Today was the day Doctor Mariah Kross had spent years working towards. She breathed in this moment. Right here, in the women’s locker room of whatever secret air force base this was. The more credible her breakthroughs became, the tighter and tighter security became. Right now, tying back her curly dark hair to dawn her jumpsuit. The blue uniform was equipped with biometric sensors to track any and all phenomena she may experience on her voyage. It reminded her of a spacesuit and she almost had to laugh. Who’d have thought a trip to space would be the second most mind boggling trip of her career. years of diligent astrophysics research lead had her to this, her moment of truth. In less than one hour Doctor Kross would put her money where her mouth was as she and her hand picked team made the first time travel excursion in history.
Her gaze followed the closing locker left, falling upon her greatest mentor and adviser, Professor Ada Brenner as the older woman finished fastening her own jumpsuit. The women caught each other’s eyes and Ada gave her student a look of reassuring pride. She was a tough old bird, however much she’d dislike the connotations, but not so old and plenty tough enough to join the excursion as the team's historian. As far as Mariah saw it, she owed Brennan both her degrees and everything she’d made of them. Throughout college and even after graduation the professor was Mariah’s shoulder to lean on. And whether it was within Ada’s field of study or not, day or night, she was always happy to lend an ear to one of her favorite students and offer whatever help she could. The older woman lay a gentle hand on Mariah’s shoulder. “Are you ready?” All Mariah could stomach was a nod. After a beat she broke into a hug.
The two took in the view of the hangar bay from the upper railing. Mariah’s Vessel, her time machine, The Oracle One, stood resolute on one end of a track. It resembled a rounded shapey space shuttle, like a partially dissolved mint. And like ants, technicians in white lab coats swarmed the device performing a final gambit of tests joined by three in blue jumpsuits. And sequestered to the side were their investors in suits and brass. But no press. Not here and not today. The powers that be decided it’d be best to save the reporters for a test less likely to become a televised catastrophe. A lab tech with a camera would have to do for today.
Kross was quick to spot her right hand man in the crowd while descending the stairs. Sampson Wren had been her greatest academic rival and hater since their college days. He was a stick of a man with an initially offputting vibe. As her mathematician, it was Wren's job to make sure Mariah’s math was perfect, and he’d never held that sort of thing back before. In fact she knew he relished the chance. Since the day they met Sam loved being correct more than anything in the world. It’d taken some time to acclimate to it but Doctor Kross knew by now how to navigate Doctor Wren's strengths and quirks. She couldn’t think of anyone she’d trust more to keep her on track.
Sampson had strategically positioned himself so that a herd of fellow scientists shielded him from any benefactor who may deign to talk to him. He always did his best to avoid any unnecessary interactions with those he believed didn’t know what they were talking about. But the twins needed no such strategy, they were just naturally unpleasant to approach
Jackson Cho and Jacqueline Grace had no relation. But the universe seemed to insist otherwise. They shared a name, shared a birthday and shared a love of machines that brought them together at the same prestigious college of engineering after growing up on opposite ends of the country. That’s what earned them the nickname “the twins”, that and the way they were constantly bickering. If Jack said blue, Jackie said orange. If Jackie said yes, Jack said no. If Jack said incongruent rotational pistons, Jackie said overclocked oscillation pins. But despite the constant arguments the two had never taken any of the many opportunities to separate. Mariah had first met the pair when she hired them to help build a working prototype model for a coolant system she’d been commissioned to design for reentry craft. When she complained to her about them at the end of that week Professor Brenner proposed there’s was an iron sharpens iron sort of relationship if not more. Kinda like how Mariah and “that Sammy Wren boy” used to torment each other into improving their performance in university. Mariah was quick to change the subject that night, but it certainly challenged her theory that the two just liked to make each other miserable.
These five chrononauts shook hands, rubbed elbows and posed for a photo or two while second by second the moment of truth ticked closer. Sampson breathed a sigh of relief in tandem with the hermetic door hissing shut, sealing the crew within the cockpit of Oracle One. “I don’t know how one can stomach such hand wringing.” He groaned and booted up his workstation.
“Well it’s not like people will want to talk to you when you’re one of the most famous people on the planet” Jack jabbed sarcastically as he strapped himself into his own seat.
“You never know” Jackie chimed in as she did the same besides Jack. “Doc Wren could be that type of celebrity whose fame drives him whacky immediately and he spends the rest of his life on some weirdo culty compound.”
“Actually, historically speaking, some of the most brilliant minds in history were very reclusive.” Ada offered. “Many of them made revolutionary contributions with just the notes they left behind.”
“That definitely sounds more your speed, right Wren?” Mariah smiled, taking the opportunity to enjoy this moment to dunk on Sampson before rubber hit the road. “Spend the rest of your life with the fame to do whatever you want and leave behind an unedited memoir. It’s like the ultimate final word.”
Doctor Wren rolled his eyes as everyone made their jokes. “It’s not the worst retirement.”
Minutes later the tension raised with every utterance of the countdown. The crew braced themselves for the imminent burst of momentum and Mariah fought the instinct to hold her breath. This was it, now or never. The Oracle One surged forward at the count of zero. The view beyond the front window blurred before a white void ripped open and enveloped the time machine.
What happened to the Mariah and her crew as they lurched through time?
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