The Unofficial Biography of Kimmay

by G. L. Hudson

Book 5: The Beginning

 

"The past is but the beginning of the beginning, and all that is and has been is but the twilight of the dawn . . . A day will come when beings who are now latent in our thoughts and hidden in our loins shall stand upon this earth as one stands upon a footstool, and shall laugh and reach out their hands amid the stars." – H. G. Wells

 

 

CHAPTER ONE

March 2080 - Then

 

Kimmay sat silently for over a minute. She starred at her hands as she entwined her fingers through each other. Finally she looked up at her visitors, "So what do we do now?"

The air around them started to shimmer and turn a light shade of blue. "You have loose ends to tie up Kimmay, and we still have much to discuss. First we shall visit the Keeper."

The air was becoming blue and forming a distinct sphere around them. "How does the Keeper fit into all of this?"

"First you will close your loop with them. It is called a Möbius loop. They will guide you the final distance. They will hand you the key, and you will use it for your own purposes."

"A wand?"

"An orphan, but it will serve you well."

"Do they know this?"

"No, Kimmay. They will not have full understanding of what we are about to do. But they will serve their role adequately."

The sphere was turning a dark royal blue and gradually it shifted to a very dark indigo blue. The color became so intense and dark that the three of them disappeared inside the sphere. Then the sphere disappeared.

 

As the sphere solidified around the three of them, Kimmay faced the woman and asked, "How may I address you?"

"I am Chunni and my husband is Jean."

"And we are going to see the Keeper?"

"Yes," Jean answered, "with a quick stop to pick up something rather valuable."

"What?"

"Your wand. It is at your home, is it not?"

"Yes, I had almost forgotten that I didn't have it. How is it that I was still able to change time, but I didn't have my wand with me? Telepathy?"

"It's all in the technology, Kimmay. The wand and its cybernetic mechanism are able to overcome space and time," Chunni explained.

"Where did this technology come from?" Kimmay asked.

"From us. Our children and their children. Humans will develop the technology to build and grow the wands."

The three of them arrived at Kimmay's home. Standing in the middle of her living room Kimmay asked incredulously, "The wands are grown?"

Jean and Chunni smiled at one another. "Perhaps now is as good as any time to explain a few things to Kimmay," Jean suggested.

"May we sit?" Chunni inquired.

"Yes, yes. Can I get you anything?"

"Not right now," Chunni answered. "There are a few things that we can disclose to you, and perhaps they will explain things a bit better. The most important items are our wands. They are the most advanced pieces of technology in the universe. They will be developed by humans, but with some extraordinary events interceding."

"Their abilities depend not only on their technology, but their knowledge. That knowledge must supersede anything that a potential adversary might know. To do that, we must have access to knowledge without regard to space or time. For that to be possible, our wands exist in a time loop that eliminates the time necessary to locate information. In other words, we have instantaneous access to all of our knowledge."

"That knowledge is continuously collected by the entire human race. Our children will travel the universe in search of knowledge, which in turn we will feed into our "library".

"What do you mean by a time loop?" Kimmay asked.

"It's called a Möbius loop," Jean began. "They are extremely complex and difficult to fully understand. They are loops without beginning or end, where cause and effect have no bearing on one another. Obvious impossibilities can be created and then ignored with the use of a Möbius loop. On a quantum scale, they are a real energy-time particle with enormous energy content, but almost no mass. The only mass they have is not inherent in their physical embodiment, but rather it is the result of such enormous energy existing in such a tightly vibrating wave. The wave literally phases between weakly interacting mass particles and weakly interacting energy photons."

"But a WIMP is incapable of …" Kimmay began before Chunni shushed her.

"Don't try to understand the physics behind the loops," Chunni said. "Rather, understand that you are the most unique entity in the universe."

Jean smiled. "You are the product of more Möbius loops than anyone in existence – past and future."

"Me? Huh?"

"Kimmay," Jean began, "how did you move the photo of the Earth's destruction back in time to Tiffany? You didn't even know about the future, and you changed it before you could know."

"And how did you know to get help from the Keeper? You contacted them after you should have been destroyed."

"And even more interesting is our special case. You will give us our wands which will allow us to move back in time to this point to meet you. But we've already contacted you and you haven't given us our wands yet. How can that be?"

"I don't know," Kimmay quietly whispered.

"There are times when cause and effect must be suspended. Möbius loops allow that," Chunni explained.

"So you can create these loops and control the flow of reality throughout the universe?" Kimmay half explained and half enquired.

"Ahhh, that is one of our truly great accomplishments. They act as anchors in time and space and they give us a great advantage. But their actual mechanism and physics is extremely sophisticated and complicated."

Kimmay slid down in her chair. "You're right; I don't have a clue as to how this is possible. And I have often wondered how certain things happened. I mean the Keeper especially."

"Möbius loop, Kimmay. And we will have to acquiesce to that loop shortly. But in the meantime, know that our wands also exist in a Möbius loop, and that is what gives them their tremendous knowledge and power. That loop passes knowledge instantly from far distant futures back to the creation of the wand. The initial wand was created with the full technological advancements of the final wands. Only a loop would allow that to happen."

"But like Chunni said, they also act as an anchor in time. That is why certain things, certain events, must unfold when they do. If they are delayed – if they could even be delayed – they would affect the loop. That just can't be allowed to happen. If someday we chance upon an adversary that can control time as we do, they could theoretically travel backwards in time and prevent our ascendancy. These loops act as anchors and make that very difficult. Some of these loops, and one in particular, are so massive and so energetic that they essentially make Earth the center of the universe. They are that important."

"So I must go see the Keeper now," Kimmay surmised.

"Very soon," Jean said. "But as you have noticed, we can control time. We will not miss our designated appointment. And you have another question I think?"

Kimmay had lost track of her thoughts. "I do?"

"I'll help," Chunni said. "Jean, please explain the relationship between wand and Magician."

"Certainly, my love." Jean addressed his answer to his wife, knowing full well that she already knew everything. "First you must understand that the wand actually lives. While it is not flesh and bones, it lives and grows and it bonds with its human partner. Together they are more powerful than either separately."

"How do they bond?" Chunni asked as if reading from a script.

"They bond at birth. By the time the first wands become available, we will be able to identify the very special traits that are required to turn an ordinary human into a Magician. At birth, DNA will be shared between the baby and the wand. They will mature separately, sometimes taking years and other times taking decades. But they will eventually re-unite and form a First Magician."

"What is a First Magician?" Chunni asked dutifully. Kimmay watched and listened as the two Magicians ran through their script.

"A First Magician is a pair of human and wand that share natal DNA. There is only one combination more powerful than a First Magician, and that is a paired couple. A married couple of First Magicians brings their combined abilities to the pinnacle of the system. But both individuals must be equal. If one individual dominates over another submissive individual, the stronger will prevail and no synergy is possible."

Kimmay's lights lit up. "So that is the purpose of the Matriarchy! Both male and female must be equal to achieve the highest potential of the Magicians."

"It is the Eleventh Prophecy that you speak of," Chunni said. "But know this, the couple need not be heterosexual. They must only be equal."

"And have the required innate abilities," Jean added. Chunni shook her head in affirmation.

"But I am not married," Kimmay observed. "And I never gave blood or DNA. At least I don't think I did."

"That is correct. There are other levels for Magicians, although these levels are very rare. In fact, the three of us will be the only exceptions. Without the sharing of DNA, a married couple is one degree removed from Magician. That would be us," Chunni explained. "And without being married or having a partner, you Kimmay are two degrees removed. It makes a large difference in abilities."

"But the wands can still serve us without a DNA bonding?" Kimmay asked.

"First realize that our wands do not serve us. That implies a hierarchal structure to the relationship. All entities are equal," Jean said.

"But even without bonding, an orphaned wand – that is what yours is called – still has useful abilities," Chunni added.

"Like controlling time," Kimmay said with a smile.

"And no small accomplishment that is," Jean said. "In fact, your ability to control the time in limited spatial coordinates is far more sophisticated than time travel. You were granted a very special talent."

Chunni and Jean both smiled and nodded. "You now have a basic understanding of our relationship. And you should know that you will be the one who introduces us to our wands. In a short while you will once again close our loop. You know of course where our wands are?"

"Yes, it is obvious now," Kimmay said with a smile.

"We should probably go reaffirm your Keeper loop," Chunni announced as she stood.

"Before we go, can I ask for a favor?"

"Maybe, what is it you seek, Kimmay?"

"This tag in my cheek will probably kill me …"

"Yes it will," Jean said. "It is part of your time-line and it must be allowed to proceed. Its purpose must still unfold."

"But what about Traci? Can you remove her tag? Can you spare her?"

The two first-degree magicians looked at each for just a few seconds. "Yes Kimmay, it can be done. Shall we go?"

 

CHAPTER TWO

May 2217 - 5 years before

 

Friday the second was the worst day of Jean DeLonge's life. Tears welled in his eyes as he looked through the blur towards his advisor and mentor.

"I warned you that this might happen," the woman said.

"I know you did," Jean sniffed. "But I thought I had such a strong argument. The math was foolproof – I thought."

"Your math was excellent. The logic was impeccable. You were well prepared and you did a superb job defending your thesis. Unfortunately …"

"Yea, unfortunately I asked them to step out of the dark ages and open their eyes," Jean said bitterly. He pushed himself out of his chair and began walking towards the door.

"Where are you going?"

"To work. It doesn't look like I'll be gainfully employed in the world of physics, so I better hang on to my weekend job."

 

Jean absent-mindedly walked to his flat on the edge of campus. His was a beat-up dump that barely passed the local building code. Jean was sure that the landlord paid off the local inspectors to keep the heap open. In spite of the peeling paint and shabby furniture, Jean had made the dump into a comfortable home.

Jean had been in this flat for 3 years as he worked on his doctorate in the exotic field of multi-dimensional physics. It was primarily a theoretical field, with little opportunity to prove theories through experimentation and observation. Mathematics was about the only tool available to the practitioners of this folly, and Jean was very good with mathematics.

He wandered into the kitchen and fumbled through the refrigerator. A liter of milk and some Swiss cheese found their way to his crumb covered counter. Jean opened his bread box and took out a half loaf of stale French bread. He made a sandwich, poured a glass of milk and dropped his heartache into a chair at the table.

Jean munched on the sandwich and stared out the window.

"How can you simply drop all the other dimensions as negligible?"

"Because we are dealing with a one dimensional phenomenon. Look here … at this equation. It sets boundary conditions for a Kimmay vector."

"For an eleven-dimensional Kimmay vector," his antagonist corrected.

"But that's just the point! Inside time, all physical dimensions can be patterned with a simple geometric n-brane. They are negligible. The answer has to be one-dimensional!" he shouted.

Jean took another bite of the stale bread and washed it down with the milk. "Maybe I shouldn't have gotten so loud," he thought to himself. "Maybe I alienated them with my presentation and attitude. I admit it, I'm stubborn and brash at times. Mom said I was bull-headed."

Jean stared at the floor as the conversation replayed through his mind. "Ok, Ok. If you are going to insist that the phenomenon is one-dimensional – if it could even exist in the first place and that is a huge consideration – you are stuck with an open-ended solution. Right there, right there it shows two ends; a positive and a negative in your solution."

"Yes, and that is fine. But you can take another step, another interaction with a common WIMP and you can interact all three points into linearity. You get a loop and a meta-graviton. WIMPs are so common that finding one for this interaction is highly plausible."

"WIMPs may be as common as pigeons, but there is no such thing as a meta-graviton!"

"Don't you mean we have never found a meta-graviton?"

"Do not mock me boy! When you bring me a meta-graviton I might – I might – reconsider this three point linearity contraption."

And Jean's advisor sat there and said nothing. OK, maybe she wasn't allowed to say anything in defense of the thesis, but she could have at least told Bishop to back off a little. Maybe tell him to open his mind just a millimeter.

Jean blinked a few times and a small tear squeezed out of one eye.

"What am I going to do now? What am I going to do for the rest of my life? Be a cheap warm-up act in a different cabaret every night? Travel the show circuit with a bunch of has-been female impersonators and never-will-be's?"

Jean washed his glass out in the sink and moved into his second bedroom. He opened his closet and looked at the large collection of dresses and shoes. "I guess it could be worse. I make money and feed myself," he muttered dejectedly. He flipped through the dresses until he found what he wanted: something to fit his mood. "Tonight I will be Grace Bingham, the world's most famous goth entertainer. I can sing a few g-minor tunes and act gloomy and suicidal. Yeah, I can do that. I can even put some real feeling into her suicide jokes."

Jean moved around the room, collecting underwear, gaffes, jewelry and the music for his Bingham routine. He laid out his traveling valet and stuffed in his costumes and make-up and future life. Before he zipped up the bag he picked up one of his breast forms and caressed it as he stared into the mirror.

"There is no precedent in any of the literature for such an impossible interaction."

"But Kimmay indicated that it could be done. She even spoke about it in her final days."

"Grief-induced hallucinations. She offered no proof for such an atrocious possibility. There is nothing in her equations that can even lead you to this concept. You had to re-define boundary conditions in terms that I have never seen used before. Can anyone here offer references that support this young – person's theory?" It was obvious that the judge was casting aspersions on Jean's appearance.

It was time for Jean's standing appointment. He gathered up his valet and other items and headed towards the door. Something seemed different to Jean, something was missing. Then it dawned on him. Of course something was missing; his usual notes and files. There was no more studying to do. He had flunked his final exam. He had washed out and ended his dream of working on his passion.

Although it was of only small consolation, Jean said to his empty apartment, "At least I have one other passion in life – although it will never replace my preferred ambition." He locked the door and headed towards the beauty salon.

 

The bell on the door jingled as Jean walked in. "Hello Jean. As usual you're right on time."

Imelda had a cheerful voice and a bounce in her step. Even though it was late in the day, Imelda was still full of energy. It was the end of her day and she was finishing it off with her favorite customer. Jean had a standing appointment with Imelda every Friday and Saturday. "Who are we going to be tonight?" she asked Jean.

Jean handed her a picture and said, "Grace Bingham."

"Oooh," Imelda sang. "I love doing her. She is so over-the-top. Lot's of dramatic make-up and her hair is so … so …"

"Black?" Jean asked.

Imelda laughed, "Yea. That'll work. Long, black and oh so shiny. Well go put your stuff away and let's get started." Jean handed Imelda his cosmetic purse and then hung his valet in the closet.

Jean was one of the female impersonators at the local cabaret. Every Friday and Saturday night he would dress as a famous female entertainer and put on two routines a night. Jean was a fair performer and usually made a nice collection of tips, and while he wasn't getting rich, he was putting himself through graduate school.

Jean was the warm-up act for the weekend celebrity that the cabaret would hire. The headliners made a decent living and that was what Jean now had to look forward to doing. Tonight was the first night of the rest of his pathetic life. If he wanted to do more than live in a squalid flat on the edge of campus he would have to be more than a warm-up act. He would have to get much better and more original in his material. He made a pledge to start talking with the headliners and asking for tips on how to turn his weekend passion into a career.

Jean took his seat in the chair at the wash basin and Imelda tossed a pink cape over his lap. She pulled it up and fastened it behind his neck. Jean's personal beautician leaned him back over the basin and began wetting his hair. "So how you been this week Jean?"

"Horrible."

"Horrible? How can that be?" Imelda didn't believe him for one minute. She liked Jean. She looked forward to his two appointments every week. Imelda enjoyed the chance to do a set and style and a make-over that was other than routine. Jean always challenged her with overly feminine styles or sometimes like tonight, outrageously wild make-overs. It was the most enjoyable and most challenging work of her week.

"I flunked my thesis defense."

"Well I'm sure that you can take it over again," she told him.

"No, you don't understand. Imelda, I'm done. There is no more school and there are no more classes or tests. I failed."

"That's horrible!" Imelda was paying only partial attention to the conversation, but she was sincere in her comments.

"Yea, it sure is."

"So what can you do next? There must be something that you can do." Imelda was referring to his school work.

"There is only one thing that I know how to do. I guess I'm going to try and become a full-time impersonator."

"You can do that Jean. You're good. I've watched you and you can really sing," Imelda told him.

"I don't know," he said sullenly.

Imelda had finished shampooing his hair and she was letting it drip dry in the basin. She walked in front of him where he was sitting. "You like entertaining don't you?"

"Yes."

"And you like dressing up, right? You've told me that you like doing it."

"Yea, I have said that. But I like physics even more."

"I know," she said helpfully. "And you shouldn't quit. I don't know anything about a PhD. or how to get one, but I can't believe that you have no alternatives or other avenues to pursue. I don't know of anything in life where a clever and determined fellow can't find another option. But you are luckier than most people. You've got something else you like and that you are good at. You could even consider going full time and living as a girl." Imelda finished her advice and returned to the wash basin.

Jean thought about what she had said. "Thanks, Imelda. You're right, there has to be something else I can do about my degree. Somehow there must be a way to convince people. Or maybe I could go somewhere else and just start over. I know now what not to say or do."

"There you go honey. And in the mean time I can make you into the most beautiful girl in the world! Up you go now. Over to the chair."

Jean took his seat and situated himself in the chair. Imelda began working on his hair color and Jean fumbled around with his hands. Usually he had his notes in front of him and he spent the time studying. Now he didn't know what to do with himself.

Imelda mixed up a batch of temporary hair coloring and began turning his long hair into a raven black. Jean tired to relax and concentrate on what Imelda was doing. Normally he would have been immersed in equations and deep in thought about sub-atomic particle interactions, but tonight he had no distraction. He listened to Imelda moving around him and he took in the smells of the parlor. He really did enjoy this. Without his studies to occupy his time, he would spend more time just enjoying his favorite hobby.

Damn Bishop. Jean had spent his entire life working towards that doctorate degree. He had wanted nothing more in this world than to make a breakthrough and have his name cast in with the other great thinkers in physics. Maybe, even maybe he could have been discovered by the Eleven Lights Foundation. What a dream that was. A fellowship at the most prestigious and most advanced think-tank in the world was at the epitome of his ambition.

But that damn Bishop.

'What if he was right? What if I was wrong in choosing those boundary conditions and insisting on uni-dimensional time loops? Einstein created stranger scenarios. Kimmay pushed physics into even more unbelievable territory. What was so different, so wrong about this theory?' he thought.

"Fuck Bishop!"

"What?" Imelda asked incredulously.

Jean realized that he had said it out loud. "I'm sorry Imelda. I was talking to myself. I'm still bitter about what happened today. I guess I better get my head screwed on straight."

"I can understand your frustration, but that wasn't very lady-like."

Jean smiled just a little. "I guess I better get more lady-like then. Make me into a gorgeous Grace Bingham, Imelda."

"I am, you silly girl!"

 

Jean was sitting in front of Imelda's make-up mirror, guiding her along. Long straight hair hung half-way down Jean's back. The hair was raven black in color and had a beautiful sheen to it. Most of Jean's make-up was finished and he was painting his nails a dark purple as Imelda finished up. She was applying a rich gloss over Grace Bingham's trademark blood-red lipstick.

Jean was very good at applying his own make-up, but Imelda was better. And it would have been messy and time consuming for Jean to color his own hair at home. It cost a few euros, but it was probably better for his career to continue letting Imelda handle the make-up chores. Jean was thinking of trying girl life full-time, and he knew he would be able to do a competent job on his own make-up for every day life. But he would probably need a full-time make-up artist to travel with him on tour. He wondered if he should broach the subject with Imelda.

"I love doing Grace Bingham," she said. "In her own way, she is one of the sexiest women who ever lived. She's kind of a cross between Mae West and a vampire."

Jean chuckled. "Good analogy, Imelda. You did a wonderful job again. Just like you always do." Jean turned his head back and forth and inspected his image in the mirror. He was pleased with what he saw. "Would you help me dress again?"

"Of course," she answered.

Jean took his valet off the closet hook and sauntered into Imelda's dressing room. He pulled on his gaffe and tucked himself tightly between his legs. Next came his translucent pantyhose. The hose were sheer on his legs but then turned just opaque enough to cover his transparent gaffe. Under the stage lighting he would look like a real girl without panties.

Jean peeled the release layer off the breast form adhesive and pressed it against his smooth, hairless chest. He applied the second form and assured himself that they were placed correctly and bouncing realistically. He stepped out of the dressing room and called for Imelda. "Ok, I'm ready."

"Where do you want to start?" she asked.

"The bustier," he said.

Imelda picked up the strapless garment and wrapped it around Jean. She hooked one little clasp in the back of the bra, then began lacing the corset down his back. When she was ready she told Jean to adjust his breasts, and he made sure that he was properly adjusted in the demi-cups. They were pushing his breast forms up and in, giving him some exciting cleavage.

Jean exhaled and nodded. Imelda pulled on the cords as hard as she could. The fabric shrunk in size and constricted Jean's tummy. His girth dropped dramatically and gave him some very feminine curves from his breasts to his hips. Imelda tied off the cords and then pushed them inside where they couldn't flop out.

Next, Imelda brought over his dress and Jean held onto a chair as he stepped into the black velvet. Imelda pulled it up to his breasts and then tugged on the zipper to get it closed. It was a very tight fit and clearly accented his new curves. There were a couple of stays at the top of the dress that Jean quickly hooked into his bustier. Now the dress was stuck in place.

Jean stepped over to his valet in his stocking feet and dropped a pair of loafers on the floor and stepped into them. The loafers would get him to the cabaret across the back-alley from Imelda's. Once there he would get some help putting on his 3 inch heels with the silver buckles and straps. Jean took out a necklace, some earrings and a couple of bracelets and rings and slipped them all on. Grace Bingham was ready to hit the stage.

"Thanks Imelda," Jean said as he opened his purse and took out Imelda's fee and tip. "See you tomorrow."

"Knock 'em dead honey!"

 

As usual, Jean arrived at the backstage door thirty minutes before the first show. He said hello to all the stage hands and handed his music to the sound man. Jean dumped his valet unceremoniously into a chair in his little wardroom and checked his costume in the mirror.

"Jimmy? A quick hand?" he called out. Jimmy walked into the room and looked around. "Oh sorry, I forgot to pull them out of the bag. Right there in the chair," he pointed. Jimmy was the oldest stage hand in the world. He shuffled rather than walked, but he loved being back stage. Jimmy would never quit show-biz. He pulled out Jean's shoes and slipped them on his feet, then fastened the straps.

"Break a leg," he said as he walked out.

Jean looked in the mirror one last time. He sighed as he ran his hands down his dress, smoothing everything into place. "Well, this one is for you Dr. Bishop. I hope your ego chokes you."

Jean walked out to the backstage where Jimmy handed him a cold bottle of water. Jean mumbled his thanks as he took a quick gulp and handed it back. The music came up and Jean waited for his queue … and he was on.

As lousy and depressed as Jean felt, once the spotlights hit him, his face turned into a smile and his energy jumped up a mile. He sang a song, told a few bad jokes and then belted out another song. He danced and sang and flew across the stage as he performed his well rehearsed act. This was probably the tenth or eleventh time that he had performed the Grace Bingham act since he started working his way through graduate school.

During his routine he made a couple of stops at the front of the stage and picked up a few tips. It was a small crowd, which was normal for the first act. The night was still young and most of the usual patrons wouldn't be arriving for another hour. Grace Bingham finished her routine and walked offstage to a small, but nice applause.

Applauding along with the rest of the audience was a young Indian girl sitting at a table up front. She had arrived an hour early to make sure that she could secure a table near the stage. She had a soft drink sitting in front of her as she watched the entire show. Her name was Chunni Patel and she had been sent to the cabaret by her employer. On this particular evening Chunni was serving as a recruiter.

Chunni watched Jean finish his routine and then dutifully sat through the headliner's show. She thought Jean's show was as good as the headliner's. Jean's show wasn't as big and glittery, but he seemed to be a better singer. He appeared to have some potential for growth.

There was an hour intermission until the second show and Chunni remained seated and watched the patrons come and go. The music was loud and the dance floor was beginning to fill. The temperature in the cabaret began climbing with all the new bodies and activity. She ordered another cola and remained at her table, saving it for the final show of the evening.

Finally the lights dimmed and the emcee stepped on stage. She made a few announcements, chatted with a few of the people in the audience that she knew and finally introduced Jean Bang as Grace Bingham. Bang was Jean's stage name. Chunni watched the show a second time and enjoyed it even more than the first show. She thought Jean was cute and talented, and he did a good job of imitating Grace Bingham.

Jean finished his show and collected a few more tips before he started heading off stage. Chunni jumped out of her chair and ran to the edge of the stage. She waved her hand at Jean and yelled, "Grace! Grace! I have something for you."

Jean walked over and gave Chunni a big smile. She handed him a twenty euro note that was folded in half. Chunni returned his smile and then returned to her table. Jean walked off stage and headed to his dressing room. He dropped his tips on his dressing table and then plopped himself in a chair to remove his heels. Removing the heels wasn't all that easy because his tight corset made bending over almost impossible.

But Jean removed the shoes and then turned back to his tips. On top of the pile was the twenty euro note. Tips usually weren't that generous. He unfolded the bill and found a card inside. On the back someone had written 'Can we meet?' That wasn't that unusual. Every once in a while a male customer was attracted to Jean and his character. But this had come from a pretty, young woman. Most unusual.

Jean turned the card over and his jaw dropped open. The center of the card said, Chunni Patel, PhD. and along the top it said Eleven Lights Foundation. Jean was in shock. What could she possibly want with him? Had she heard about his failure earlier in the day? Was she there to ridicule him or something? Jean could not for the life of him figure out what she might want. Maybe it was just coincidence. Maybe the girl just wanted to meet him for the usual reasons.

He stared at the card for over a solid minute before he made up his mind. He walked out into the back stage area in his stocking feet looking for Jimmy. He found him peeking through the current at the headliner. "Jimmy, I need a favor."

"What ya' need Jean?" he asked with a knowing smile.

"Out front on the left there is an Indian girl. She's wearing a blue or green dress, I'm not sure which. Bring her back to my dressing room, would you please?"

Jimmy gave him an even bigger smile, "Sure. No problem."

Jimmy brought Chunni Patel to Jean's dressing room where she politely knocked on the open door. Jean stood to greet her. Chunni leaned against the door frame and folded her arms.

"You're very pretty," she japed in a lilting voice.

 

CHAPTER THREE

June 2220 – 2 years before

 

The giant spaceship blinked into existence just outside the orbit of a large gas giant.

"Report all anomalies," the executive officer ordered. Around the ship all of the technicians ran through their diagnostics and double checked their sensors.

"All internal sensors are operative and clear!"

"All external sensors are operative and three anomalies!" the under executive officer reported.

"Report," the executive commanded.

"All three are from a life-sustainable planet. A detection of anti-matter and matter annihilation, a passive detection system using our wavelengths, and the use of planetary portal transportation within the last 6 hours."

"Check for notification beacons."

"We have, sir. There are no beacons operating within the solar system."

"But the planet is using our passive detection system?"

"Yes sir, that has been confirmed with interferometric reconstruction. We are reading their sensors and they are very similar to ours."

"How similar?"

"If anything, a bit more advanced. They have detected and identified us."

"They know who we are?"

"Yes sir, they have sent acknowledgment credentials. Would you like to clear them?"

"Absolutely!" The written and video message appeared on the executive officer's console.

"On behalf of my crew and staff, I would like to welcome the Jasmine, her crew and Executive Office Bear to the dinosaur planet Terras. I am Doctor Felix, Chief Veterinarian."

There was no doubt in E.O. Bear's mind that Doctor Felix was a Builder, just as he was. But this was quite unnerving, in that there was no such planet as Terras in the Builder domain. Bear was cautious, "Thank you Doctor Felix. We appreciate the welcome. Have you been expecting us?"

"E.O. Bear, may we speak on a secure wave? Please key these encryptions."

E.O. Bear nodded to his under who duplicated everything Bear received. Bear opened the new channel and said, "I am converted to your channel."

Felix smiled and began, "E. O. Bear, we are in a most unusual situation. I am very concerned about the safety and even the very existence of our home world. We have lost communications and the ability to travel home through the portal. But before you contact the capital, would you please come to see me? Or may I come to you? It is imperative that we speak privately.

"Please E. O. Bear, I am sure that you can sense something unusual about this situation. We are running a stealth planet here and I must explain why before you expose our situation. Can I speak with you before you contact your command?"

The executive office looked at his under. The man shook his head no. It was a most emphatic no. "What's a dinosaur planet?" Bear asked. The under shrugged. The E.O. opened the channel again, "What is a veterinarian doing handling contact responsibilities?"

"I am planet coordinator. I am the chief."

"I have never heard of such a thing," Bear responded.

"And I'll bet that you have probably never heard of a dinosaur either. Look at this," and Felix switched the land feed to a pod of sauropods. The beasts were over 30 meters in length and grazing on a small hill.

"Blessed Giants! What are those things?" the E.O. demanded.

"Those, E. O. Bear, are dinosaurs. They are the reason that I am here. But again, before you share this information with home command, please let me speak with you privately." The veterinarian was almost begging with Bear.

Bear glanced at his under who was staring at the great beasts. "Any comments?" Bear asked his under.

"I'm not sure, sir. This is very odd. I urge caution sir."

Bear had made up his mind. He didn't want to take any chances on one of those things boarding his ship. "Doctor Felix, I will come to you. Prepare for a party of three." Bear shut down the link and stood. "Under, put the ship on alert level two. Send my mistress and consigliere to my anteroom. Use level two protocols and if I break communications with you for more than ten clicks, take all appropriate responses."

As Bear began to depart he stopped and thought a moment. "I've changed my mind, I want you to use the portal and go home. Say hello to your wife and then report back here. Tell them nothing about this planet, and make sure nothing unusual is going on back in the capital."

"Yes sir, I understand."

 

Bear had changed into a field suit, complete with firearms and defenses. Over his bald head and large ears he had tied a red scarf denoting his position of authority. He touched an arm band and checked with his under. "You are clearly visible, sir," the under dutifully reported. "All communications are open." As Bear completed his inventory, his mistress and consigliere entered his anteroom.

"Field dress," he commanded and pointed them to their lockers. As they began dressing, Bear filled them in on the situation. "This is most disconcerting," he began. "We have a stealth planet here that is begging us to keep them secret from home command. They have some form of exotic giant animals on the planet, and the planet is commanded not by an E. O. but by a veterinarian."

"By stealth, how stealth do you mean?" The consigliere asked.

"Very stealth. We have no records on them, and they have no beacons or active systems. In addition, their systems are technically more advanced than ours. They may be getting help from some advanced technology agency."

"My love," his mistress began, "do you suspect a trap?"

"Possible."

"Then I shall bring my chemicals."

"Excellent idea. That is why you were called."

The three finished dressing and rechecked their equipment. "Let's go meet a dinosaur."

 

Doctor Felix was flanked by one woman on each side of him, as he greeted his visitors. "E.O. Bear it is a great pleasure to finally meet you. I have heard a great deal about your illustrious career." Felix bowed before the executive officer. "And you must be Mistress Silane." Felix knelt on one knee before her and kissed her hand. Finally, Felix faced the consigliere and bowed to him. "Greetings Consigliere Gunne."

"You know everyone?" Bear asked.

"Absolutely. I have read much concerning your exploits. These are my seconds," and Felix motioned towards his two women. "They can assist you with any of your needs. Now, I'm sure that you have many questions, so let me begin our tour immediately."

Felix ushered the group towards a door. The door led to a long hallway with no end in sight. Ceiling lights were placed at intervals and aimed at the walls. Along the hall, both walls were lined with holographic pictures. Doctor Felix stopped in front of the first picture. "This is a picture of a dinosaur. This giant brute was the first animal to come to Terras and he has served as the genetic father of his species. He was an extremely voracious carnivore and especially clever for an animal. He escaped several times and caused immense damage in some of our facilities. He taught us respect for him and the rest of his fellows."

Felix stepped to the second picture. "This fine specimen was the genetic father of the largest species ever brought here. But as large as it is, there were even larger water dinosaurs. We do not have any of the water animals, they are located on other dinosaur planets."

E.O. Bear was confused. "These animals are not indigenous to this planet?"

"No sir. This planet was cultivated to accept these beautiful animals. They were brought here a long time ago."

"A long time ago? How long? How long has an outpost been on this planet?"

"I can better explain that with a picture. Please follow me." Felix passed several pictures and led his guests down the hall to an alcove off the side. They had to walk down 5 steps to reach a small landing which led to a set of stairs. "This is the first of several planets set aside to cultivate and breed these animals," Felix said. "The First Council has been here several times to inspect our progress."

Felix led them down another short flight of stairs and into a large meeting room. "From here we can see everything," Felix said as he led the way. The room was a meeting room, with a large wooden table in the middle and surrounded by luxurious chairs. Felix turned to the consigliere and said, "There is no door on that entrance. By now I am sure that Consigliere Gunne has confirmed that we are carrying no weapons."

Gunne made a slight inflection to Bear.

"Mistress Silane has her chemicals to protect you. I hope that you feel safe. I am trying to reassure you, because if you check you will notice that you are no longer in contact with your ship."

Startled, Bear stepped back and his two guards stepped closer to him. He looked alarmed and said to Felix, "What is the meaning of this?"

"Please," Felix began, "do not be alarmed. We can now be completely open and honest in privacy. Before I explain in detail, I tell you right up front that I am from the future. I know about you because you are in our history files. You have just left a one month survey of a small cluster in the Ki district where you found a planet extraordinarily endowed with transuranic elements as well as nano-carbon. And to make things even better, the planet has a breathable atmosphere. You received a notification of find and commendation from the Center of Records just yesterday. Am I correct?"

Bear stared at his host. "You have a decent source for your information, Dr. Felix."

"I have history books, E. O. Bear. Please sit and let me show you my hospitality. I promise to explain everything to you." Felix walked to the head of the table and pulled out a chair for the executive officer. "My girls have food and drink they would like to serve."

The three visitors warily took their seats. Felix slid a small plate to the Mistress and asked her to put a little food from each platter on his plate. She returned the plate and Felix sampled each of the delicacies to demonstrate that they were not poisoned.

"This will be hard to believe, but please give me the generosity of your patience. In about 200 hundred years we will discover how to travel through time. When we discover this talent, we will find that over 20 other Travelers already have equivalent technology and they will welcome us to a very exclusive club.

"Several years from now, a famous E. O. and his gallant crew will happen upon an outstanding planet. A planet the likes of which no one has ever seen before. They will claim and post this planet for our legal ownership. This planet will be inhabited by humanoids with a technical level in the early stages of fusion and space exploration. This planet will be truly amazing for several reasons; a water planet with a diversity of life unheard of before now, the largest animals ever encountered, and a source of micro-organisms capable of surviving and flourishing in a wide range of harsh environments. For the next seven hundred years we will use these micro-organisms to terra-form thousands of new planets. And most intriguing of all, will be their constitution of DNA.

"With our new found ability to travel through time, we will take these organisms back in time millions of years, and release them on potential life-sustaining planets. Over the next million years these planets will be terra-formed into habitable planets that we can seed as we wish. We don't have to do anything. We merely return when the time is right and claim a habitable planet.

"We will carefully terra-form several of these planets to serve as preserves for the absolutely largest animals ever conceived – dinosaurs. Dinosaurs ruled their planet over 100 million years earlier. They are the same magnificent animals that I have been showing to you. I'll take you into the field later and show you exactly how large they really are.

"These animals went extinct over a million years ago on the new planet that we shall discover. The First Council will order the construction of compatible planets and the transfer of the dinosaurs from the past to these new planets. Different planets will handle dinosaurs from different ages and they will be preserved for study and admiration by future generations.

"This is one of the dinosaur preservation planets. The planet was terra-formed twice to provide the appropriate environment for the beasts. Scientists made yearly visits to assure that procreation was progressing adequately, correct mistakes, repair the injured or diseased and to just make sure that we created a viable, healthy and robust ecology. We are one of those research groups."

Felix stopped to take a sip of his drink. "What do you think?" he asked.

"Intriguing," Bear answered. "By why keep it secret?"

"It is not secret, E. O. Bear. At least not in my time era. But we have had to keep it secret from others, at least until the original planet is discovered. You see, if someone were to find out this information too early, they could change the future and my world would change also.

"When we joined the time-traveling club, we were told that there were certain rules; rules provided for our protection. The most important rule was that we were not allowed to travel less than 25,000 years into the past. That rule was set up to protect our own future. Upsets in time die out after a while, and the 25,000 years protects us from accidental mistakes. It provides a safe buffer. Do you understand?"

"It makes sense, Felix. But if I understood you correctly, you are from only several hundred years in the future. What are you doing here … now?"

Felix grinned and set down his drink. "Well that is a problem … if we are detected. In order to assure a perfect opening day for this planet – for my time era that is – we needed to come back just a few years to tidy up some minor complications. A flu that will decimate an important herd of herbivores. They're really large herbivores that we intended to be the center-piece of our grand-opening. Minor really, I assure you. We intended to be in and out with no contact off world and no potential danger to any other planet or species."

Bear cut to the chase, "What went wrong?"

"You do understand why we don't want you to contact the home command, do you not?"

"If this story is true and I can confirm it, yes I understand your problem. So what went wrong?"

Felix pushed his chair back and stood up. His eyes turned to slits and his voice became harsh, "That's just it!" he blurted. "We don't know! We can't contact our home time. Nothing. Period. Total static. We have no idea what could have gone wrong. There is nothing on our end of the portal that is not working!"

Bear sat in his chair and watched the doctor. If true, this was a remarkable find. But how to proceed might be very tricky. He would definitely need more information. "Doctor, I am not saying that I believe this story of yours, but I will grant it has a chance to be feasible. I will not reveal your situation to home command yet. I will need more information from you, but before we do that, I should report back to the ship before they take any action. They are on security alert two."

"Of course, come quickly then and we shall return to the surface."

As Felix led Bear and his companions Bear said, "We are not that far beneath the surface. What is it in these rocks that blocks our transmissions?"

"There is nothing in the rocks. We designed these facilities with special features to help keep them stealth."

"What do you have that I can't penetrate, doctor?"

"E.O. our technology is almost seven hundred years ahead of yours. We have flexible membranes with several layers of augmented technology pressed together. One layer is superconducting even. These layers are woven into the wall and ceiling finish."

"Well in that case, I would expect you to have a few windows implanted in the screens so that you can covertly communicate outside."

Felix was stunned. "How do you know that?"

"Standard military protocol doctor. Even in the future I'm sure that your people have to be able to see through your own screens. So am I correct?"

"Of course you are."

"Why don't you give me the codes so that I don't have to continuously return outside to communicate with my ship?"

"I don't have clearance to do such a thing. Besides, you will spy on us."

"Consider it a good-will gesture. I will be able to confirm that you have no weapons and are no threat to my ship."

"But we have technology that you shouldn't see yet. It could upset future events."

"If you are what you say you are, you have nothing of military importance to us."

"But I have medical technology that you don't have yet."

"Everything you have is for taking care of animals. I don't even have any veterinarians on board my ship. Do I?" he asked his mistress.

"No," she answered verbally, but she accompanied her answer with a few flips of her wrist.

"I have lied, doctor. I guess I do have a veterinarian on board my ship. Since when?" he again asked his mistress.

"Two cadets on an orientation trip, sir," she explained. E. O. Bear really did have no knowledge of their presence on his ship.

"Felix, I can make sure that those two cadets will never see anything on this planet."

Felix thought for a few more moments as they continued their walk towards the surface. "You do realize that it is your future at stake as well as mine? Don't you?"

"Yes, of course," Bear answered.

"Alright, I'll give you the codes." He turned to one of his female aids, "Return to the command center and collect the codes. Bring them to me." He turned back to the E. O., "A good-will gesture, sir. But once you are confident of our honesty, you must make sure that your ship and crew do not inadvertently pick up any of our technology. Please," he pleaded.

"Felix, I will treat your planet as any other stealth planet. We have encountered them before, and we have the protocols to scrub sensors and logs. When I make contact, I will instruct my under to move the ship alert level up to restricted access procedures."

Felix looked only slightly more relieved.

 

By late afternoon the mood had shifted appreciably. Bear's under had scanned the planet and found no weapons. He and his entourage had toured the surface and seen Felix's mighty dinosaurs. E. O. Bear had even shifted the ship to sensor lock-down as part of stealth planet protocol. They would refrain from recording further contact information with the planet called Terras.

The group was half way through a sumptuous evening meal when Bear changed the subject away from dinosaurs. "So Felix, what is it that you want me to do? You fear for our home world so how can I help?"

"Not our home-world, Bear. My home-world. As you told me earlier, your under E.O. was able to return to your home with no problems."

"Yes, yes, your home-world from seven hundred years in the future, Felix. Yes, I understand. But what can I do?"

Felix's shoulders slumped and his head bent down. He looked at his food and pushed it away from him. "I'm a simple veterinarian, E. O. I do not know the political or scientific worlds as I'm sure you do. I don't know what you can do for us. But I am particularly worried because of the time difference. I am worried that we or someone else may have upset time. If they did, then my future may have totally changed."

Bear set down his glass and placed his hands on the table. He leaned towards Felix and said, "I'm having a great deal of trouble with this time thing. It is a damn convenient construct for you. You ask for help, you want me to keep everything secret and yet you can offer no proof for what you claim. I'll be honest Felix, something doesn't feel right to me."

"But Bear, you have seen the dinosaurs for yourself. They are proof enough."

"They are real, but that doesn't prove they are from the past. Or the future!"

"What about the screens around this facility. You couldn't penetrate them with your current level of technology."

"Felix, this is not the first stealth planet I have stumbled upon. Once before I ran into an outer recon-post in the Seeker's galaxy. That post had technology beyond my ship. Your screens prove nothing."

Felix gave an exasperated sigh and stared at Bear.

"Look," Bear conceded, "I want to believe you but you have to give me more information. Give me some proof."

Felix seemed spent as he leaned back in his chair. His shoulders slumped even more than before. "I have nothing else here to give you." He pulled his comm-pouch from his coat pocket and looked at it for a few minutes as he contemplated his options. Bear waited for him.

Felix finally made up his mind and he looked at Bear, "Let's put two and two together. Earlier today I described the planet that these dinosaurs came from. I pointed out how we had taken microbes from the planet and for hundreds of years we have been using them to terra-form planets."

"Yeah."

"And then I showed you the largest animals you have ever seen. Those dinosaurs came from the same planet."

"So?"

"Have you ever heard a phrase containing the words 'the largest and the smallest'?"

Bear's two aides almost snapped their necks as they spun to look at their executive officer. Bear's eyes squeezed into narrow slits as he looked at Felix. "Are you claiming that this undiscovered planet will be the home of the Twelfth Prophecy?"

"Thirteenth," the consigliere corrected him.

"Whatever! Is that what you are telling me?"

Felix shook his head slowly. "No sir. That is only speculation, but the speculation is real. It is being passed through the entire Traveler Consortium. Everyone seems to be writing essays and thesis on the subject. No one has any proof, but the debate is very loud. Especially in government councils."

"That's quite a claim, Felix. Even so, how does that impact anything here?

"Don't you see? The same Travelers that are debating the very existence of the Thirteenth Prophecy also have the ability to travel back in time and do something about it."

"Like what?"

"I don't know," Felix whispered. "I just don't know what someone might do. But that would be enough reason to break the 25,000 year edict on time travel."

Bear had a thought, "Is that why you are really here? You're here because of the Prophecy?"

"No, no, no!" Felix jumped up in his chair. "Everything that I have told you is true. I have not deceived you in the slightest. Not once!" he emphasized. "I am here to cure some sick dinosaurs."

"Holding back information is a form of deceit," Bear retorted.

"There are some things I just can't tell you. That was one of them. It could change everything. But don't you see now, there is more than enough motive for skullduggery."

"Again, what do you want me to do?"

"I'm not a military man, you are. What can you do?"

Bear thought for a few minutes. He turned to first his mistress and then his consigliere, "What can we do? Be open," he told them.

"We can keep our eyes and ears open," the mistress suggested.

"We could spend a couple of extra days looking around this solar system to make sure there are no cloaked ships," his consigliere offered.

"We could ask a few surreptitious questions at home command," the woman said.

"No!" Felix immediately said. "You can't even suggest that we are here."

"Felix," Bear said calmly. "You have spun a nice yarn here. You certainly have dinosaurs and I admit that I have no clue as to where they came from. You even have some nice technology. But nothing that you have said or shown us proves that you are from the future. And that is a big stumbling block for me."

"Do you trust your mistress?" Felix asked.

"Yes."

"And your consigliere?"

"Absolutely."

"Then this is what I offer. If I can satisfy them that I am truly from your future, will you accept their word?"

"I suppose. How will you satisfy them?"

"I will show them each their own biography, and then yours. They will see things that should prove my position. If they are satisfied, you must promise that you will never press them for any further details. And the two of you," Felix addressed the mistress and the consigliere, "must promise that you will never divulge information until it is time. Can you all do that?"

The executive officer addressed his two aides, "Yes we agree to that."

"Give me a few minutes to prepare the records, and then I will invite you each separately to my study." Felix left the room.

The three Builders looked at each other. "What do you wish?" his mistress asked.

"If he is truly from the future, and he convinces each of you, I think it best that we agree to abide by his terms."

"No exceptions?"

"None." Bear pushed his chair away from the table. "I'll wait for the two of you in my office." He squeezed his comm-pouch and disappeared.

 

Three hours later they were sitting in Bear's office. Bear looked at his mistress and waited for her answer. "I believe him," she said soberly.

"And you?" he asked his consigliere.

"I believe him also."

Bear was surprised. "What does he want us to do?"

"Whatever we can," his mistress answered.

 

CHAPTER FOUR

March 2080 – Then

 

Rocky leaned over Traci's bed. "Traci? Honey?" he whispered. "Please wake up. Kimmay is here to see you." Traci was slow to move. She had been facing away from Rocky as she slept. She could see the room was bathed in a beautiful blue light as she rolled over and saw Kimmay.

"Kimmay?" she gasped.

"Shhh," Kimmay cooed. "Say nothing, just listen." Kimmay reached towards Traci and pulled the sheet down. There was a white bandage on her shoulder. It was the bandage that covered her death warrant. Traci watched in horror as Kimmay peeled back the bandage and pulled the gold tag off Traci's shoulder. Traci shuddered and gasped as the tag was pulled out of her skin. She held her breath as she starred at Kimmay. Kimmay smiled and returned Traci's gaze. Slowly Traci took a careful breath. Cool air entered her lungs and fulfilled her need for oxygen.

The oxygen slipped through her lungs and alveoli and entered her blood stream. The oxygen coursed through her veins and entered the capillaries under her burned and disfigured skin. Under the numerous bandages Traci could feel the healing. It was the most refreshing feeling she could have imagined. Her skin tingled with life and sensitivity. She felt wonderful. She felt lifted and younger than in her entire life. She smiled.

Kimmay handed the gold tag to Rocky. "Smash it," she told him.

"Kimmay …?" Traci asked.

"You never deserved this, Traci. I am sorry that you suffered as long as you have. And I am truly sorry for your loss." She looked at both Traci and Rocky as she apologized. "I know nothing can replace your lost sons, but you do have another chance. Start over and live like tomorrow will never come. Enjoy."

Traci reached towards Kimmay, "How can you do this? Are you … are you a …?"

"No Traci. There are no angels, and there are no gods. I was given an opportunity to right a wrong. It is not my power that restores you. I am merely the most fortunate person in the universe right now, because I can give you this gift. But I am merely the courier, not the giver."

"Kimmay," she asked nervously, "Is this good-bye?"

"Not yet, Traci. I will return after we have the vaccine. I will answer as many questions as I can, but only for a short while. Then I will … leave."

Traci began crying. "But Kimmay, you can't do that."

"I'm sorry, but I have no alternative."

"I will see you both in a couple of days. Enjoy life together. You both deserve that."

The blue light began growing in intensity and color. Once again the sphere became too dark to penetrate, and then it disappeared.

 

"What will I say to the Keeper?" Kimmay asked.

"Don't worry," Chunni answered. "You have your wand, do you not?"

"Yes."

"Listen to it. It will help you. It will guide you down the right path."

"Chunni, I am scared."

"Why?"

"Because there is so much happening here. There are billions of lives at stake here." Kimmay clucked for a second and then sucked in air. "At least I think that's what's at stake. Is there more?"

"Kimmay, stand forward," Jean said quietly but firmly. "I grew up reading about you. I read about exploits that exceeded human understanding. I must admit that now that I am a Magician I find those exploits even more remarkable. Now that I understand so much, maybe too much, I look upon you as more than just a heroine. You are an icon. You accomplished more than you even know."

"Blush, blush, blush," Kimmay said almost sarcastically.

"Kimmay," Chunni answered quietly, "You have your wand. It will tell you what to say, what to do, how to proceed. Trust yourself and trust your wand."

Kimmay's attitude began to harden. Kimmay's personality for her entire life had been to grow aggressive and combative when challenged or stumped. Or intimidated. "Why? How? What is so special about this little wand that it should or can determine the fate of the world?"

"Little wand?" Jean asked.

"Yeah," Kimmay said defiantly. "Come on, I've been manipulated my entire life. Why are you any different?"

"Kimmay, open your mind for just one minute. Look inside and tell me what you see."

Kimmay closed her eyes and stood perfectly still for almost thirty seconds. A furrow formed on her forehead and was slowly softened into raised eyebrows. A small "ooooh" escaped her lips.

"You never asked that question, did you?"

"No. I guess not."

"And what did you see?"

"It's massive, isn't it?"

"Oh yes."

"And?"

"It's amazing. It exists where?" Kimmay asked. "Is there only one?"

"No Kimmay, every wand is as large as you see. The wand in your hand is only the communicator you need in this set of dimensions. That wand is only a portal for communicating with you. An antenna."

Kimmay gave a small sigh and the corners of her mouth turned upwards. It was as if she were relieved. "I guess it isn't "little"," she snarked. Chunni and Jean smiled and said nothing. Kimmay gave a laugh of relief. "I guess I should say that I'm impressed."

"Kimmay?" Jean asked. "Do you think size translates into competence?" Jean wanted to make a new point.

Kimmay looked to Chunni, "Size does matter," and she burst out laughing. Chunni joined her. A wave of relief washed over Kimmay. There was obviously more technology, more people, more history, research and development behind her and the wand than she ever imagined.

Jean dropped his admonishment for Kimmay. Her laughter told him what he wanted to know. She was making jokes and obviously her concern was subsiding. That was all that Jean needed. "Does that mean you are ready?"

"No. But let's do it before I turn chicken again."

 

 

CHAPTER FIVE

May 2217 – 5 years before

 

"You're very pretty," she japed in a lilting voice.

Jean blushed. When Jean blushed, his cheeks turned a deep red which was instantly apparent to everyone around him. Chunni thought it made him look even cuter. Even though he had just been embarrassed by her, Jean liked the new girl. She was very pretty herself.

It took Jean a minute to clear his fogged brain, and then he offered her a seat. "Thank you," she said as she stepped into his room and sat in his recliner.

Jean waited a minute for her to speak, but she seemed happy to sit and look around his dressing room. "So what can I do for you Ms. Patel?"

"How long have you been doing this?" she asked as she waved her hand around the room. "Impersonating women."

Jean stumbled for a moment then said, "I started here about two or three years ago I guess. This was my first paying gig."

"I meant what I said earlier. You do make a pretty woman."

Jean's cheeks didn't turn quite as red as earlier. "Thanks. It's helped pay the tuition for college." Jean really wanted to again ask her what she wanted, but he was too nervous.

"Do you do your own hair and make-up?"

"No I don't. I mean I can if I want to, but I go to a beauty parlor next door. Imelda does a better job, and it usually leaves me time to study while she does my hair."

"She does a nice job."

"Thanks."

Quiet. Two awkward people looking at each other.

"I suppose you are wondering what I am doing here," Chunni finally said.

"Yeah."

"I'm here to see if you might be interested in working at Eleven Lights Foundation."

"What?" Jean was thunderstruck.

"We have an opening and I was sent to see if you would be interested in coming to Lucerne and interviewing for the position."

"What's the position?" he asked still dazed.

"Fellowship in physics, specializing in time phenomenon."

Jean looked at his painted nails and rubbed them together. "Uhm, I'm not sure that I'm qualified," he began.

"The board thinks you are, Mr. DeLonge. And after reading your dissertation, I think you might be also. You have some new ideas that are rather intriguing."

Jean slumped in his chair. "I failed my defense today. I won't be getting my degree."

"You've done all of the work. Just because one or two people don't agree with you doesn't mean you aren't qualified."

Jean half snorted and half chuckled. "Well one of those people was Professor Bishop," he added dejectedly.

"So? Professor Bishop is wrong more often than he is right. We have proven him wrong often enough that we don't even consider his opinion anymore."

"What? Who are we?"

"The staff at ELF."

"But I thought Professor Bishop was one of the premier physicists in the world. Everyone rates him as one of the top minds in the world."

"He might, but we don't. Mr. DeLonge, don't worry about what Professor Bishop says. We aren't interested in his opinion. But we might be interested in yours."

"Mine? But I don't even have a degree!"

"One of the founders of our organization didn't have a degree either. We don't hold that against her."

"But … but … shit. That was Kimmay!" he blurted.

"And your point Mr. DeLonge?"

"Kimmay? I'm not even in her league."

"How do you know?" Chunni slid forward in her recliner to make sure that Jean understood her sincerity. "You don't need a degree at ELF. We all think that you have something valuable to offer, or I wouldn't be here. I am here to offer you an interview, and if you accept, I will be your host and guide. I hope you are interested in us Mr. DeLonge, because we are certainly interested in you."

Jean gave a loud sigh and answered, "Yeah, of course I'm interested. Working at ELF has been one of my life-long goals. My dream."

"Great then. Can you leave on Sunday? That would allow me to introduce you to the board on Monday. And of course you won't have to miss your performance tomorrow night. Do you have a contract with the cabaret?"

"Only a gentlemen's agreement," he said.

"Don't you mean women's agreement?" and she flashed him a big smile. "I will be here tomorrow night to see your show. Will you be Grace Bingham again?"

Again, Jean blushed. "Yes. I do the same show two nights in a row."

"Good. I look forward to hearing you sing again. After tomorrow night's show, perhaps we can sit down and finalize our schedule. Will that be acceptable?"

Still in a bit of shock, Jean merely nodded yes.

 

Jean DeLonge and Chunni Patel walked out of the Lucerne train station and followed a chauffer to his limousine. The chauffer placed their valets in the trunk and then opened the rear door for them. Jean allowed Chunni to enter first and then slid in across from her.

"I'll handle everything at the hotel. You will have to give them your passport for identification and that will be all. Charge anything you need on your room. Anything within reason that is," and she grinned.

"Thanks."

"If you are interested in breakfast I can meet you at seven in the dining hall. We'll leave for ELF at eight. Does that sound satisfactory?"

"Breakfast at seven. Leave at eight," he repeated. "That will be fine, I'll be ready."

"Good. Now then, would you like to join me for dinner this evening? I'd love to know more about you."

"As a host and guide?"

"Yes, but also as a friend." Chunni paused for a moment and then said, "I liked your performance last night. I'd like to meet the person behind the performer." She said it with all the warmth of her friendly personality.

Jean melted just a little inside.

 

Jean was a wreck at breakfast. He spilled his coffee and almost tripped the waitress. Chunni smiled and tried to comfort him. "We once had a candidate actually vomit in the middle of an interview. It surprised more than a few people."

"That's comforting to know. Did he get the job?"

"Well … no. But that was because he turned us down. We made him an offer."

"Why did he turn you down?"

"We think because he was too embarrassed. I'm not really sure. But the moral is we know that you are nervous and we won't hold it against you. So you can relax."

"Easier said than done."

"You're a performer Mr. DeLonge. You should be used to this. It's just another type of performance."

"Not exactly. In the cabaret I'm anonymous, and I'm not trying to achieve a life-long dream. There are different levels of performing and stage fright. This is just a little bit higher."

"Would you have felt more at ease if you had come dressed as Grace Bingham?"

Jean looked at Chunni and saw that she was smirking. "As a matter of fact, yes I would have felt more at ease. I would have a mask to hide behind."

Chunni reached towards Jean and gently pinched his cheek. "You don't need a mask. Trust me, ELF really does want you."

 

Jean met with half a dozen people in the morning. He started with the administrative staff and filled out the prerequisite employment forms, then moved onto the HR head. From there he moved to the head of the department that was hiring and then three co-workers. At noon he was picked up by Chunni who took him to lunch. They met in the cafeteria with the president of Eleven Lights Foundation.

Dr. Blaire Choi was a tall woman, thin and distinguished looking. That meant that she was over fifty. Chunni introduced the two of them and they took their seats in the middle of the cafeteria. ELF had no executive dining rooms and everyone was treated equally. Lunch was buffet style and stayed open for several hours. "We have rather flexible hours," Ms. Choi explained. "We have people start at all different hours and of course they wander into the cafeteria at a variety of hours as well.

"So what did you think of your visit this morning? Might you be interested in working with us?"

Jean was a bit more relaxed than earlier in the morning. "I was very impressed," Jean began. "Your modeling labs are better than anything I have ever seen or even read about. You seem to be a full generation ahead of the universities. And the people were very nice. Yes, I would love to work here."

"Good," Ms. Choi said. "Do you understand what we would like you to work on?"

"Time theory and interfaces with multiple-universe structures."

"Specifically, we like your notions of time loops. They fit in with Kimmay's comments about a Möbius loop. We have looked into that comment on and off for over a hundred years, and we are still stumped by what she meant."

"Professor Bishop thought she was hallucinating," Jean said.

"Yes," Ms. Choi scowled. "I heard that he said that to you. Professor Bishop is not held in very high esteem here, and I think he knows it. Still, he tries to irritate us when he can."

Chunni stepped in, "Professor Bishop has applied for a fellowship here twice, and we turned him down both times. His ego didn't take kindly to the rejection," Chunni said with a grin.

Ms. Choi smiled and added, "That's correct. The professor is too rigid in his thinking and unwilling to accept new ideas. We don't know if your loop concept is correct or not, but we are fairly certain that there is much about time that we don't have right. We are willing to listen to new ideas."

"Thanks," Jean said.

"If you are interested, we can make you an offer this afternoon. You can think it over for a couple of days and then get back to us. But don't' take long. We want to get you to work as soon as possible," the president said with a smile.

"Thanks very much," Jean bubbled.

"Now that we have the formalities out of the way, I hear that you are a performer. Please tell me about your act," Ms. Choi asked politely.

Once again, Jean blushed. "Well it's not really something to brag about," he said sheepishly. "I only do it to make money for school. I don't plan on doing it once I take your job offer. I don't want to embarrass the Foundation."

"Embarrass the Foundation?" Ms. Choi asked indignantly. "How would you embarrass us?"

"Dressing as a woman? Impersonating a female?" he said apologetically.

"Don't you remember who our founder was?" she asked.

"Yea … but this is different."

"How?"

"Well …" he began.

There was an uneasy silence at the table and then Chunni came to the rescue, "I thought he was very good. And very pretty. You have a great voice," she said to Jean.

"There! You see, we're not embarrassed and there is no reason that you should be either. So let's start over, who all do you impersonate? And do you have a web site with pictures?" Ms. Choi asked.

Jean DeLonge decided that he was going to like his new boss.

 

Later in the afternoon, after Jean had received his offer and immediately accepted, Chunni found him sitting in the HR offices. "Well?" she asked.

"They made an offer and I accepted."

"Excellent. So we will probably be seeing a lot of each other," she said with an affectionate smile.

"I'd like that," he agreed. "Whew," he said with a big sigh. "What a day! I'm going to be working for ELF. ELF! Friday I flunked my defense and lost all hope for a meaningful career in physics, and today …" he sighed again.

"Would you like to go apartment hunting?" Chunni asked.

"Sure."

"And maybe we can have dinner together?"

Jean grinned. "I'd like that."

"When do you have to return to home?"

Jean scratched his chin. "No hurry I guess. I'll send a note to my landlord and the cabaret giving notice. Then I suppose I only have to return to pack up my stuff and shut off utilities. I've paid through the end of the month."

"And when do you start?"

"Two weeks from today."

"Excellent. Then we have time to hunt for your apartment and find you a new cabaret to work at on weekends."

"What? I don't have to do that anymore. It was just to make money. It's not like that's what I'm really like or anything. I just do it for money. Really."

"Anyone as good as you must like it," Chunni said. "It takes a passion to sing and dance while looking as pretty as you do. I was impressed with your show. I'll come to all of your performances," she said. "Promise."

There was nothing that was going to wipe the smile off Jean's face. How could life get any better?

 

CHAPTER SIX

August 4230 - 2008 years in the future

 

The purple and reddish light threw a surreal color on the floor. If that is what it actually was. It looked like water that she was standing upon. It was firm and felt smooth when she stepped upon it, but it looked like water covered with small ripples. There were lights and … and … things moving under her feet. She pulled her injured leg forward and threw the weight of her brace forward as she stepped forward.

"Come here," a female voice said.

Kimmay looked to her right and saw a very old woman sitting in a rocking chair. She was gently rocking to and fro and she was studying Kimmay through razor-sharp eyes. Her silver hair was pulled back into a tight bun. It was so tight that it looked painful. The woman's eyes were pulled back into slits, making her look oriental. In her hands was a small yellow disk which she was manipulating and forcing to change shapes. It even moaned once.

"What is your age?" the woman asked.

"Age?"

"It's not a difficult question is it?"

Kimmay started to mentally calculate her age. A notion began to push into her mind. She felt her wand lying against her forearm and covered with the loose sleeve of her blouse. The wand gave a slight tingle and vibration to her skin.

"The end of fission," Kimmay answered.

"Uranium?"

"And plutonium."

The woman made a disgusted frown and looked down at her disk. "And the beginning of what?"

Kimmay's wand quickly explained, 'She is determining when you are from.' "Matter annihilation," Kimmay announced.

"Hydrogen? Atoms?"

"Close. Sub-atomic particles actually – protons."

"And you invented this technology? Congratulations."

"Thank you," Kimmay answered respectively.

"Are you asexual?"

Kimmay paused and was about to say no. She was going to answer heterosexual, when her wand tingled again. "We breed in pairs."

The woman again manipulated her disk. She pulled and stretched the yellow object. "Nebulous?"

Kimmay didn't have the slightest clue as to what that meant. What the hell did nebulous mean? Again, the correct answer came to her mind. "Male and female."

"Earth?"

"Yes."

"Are you a transvestite?"

Kimmay was pissed and her facial expression showed it. Her wand gave her the correct answer and Kimmay mentally answered with an expletive. She stared at the woman and said nothing.

The woman waited only a few seconds and then stood. She took one step forward and her rocking chair disappeared behind her. She took another step and her clothes disappeared. She had no primary or secondary sexual attributes. Her third step changed her into a prom dress. She walked over to Kimmay and stood before her. Kimmay was a small girl, and this old woman was even smaller and slightly stooping.

"Did you go to high school?"

Before Kimmay could even think she blurted out, "What?"

"Girls on Earth go to prom. Why didn't you?" It was more of an accusation than a question.

Even her wand was stumped at that comment. She felt no tingle on her arm.

"Are you a transvestite?" the woman asked again.

Much to the chagrin of her wand Kimmay demanded, "Are you?"

The woman took one more step towards Kimmay and she changed from an old woman to beautiful young girl. She was too thin and her skin was almost yellow in color. She looked like she had jaundice. Her tight bun of silver hair turned into a cascade of brunette curls around her face. Kimmay immediately recognized the girl. She was the Keeper that visited earth. "I think I would enjoy that," the Keeper said in answer to Kimmay's question. "Why do you demur?"

Kimmay understood the question. Even her wand tingled and wiggled at the question. "I love being a woman. Female is far preferential to male for me. Yes I was a transvestite. But I am far more contented as a female. Which do you prefer?"

"Female. I prefer the accoutrements. But … I think a male as a female would be enjoyable. More options and all of the benefits."

Her wand tingled and Kimmay said, "Your skin is a bit too yellow. Shift just slightly towards brown."

The girl did as she was instructed.

"The same amount again," Kimmay said. As the young girl shifted to a darkly tanned young teen Kimmay complimented her. "Perfect. You would be very desirable at a prom."

"Desirable to one or both sexual affiliates?"

Kimmay snorted and her wand gave her a slight admonishment on her forearm. "Both, I think. The males would desire you sexually, and the females would respect your beauty."

"Kimmay, would you help me understand?"

Kimmay froze at the mention of her name. "How did you …"

The Keeper interrupted her, "You are Kimmay from Earth. This you have told us. And you are in great danger. You have told us that also. You are looking for help. Why should we help you?"

The question was almost as innocent as asking why males liked females.

"Because …" but the Keeper immediately interrupted her again.

"Would you help me prepare and dress for a prom?"

"What?" Kimmay was blurting out answers before her wand could even help her.

"You have told me that your mother prepares females for prom."

"No I haven't."

"Kimmay, we are much more talented than you think. After all isn't that why you are here? For more of our … talent?"

"Yes," Kimmay answered sheepishly.

"Who is your sponsor? Why don't they help?"

Kimmay's wand had to give her the proper answer. "A potential conflict of interest with other interested parties."

"Traitors perhaps are assisting you? Hmmmm … and what is in it for us? Why should we consider such a request?" Before Kimmay could begin answering the Keeper added, "You know a lot of unfortunate things happen every day in this universe. Some of it good and some of it bad. Kimmay, why should we care?"

Kimmay's mind swirled with confusion and partial answers. The Keeper treasured information concerning the Prophecies more than anything in their world. That would have been excellent incentive for the Keeper, but Kimmay couldn't mention Prophecies. Fortunately, her wand was more than up to the task – and the question.

"Time."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't say."

"You can't say? You come to us for help and you can't say?"

"Because I don't understand. You yourself called it a nexus, but I have no clue as to what happened."

The Keeper leaned away from Kimmay and her eyes widened. She stared at Kimmay and said nothing for several moments. Kimmay became self-conscious under her glare and turned her eyes down. That was the exact reaction that the Keeper was hoping to see from her visitor.

"You have no clue?" the Keeper asked suspiciously.

"No, I still don't.

"And you did say 'what happened', past tense. Is that correct?"

Kimmay realized that she may have made a critical mistake. 'Does she know about Möbius loops?' Kimmay asked her wand. Her wand ignored the question and told her to be honest, and resist any explanations or embellishments. Stand taller. Kimmay straightened her injured leg and pulled it tight against the brace. "Yes," she answered.

"Do you believe Linda?"

Kimmay was again stumped. How did the Keeper know this and what did she want for an answer. Her wand tingled. "Yes," Kimmay answered.

"And they are threatening to destroy you and your planet." It wasn't a question, it was a statement. Kimmay didn't need to answer the rhetorical statement. Her wand assured her that the Keeper completely understood the situation.

The Keeper turned and walked several steps away from Kimmay. She stopped and turned back to Kimmay. "Will you help me prepare for a prom? Your mother is a stylist, right?"

'What the fuck?' Kimmay thought.

'You have your answer,' her wand said. 'Please her. She is interested in human sexuality. She wants to understand you. Help her pick out her dress.' Her wand sent a soothing notion through her mind and Kimmay realized the situation. The Keeper may have been technically far advanced beyond her and her fellow humans, but she had the same interests in life. In fact the Keeper was more open and honest about her curiosity than most humans, and most transvestites. Kimmay couldn't help but smile.

"Of course I will help. If you want, I'll take you to my mother's salon and then we can go shopping. I hope you enjoy it."

"Thank you, Kimmay. We do desire to try these pleasures and we do appreciate your assistance. We will help you and your planet. Shall we go?"

The two of them disappeared.

 

 

CHAPTER SEVEN

June 2222 – One month before

 

 

Executive Officer Bear looked out the portal of his state room. The galaxy was beautiful. He had deliberately jumped 20 light years outside the spiral galaxy and then ordered everyone on his ship to spend an hour in the observation decks or on the shuttle deck. He wanted everyone to see the galaxy they were going to explore.

Every once in a great while EO Bear became a bit sentimental. They were involved in a great exploration and the minutiae of the day distracted people from their great task. Monitors and paperwork kept the intrepid explorers from seeing the beauty and grandeur of their universe.

 

He heard the tinkle of crystal glasses behind him and he turned to watch his mistress as she set his dinner table for him

"You're preparing dinner yourself? Why? We have more than enough servants."

"It's a special night."

"What makes tonight so special?" he asked as he turned around to look out the portal again.

His mistress walked up behind the executive officer and wrapped her arms around him. "Because I have a great and famous master," she answered.

"Great? Famous? Since when did you decide I was either great or famous?"

"When I first accepted your contract I had a feeling," she said. A knock on the door interrupted them. "Let me get the door," and she left him looking out his portal.

The mistress returned with the consigliere. "Dinner is ready," she announced. "Shall we sit?"

Two bottles of liqueur were brought to the table. One was a very rare and expensive beverage that left most imbibers giddy and energetic. A glass was poured for the consigliere. The second bottle was an exquisite aphrodisiac that the executive officer and his mistress shared.

"To fame," she toasted.

"Whose?" he asked.

"Yours," she answered.

EO Bear gulped his drink, set down his glass and looked at his two dinner guests. "OK, explain yourselves."

His mistress smirked and began, "Tomorrow, where are we going?"

"Exploring."

"But exploring where? What is the address of our stop?"

EO Bear looked suspicious. "The galaxy before us, MWY and the coordinates are 1.23π from meridian, 0.66π above horizon and 12,378 steps from center."

"Exactly!" she said as both she and the consigliere shared a secret smile.

EO Bear merely looked at the two of them.

The consigliere spoke, "Since meeting the veterinarian on Terras, more than once you have asked me if I made the correct decision. Did I really believe that he was from our future and deserving of our assistance. Your stop tomorrow will – should prove me correct."

Now EO Bear was very interested. "What exactly did he tell you two? Why are you convinced that he was honest?"

"I have an amateur interest in micro-biology," the consigliere started. "Felix pointed out some interesting DNA results from his dinosaurs. They have a unique twist to the double helix that sets up a pattern for secondary manipulation. This twist appears to protect the molecule from mutation. It is very unique in that it allows the mutation, but it protects the core operation of the cells. In essence it encourages mutations by allowing the cells some protection from negative permutations."

"I never knew you had an interest in this area," Bear said.

The consigliere smiled and continued, "The planet that spawned this DNA has created a myriad of microbes that can survive in extremely hostile environments. Some can live and flourish in atmospheres of hydrogen sulfide, or carbon dioxide and even ammonia. Some of these microbes can survive temperatures from -50 to over 100; well below freezing and up to the boiling point of water. And while flourishing in these environments, they are exuding oxygen."

EO Bear looked at him blankly.

"Given enough time they multiply leaving a DNA based ecology in an oxygen environment. They terraform. Given enough time they can terraform even the most desolate and toxic planets."

"Given enough time," EO Bear emphasized.

"But with time travel, that is not a problem," the consigliere said. "You go back in time, terraform with the help of these microbes and then return today to a habitable planet."

"Of course."

"There are seven dinosaur planets that have this specific DNA. Three in this galaxy and four in our own. They were terraformed for dinosaurs, Felix told us. But, there are an additional twelve planets in our galaxy that contain this DNA. Felix told me which planets and I have confirmed his comments. Someone has already gone back in time and used this life-form to produce planets for our people."

"And you think that in all these cases this DNA came from the same source?"

"Yes sir I do. It came from the dinosaur planet."

"There were other things he showed us, your biography, our own biographies and they contained minute details that would be of interest to almost no one; unless the biography was of a famous person."

"So you become famous?"

"Sort of. We accompanied the Executive Director that discovered the famous dinosaur planet, and in turn became very famous himself," his mistress explained. "You see, if Felix is correct, tomorrow at the coordinates you quoted, you will discover Earth!"

The consigliere added, "Not only the planet that will allow us to terraform galaxies, and not only the planet that contains dinosaurs, but the planet that may be home to the Thirteenth Prophecy. You will indeed become famous."

EO Bear looked from mistress to consigliere to mistress with skepticism on his face. Then he slowly began to smile. "More drink!" and he pointed at his glass.

(continued)

  

  

  

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