Impossible Journey, A Tale of Times and Truth

"Enough philosophy, Fellows! Any guesses as to where we’ll land next?"

"You mean ‘When’, don’t you?"

"Of course! ‘When’!"

CHAPTER 7: TRIBULATION AND PATIENCE

"A very good question, gentlemen!" Walt’s rough voice breaks in. "A very good question indeed from the look of these meters."

"What do you mean?" the others chime in all at once, alarmed by the concern in Walt’s voice.

"Well, if this indicator’s right, we’re moving in the wrong direction."

"What?"

"Yes, look at that! We’re moving forward instead of backward in time. Did you set the coordinates correctly, Dan?"

"Certainly! I’m not a novice with this type of instrument, you know."

"And the indicator was working just fine, wasn’t it?"

"Absolutely. The only thing wrong with it the first time was the spring. Since I replaced that, it has been working great."

"Well then, there can be only one other explanation. We are being pulled forward by a force superior to our own propulsion."

"We’d better try to contact home base about this." Daniel goes to the communicator and tries to make contact. But all efforts are futile. "We might as well give up."

"Let’s try again when we get closer our own time."

"If we get to our own time, we could try to land."

"We’ll try both. If we’re lucky, one will work."

"Keep your eye on the indicator, Walt."

The indicator shows that they are traveling forward in time faster and faster each minute. As they approach their own time, Daniel sits ready at the communicator and Kerry at the landing thruster. Walt gives the signal: "Ready...Now!"

Daniel is able to pick up a signal, but it is too garbled to be understood. He tries to leave word of their situation, in hope that the transmission won’t be as garbled in its reception as the one from home base.

Meanwhile, Kerry tries to force a landing, giving the thrusters total energy. But, "It’s impossible." Something of greater power than their own is forcing them forward, and there is nothing they can do.