Prologue: My Past
After six long years of college, I had finally gained my Master’s degree in Science with my minor of creative writing already in my bag. After getting my own office, and a steady back drop job, I mostly searched for a more efficient fuel source, being as the government had made a contest to see if anyone could make it. My search into combining fossil fuel and ethanol and making it completely renewable took me almost nowhere. Ethanol and gasoline where combinable but they still lacked cleanness and efficiency. Eventually I, and many other well known scientists, dropped out of the running. Efficient and clean were soon seen to be complete antonyms of fuel. The contest was soon called off and replaced with one to see who could harness the energy of plasma. Yet again nothing could be done to harness it to become fuel, armor, or ammunition. The world was rather depressed in the double failure of thousands of scientist to complete the challenges, although the general public had no idea of how much work had gone into the projects we had been trying to do. After a while I did discover several new compounds that soon became a replacement for “Playdough”, which again was almost an insult to my work. Imagine using hundreds of hours of personal time discovering new elements only to have them turned into a replacement for an already outdated toy. I also rediscovered how to make flubber, without so much of the explosion like in the movie. I discovered element after element that either became a popular toy or a disregarded mass of fat like antigravity material, although you think the government would like several batches of an antigravity matter. No matter how you sliced it, I was no good at finding useful things. But in the midst of repeated failure, a shaft of light came, a new challenge. The government again issued a challenge, but this time it was to create a traveling device. I first thought of making a hover board with the flubber compound, but then I began thinking. What the government wanted was a machine that could travel, but they had not specified which of the three types they wanted. To explain myself, you must understand there are three types of travel, better put, three ‘plains’. First, and most commonly thought of, is distance. Traveling in distance is basically achieved by walking, running, driving a car, and so on and so forth. Second, a little less thought of, is time. We think f Doctor Who going into the Tardis and whirling of through time. Now the third is the least thought of, and is that of space. You say ‘You already said distance’, yes I did but I my mind distance and space are different concepts. Distance is feet and inches and so on, but space is, as commonly referred to, dimension but more appropriately universes (which in itself becomes contradicted because universe means one place and being multiple universes, it should be called the multi-verse). Why did I just switch from dimension to universe? Simple, our world has four dimensions already and we travel in them sometimes without really thinking twice. The dimensions are these: length, width, height, and time. Yes time is a dimension and I could prove to you in more than a thousand ways that we travel through all of these dimensions regularly, but we only got time for a few. Length, we travel from point A to point B every day, and it works the same for width except for in a different direction. Height, when we go up stairs we gain height and therefore travel through it, also we sit down, go into our bed, and so on, and in doing so gain or lose altitude or height. And as for time, you are doing it now. Time is always making forward motion, and as time moves on you aren’t getting trapped in five minutes ago but continue to travel with time. You are already variably traveling through time, funny huh? But we are getting side tracked. We are still considering the third type of travel, space. Now a parallel universe is what we are traveling to in the type of traveling being space. Now a parallel universe always has a certain distance from the universe you are traveling from. Whether that space being a millimeter or several light years it always is not it the same place as yours. The only problem is that we can’t get enough energy behind the machine to make it stand still and yet move. I know being still and moving sounds impossible to do but you got to listen. When I say remaining still, I mean when we come back to our home we are in the same place, and when I say we move, I mean we move to the other universe. ‘But why do we need energy to do both and why don’t we have enough energy to do so?’ you might ask. Well, we need energy to get there and back like a car needs fuel. Everything in the universe needs energy, although usually in different forms. Why don’t we have enough of the energy to do it? That process takes a lot of energy to accomplish. It take enough just to travel one, but all three at the same it utterly huge amount of necessary energy, and yes we have to travel all three plains of movement at the same time. Parallel-universal movement is so insanely energy consuming that it is near impossible. But back to the governments challenge. I decided, finally, to travel through all three plains of movement. Yes, I just said that it is near impossible, but remember I said specifically NEAR impossible. All I had to do was get a power source that could give me the power, or create a universal rift, or what is erroneously called a dimensional rift. I hired several other scientist to help me find a way to open such a sought after portal. I veritably gave on the idea of creating a Police Box that was huge on the inside but rather small of the outside, which would have given a rather large nod toward my favorite time and space traveler.
I had been sitting in my office trying to design a ‘Rift Maker’ as it came to be called in my group. All I could think of were those silly looking contraptions for the old 80’s movies that had to spires that shot electricity back a forth until it became a gateway shaped hole that led to another place and time. While sketching out a more comedic lenient design, one of my most trusted fellows came bursting through the door, quite over encumbered with papers and files. His brown hair shifted a little a he came in, and his white lab coat trailed behind him. I quickly shoved my sketches of to the side and allowed him to drop his burdens on my solid oak desk.
“Doctor Webster, sir, we’ve done it!” Yes that is my name, Webster, Johann Webster that is. I cleared my throat before asking the obvious question of the day,
“Exactly what have you done, Doctor Baedeker? Please, take a moment to calm down before you speak.” After a few moment of calming down, Dr. Baedeker finally gave his reply.
“We have discovered how to open a rift.” He had me intrigued now, and it was very much evident on my face. Before I could even ask he answered what was on my mind, “We found that if you have to electromagnets of like polarity in extremely close proximity and with enough power, they will start to circle each other without aggravation. Soon enough a field of energy will from and serve as a transport rift.” At his explanation’s end I was very skeptical, more so than usual. How could two simple electromagnets of like poles create a rift in the described manner? “But there is one thing we lack to complete it.” Ah, here is the always present catch to the plan. “To cast the field of energy far enough and large enough, we need a veritable energy projector and simultaneous energy restrainer.” Again I was faced with this recurring problem, the problem of the duel functional machine. How could an object project, yet restrain, energy it is given? “We also have found the means to do it. What we need is a crystalline structure in these specifications.” Baedeker said as he pointed toward the large bunch of folders and papers.
“I doubt any jeweler would be able to meet with the specification that is contained on all of those pages.” Baedeker snickered a little and pulled out the folder on top of the pile.
“Well, these are the laymen’s terms explanation of the rest of these papers scientific explanations.” I chuckled a little at that. The single folder was a lot less intimidating than the stack from which originated. I opened it up and was faced by quite a few specifications. A ruby that was to be cut in an octagonal shape with rounded edges and… the other specifications were so vast that I didn’t know what type of jeweler would comply with the specifications.
It had been three weeks after I had taken the specification to the closest jeweler shop, who interestingly enough actually complied with our meticulous specifications. I had just received a noticed from the owner that he had finished and it was ready for pickup at his shop. After picking up the gem, I returned to the test site, which was nothing but an abandoned air hanger at the city limits. We had permission for the local government to test our equipment, which we insisted on not mentioning what it was. I arrived and soon was met by Baedeker and two of his friends, being Hopkins and Hartman. I gave the gem to Baedeker, who promptly attached it into its socket, right between the two large electromagnets. The room was filled with scientists that I had hired or had volunteered to work for me. Everywhere one looked there was desks and computers and generators, each of which performing their own tasks with meticulous precision. I had decided that we should erect more generators than those that were present in case we didn’t have enough energy, but with all the generators already present the likelihood of me being right was rather slim. Even though I was probably wrong, my good friend Baedeker complied with my request. Soon, over a dozen large generators were stationed outside of the building and were ready to be connected to the ‘Rift Maker’. I inspected, one last time, all of my fellow scientists who set about their work to ensure the success of this attempt of creating a traveling device that the government probably would not have thought possible to be received from their simple challenge. Everything was in order; just two things remained to be done.
“Webster, sir, we have a set of coordinates set. The ‘Rift Probe’ sent back coordinates and all necessary data for the portal to be opened and the subject get out on the other end.” The ‘Rift Probe’, as it had been called by the team, had done its job, which was to detect parallel universe’s Earth equivalent location. Yes, each universe, or multi-verse, had its own Earth. Whether by that name or not, it didn’t matter. Finally it came down to the final question.
“Men, we are ready, soon we will send the first man into ‘Rift Space’. Only one matter lays unsolved. Who will be the brave soul to walk the paths of time and space?” The room fell silent after I had made my proclamation. As I had guessed, no one was really willing to go into an unknown territory, even for the sake of science. I knew one man who would do it, and no matter how much others would try to dissuade him, he would stay fast on his goal. He was the one man I could rely on and predict how he would react. “Being as there is an utter lack of test subjects; I shall venture forth and complete our set goal.” Everyone in the room clapped, I hope for my sake they weren’t clapping as a mocking of my insanity. Soon enough the team was off doing the pre-teleportation checklist.
“Energy levels?”
“Check.”
“Stabilizers?”
“Check.”
“Diffusers?”
“Check.”
“Atmospheric read out?”
“All’s well.”
“Inhabitants?”
“Unknown.”
“Cup of coffee?”
“Right here.”
“Did you get the donuts?”
“Yep.”
“Chocolate or Vanilla frosting?”
“Both.”
“All right, we’re ready to set off to multi-verse A-1.”
“Is it that important?”
“You bet it is!” I chuckled a little at the trailing off from checklist of before flight necessities to donuts and coffee and the reference to a steak sauce commercial. Suddenly I was presented with my donuts and cup of coffee I had asked for and had been checked of during the pre-teleportation sequence. I ate my donuts and drank my coffee quite contently as I heard the generators turn on. Soon the electromagnets were showing slight strain in having like poles so close to each other. Suddenly, as Baedeker had told me, the magnets began whirling around each other without having any motors pushing them. I was soon met with the sight of the ruby in the middle beginning to glow its red light shown across the room. Soon enough, a field of red energy was created around the area of the machine and simultaneously stopped at the borders of the machine, going no further than the machine itself. It seemed to swirl and dance, but still it remained transparent and very centralized. By this time I had finished my coffee and donuts. I could only hope that my stomach could handle inter-universal transport while being full. I definitely would need the energy that my food had given me, even if the whole world I was going to was friendly. A few days prior, Baedeker had told me that this machine had been devised so it would turn the subject into its corresponding form in that section of the multi-verse. I couldn’t help wander what I would come out as, perhaps a squid or a dog, the world may never know… unless I went in. Baedeker told me that the machine was ready for me to enter. I stepped up to the big machine. It wasn’t too much unnecessary cosmetics on it, just the stuff that was necessary for it to function properly and smoothly. I made my way into the field of energy, and to my surprise, I felt no electric shock or anything. All I could feel was the sensation of wind, as if I stood in an open field during the spring months. I had to admit it felt nice, but there was no time to ponder the comfort of the proceedings. I turned back to my team and gave them the thumbs up; I was ready for them to switch on the extra power, and to turn this light show into an ‘Artificial Multi-versal Rift Generator’. I saw one of the men push a lever forward. Oh, how I loved levers! They always had brought me a feeling of power. Suddenly the magnets began to rotate even faster and faster, and the ruby in the center glowed even brighter. I turned to see the magnets, but what I saw concerned me. One of the rotating magnets was wobbling uncontrollably, and the ruby, that before was utterly flawless, was developing cracks. Suddenly a crash was heard and one of the magnets flew out of its place… RIGHT TOWARDS ME! The magnet went right toward me with great speed, and just as it hit me, it went right through. I looked at my chest where the magnet had passed through, and expected to see a hole or some blood, but I saw none. Another sound came to my ears as the ruby burst into shards, which also flew right through me. I was intangible! I knew this meant I must be going through a rift vortex into the parallel section of our multi-verse. I was right, you could do it! All you needed was just enough energy, and in this case, movement. My theories had been proven, although at the risk of my wellbeing. But all challenges and difficulties must be faced and enterprise with equal courageous answers – William Bradford, or at least he said something to that effect. I felt the autumn breeze turn into a category five hurricane, as the machine completed its task. In the fading images of my comrades, I saw Baedeker reaching his hand out as his mouth uttered the simple word ‘no’. I felt sorry for him. He might never know that his good friend made it to the other side of the multi-versal plain. Soon I saw the world around me form and take shape. It was green with a large splash of red, but it was all blurred. Suddenly I felt as if something knocked me over. I hit the ground rather hard. I opened my eyes only to see my glasses floating of into the vortex. I quickly grabbed them, only to again be knocked over. My hand opened and my glasses flew away, although they fortunately stayed in the same side as I was. My eyes closed as a weird sensation came over me. Ah, this must be the metamorphic part of my journey, the part where I become my counterpart in this side of the multi-verse. I felt rather weird. My limbs felt themselves getting shorter, and all in a very painful way. I suddenly got a thundering headache as my head changed. When I finally materialized into the world I fell and rested there until I could get my bearings and relief from my aches and pains.