Traveller Inceptio
60

Phil arrived with customary fanfare. He was accompanied by the British Ministers for Defence and Education, US Senator Benton, the Canadian Minister for Defence, and the Australian Ambassador, as well as their sizable entourages and senior military officers. They waited in the Welbeck Abbey reception until a military helicopter arrived with the British Prime Minister. As this was a non-media event, there were informal greetings before Captain Murdoch led the entourage to a large shed that housed the Transporter. The Area of Convergence had been isolated behind a security barrier of bulletproof glass with its own filtered air supply. There had been a fear that Transportation might include sending unwelcome germs back in time or picking up microorganisms on the return. Mel and Zak tried to explain that if germs were sent, according to current theory, history had showed either nothing had happened or the results were localised and devastating. It was all still under contention, so there was nothing more they could do about it.

The equipment was now hidden behind sterile white panels that gave the Area of Convergence a clinical and desired science-fiction feel. A seated observation gallery presented a clear view of proceedings while keeping guests out of the way.

Though Murdoch led, Phil was very much in charge and made sure the VIP guests, with whom he was on a first-name basis, had their egos suitably massaged.

The Saxon Traveller Team and Professor Taylor arrived soon after. Only the two to be sent were in costume, the others dressed in British Army fatigues. They looked out of place with their shoulder-length hair and big bushy moustaches. The strictly controlled publicity on the project had actually seen the bushy Saxon Warrior moustache become fashionable in some circles, while celebrities and comedians enjoyed a field day on the topic. Once the bushy moustaches had been grown by more than a few sporting celebrities, the fashion risked catching on.

Leishman and McFee, dressed in their full Saxon outfits, were armed with their swords and small cameras. Though they were only to be away for one hour, their kit included emergency rations, just in case. Despite the many tests, there was always the fear something could go wrong. The new Travellers chatted with dignitaries, endured the obligatory photo opportunities and made their way to the departure area, marked as a circle painted clearly onto the concrete floor. After checks, there was a countdown.

They simply vanished.

As most of those in attendance had been thoroughly briefed on the procedure, they should not have been surprised when the men disappeared. The reality, however, was stunning to behold. The human mind seemed unable to grasp how someone could be there one moment and gone the next, so accompanied by Phil and Professor Taylor’s carefully crafted running commentary, the dignitaries and their entourages were permitted to inspect the empty area. They also met Mel, Zak, and the rest of the scientific team who answered questions.

“But how does the Transporter not place a Traveller into the middle of a tree?” asked the Prime Minister.

“That’s a very good question,” responded Mel. We’re still uncertain as to how the Transporter works.” The Prime Minister seemed startled that his question would be answered by such a fashionably dressed woman. Mel refused to appear as a scientist in a traditional white coat. “Somehow, the field produced by the Transporter senses an equivalent location from that which we are now located. So, it seeks a clear and level ground similar to the Area of Convergence. Besides”, she smiled, “we test each location with a camera. We haven’t been surprised yet.” She and Zak then posed for photographs with the PM, who seemed particularly excited about the entire process.

Refreshments were served and were barely consumed before the countdown for the Travellers’ return began. A large digital clock in the observation area highlighted the time allocated to the reconnaissance, and as it ran down to zeroes, Mel initiated the Transporter and the two men immediately reappeared. Their only change was their feet were slightly muddy and Leishman had muddy knees. They waved to the researchers and the dignitaries before being guided to a quarantine area to undress and shower thoroughly. All equipment was stashed in a bio-secure bin to be examined. They soon emerged in white overalls, surgical masks and rubber gloves. Though extensive non-human tests had established their arrival area possessed no bacteria or other organisms worthy of concern, it paid to be cautious, especially when important dignitaries were concerned.

An hour later, after the audience had departed, the men were given the all clear and they had their debrief with Professor Taylor and their fellow team members in the Welbeck cafeteria. Leishman and McFee were dismissive of the physical concerns of the transportation process. Leishman had felt a little dizzy and confused for a couple of minutes but McFee was unaffected. They described the spring air of Saxon England as little different to how it felt now, though the day was warmer and sunny, and it looked like there had been rain. Nothing special at all.

Their footage showed they were close to a ploughed field and they surprised a couple of farmers who were breaking clods of earth.

“The farmers appeared startled to see a couple of warriors, I think,” described McFee. “It was difficult to understand them because they had stronger accents, while some words we couldn’t understand at all. As you can see, there was a small cluster of huts visible through the trees.”

Professor Taylor and his fellow historians were ecstatic. Their preliminary analysis of even this brief visit to the past allowed them to learn more about Saxon dress, fibres, and health. Collected vegetation samples identified a number of rare British native plants as being common for the time, while grains collected from the farmers showed a strain of barley hitherto unknown. Taylor brimmed with excitement. “Even with such a brief visit to one-thousand years into England’s past, we’ve learned so much. As we analyse the samples and footage further, more will be revealed.”

Mel looked to Zak as they watched Taylor report. “I’m guessing our Professor Taylor expects for Saxon Traveller to be a sure thing.”

“Well, it would be nice if he let us know,” replied Zak.

The academic continued. “But we stress that, judging by our results so far, an extended mission is not only possible, but will reveal profound insights into the lives of our ancestors before their conquest by the Normans in 1066.”

Mel knew the initial probe into Saxon England would literally rock the academic worlds of historians and engineers alike. It seemed the only person who was miffed was the team’s linguist. His was the task to examine the locally spoken Saxon to determine if fine-tuning the team’s spoken language was even possible.

Leishman and McFee made it clear they would be happy to return if Hurley decided to change his mind.

***

The British Government released the news of the test to the press and the edited footage of their Saxon visit went viral.

One week after the reconnaissance, the facility prepared for longer mission. In the Area of Convergence, McFee and Anderson were Transported to set up the mission Base Station, which was to act as a receiver for broadcasts of images and reports Hurley would transmit daily. The unit had been designed to look like a tree-stump to avoid undue attention. It was hoped it would not be accidentally destroyed by a Saxon seeking firewood.

Hurley requested no fanfare. To avoid unwarranted local attention to the location, more scouting missions were ruled out. When he was ready to return, Hurley simply had to advise of his intentions in his reports or stand within a metre of the storage unit at midnight when the base station was Transported back to the present. Hurley’s mission would last anything from a week to a month, depending on how he evaluated the benefits and risks involved. He celebrated his last evening in the 21st Century with some private time, which Hunter took to mean dinner and an evening with Murdoch. No details were given, only that he had enjoyed a roast dinner with roast beef, Yorkshire pudding and potatoes, something Saxon England would never possess.

Captain Murdoch wasn’t present at Hurley’s departure.