Newsgroups: alt.ql.creative From: wgarmil@world.std.com (Wayne S Garmil) Subject: Paradox: part 2 Message-Id: Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA Date: Thu, 7 Oct 1993 21:17:54 GMT PARADOX ------- Part II: 1999 --------------- Whoosh.... FZAM! Thud. "Ow!" Standing up, Wayne looks around him (and massages his behind after suddenly finding himself sitting on thin air). The grey walls and dim lighting make the room unrecognisable. "Quantuum leap process complete.", comes a female voice. Wayne suddenly turns around and looks for who's just spoken. He quickly realizes the voice had to come from an overhead speaker. "Who's out there? Where am I? Why am I here?", Wayne calls out. He begins to slowly bring his arms over his head. It's then he notices his time control bracelets are missing. {Oh, shit!}, Wayne thinks to himself. {Well, so much for teleporting away...}, Wayne thinks as he lowers his arms. While changing into his WildCard costume isn't necessarry for using his powers, the flash produced by the change when the bracelets are brought together can be (and has been in the past) used as a distraction as part of a quick escape. The bracelets, however, are necessary if Wayne wants to control where and when he lands once he activates his teleport. Wayne turns at the sudden hum as a door suddenly begins to rise open into the ceiling. Wayne shades his eyes at the bright white light that comes through the door. "Who's out there?", Wayne asks again. "First tell me, who are you?", a male voice asks. "If you don't know, why did you teleport me from my car?", Wayne asks in answer to the question. {If they expected me to be scared out of my wits, they're right, but I can't let them know that!}, Wayne tells himself, trying to keep calm. "Look, buddy," the man begins as he enters the room, "I've got no time to fool around. Now who are-" The man suddenly stops speaking as he fully enters the room and gets a good look at who's inside. The cigar drops from his gaping mouth. "Please tell me you're not WildCard", the man says, his eyes wide. "Sorry to say this, but I am. Now who are you?!", Wayne demands, trying to show more courage than he currently has. Without his bracelets, Wayne (or WildCard, as Wayne calls himself when he's in his superhero costume) doesn't dare try to teleport away. At least not until he knows where he is. An uncontrolled teleport is bad enough, but a blind, uncontrolled teleport from an unknown location is almost guarrenteed suicide. "I'm Admiral Al Calabbichi. Now come out of the Imaging Chamber, please. We need some information real quick so we can find a friend who's lost in time." "Why didn't you say so before?", Wayne says as he hurries out of the room, with Al close behind him. "Now, what do you need to know and how can I help?" The three other people in the main control room are startled by this coherent person who's obviously not phased by being teleported to where he currently is, and who's actually helpful. Wayne looks around a little at the advanced equipment, but doesn't show any signs of panicing. It's the fear on Al's face that has the trio worried. "First, what is today's date, including the year?", Al asks. "Well, it was September 21, 1991 when I got up this morning. What's the date now?", Wayne asks. "September 21, 1999", the male of the trio replies. The two women look at him darkly, but say nothing. "Eight years into the future, huh? Not bad. What else do you need to know?", Wayne asks. "Where you were before you arrived here.", Al asks. Wayne does his best to describe where he was, but he doesn't know the name of the road he was on, just that it's part of route 62 near where it mearges with route 28. Wayne's not even sure of the town he was in at that moment. "Okay. Ziggy, you got enough info to find Sam?", Al asks. "I believe so, Admiral.", replies the female computer voice. "I currently place Dr. Beckett at a police station in North Reading, Massachuesetts on the date provided. Preparing the imaging chamber for hologrpahic image transfer." "So, Ziggy's a computer, huh? Why the female voice?", Wayne asks, smiling. "I am a fully aware artificial intellegence.", Ziggy replies, sounding a little hurt. "My apologies, Ziggy. I didn't know you were aware.", Wayne says. "So, why have you teleported me to the future? And how, if I may ask. I'm sure you know that I'm also a time traveller, so I'm fully aware of the dangers of future knowledge and potential paradoxes.", Wayne asks Ziggy. "Imaging chamber ready. Please enter, Admiral.", Ziggy says. "Please wait here, WildCard. I'll return shortly.", Al says as he enters the chamber. As soon as the door closes, Wayne suddenly feels dizzy and passes out. ----- "What happened?!", Al asks as he steps out of the imaging chamber and sees Wayne lieing on the floor. "He passed out as soon as you enterred the chamber. He was coming around, then suddenly passed out again just as you arrived.", the male of the trio replies. "Any ideas why, Goshi?", Al asks the male member of the trio. "Not yet. But I think your using the imaging chamber may have something to do with it. Lets get him away from here. I've already called for Dr. Beeks, but she's apparently running another one of her errands. I have no idea when she'll return", Goshi replies. After a few minutes, Wayne regains consciousness. "Oh, who let RanDamn into the room?", Wayne asks. "God, my head hurts. Who activated the power drain on me?" "I don't understand.", Al says. "What's going on here?! Anyways, Sam needs info some now. Who should he call for a ride, and where should he go next?" "Call for a ride? Why? Please don't tell me Sam messed up my car." "Sorry. A tree limb fell in front of your car just as you leaped. It was unavoidable.", Al says. "Great. Just great. Tell him to call my parents, borrow the Sable, and head to ULowell if he can. The number's in my wallet, and I'll give you directions to ULowell when you need them. And find out how bad Sam hurt my car!" As soon as Al enters the imaging chamber again, Wayne looses consciousness for a third time. "I was afraid of this. I think using the imaging chamber is draining him.", Goshi says to the Ziggy. "Send a message to Al to not return unless absolutely necessary. We may be killing WildCard with what we're doing." -- _ __ _ __ Remember: The WildCard always stacks ' ) / // / / ) / the deck in his favor. Anyone care / / / o // __/ / __. __ __/ for a game of strip poker? My deal. (_(_/ <_