Project Time Machine

A Time And Place

by Tim Tolbert

Copyright © 2021 by Tim Tolbert. Revised Edition © 2025.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication, in whole or in part, may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, in part or in whole, without the prior written permission of the author (Tim Tolbert). This book is protected under the copyright laws of the United States of America.

This book is a work of fiction.  Names, characters, businesses, organizations, places, events and incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

The author of this book is Tim Tolbert.

This book is published by Amazon KDP.

Chapter One

The Project

Admiral Davis, the seasoned and pragmatic commander of the High-Tech Research and Training Facilities near Dahlgren, Virginia, was not one to delegate lightly when it came to classified operations. Pressured by the Pentagon to get the project up and running, he personally selected Lieutenant Coil to lead one of the most ambitious Top Secret projects in the base's history: the development of a functioning time machine.

Known for her sharp intellect and relentless work ethic, Lieutenant Coil had recently graduated at the top of her Naval class in Basic and Advanced Electronics and Quantum Physics Tech Core, earning a distinguished military graduate award with honors. Her achievements and rank made her a natural choice for a task that demanded equal parts of brilliance and discretion.

Lieutenant Coil tackled her assignment with a heady mix of anticipation and dread, fully aware that success would mean unraveling one of humanity’s most audacious mysteries, and that failure could spell catastrophe. From the moment she received her orders, her life transformed into a relentless pursuit of the impossible. The first few months were an all-consuming blur of intensive research. She immersed herself in every scrap of data, from trying to obtain a deeper philosophical understanding penned by fringe theorists to weeding out volumes of speculative fiction brimming with wild conjectures. Each page seemed to mock her with its impracticality, yet she resisted and dismissed them outright. Even amidst the unscientific noise, Lieutenant Coil knew that brilliance often hid in the unlikeliest of places. With the precision of a surgeon, she dissected these theories and sought to extract threads of truth that could align with her formidable grasp of quantum mechanics.

Her living quarters workspace became a sanctum of feverish activity. Various white boards hanging on the walls were littered with equations scrawled in frenzied urgency, annotated diagrams of temporal models, and snippets of ideas begging further exploration. Sleep became a rare indulgence. Her nights stretched into the still hours of the morning as she filled notebook after notebook with intricate calculations, speculative designs, and tentative breakthroughs. Lieutenant Coil’s imagination flourished in these solitary moments, conjuring possibilities that danced on the edge of plausibility.

Gradually, what had started as a faint glimmer of hope began to take shape into something astonishingly real. Her concept, bold and revolutionary, was becoming more than just a theory. It was the skeleton of a mechanism designed to manipulate the fabric of time itself. She envisioned a complex lattice of interlocking algorithms and advanced materials capable of creating a controlled rift in the spacetime continuum. Her proposed system, though barely sketched out, promised not merely movement through time, but pinpoint precision in targeting specific temporal coordinates. It was a gamble of epic proportions, but Lieutenant Coil had never been one to shy away from risk.

As the intricate blueprint of a time machine steadily approached its final form, her resolve deepened with unwavering intensity. Each breakthrough and meticulous revision transformed her draft from a collection of theoretical musings into the foundation of something extraordinary. She could feel the boundaries of fiction dissolving around her, replaced by the undeniable momentum of a groundbreaking reality.

Submitting her final plans to Admiral Davis marked a pivotal moment. After first reviewing the plans himself, the Admiral, recognizing both the potential and the risks of such an endeavor, forwarded the designs to the Pentagon for review. The approval process was grueling, involving many weeks of scrutiny and debate among military scientists and officials within the Pentagon. When the green light finally came, it arrived with a substantial funding package and strict instructions to proceed with the utmost secrecy, and haste.

With approval secured, Lieutenant Coil was assigned a private laboratory nestled in a remote section of the base, far from prying eyes. Transforming the sterile, bunker-like open bay space into a hub of innovation, she handpicked a small but skilled team to assist her. Her team included an Ensign who excelled in physics, and an enlisted Petty Officer who had shown a natural talent for quickly understanding and visualizing complex engineering systems. Together, the trio formed an efficient and resourceful unit, each bringing their expertise to the table.

The next ten months were a whirlwind of activity. The team faced a series of logistical hurdles, from sourcing rare materials to fabricating intricate components that did not yet exist in the broader scientific world. The lab became a flurry of activity, cluttered with half-assembled circuits, glowing monitors, and the hum of experimental machinery. Despite the long hours and the pressure of their mission, the team developed a rhythm, working in unison toward their shared goal.

When the prototype was finally completed, excitement and anticipation filled the lab. Initial trials involved simple test objects, such as small metallic spheres, being sent through the machine to specific timestamps. The results, however, were underwhelming.  They eventually used various other non-organic test objects, to test different kinds of materials. Test after test failed to achieve the desired effect, as the objects never re-appeared on the platform after the elapsed targeted destination time expired, neither forward nor backward through time. Undeterred, Lieutenant Coil and her team adjusted their methods, recalibrating systems and revisiting the theoretical underpinnings of the design. Their determination was unwavering, even as weeks of setbacks turned into additional months.

The team decided to escalate their trials, cautiously introducing other materials, objects, and eventually even human test subjects into the equation. The reasoning came from the idea that a human test subject could be sent, make contact, and then report back, from whenever they arrived. These tests, fraught with ethical and technical challenges, also failed to yield success. Once the volunteered enlisted human test subjects disappeared after being exposed to the generated time dilation field on the platform, they too were never seen from nor heard from again. Despite the team's frustrations, the setbacks only deepened their resolve. For Lieutenant Coil, this project was no longer just an assignment, it was a personal mission, to not only push the boundaries of human understanding, but to also justify the decision of sending human test subjects.

In an effort to address the unexplained failures, especially with human test subjects now involved, the Pentagon assembled a small special investigations unit. This team comprised of non-military federal investigator agents and consultants, selected for their expertise in assessing high-stakes top secret projects with national security implications. Shortly after arriving to the base, the investigators briefly met with Admiral Davis to review the project's background and objectives, to get his point of view. Following their preliminary inquires, the team transitioned into a more detailed debriefing, focusing their attention on Lieutenant Coil, the lead scientist behind the time machine project initiative.

The debriefing took place in a well-equipped conference room adjacent to Admiral Davis's office. The room, with its dark walls, polished brass decor, and minimalist furnishings, carried an air of formality and tension. Admiral Davis sat at the front end of the long table, near the conference room door. Lieutenant Coil sat at the center of the table, across from the investigators, Agent Adams and Agent Lacey, who were representatives of the Pentagon's CIA special investigations unit. Despite their civilian status, the agents displayed the authority and precision of seasoned professionals. Agent Adams, with his calm yet analytical demeanor, focused intently on Lieutenant Coil's answers, while Agent Lacey, sharp-eyed and meticulous, made rapid notes on her laptop, occasionally punctuating the conversation with pointed questions.

At the far end of the table, seemingly unfazed by the meeting, a young girl no more than eleven years old, quietly sat perched on a chair. Her attention was fully absorbed by a thick stack of papers, as she scribbled notes and flipped through pages, seemingly paying little mind to the others in the room. Although her presence puzzled Lieutenant Coil, she paid her very little thought at first. Given the ongoing pandemic, Lieutenant Coil assumed the girl was perhaps one of the agents' children, likely brought along due to mandatory remote schooling requirements currently in effect nationwide due to the Covid pandemic, and assumed the girl was simply doing her homework. Lieutenant Coil quickly dismissed the thought, and refocused on the barrage of questions now directed at her by the Agents.

The discussion covered every facet of the project, from the initial design phase to the repeated testing failures. For over two hours, the agents alternated between typing their observations and querying Lieutenant Coil with precision. Agent Adams questioned the scientific foundations of the time machine, probing for explanations of the setbacks. Agent Lacey, meanwhile, examined procedural elements, seeking clarity on decisions made during testing. Their investigative approach was thorough, and created an atmosphere of mounting pressure for the Lieutenant.

Midway through the session, Admiral Davis excused himself, leaving the conference room to attend to other matters in his office. His departure shifted the dynamic slightly, but the agents pressed on, determined to uncover the root of the issues plaguing the project. Lieutenant Coil, accustomed to the rigorous demands of military work, maintained her composure and responded to their questions with measured professionalism.

The intensity of the inquiry seemed to underscore the stakes involved. This project was no mere academic exercise, it held the potential to redefine human understanding of time itself. Yet, with repeated failures and the ill timed introduction of human test subjects, the gravity of the situation had escalated significantly. The investigators knew that any oversight on their part could result in serious consequences, both scientific and ethical. Their inquiry, meticulous and relentless, reflected the importance of ensuring this groundbreaking technology was understood, and controlled, before moving forward.

Chapter Two

The Debriefing Continues

Agent Adams leaned forward slightly, his expression calm but intent, as he asked, “Lieutenant Coil, can you again elaborate on the details of how your time machine apparatus was designed and built? Please tell us, how exactly does it work?”

Lieutenant Coil took a deep breath, glancing down for a moment as she collected her thoughts. “Certainly, Agent Adams,” she began, her tone steady and measured. “The design of the time machine is rooted in principles of quantum physics, specifically with the manipulation of space-time through advancements that combined entangled particle and energy fields across temporal coordinates. Most time machines depicted in science fiction movies are capsule-type machines that travel through time with the test subject. However, I decided to instead take a different approach, and build a machine that stays locked in our time, but sends the test subjects either forward or backward through time. With this approach, in theory, the time machine acts as an anchor point, supplying the function of being both the transmitter and the receiver for the test subjects being sent through time, without the time machine itself ever leaving our time or possession. By design, after the test subject disappears from the time machines platform, it should reappear back on the platform, either forward or backward in time, depending on the temporal coordinates of the destination time targeted.”

She paused briefly, cleared her throat, and then continued. “Initially, the project required extensive research into existing theories of time travel. Most of these science fiction based theories are speculative and fanciful, of course, but they provided the framework for exploring the concept further. I started with the idea of creating stable temporal gateways by manipulating higher dimensions, which are essentially, in layman's terms, controlled distortions in the space-time continuum. The key was identifying the exact parameters that would allow us to manipulate entangled temporal energy particles and containment fields at a quantum level.”

Lieutenant Coil gestured subtly with her hands as she spoke, reinforcing the technical complexity of the process. “The machine itself consists of multiple components working in tandem. The central element is an energy generator that generates high amounts of electricity by converting dark energy into normal energy. We use it to achieve the enormous energy outputs required that are far beyond the capabilities of conventional power supplies and generators. This dark energy generator supplies the initial energy burst needed to create a temporal disturbance on the machine's platform, which the mainframe's AI controlled quantum chip processors then lock onto and control its entangled energies of temporal states throughout higher dimensions. As this happens, we also establish a containment field around the platform, designed to stabilize the boundaries of the time dilation field and prevent it from dissipating into the surrounding environment. This containment field uses a combination of highly calibrated electromagnetic pulses and advanced crystalline matrices to maintain stability.”

Agent Lacey, who had been quietly taking notes on her laptop, raised an eyebrow, and interjected. “And how do you determine the destination in time?”.

Lieutenant Coil nodded slightly at the question. “The temporal destination is programmed into the system using specialized AI controlled regenerative algorithms within the mainframe's quantum chip processors. These algorithms calculate the temporal coordinates in the space-time continuum based on the energy input and the intended parameters, as well as initialize, monitor, and adjust the quantum entangled particles while within the containment field. The final component is the auto-corrected calibration sensors, which ensure precise adjustments to the energy output, the containment field, and entangled particles. All of these elements must operate in perfect synchronization for the time machine to function effectively. Since the time machine itself acts as both a transmitter and a receiver, we believe the test subjects sent backwards in time can only go as far back in time as when the time machine was first activated, and no further, according to our theoretical models anyway. For going both forward and or backward through time, we assume short time jumps would be best for our tests, and therefore, for the sake of simplicity and consistency, we have kept most of the test run jumps set at thirty minute target destination times.”

She leaned back slightly, her expression thoughtful. “Building the apparatus was a challenge in itself. Many of the software components had to be custom-made in our lab, and the equipment acquisition required collaboration with specialized DOD engineers and suppliers. Sourcing the materials, alone, took months, especially for the crystalline matrices and high-output energy regulators. Assembly involved countless trials, errors, and fine tuning of the algorithms and calibrations. The most difficult part was testing. We needed to ensure the system could handle immense energy loads without collapsing, causing unintended consequences, or posing any health risks to anyone involved.”

Agent Adams listened intently, his pen poised above his notepad as he scribbled the occasional word. He finally broke his silence. “And the failures in testing? Do you have any thoughts or leads as to why it didn’t work as expected?”

Lieutenant Coil frowned slightly, showing an expression of doubt. “I assume the primary cause of failure most likely lies in stabilizing the temporal gateway. While the energy output and containment fields functioned as intended, the theoretical framework for manipulating time itself appears to possibly be flawed, especially since it is extremely difficult to visualize the higher dimensions. We also believe the issue might be tied to variables we have not yet accounted for, perhaps unknown factors in the quantum realms that affect space-time differently than anticipated.”

Agent Adams leaned forward, resting his forearms on the table as he asked, “Lieutenant Coil, tell us about the first couple of test trial runs. Walk us through the process, step by step.”

Lieutenant Coil nodded thoughtfully before replying. “Initially, we started with small iron spheres as test subjects,” she began. “Iron was an ideal choice for early tests, due to it being a single-element material and free of complex structures. This made it easier to control variables. We wanted to keep the experiments as straightforward as possible to minimize external factors.”

She hesitated, her brow furrowing slightly as she recalled the initial setbacks. “After several failed test runs, however, we began to suspect that the metallic nature of the iron itself could interfere with the machine’s energy fields. We theorized that the high electromagnetic forces generated during activation could be reacting unpredictably with the iron, disrupting the intended operation of the time dilation field.”

Agent Lacey tilted her head. “So, what did you use next?” she prompted.

Lieutenant Coil’s expression softened slightly. “We tried a few other non-organic materials, such as objects made from plastics, glass, and ceramics. However, they too failed the test runs. We then decided to switch to organic test subjects. My thought was that a naturally occurring organic object might eliminate the assumed electromagnetic interference problem and help us pinpoint where the actual problem might lay. For the first organic test, I used… well, an apple. It was just a small, simple apple I had in my lunchbox that day.”

Agent Lacey raised an eyebrow. “An apple?” she repeated, as if questioning the choice itself. “Why an apple?”

Lieutenant Coil allowed herself a faint smile, as she admitted. “It was convenient, small, and readily available. I was already in the lab when we decided to make the switch, and I didn’t want to delay the test further by searching for something else. Besides,” she added with a shrug, “if something went wrong, if the object was lost, destroyed, or something more unexpected happened, then it was just an apple.”

Agent Adams nodded, his expression steady. “Makes sense. Please proceed, Lieutenant. Describe the test in as much detail as you can, the more detail the better. Also, if you will, please describe how the test failed. What constitutes a failure?”

Lieutenant Coil straightened in her chair, her forearms resting lightly on the table as she explained. “I began by placing the apple on the machines target platform, which is located in the center of the lab. It is a circular platform made of a composite material specifically designed to optimize energy distribution and control, directly tied into the mainframe computers controlled by the AI quantum processing chips. The apple sat perfectly still on the platform as I stepped away.”

Her tone grew more focused as she continued. “I walked back to my workbench, which serves as the primary control station that houses my laptop, and interfaces with the time machine’s mainframe computers. From there, I initiated the sequence of pre-programmed software routines to start the experiment. The system performed a series of diagnostic checks before activating the time dilation field. The other two team members were also monitoring the test, from their workstations as well.”

Lieutenant Coil's voice shifted to take on a subtle edge of excitement. “When the test began, it was as if the entire room held its breath for a moment. Within seconds, an energy field formed around the apple. The apple itself seemed completely unaffected as it sat inside the field's sphere that formed, showing no visible movement, no change in appearance. Everything initially appeared stable.”

Agent Lacey's tone changed, her curiosity more evident, as she interrupted and asked,  “What did the time dilation bubble look like? Can you describe it in detail as it was forming?”

Lieutenant Coil paused briefly, as if to gather her thoughts. “When the field first began forming, the air around the apple started to shimmer, almost like the wavy distortions you’d see in a heat mirage on a hot day. It was subtle at first, just faint vibrations, but as the intensity grew, the shimmering became more pronounced, and the air itself around the platform seemed to ripple. Slowly, it began taking on a more solid appearance, like a ghostly outline becoming more defined, making it more and more difficult to see the apple, that was still sitting motionless inside it. Within seconds, the solidified field transformed into a perfectly round sphere, roughly eight feet in diameter, which was exactly as we had calculated and expected it to be. From that moment we could no longer see the apple inside, just the sphere's surface, as it became more reflective.”

She continued, her voice steady but slightly animated, “At that point, the surface of the sphere reflected the rooms light like a mirror, but it didn’t look static or rigid like a solid, it was more fluid-like, similar to a pool or bubble of mercury, with reflections swirling and blending together in mesmerizing patterns. The effect was strange and beautiful, at first, but then the sphere continued to change. The swirling mirror-like surface darkened, growing dimmer and dimmer until it turned a dull pitch black, as though it had absorbed all the light around it and was no longer reflecting anything.”

Lieutenant Coil gestured faintly as she continued to describe. “Once it became completely black, we could then notice small sparks of static electricity beginning to form on its dark surface. They started small, as tiny points of light, but quickly grew larger, arcing across the dark surface like lightning. Each spark emitted sharp, crackling and snapping sounds, loud enough to echo through the lab. As the arcs became brighter and more frequent, their sounds grew even louder, until the sphere was entirely covered with tiny, electrified streams of lightning that webbed across the entire surface of the sphere.”

Agent Adams glanced up from his notepad briefly, intrigued. Lieutenant Coil met his gaze before continuing. “Then, without warning, the sphere exploded. The sound was deafening, a thunderous bang that made the entire lab tremble. And then… silence. Absolute silence. Along with the explosion, a black, fog-like substance spilled outward from the sphere as it popped, spreading across the lab floor from the platform. It dissipated quickly though, almost as if it was being absorbed by the air around it. After a few seconds the fog completely dissipated and vanished. It was as though nothing had happened. But when we looked back at the target platform, we were excited and pleased to see that the apple was gone.”

Agent Lacey tilted her head, her skepticism palpable. “Did you search for any evidence to suggest the apple might have simply exploded along with the time dilation bubble? Or possibly even caught on fire and vaporized?”

Lieutenant Coil nodded. “Yes, that was one of our first thoughts, actually. We looked everywhere, checked the target platform, the surrounding lab area, the containment systems, and even replayed the video recordings, looking for any trace elements of the apple. If the apple had exploded, there should have been debris, pieces of apple scattered around. But there was nothing. Not a shred. And, if it had burned up and vaporized, then we would’ve found ashes and burned marks, but there wasn’t any evidence of that either. The apple didn’t just explode or disintegrate… it was simply gone.”

Agent Lacey leaned back thoughtfully, still taking notes. “How long did the entire process take? From the moment the test began until the sphere exploded?”

Lieutenant Coil responded with precision. “Exactly 58 seconds, to be precise. Each test we conducted followed the same timeline down to the millisecond. If you review the raw data acquisition files recorded by the mainframe during the test runs, you’ll see that 58 seconds have been consistent for every trial so far. This is how much time is required for the AI quantum processing chips to successfully create and control the entangled energy fields needed to send a test subject through time. For this test run, the apple was supposed to travel exactly thirty minutes into the future, however, regardless of how much of a time jump the test object travels, the entire process always only lasts 58 seconds.”

Agent Adams' tone became calm but eagerly probing. “Tell us what happened next, after the time bubble exploded and dissipated.”

Lieutenant Coil continued. “After the time dilation sphere exploded, we began monitoring the platform closely,” she explained. “We expected the apple to return. Based on our calculations, it should have reappeared on the target platform exactly thirty minutes after the test initiated. That’s what all of our theoretical models indicated, anyway.”

Agent Lacey interjected, her voice carrying a note of curiosity. “And did it? Did the apple ever return?”

Lieutenant Coil hesitated, her expression tightening as she shook her head. “No, it didn’t. With the time machine's mainframes in receiver mode, we waited the full thirty minutes, watching the platform carefully, but there was no sign of the apple. We decided to extend the waiting period, just in case there was an unforeseen delay in the temporal mechanics. Three hours passed, and still… nothing. The platform remained empty, as if the apple had never been there to begin with.”

She glanced between the two agents before continuing, her tone becoming more analytical. “At that point, we once again questioned our process. We thought perhaps we had made an error somewhere, maybe in the calibration settings or during the activation sequence. We powered everything down and conducted a thorough examination of the system. For the next several days following, my team and I combed over the raw data files collected during the test runs. We reviewed every calculation, every variable, every formula we had used to design and execute the test.”

“And?” Agent Adams prompted, his pen pausing over his notepad.

Lieutenant Coil sighed softly, an air of frustration evident in her voice. “And, everything checked out. According to the data, the test should have worked perfectly. There were no anomalies, and no errors in the system logs. There were no external factors either, even the weather outside was calm and pleasant. All the parameters aligned perfectly with the theoretical models. But despite everything pointing to success, the apple never came back. It simply… vanished, and never reappeared, and that is why we marked it as a failure. To this day, I don’t fully understand why it didn’t work as intended.”

With thoughtful expressions, Agent Lacey asked. “No physical trace left behind? Nothing that could suggest what might have happened to it?”

Lieutenant Coil again shook her head. “None at all. No fragments, no residue, no dust, not even the slightest sign of incineration. It was as though the apple had completely disappeared. The same results applied to all of the previous test runs.”

Agent Adams furrowed his brow as he considered the system requirements. “I think you mentioned this earlier, but, it must consume a tremendous amount of power, to generate your time bubble. Can you describe it to us?”

Lieutenant Coil nodded, her tone matter-of-fact. “Yes, it does. The amount of electrical power required to generate and sustain a time dilation sphere of that size, 8 feet in diameter, and for the full duration of the test sequence, is approximately 32.8 gigajoules, which is equivalent to how much electricity an average household uses in 8 to 10 months.”

Agent Lacey raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. “32.8 gigajoules?” she repeated, as she typed. “That’s an immense amount of energy. How on Earth were you able to repeatedly produce that much power, for each test run? Surely, you didn’t tap into the county’s power grid for something like this. I imagine the local utility company would’ve had quite a few words about it if you had.”

Lieutenant Coil replied. “Um, no. We did not use the local power grid. While we were in the early stages of designing the system, we learned about a groundbreaking new type of electric generator being developed. It was so new, in fact, that it wasn’t available on the commercial market yet. The generator operates using an entirely novel concept, it taps into and absorbs surrounding dark energy, converting it into usable, conventional energy.”

Agent Adams tilted his head slightly, intrigued. “Dark energy? That’s... different. I thought Dark Energy was just a theory? How does that work?”

Lieutenant Coil’s expression brightened as she explained. “It’s actually quite brilliant and seems to be incredibly efficient. Scientists have determined that dark energy does exist, and that it is an invisible form of energy, believed to make up 68% of the known universe. It is an ocean of energy which our Milky Way Galaxy is literally swimming in. The dark matter energy generator leverages that abundance by tapping into and siphoning dark energy directly from the surrounding environment and converting it into a stable electric power source. Its design is compact and self-regenerating, which makes it perfect for our needs.”

She continued, her tone turning practical. “Each power unit is small, portable, and capable of producing a substantial output on its own. For the time machine, we connected twenty-four of these units together into a single network to create one larger, more powerful, unified power source. The combined output provided the time machine with more than enough energy to function, with a comfortable surplus. The best part is that these units are capable of instantly recharging themselves after use, meaning we could reuse them for every test run without relying on external energy sources.”

Agent Lacey’s lips pursed slightly as she typed notes into her laptop. “Self-replenishing dark energy generators… That’s revolutionary, to say the least. And you’re confident in their stability?”

Lieutenant Coil gave a small nod. “So far, their output has remained consistently stable. The technology is still in its infancy, of course, but the results we’ve seen are very promising. Without them, these time travel experiments would’ve been much more expensive to conduct, especially at this scale.”

Agent Adams exchanged a glance with Lacey, as Lieutenant Coil’s words settled between them. For a moment, the room was silent, save for the faint tapping of Lacey’s keyboard as she finished her notes. Agent Adams adjusted in his seat slightly, a thoughtful expression now crossing his face. “When the time bubble popped, tell us what you know about the black fog,” he requested, his tone curious yet analytical.

Lieutenant Coil took a moment to re-collect her thoughts before responding. “Well,” she began, her voice steady but reflective, “I may have misspoken earlier, it wasn’t fog, technically. It was more like smoke, because it was completely dry. There was no moisture to it, which distinguishes it from fog. However, visually, it was incredibly dense and thick, so at first glance, it resembled fog more than smoke. But again, it was dry, like smoke and not like fog. But unlike smoke, it did not have any odor to it.”

She gestured subtly as she continued. “When the black fog, or smoke, spread out into the lab, it started thinning slightly, and as it thinned, it dissipated in a way similar to how fog disappears when it travels over the surface of a lake, for example. It didn’t linger or leave behind residue like smoke typically does either. As to what it actually was… our best guess is that it was some form of dark matter residue, manifested into our reality by the dissipating energy from the time dilation sphere. Once it spread out, it seemed to revert back to its natural state and disappeared entirely.”

Agent Lacey leaned forward, tapping her pen lightly against her notepad. “You said there was not any kind of odor or smell associated with it, correct?” she asked. “What about taste? Did it leave any weird taste in the air?”

Lieutenant Coil shook her head. “No, there was nothing like that. It was purely a visual phenomenon. Although it looked dense and appeared as though it was being blown outward, when it collided with us we didn’t feel anything from it. There was no gush of air accompanying it, despite the visual appearance suggesting there might have been. The only thing we felt was the compression wave generated by the loud thunderclap at the moment the sphere exploded.”

Agent Adams frowned slightly, considering her explanation. “So you can't be entirely certain of what you felt then, can you? Is it possible you might have actually felt the fog itself, and mistaken it to be the thunderclap?”

Lieutenant Coil responded confidently, “No, I’m fairly certain of what we felt. The thunderclap happened instantly at the exact moment the sphere exploded, and we all felt the sound waves vibrate through our bodies immediately from it. The black fog like smoke followed and flowed out into the room at a much slower rate, as it moved outward across the lab. By the time it reached and collided with us, the effects of the thunder clap had already passed. The time difference of their contact with us made it clear that the two were two separate phenomena.”

Agent Lacey tapped a few keys on her laptop before asking, “What happened when the black fog hit you, and made contact with you?”

Lieutenant Coil’s expression remained calm as she replied, “When it collided with us, it simply passed right through as if we weren’t even there, behaving just as dark matter would. Aside from being able to see it at that moment, it had no effect on us and we seemed to have no effect on it. None of the lab equipment or computers were affected by it, either. Most of it disappeared before it even reached the back walls of the lab, so we didn’t feel any continued cause for concern.”

Agent Adams raised an eyebrow, his tone probing. “I assume you tested for radiation exposure?”

Lieutenant Coil nodded. “Yes, there was no radiation detected. As part of our personal protective equipment, each of us is required to wear a standard-issue radiation badge while we are in the lab, especially during every test run. These badges are designed to change color depending on the level of radiation exposure they experience. None of our badges have ever changed color at any point during any of the tests.”

Agent Adams leaned forward, his brow furrowed as he referred to the log books in front of him. “According to your records, the next test was conducted four days later. At that point, you began conducting several tests per day for the next couple of weeks. Walk us through those tests, Lieutenant Coil.”

Lieutenant Coil nodded, her posture straightening slightly as she explained. “After thoroughly reviewing all the data acquired from the tests, my team and I concluded that there was no evidence to suggest it was unsafe to continue. The initial results showed nothing alarming or unexpected, so we continued testing. For the next couple of tests that followed, we replicated the exact same parameters as the first organic test. We again used apples as the test subjects, and kept the calibration settings identical, with the targeted destination time still set for thirty minutes into the future, just like before. The purpose was to verify and validate the process for consistency, to see if the data collected would reveal any new anomalies or variations.”

She paused, her tone measured. “The data from all of these organic tests were virtually identical. Every reading aligned with our theoretical models and expectations. It gave us confidence to proceed and continue testing, even though the test objects themselves never reappeared as we had hoped.”

Agent Lacey tilted her head slightly, her voice cutting in with a hint of skepticism. “So none of the test objects from those trials ever reappeared either?”

Lieutenant Coil shook her head. “No, they didn't. In an effort to track the objects through time more effectively, we then decided to switch to using test subjects that we could actively monitor. First we tried sending several battery operated lab equipment, equipped with wireless transceivers. Then later we designed a smaller and less expensive tone generator to use instead. It was a simple device powered by a 9-volt battery that would continuously transmit a radio frequency at a specific tone. Each tone generator transmitted its own unique frequency tone. One of our mainframe computers was dedicated entirely to listening for each of the test frequencies used. The idea was that, if the device returned, as we hoped, except maybe reappearing someplace else, like on the other side of the base or something, then the mainframe would detect the signal and notify us. So far, however, we haven’t detected anything.”

Agent Lacey raised an eyebrow, her pen tapping lightly against the table. “A 9-volt battery? Isn’t the range on those fairly limited?”

Lieutenant Coil offered a small nod, acknowledging the point. “Yes, the transmitted range is only about fifteen miles in radius.”

Agent Adams interjected, his expression unreadable. “You never detected any signals from the devices you sent through, but you kept conducting more test runs anyway? Why?”

Lieutenant Coil’s voice grew more analytical. “Correct. We continued experimenting, making slight modifications to the calibration settings for each additional test in hopes of achieving proper functionality. That said, there’s very little room for adjustments without compromising the integrity of the time dilation field itself. The parameters are tightly constrained, the power levels and frequencies required are directly tied to two factors: whether the object is being sent forward in time or backward in time, and the specific temporal distance being targeted. Using tone generators as our test objects, each having their own unique tone, we conducted dozens of tests forward in time and dozens of tests backward, experimenting with different calibration settings each time, all while keeping the temporal distance targeted at thirty minute time jumps. We even tried a few test runs that targeted forty-five and sixty minutes, but the results were the same. For consistency sake, we decided to keep all future test runs targeting thirty minutes. Unfortunately, none of the test objects ever returned, and the mainframe never detected their frequency tones either.”

Agent Lacey leaned forward, her curiosity sharpening. “Hold on, help me to understand. If you sent an object backward in time, then wouldn’t it theoretically appear on the platform a half an hour before you initiated the test? Wouldn’t you have seen it sitting there on the platform beforehand?”

Lieutenant Coil’s expression was thoughtful as she responded. “In theory, kind-of, yes. If the test worked perfectly, the object should have appeared on the platform prior to the sequence. That’s what we expected, and that is what our theoretical models predicted as well.”

Agent Lacey pressed further, her gaze narrowing slightly. “So, since you never saw any test object just sitting there before initiating the test sequence, then why did you still proceed with sending an object backward in time anyway? What was the point?”

Lieutenant Coil’s tone shifted, becoming almost philosophical. “Well, because of cause and effect. The end result, which is the effect, requires that the initial action of cause be performed, otherwise the effect will never take place. Without the initial action of cause, the resulting effect cannot exist, no matter the order of events. If I hadn’t proceeded with the test, then the effect, that is, the object’s reappearance, would never have had the chance to occur because the cause would have never occurred. Even though I didn’t see the test object reappear prior to conducting the sequence, that doesn’t mean the test was futile. If the test had worked successfully, then my perception of the timeline, including my memories, would have instantly adjusted afterward to reflect the result. Since my memories remained unchanged after conducting the test, meaning that I still don’t recall seeing the object on the platform beforehand, then it confirms that the test of sending an object backwards in time was unsuccessful, despite the raw data values showing it to be successful.”

Agent Lacey adjusted her glasses slightly as she sought clarification. “And just to confirm, Lieutenant, in the tests where you attempted to send objects forward into the future, how were those observations conducted? How would you know if those tests were successful?”

Lieutenant Coil nodded, her expression understanding as she replied. “For the dozen forward time-travel attempts, we maintained using the consistent thirty minute jump duration for each test object. Like all tests, once the object disappeared into the time dilation sphere, the mainframe instantly switched itself from transmission mode to receiver mode, and we then initiated a monitoring phase to observe its potential reappearance. The theoretical models coincided with our calculations and indicated that the test objects would have simply re-materialized, instantly becoming visible again, once they reached their targeted temporal destination time. Our approach was methodical, we waited before conducting any further test runs, ensuring the process was uninterrupted, and that we had ample time to detect any manifestations.”

She glared slightly, emphasizing her point. “Initially, we waited for exactly thirty minutes, aligning with the calculated jump duration. However, to err on the side of caution and avoid premature disruptions, we extended the waiting period significantly. For each test, we waited several hours before proceeding with the next run, carefully monitoring the target platform for any signs of the object’s return. Despite these precautions, none of the objects ever reappeared, and we did not detect any signals or indications of their presence anywhere.”

Agent Lacey tilted her head, her fingers momentarily still above her laptop's keyboard. “So nothing ever returned? Even after hours of observation?”

Lieutenant Coil shook her head, her tone tinged with disappointment. “Correct. The platform remained empty after each attempt. We were meticulous in our approach, double-checking the systems and ensuring there were no external factors that could interfere with the observations. Unfortunately, the results, including the raw data values, remained the same across all tests.”

Agent Adams leaned in, his tone sharp and accusatory. “According to your log books, after finishing the tone generator tests, you still took things to the next level and sent a human through, even though you knew the time machine wasn’t functioning properly, even though no test results have yet to ever return. Tell us about that, what prompted that decision.”

Lieutenant Coil’s face hardened slightly, and her words came carefully chosen. “Per direct orders given to me from Admiral Davis, and against our strong objections, yes, we did. The Admiral was insistent. He believed that sending a person through time might succeed where inanimate test objects had failed. His theory was that, whenever or wherever the person ended up, they might find a way to return to us, or, at the very least, they might send a message in some way to let us know they had arrived.”

Agent Adams raised a skeptical eyebrow. “How many people did you send?”

Lieutenant Coil looked directly at her, her expression unreadable. “Again, per the Admiral’s orders, we ended up sending ten individuals, one at a time, over the course of three weeks. Five forward in time, and five backwards in time.”

Agent Lacey’s keystrokes froze. “Ten?” she repeated, her voice tinged with disbelief. “And who were these people?”

Lieutenant Coil hesitated for a moment before answering. “They were low-ranking enlisted sailors. The Admiral, well, let’s say, he volunteered them for the project.”

Agent Adams leaned back in his chair, his arms crossed. “So they each volunteered,” he said flatly.

Lieutenant Coil exhaled sharply, her tone growing blunt. “Not exactly. As you know, in the military, the word ‘volunteer’ doesn’t carry the same meaning as it does in civilian life. In this context, it means the Admiral was willing to sacrifice them for the project, and therefore he volunteered them. By that I mean, the sailors were ordered to volunteer themselves, and since an order is an order, they didn’t have the luxury of saying no.”

Agent Lacey's brow furrowed. “What was the plan? How exactly were they supposed to contact you once they were sent through time?”

Lieutenant Coil’s voice softened slightly as she explained. “After the first person was sent and we received no word, we devised standardize instructions for everyone sent afterward. For those sent into the past, they were told to either call the lab or send us a letter in the mail, assuming they arrived far away from base and simply couldn’t physically return to the lab themselves.”

“And for those sent into the future?” Agent Lacey pressed. “What were their instructions?”

“Well, they were expected to manifest here on the platform at the designated time in the future,” Lieutenant Coil replied softly, “so, we simply waited for them to arrive, but... they never did.”

Agent Adams frowned. “This all sounds haphazard at best,” he remarked, a note of judgment in his voice.

“Yes,” Lieutenant Coil agreed. “It was far from ideal. This entire process is experimental, the first of its kind. The dangers of sending people through time, especially without fully understanding if the machine was even working, were the main reasons we strongly objected to the Admiral’s orders. But, as I said before, an order is an order, and his orders came down from the Pentagon itself.”

Agent Lacey leaned closer, narrowing her eyes. “Can you tell us anything more about the tests that involved sending these people through the time machine?”

Lieutenant Coil shifted slightly in her seat before responding. “For the first couple of tests, we sent the individuals through as they were, wearing just their normal daily uniforms. After those initial attempts yielded no results, we began outfitting them with additional equipment. We started with basic communication gear, like radios and sat-com transmitters, and then moved on to full combat and wilderness survival gear. The idea concerning the later tests was to prepare them for the possibility that our calculations were very wrong and they may have been sent hundreds, or even thousands, of years through time.”

Agent Adams nodded slowly, his expression grim. “To give them a fighting chance, at least?”

“Exactly,” Lieutenant Coil replied. “But, if they were manifesting within the past five hundred years or sooner, then they might have been able to leave behind some form of communication, a letter, a message, anything. But we never found nor received anything.”

The atmosphere shifted slightly again as Admiral Davis returned to the meeting room, his presence commanding, yet silent. He moved deliberately, his polished boots barely making a sound on the floor, and took his seat at the table, quietly, without saying a word. His expression remained unreadable, a mask of composure that left everyone wondering whether his thoughts carried approval or judgment. All eyes briefly turned to him before the conversation continued, as his return subtly grounded the room.

Agent Lacey adjusted her posture, her voice calm yet probing as she asked, “Is there anything else you’d like to add to your statement, Lieutenant? Either on or off the record?”

Lieutenant Coil hesitated for a brief moment, her gaze steady but distant, as though replaying the events in her mind. Finally, she answered, her tone measured and precise. “No. To the best of my knowledge, we did everything by the book. We followed our orders without deviation. We researched thoroughly, planned meticulously, and executed the design, construction, and testing of the time machine with utmost diligence. We conducted multiple rounds of testing, first with inanimate objects, then with organic objects, and, eventually, with people. According to all of our calculations and the data our systems recorded, everything indicated that it should have worked. And yet… for some unknown reason to us, it didn’t.”

Silence fell throughout the room as Agent Lacy continued typing her notes.

Chapter Three

The Conclusion

Agent Adams let the silence linger for a moment before breaking in, his tone shifting slightly. “Thank you for your testimony, Lieutenant. Now, I would like to bring someone to your attention.” He gestured subtly toward the far end of the room, where a silent figure had mostly remained unnoticed until now. Adams continued, “The young lady sitting quietly at the end of the table is Amy Parker. She’s a government-protected child prodigy and is widely regarded as the nation’s smartest person alive today.”

Lieutenant Coil’s gaze again shifted to the far end of the table, where Amy sat, composed and seemingly unbothered by the scrutiny. The girl, surrounded by a stack of papers, glided her youthful hands as she turned the pages with the confidence of someone fully engaged in thought.

“Since the beginning of our investigation of this project,” Agent Adams went on, “Amy has been thoroughly reviewing all of your notes, designs, and raw data files. As our consultant, we brought her in today not only because of her brilliance but so she could hear your testimony firsthand.”

Amy briefly looked up, her gaze sharp and perceptive, though she said nothing. The room seemed to grow quieter, the meaning for her presence subtly shifting the atmosphere. Lieutenant Coil, though initially surprised at the girls qualifications, quickly composed herself, recognizing the importance of having such an intelligent mind evaluate her work. Amy returned to looking at the papers in front of her.

Agent Lacey leaned forward, her fingers resting on her laptop. “Amy, can you share your thoughts and findings with us, please?”

Amy again looked up, shifting her eyes from Lieutenant Coil to Agent Lacy, her expression calm but assured. “I agree with Lieutenant Coil. The time machine is functioning successfully as it should. From what I can determine, there’s nothing inherently wrong with it, other than believing it to be a receiver.”

Lieutenant Coil expressed a sense of relief, as if she had just received a not-guilty verdict.

Agent Adams frowned, leaning back in his chair. “But none of the test objects ever came back. Isn’t that the point? How can you call it successfully functional if nothing returned?”

Amy tilted her head slightly, a smile forming as though she were enjoying the intellectual challenge. “Just because the objects didn’t return where you expected them to doesn’t mean they didn’t return when you expected them to.”

Agent Adams blinked, visibly perplexed. “What? That doesn’t make any sense.”

Amy’s gaze flickered between the group, her voice steady as she continued. “There are fundamental factors about time travel that I don’t think were fully accounted for in your tests. Let me explain by showing you something.” She reached for her pen resting on the table and picked it up. Holding it at eye level, she asked, “If I drop this pen, how far would you say the pen travels before it hits the table?”

Without waiting for a response, Amy released the pen. As gravity took hold of the pen, the small object fell silently, landing with a soft clink against the tables surface.

Agent Lacey shrugged. “A foot, maybe a foot and a half?”

Amy shook her head slightly, her expression amused. “No. That’s an illusion. The actual distance the pen traveled is far greater than that.”

Agent Adams folded his arms, his tone tinged with skepticism. “What are you getting at? We all just saw it fall. It clearly fell about a foot and a half.”

Amy’s smile widened slightly as she began her explanation. “It only looks that way because everything in this room is moving along with the Earth, carried by Earth's inertia. But let’s think bigger. The Earth is constantly spinning on its axis at roughly 1,000 miles per hour. While it spins, it’s also orbiting around the Sun at a speed of about 67,000 miles per hour. But it doesn’t stop there, the entire Solar System is orbiting around the center of the Milky Way Galaxy at approximately 515,000 miles per hour. And, the Milky Way Galaxy itself is hurtling through the known universe at about 1.3 million miles per hour. Nobody knows how fast our Universe itself is moving, relative to other neighboring Universes, and so on.”

She paused to gauge their reactions, then continued. “Now, when I dropped that pen, it took about a full second for it to fall and hit the table. During that second, the Earth traveled roughly 335 miles through space, give or take, relative to our known universe. So, while the pen appeared to fall just one foot to the table during that one second, it actually moved 335 miles, in a curved path through space. Therefore, the pen didn't move just one foot, it actually moved 335 miles forward in one direction while also moving one foot downward in another direction, as it fell toward the table.”

Agent Lacey frowned thoughtfully. “Okay, I think I understand the point about the pen. But how does this relate to time travel?”

Amy straightened, her tone shifting to one of careful precision. “Let’s apply the same principle to the time machine. Imagine the test starts at exactly 8:00 AM, with the Earth positioned at a specific point in space, relative to the known Universe, let’s call that location Point-A.  So at 8:00 AM, they activate the time machine and send an object thirty minutes into the future. That object begins its journey at 8:00 AM, at Point-A, leaving space itself at that moment in time, and arrives back in space at its temporal target destination time at 8:30 AM. But during that half an hour, the Earth has continued moving at 335 miles per second through space, relative to the Universe itself. After thirty minutes has passed, the Earth is now positioned in space at Point-B, some 600,000 miles away from Point-A. At that time also, at 8:30 AM, the test object has reached its temporal destination target time coordinates, and is then reinserted back into space. So, don't you see?”

Lieutenant Coil appeared impressed yet confused, as she leaned forward slightly. “Wait a second, how old are you again? I understand how all those variables might matter for something traveling through space, but this isn’t about space travel. We’re trying to send something through time, not space.”

Amy’s lips curled into a small smile as she relaxed her posture. “Exactly!” she said with enthusiasm. “Now you’re starting to get it. And, I’m eleven and a half, by the way. How old are you?”

Lieutenant Coil sat back, her face pale with realization. “Are you saying all the test objects… they did actually return at the intended time, just not at the place we were expecting them to?”

Amy gave a solemn nod. “Yes, a time and place. The time machine worked, it sent the objects through time. But time travel only moves an object through time, not through space. Since your time machine can not account for Earth’s motion through space, the test objects reappeared at the same spatial coordinates as their departure, and not at Earth’s new location in space.”

Lieutenant Coil shook her head, struggling to absorb the implication. “But shouldn’t inertia have carried the objects forward, keeping them with Earth as they moved through time, just like the pen, when you dropped it?”

Amy folded her arms thoughtfully. “No, not in that way. Inertia governs motion of physical objects traveling through space over time, as it did with the pen, however inertia is not an active force during time travel. When the test objects began their time traveling journey, their properties and energies were frozen relative to Point-A's location in space, where they started. Time travel isolates an object from spatial movement by removing the object from space itself at that moment in time, so that object's inertia didn’t carry them through space along with Earth during time travel. Once the object reaches its temporal destination time coordinates, that object is reinserted back into space, at which point its inertia energy is reactivated and the object then resume moving through space again relative to its starting and ending position, which is both at Point-A where Earth was, and not at Point-B where Earth moved to.”

Lieutenant Coil's face turned pale, her voice low. “So, what you are saying then, is that all the test objects did reappear, but are marooned in space, a few miles away from Earth?”

Amy’s gaze met the Lieutenants as their eyes locked. Her face showing expressions of concern. “Not just miles, but hundreds of thousands of miles, depending on how far forward or backward through time they traveled. After they arrived at their targeted destination time and were reintegrated back into space, they resumed moving, once again being carried by the inertia they had when they left space.”

Lieutenant Coil’s eyes widened as she shook her head in disbelief. “Oh no! No, that can’t be right! I would’ve thought that their inertia would have carried them through space as they traveled through time. That is what all of our theoretical models indicated to us. So shouldn’t they have just reappeared exactly where they left, on the platform?”

Amy’s expression remained calm, though there was a hint of sympathy in her voice. “That’s the problem. They did reappear exactly where they left, which is at the same spatial coordinates in the universe, Point-A. But by the time they arrived at their targeted destination in time, Earth was either no longer at that location or it hadn't arrived to that location yet. The test objects aren’t carried along by Earth's inertia because, during their time travel trip, the test subjects weren’t physically moving through space with the planet. They were, for a lack of better term, removed from space at Point-A, then sent through time to reach their targeted time destination, and then reinserted back into space at the exact same spatial coordinates, Point-A again.”

Amy paused, and then added, “This also explains why the test objects, after completing their time travel trip, are still moving at the same speed as Earth now. They are either trailing behind or leading ahead of Earth, right now, depending on whether they traveled forward or backward in time, and by some calculated distance away from Earth.”

Agent Lacey leaned in, her tone curious but serious. “What would cause a test object to appear behind Earth?”

Amy straightened her posture, her voice again taking on the tone of a teacher explaining to a curious student. “If you send an object forward in time, it will reappear behind Earth. Here’s why. As the test object is removed from space at Point-A and travels through time, Earth continues moving forward through space at its constant speed and velocity from Point-A to Point-B. By the time the object arrives at its targeted temporal coordinates destination in the future, it reappears at the same spatial coordinates where it started at Point-A, but Earth is no longer there because during that time the Earth moved forward through space from Point-A to Point-B, causing the object to now reappear behind Earth, at Point-A.”

Agent Lacey nodded slowly, then asked, “And if something were sent backward in time, it would appear ahead of Earth? Why is that?”

Amy smiled faintly, amused by the question. “Exactly. Let’s say you send an object backward in time from 8:30 AM to 8:00 AM. So, at 8:30 AM, Earth is already at a specific location in space, let’s call it Point-B, since it is the later time. When the object is sent backwards in time to 8:00 AM, it still reappears at Point-B in space, which is the spatial location in space that it started its time travel trip from. But at 8:00 AM, Earth has not yet moved to Point-B and is actually located at Point-A in space. So, the time traveling test object would manifest in front of, ahead of, Earth, at Point-B in space while Earth is positioned at Point-A in space.”

Lieutenant Coil, taking in the mental visualizations, asked. “So... every test object, even the people we sent through, are now either leading or trailing Earth by some distance?”

Amy nodded solemnly. “Yes, exactly. Since Earth travels at a steady speed through the Universe in space, the distance it covered during a thirty minute time jump is consistent. Any object sent thirty minutes into the past would reappear ahead of Earth by the same distance Earth traveled during that time, which is roughly 600,000 miles, give or take, relative to the Universe itself. Similarly, objects sent thirty minutes into the future would reappear behind Earth by the same distance. Even if multiple tests were conducted hours apart from one another, if they only jumped thirty minutes in time then they would all reappear at the same distance away from Earth. Once those objects reappeared at that distance from Earth in space, then their inertia would reengage and keep them remaining at that same distance from Earth. The only way to change the distance would be to change how far into the past or future the object is sent. For example, all objects sent at thirty minutes would be 600,000 miles away from Earth, while all objects sent at one hour would be 1.2 million miles away from Earth, and so on, since that is how fast Earth is moving through space, again relative to the Universe itself.”

Amy continued, her tone steady as she laid out the implications. “This also means that all objects sent backward in time by thirty minutes are most likely clumped together ahead of Earth, while those sent forward in time are clumped together behind Earth, at that calculated distance away.”

The room grew quiet as everyone processed Amy’s explanation. The implications were staggering, for both the brilliance of the technology and the chilling consequences of neglecting Earth’s constant motion through space.

Lieutenant Coil glanced at each of the agents. Her voice urgent. “Can we verify this? Is there any way to confirm what's happened to the test objects?”

Amy nodded confidently, her tone matter-of-fact. “Absolutely. All you need is one of the space agencies deep space telescopes to search along Earth’s path, at around that distance away.”

Agent Lacey quickly taps away at her keyboard. Her tone is concerning. “Alright, I have our space agency on a chat window, and just sent them an urgent priority message asking them to use one of their orbiting telescopes to scan those regions of space as soon as possible.” She looks intently at the screen, and continues. “They have replied. They are requesting that we stand by while they make the adjustments and realign a telescope.”

The room fell silent for a moment, tension palpable as they waited. Finally, Lieutenant Coil broke the quiet. “Amy, in your opinion, is there anything we can do to make the time machine work the way we intended? Is there a solution to our problem?”

Amy tilted her head thoughtfully, her gaze fixed on the ceiling as she considered the question. “Well,” she began, “the time dilation field you’re generating is entangled with the temporal resonance frequency of the universe at the targeted time destination coordinates. This entangled resonance creates a kind of portal, a connection between the present time and the destination time. But the portal only remains open for just a fraction of a second, within the time dilation field generated by your time machine, and most likely right before the dilation field explodes. The explosion that releases manifested dark matter into the room is most likely the result of the portal collapsing back in on itself as it closes. During the brief moment that the portal is open, however, the test object, positioned within the time dilation field, literally crosses through the portal as the portal itself spherically expands to engulf the test object, causing the test object to leave its present time by leaving space at that start time, and then re-entering back into space at that same location, but at the destination time. To describe it differently, and more accurately, it is kind of like bending time itself, instead of bending space, by entangling the same spatial points in space with itself but at different temporal coordinates in time. The end result is temporal entanglement, because the same points in space bend around time and touch themselves temporally instead of spatially, at two different points in time, resulting in what we perceive to be the portal. Crucially, though, this is why the object stays at the same spatial coordinates in space from where it began. From the test object's perspective, the time travel trip would seem instantaneous since the spatial distance between the spatial coordinate points is zero, and this is why inertia doesn’t affect the objects during the time traveling trips the way you think it should.”

She paused briefly, then added, “So, if you want an object to move through space after arriving at its destination time, to return to Earth if you will, then you’d need to ensure that the test object itself is capable of space travel, not just time travel. In other words, the test object would need a way to navigate and propel itself through space once it’s arrives at the targeted temporal destination coordinates in time.”

Agent Adams interjected, his voice thoughtful but cautious. “Are you saying we’d need to send something like a spaceship? The test object would need to be inside a spacecraft, then the spacecraft itself would need to travel through time with the test subjects, and then after it arrives at its destination time then it would need to travel through space?”

Amy gave her an approving nod. “Exactly. That would work. A spacecraft equipped with propulsion systems could physically relocate itself through space after arriving at the destination time, allowing it to navigate and travel back to Earth along Earth's trajectory through space.”

Amy started to laugh a little, shaking her head as she continued. “Ironically though, the only way for the space ship to get back to Earth fast enough to notice any kind of benefit from time travel whatsoever is if the space ship either propels itself through space a lot faster than Earth moves, or if it simply radios back to Earth from its location. With today's space rocket limitations, it would take that space ship at least several days to make its way back to Earth, from just doing a small thirty minute time travel trip. And, the longer the time travel trip, the greater the distance displacement through space will be, which means the longer it would take for a space ship to travel back to Earth from. And, if the time jump is large enough, say a few thousand years or more, then even radio waves would not travel fast enough for anyone on Earth to see any benefit from that time travel trip before Earth could detect that radio signal, since the distance between Point-A and Point-B would be that great. So ironic.”

Before anyone could respond, Agent Lacy spoke up, glancing at her laptop screen. “Um… I just got a message back from the space agency. They are turning their deep space telescope, making their final minor adjustments, and are now scanning the area trailing Earth, at about that same distance... They said they found something... They have now sent us an image. Oh... Oh no...” She turned her laptop around so that each person at the table could see the image.

The sight was horrifying.

The image showed a tangled, frozen cluster of bodies and objects floating aimlessly in the black void of space. The human subjects appeared to have succumbed to the vacuum, their faces pale and frozen in expressions of anguish and fright. Their bodies were contorted unnaturally, as though fused together with military uniforms, equipment, and other test objects all fused into each other. The mass looked grotesque, like a mangled sculpture of shattered flesh, terrified faces, bodies, limbs, frozen blood, and electronic test machinery all compressed into a misshapen ball.

Lieutenant Coil gasped, her voice trembling. “Oh my God!”

Amy cringed, her hands covering her mouth in disgust. “That’s revolting! How sad for them. It looks to me that as each new test object successfully arrived at its target time destination, that point in space was already occupied by earlier test object arrivals. Instead of existing next to and alongside each other, their atoms and cells merged and fused together with one another at those spatial coordinates. The result...” Her voice faltered as she tried to look away from the screen. She continued. “Well, the result is what you’re seeing. Their atoms and cells joined together with each other, creating this horrific mass of fused matter. Those poor people…”

Amy visibly paled, leaned back and looked away from the screen. “I think I’m going to be sick. Are we done here? Can I go now?”

The End.

Books In This Series

Investigtions Of Agent Adams

Step into the thrilling investigations and debriefings of Agent Adams, a seasoned CIA investigator delving into the most enigmatic and audacious scientific projects ever conceived. In a world where innovation teeters on the edge of morality, Agent Adams confronts dark discoveries that could reshape humanity—or destroy it.

From uncovering the unsettling truth behind time manipulation in Project Time Machine to probing the eerie depths of bioengineering in Living Eggs Project, this series explores the collision of science, ethics, and existential risks. With each investigation, Agent Adams is pulled deeper in, where the line between genius and madness blurs.

New installments promise even greater mysteries as Agent Adams grapples with the dangerous ideas shaping our future. Fans of dark science fiction and nail-biting intrigue will find themselves hooked on these investigations that dare to ask: what happens when humanity goes too far?

Living Eggs Project: Recycled Harvest

Investigations Of Agent Adams ebook series, episode 2.

Join Agent Adams in the depths of the Pentagon, where the line between genius and madness blurs.

Dr. Robins, an R&D Engineer for the Department Of Defense, introduces a groundbreaking experiment that could rewrite humanity's fate. Her "Living Eggs Project" delves into uncharted territories, challenging the boundaries of medical science and morality in the name of progress.

But as the project unfolds, the ethical stakes rise, and the implications of her work spark intrigue, fear, and power struggles at the highest levels. Can humanity embrace her vision, or will the cost of her ambition prove too great?

A gripping tale of science, ambition, and the search for eternal life, Living Eggs Project is a thought-provoking dive into the future of humanity.

Entangled Vision: Quantum Photon Reader

Investigations Of Agent Adams ebook series, episode 3.

Mika Soo, a visionary quantum engineer and dedicated stargazer, has spent her life unraveling the mysteries of the cosmos. Armed with her revolutionary invention—a "quantum photon reader"—she unlocks a hidden universe within starlight itself.

When her discoveries reveal an advanced alien society, Mika’s quiet pursuit of knowledge takes an unexpected turn, drawing the attention of Agent Adams and entangling her in a web of cosmic and terrestrial mysteries.

Entangled Vision is a captivating tale of exploration and discovery, where science and curiosity collide to challenge humanity's understanding of its place in the universe. For fans of cutting-edge science fiction and interstellar intrigue, this story lays the foundation which ensures a journey beyond the stars like no other.

Echoed Life Foundation : A New Generation

Investigations Of Agent Adams ebook series, episode 4.

When the line between survival and morality blurs, what will humanity choose?

The Echoed Life Foundation promises salvation in the face of a dwindling food supply and a collapsing ecosystem. Led by visionary CEO Lee Benson, the foundation pioneers revolutionary cloning technologies.

Backed by the enigmatic and influential Senator Pat Fox, the project takes a dark turn as genetic experiments push the boundaries of evolution itself. Unknown to the public, Earth has just recently entered into a catastrophic sixth extinction event. The Pentagon has a plan to save humanity—but at what cost?

Join Agent Adams, a seasoned CIA investigator, as he is tasked by the Pentagon to investigate the facility, in efforts to determine the progress and setbacks of this top secret project.

In this gripping science fiction short story, ethical dilemmas collide with high-stakes suspense. Will humanity's echo endure, or will the Foundation's vision backfire and spiral into chaos?

Dark Energy Generator : Unlimited Power

Investigations Of Agent Adams ebook series, episode 5.

At CIA headquarters, Agent Adams briefs his supervisor, Resident Agent in Charge Sarah Brown, on a groundbreaking innovation: the Dark Energy Generator. This revolutionary device promises to replace conventional batteries and generators with a limitless source of power fueled by dark energy. The implications are staggering, with the potential to rapidly reshape the future of humanity.

But innovation often brings risk. Agent Adams and Agent Brown foresee the looming dangers posed by powerful energy conglomerates, who will undoubtedly see the Dark Energy Generatoras an existential threat to their dominance. As Agent Adams recounts the story behind the device’s creation and the ingenuity of its developers, the shadows of retaliation and intrigue begin to take shape.

This pivotal science fiction short story introduces readers to a world of innovation and potential conflict, setting the stage for additional thrilling future tales in the Investigations of Agent Adams series. Dive into a tale of limitless potential—and the stakes that come with it.

To Be Continued

I hope you enjoyed my science-fiction ebooks. Stay tuned, more episodes coming soon.

Thank you for reading!