissed at you ... reason unspecified."

Barb blushed.

"We couldn't send you back, so we sent you to a primitive planet in an identical solar system. We were not prepared for the violence of the changes. Your own planet had the same changes.

"You, the five of you, can stay here on Mother for the rest of your lives or you can go back to the planet and do your possible to jerk it into civilization. You will have the blessings and help of the Powers that Be for as long as Mother needs for her repairs.

"It's your choice." He concluded, " if you choose to stay, your sixth 'partner' goes back." He actually smiled. "She's been into everything. She has more curiosity than an earth cat and we really do wish you would go back before she destroys Mother. Regardless of your choice, she goes."

Our little spy grinned.

"We don't know if Earth will qualify for SLIP, but her planet definitely does ... in a few thousand years."