The Sands of Time 57

 

"Who are you?"

"I'm... you." 

"Honestly."

"I am being honest. Why are you here?"

"Hillier..."

"Who's Hillier?"

"This isn't..."

Then he noticed the gun pointed at him. 

Okay. 

This Joon wasn't dressed like him either. The suit they'd worn for protection. This Joon had strange clothes, not the standard issue he was accustomed to. 

"Who... are you?"

"I'm Joon. Honestly. A Joon, anyway." 

They stared at each other for a moment. 

"Let's go somewhere quieter to talk," alt Joon suggested. He motioned with his gun for Joon to move deeper into the complex. 

What kind of gun was that anyway?

Joon acceded, moving down a tunnel that led into an octagonal chamber. The heart of the complex, apparently. They'd spent a little time here, trying to ascertain its purpose, with all the machines. The eeriest part though was all the side chambers lining the passage. They looked like... cells, or holding chambers. They were cold, with frost riming the viewport. And there were... things inside. 

"Weird," alt Joon nodded as they passed. 

Joon had a comm unit but didn't think he could thumb it on without his counterpart noticing. 

"Alright," alt Joon exhaled as the door cycled shut, "let's chat." 

"You're not... one of Hillier's folks?"

"I don't know who the fuck Hillier is."

"Did you come through the Gate?"

"Of course. Who are you people?"

"Well, we came here looking for an earlier team."

"Retrieval? Stella sent you?"

"Maybe." 

"That's a yes. What's her goal?"

"To re- establish contact with a lost team. And wait... how are you me?"

"My dear Joon, there are many of us." 

Alt Joon let that sink in. 

"One thing about time travel. It causes lots of problems. Including generating a multiplicity of us. The more we time travel... the more we fracture off timelines... the more of us there are."

"Where are you from?"

"Or when, you should say. Forget that. I came from a time, like you, where Stella thought she was in control."

Joon pondered that. 

"Stella's no longer an issue for us. Did she send you here to... eliminate us?"

Joon said nothing. 

Alt Joon smiled. 

"She's so many moves behind. I almost envy your innocence."

Joon said nothing. 

"I like Stella. But she sets herself up in an impossible position. Let me guess your next question. How are we moving around without popping into Sanctuary?"

Joon had wondered that. 

"The Gate network is extensive. We just avoid that one. We can go anywhere. Well, mostly. You... could go anywhere."

Joon didn't answer. 

"We hardly come here anymore. Once we gleaned what we needed from the ship... it's not really necessary."

"Where do you hide now?"

"Hide? Nice try. We're not hiding. We're mostly at Cretaceous One now. Or in the 25th. More resources there."

Joon was reeling. 

"How's Maia?"

He jerked upright. 

"She's wonderful. Some of us have her, some don't. She doesn't always survive."

"What are those... things in the corridor?"

"Samples. The Ancients seeded life, as you know. And seemed to enjoy taking samples from various worlds. Some of those things look disturbingly human. We think they may have taken samples from proto- humans, or possibly seeded humans here altogether; it's difficult to know, since by Cretaceous One this is gone."

"The tower?"

"Yes. Millions of years. Of course it's gone. Pangea breaks up, continental drift. Who can tell? We even know of cases where towers self destruct, as if they served their purpose."

"What do you plan to do with me?"

"Nothing."

Joon waited. 

"I mean, this is fun. You know a lot more now. Will you share it? What will your team do? I can't wait to see. I'm leaving, though. Don't do anything rash. Enjoy Maia."

He got up, but Joon interrupted. 

"Will I... encounter you again?"

"Hard to say. It may be a different me. A different you... or us. Keep in mind that you've stepped into a game that's complex. I like Stella, but she's not on the right side, necessarily. Using the Gates causes problems that need to be addressed. Just closing them... not realistic. Tell me, did the Faction win where you're from? I'm assuming not." 

"No."

"That explains much."

*******

One of the guards waved her over. 

Hillier tromped through the sand. 

Fucking sand. 

She hated sand. 

"What is it?"

"Is everything okay with Joon?" asked the guard. She was cute. Hillier would have to look into her later. 

"Why?"

"Well, he went by here earlier but he had... different clothes on. Looked weird."

Hillier stared at her. 

"How long ago?"

"Twenty minutes, maybe longer."

Hillier went cold.