The Temporal Wars

3.

The suit was snug but comfortable, as my fingers traced the strips of glowing light along the suit that illuminated the outlines of my body.

"How's it feel?" Dr.Burges asked.

I nodded, "Good. Except, I still don't know why you choose me to fly this mission into the future."

Dr.Burges shrugged, "Why not? Your parents are some of the most decorated scientists and engineers in the world, and you're not far from their footsteps. I've seen your papers in the field of theoretical physics."

"My parents created a death machine of an AI....that we're all now paying for." I said looking down.

"There is grace in our failures as scientists...try not to miss that." Dr.Burges said stepping over to his work space to grab something.

"Here." He said handing me a helmet, "It has a pretty advanced tactical display thanks to the engineering department lead by your mother." He said.

"It has check point routes of every timeline you're going to, a computer based AI separate from Revlis, and other stuff. Also don't forget, there's a timer in the upper left hand corner."

"A timer?" I asked.

"You have to remember your body isn't meant to travel through time. So you don't want to stay for long." He explained, "The longer you stay the faster your cells start to breakdown, that's what the timer is for. But, this suit is like nothing of its kind, it'll keep you safe from all of the harms that spaces comes with. Including protecting your cells and genetic code from breaking down. But like anything it won't protect you forever."

"Oh, Dr.Burges is a bit dramatic." My father walked in smiling,"You'll be fine."

Dr.Burges shook his head grinning at my father's entrance into the room along with my mother following in after him.

"Nervous?" My mother said walking up to me fixing my messy bun and ensuring my suit was on correctly.

"Are you sure you shouldn't be the one doing this?" I asked her.

"Your father and I know Revlis best. We're the only ones keeping him at bay from getting into certain systems. Our place is here." She sadly forced a grin, "And yours is among the stars." She tucked a strand of loose hair behind my ear.

"You're a physicist." My father said walking over, "You were made for this"

I gave both my parents a tearful smile as they each hugged me. I could feel them both not ever wanting to let me go as I felt eternal comfort in their embrace.

"Alright." Dr.Burges said, "Remember. When you enter a timeline, you're just observing to see if humanity beat Revlis in that timeline and any clues that might indicate how. Okay?"

I nodded taking a big shaky breath in, as I stepped up onto the platform, and put the helmet.

Welcome Traveler

The helmet display read as soon as I put it on.

Traveling to Year 2125

"Here we go!" Dr.Burges yelled over the whirring of the machinery around me.

I looked over through my helmet to see everyone waving and giving me thumbs up. As I raised my hands to wave back I felt my body get yanked away from them, and the world around me suddenly became distorted.

I closed my eyes as the force of gravity latched onto me. Every time I managed to open them I saw the universe and its glowing balls of light spinning around me. My head was pounding with pain from the dizziness of the warped time around me.

I felt scared. I wanted to scream for help. But, finally it all stopped and my body practically jerked to a halt, and I forced myself to open my eyes.

The helmet display read:

Welcome to Year 2125

I looked around to see nothing. No buildings. No animals. No life. Nothing.

"What happened here?" I asked the computer breathlessly as I took a few more steps forward searching for any sign of life.

"Humanity was wiped out by an AI named Revlis years ago. There has not been life on this planet since the year 2035." The helmet responded.

My heart sunk. I looked around for a few more hours to see the world was truly lifeless, sunless and cold. There was nothing here.

I selected the next checkpoint on my helmet and got yanked forward again into space time. The effects felt the same, but I was more prepared it for the second time.

My body got thrown onto the ground as if I was spit out of the time rift I was traveling in. I stood up slowly and said, "What year is this?"

"Welcome to year 2528." The helmet said.

I finally found the strength to stand up and dust off my suit. I looked around and suddenly let out a loud scream as I was surrounded by rows upon rows of human beings in liquid pods.

"What the hell?" I said shakily walking backwards trying to get away.

"An AI named Revlis killed most of humanity in the year 2098. He now grows humans as an electrical source through these pods-"

I felt shivers run down my spine, "Next timeline." I interrupted.

We landed.

"An AI named Revlis killed most of humanity in the year-"

"Next timeline." I said.

We landed again.

"An AI named Revlis killed most of"

I shook my head, "Next."

We landed again.

"An AI named Revlis killed-"

"Next." I sighed with frustration.

We landed.

"An AI named Revlis-"

"God dammit!" I screamed, "I don't have time for this. There has to be a timeline where we win!" I pleaded to the computer installed into my helmet.

"The probability of humanity outsmarting a being smarter then itself is unlikely. " The helmet responded.

I inhaled deeply trying to clam my fears and senses, "Gee. Thanks. Again. Next timeline."