'Zaratorio: The Story Continues' is a political parable dedicated in general to everyone who believes in #PeaceinUkraine and who says #NoToWar. More specifically, it is written in support of the brave and generous women and men of Medecins Sans Fro...
Jennifer, Lauren and Circe have adjourned to an old Norman castle in Brittany, in order to make their final preparations for their journey to the twenty-fifth century. Some people say that it is haunted – so perhaps they will find a "ghost in their machine"?
***
Circe claps her hands with delight, as she joins her friends for lunch.
'I have good news. Not only have I overcome the chrono-nautical problems I was dealing with in Outer Manchuria, but I have used my telekinetic powers to construct a much safer and more comfortable cockpit for us to travel in, the next time we use the ECM.'
'That's good to hear, Circe', enthuses Lauren. 'After all, it was originally designed as a cloaked transport system, without any intention of sending people through time. That had already been achieved with the time beam facility on the EVM, but Amber and Anton soon realised that long expeditions to other centuries would require quite a lot of "kit"- more than we can possibly create with replicators.
So they were able to make use of the twenty-fifth century technology contained in the ECM to miniaturise and transport things. I won't miss those rickety old chairs that Amber added on though.'
'I think Circe will have worked that out for herself, L, but I will be intrigued to see the changes that have been made to the Module. By the way, Circe, at what point do you think we will leave variant time?' asks Jennifer.
'That is a very good question. I don't know how far the Epsilon Variant extends into the future; perhaps it just peters out and we will emerge into "normal" time, or we may have to look for another portal. Fortunately, my chrono-senses can complement the relatively primitive technology used by Jessop, so I will know what to do when the time comes.'
The two women from Miami both frown.
'I'm sorry. I know that you both think highly of her, but you must remember that she and her sidekick, Koval, detained me without charge, or authority, for several years.'
Jennifer is still somewhat sullen, but Lauren tries to extend an olive branch.
'These cheese and spinach omelettes are very good, Jenny. You can always tell the difference between real food and replicator food ...'
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AI IMAGE = ↑ LAUREN, CIRCE AND JENNIFER EATING↑
***
An hour or so elapses.
'Although it's perfectly true that we have all the time in the world (my little joke!), the conditions in the time vortex – both variant and normal – are really quite conducive to chrono-travel this afternoon, so we ought to be getting along,' says Circe, as she leads the way along one of several winding staircases towards the rear of the keep.
'Well, we both travelled very light. After all, you did not give us much choice, did you C?' exclaims Lauren, as she tags along and finds her way into a large hall on the second floor of the castle.
'Oh, I see! The new cockpit really is quite clean and aerodynamic.
I presume that you rematerialised it remotely during the morning?' inquires Jennifer.
'Yes, that's right. And I've tested it briefly, so don't worry about a thing. The whole mechanism, including the original ECM, will chrono-port into the vortex with ease,' are the biotempador's final words of assurance.
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As she finishes speaking, Circe jumps into the pilot's seat, gesturing urgently for her companions to make their way to the other side of the time machine, and effect their own embarkations before the cockpit roof closes. Once all three women are aboard, the on-board computers create a digital model of unter-space, which is then fed into both the dematerialisation engines and the time beam, so that the ECM and its passengers can gradually disappear from view.
In just a few zepto-seconds, they reappear in the part of the time vortex that corresponds to the Epsilon Variant, and begin their long journey towards the twenty-fifth century. Except, that as they reach the year 2000, something that looks alarmingly like the original ECM appears just in front of the new cockpit windows!
Muttering something that sounds suspiciously like 'I'm sorry', Circe stands up and teleports onto the back of the high-tech metal chest. What is more, she soon disappears, for she is now riding across the centuries, just like a time surfer, with just a single hint of a rueful look back to ensure that her plan is working correctly. For as Lauren and Jennifer soon realise, their biotemp friend did not dispose of the holographic version of the time machine that she stored in her 'aura field', and has already locked the controls of the real ECM so that it will materialise in present-day Kyiv in just a few solar minutes time.
'Can we override this, Jenny?'
'Not in the time frame available, I'm afraid. But it does look as if we have left the Variant and will reach our own "now-time" very shortly.'
As the redesigned version of the ECM finally materialises in the far corner of the SISP Control Hall, the wide-eyed brunette realises that her personal communication device is winking. She surreptitiously glances at the mysterious message that has appeared:
'I still love you, but I cannot expect you to choose between me and Jennifer. C xx'
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***
NEXT TIME! Professor Amber's hunt for Rod and Devana gets serious, while Zaratorio really does have to choose between Sehzula and Melissa!
