The Sands of Time 26

 

"No."

Stella was smiling. 

"I need someone." 

"No what?" asked Maia as she came back over. 

Stella looked at Joon, and he looked away. 

"We need someone to go through our Gate and... hopefully... close it from the other end." 

"What?" Joon gasped. "Meaning... no return?"

"I don't know. I'm not the expert."

"Why us?" asked Maia. 

"Who else?"

"I can think of plenty. How about a tactical team?"

"That's an idea. It's just early thinking. No decisions have been made."

"Oh, that's comforting."

"Well, something has to be done. I have an out of control Gate, Incursions by creatures from wherever... now I have strike teams prowling the base killing everyone..."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend..." Joon muttered. 

"What?"

"I was just thinking. If you have rogue teams from the Directorate sweeping the base, maybe it's not a bad time to talk to Hillier." 

"Why?"

"Well, what happens when the strikers get here? Do we get neutralized?"

"That's a great question," Mallory rejoined the group. 

"Hey, not to change the subject," said Maia, "but where's Howie?"

Everyone peered about but there was no sign of him. 

"Did he not come through the door?"

"What are those, exactly?" Joon asled. 

"They're dimensional warping... teleportation... devices. How they are powered, and how the Intruders have the power to operate them on an individual level, are a mystery to us." 

"Another reason to talk to Hillier," muttered Joon. 

"Can we remember that she's not exactly Hillier?" spat Stella. 

"Howie," stressed Maia. 

"Well, who knows. He could be anywhere." 

"Do we care?"

"I care," said Maia. "He saved our lives back there."

"Is he even a he?" asked Joon. 

"We've covered that. Who knows? I like to call him a he."

"Getting back to the Gate. If we go through... who are we looking for?"

"A gentleman named Valerus. Leo Valerus. My top Gate man, on assignment currently on a world we call Poseidon. He jumped at a chance to see a new world. It's mostly water. We have some topside bases and an undersea facility. Farpoint Station."

"Clearly things are farther along than I ever realized." 

"This is need to know, and not many need to know." 

Maia made a noise, and Stella looked at her. 

"Keep in mind I will shoot you if you talk."

"We aren't seriously thinking of doing this, are we?" asked Mallory. 

"We have choices," Stella said. "Do nothing and see what happens. The Incursions or the strike teams will likely end us. Plus cryptids and shapeshifters. Or we can do this and try to close the Gate. Come up winners. And maybe evacuate our people before the Gate goes."

"Have you tried the Directorate?"

"Yes. The fact that I haven't heard back is a cause for alarm."

"What will they do if we do close the Gate?"

"They probably will not be amused. So, yes, even if we do this we may spend the rest of our time in Siberia."

"Is this facility secure in the meantime?"

"I think so. Best we have. Although... this complex is so big we could relocate anyplace."

"You mentioned some temporal distortions a while back."

Silence. 

"What are those?"

Mallory and Stella exchanged looks. 

"Part of dimensional travel can involve... changes in when as well as where." 

"Time travel?"

"If you say so."

Maia walked away. 

"We don't have enough to worry about."

"We have a team in the Triassic," Mallory bubbled. "Although they're late reporting in..."

"So what's the call, Stella?"

"Let me show you Poseidon."