Traveller Manifesto
90. Palestine - About 2000BC

Palestine – About 2000BC.

Dust-devils chased each other across the dusty plain.

Though greener than Israel in the 21st Century, it was still a harsh land. The outlook appeared no better after UAV reconnaissance and when they tested the electric chopper they had assembled and flown. The craft would carry a crew of two and was a most effective way to ferry personnel over long distances, for it could fly back, unmanned, to collect more troops or supplies as needed. They knew to use it judiciously else they could unduly alarm the locals.

Anderson was forced to finally concede they had been cut adrift. He suspected that it might have had something to do with the short, sharp quake that had struck without warning. It seemed to emanate from the Area of Convergence and had rocked them with a deep thrumming that pierced the soul. Later, when they gathered for a team evaluation, one of the engineers who had been working on the UAV deployment had discussed Allen Nguyen’s theories regarding the cavitation of Space-Time if there was any consecutive or synchronous activation of more than one Transporter. He admitted, somewhat shame-faced, that nobody in the scientific community really took the academic paper too seriously as nobody yet knew what Space-Time really was.

There had been no communication with Camp Gamma for ten days. Such a lapse in procedures was unheard of and particularly galling as they had been ordered to prepare for evacuation. After three days of inaction, the harsh truth had finally hit them. A couple of the UAV pilots had been particularly grief-stricken and one of the young women had quietly cried for hours. As the senior officer, Anderson had no choice but to have the camp reassembled. The Tower Hawk system was now fully functional while the emergency petrol generators were kept in reserve in the event they needed to back up the solar system so far in use. The camp had a reasonable supply of ammunition and enough emergency rations to last a couple of months. As the administrative personnel had already left, theirs was a skeleton crew of only fifteen, including seven from various arms of the Special Forces.

The long days dragged into eternity. Their equipment proved effective, though there would soon be a need to search for water. As a courtesy, the portable toilets were restricted to the needs of the three female personnel, while the Special Forces troops suggested that they scout the surrounding region to supplement their diet with fresh meat. With the UAV’s as scouts, replaceing game was never easier and to bring a beast down would only take one expertly placed shot.

Anderson looked around at his team. Moral was low, not surprising when most feared that they would never see family and loved ones again. But he had to remind them that they were alive. Special Forces team members were used to being placed into impossible situations.

Yes, morale would improve.

So, they looked to be marooned in the land of Palestine of circa 2000 BC. Their weaponry would guarantee their safety, for the moment at least, and they knew what surrounded them. With their technology, they could remain vigilant for years until there was a rescue. If there was ever a rescue. It was vital that they execute their duties as if engaged in a normal Traveller mission. They would carefully map their surrounds, record significant population centres and keep a track of human and animal movements and populations. They would determine who was friendly and even integrate into local populations if possible.

The UAV team had planned a long-distance reconnaissance mission to target Jerusalem and to then proceed to Egypt. Ancient Memphis was suggested to be a significant population centre that could be explored after a flight distance of around 700km each way. They would test one of the new high altitude, solar powered Unmanned Aerial Vehicles that was designed to map and monitor ancient populations. After the long-distance mission across the US with Mississippi Traveller, the option to scan further afield had garnered significant support. Once they had surveyed Egypt, they might even explore further afield, perhaps to Ur in ancient Mesopotamia, or even to ancient Minoan Greece or the enigmatic civilisations in and around modern Turkey.

And to make patrols easier, they had the small copter.

Parts would eventually become an issue, but they had an inventory of spare parts as per their original mission plan. The electronics would ultimately fail, for the inevitable corrosion from dust or moisture would impact on their mission performance. But they had to remain calm and plan for the future, whether there was a rescue or not.

Anderson frowned and was momentarily engulfed in emotion, for there was that familiar intense sense of loss that tore at his heart. He might never see his small son grow to become a pimply teenager, nor would he witness the birth of their second child. Deborah had been so looking forward to his return for some R&R. They had even discussed her visit to Jerusalem where she could do some shopping and engage in the usual tourist stuff.

Would she ever know what had happened to him? No, of course not. He only hoped his family would be looked after.

There was a sharp prick of tears and Anderson wiped his hand over his face and took a shuddering gasp as he forced the grief down. Breathe in … breathe out. In … two, three four … out … two, three, four. He felt a measure of calm return. It was essential that he remain in control of himself. Getting emotional wouldn’t help, though most had experienced their moments. Not to feel grief would make one not human.

Anderson straightened and again looked out to the dust-devils. A small team was already out there engaged in another ground reconnaissance mission, out in the unknown world of this place, of this time.

Yes, they would survive.