Newton's Law

Time travel is a crime. Not that it was ever legal, but it became necessary to criminalize it. I was born the year of 2247 CE, on an off world from Earth. I am employed by T.I.M.E, also known as Time Interception of Missing Entities. T.I.M.E. is itself a suborganization of the Sol Federation and prefers to recruit agents off world. That is non-Earthlings, of which I qualify. They also like us young and unattached. And I do not mean simply unattached to family, friends, and lovers, but also to history. And we will get back to this soon enough as it has everything to do with my existence. Which leads us to a bit of history.

Fortunes had been made – and lost – by twenty-first century billionaires investing into off world development. Even greater fortunes were imagined if one could portal to other universes. Especially if the offshoot was time travel. Unbridled capitalism still existed well into the early twenty-second century and venture capital firms were interested in any technology that might make them outsized investment returns. Then, Albert Jefferson Newton entered the picture.

Newton discovered how to tunnel to a different universe in 2097 CE with the creation of a portal. Every universe has its own flow of time. Were one to tunnel to another universe with a reverse flow of time and wait before returning to our universe, one would find themselves in our past. Hence, he opened the door to time travel. One could also accelerate to the future, if desired.

Initially, all travel was controlled through the one portal that Newton had created and was for scientific and philosophical inquiry only. There were risks of course. Was the physics in the alternative universe compatible with ours? If not, the traveler might perish. Even if the physics were compatible, one could of course find themselves in an otherwise hostile environment. Hence, travelers travel in a capsule for their protection. But this was initially unnecessary as the first attempts to use the portal did not involve living organisms.

Initially, Newton used inanimate objects, but none were ever retrieved. Well, at least not until the portal was moved to a larger facility. When this occurred, several of the objects were discovered under the portal. After analysis, these were the objects that had traveled in small intervals forward in time. Even to this day, those objects which Newton inserted into a forward moving universe appear periodically at that original location, which is heavily guarded. In fact, one appeared last week from Newton’s original experiments. Once again it matched Newton’s math, which was his own, and the time lapse from departure to arrival was duly catalogued.

By studying the objects and how they might have been altered by the different laws of physics in their exposure to alternate universes, Newton was able to devise a capsule for living bodies. Through careful examination and documentation of the objects, he could determine which frequencies of the portal had resulted in the time interval of forward time by waiting for them to reappear. While these jumps in forward time were short, the project grew to better understand the affects experienced on the other side of the portal. Although the physicality of riches seemed to be out of reach, there was still the hope of riches from knowledge.

While we are still waiting to see if some of his forward based math for the largest of jumps is completely accurate, there have been no deviations from his projections thus far. With luck, a chimp named Elliott will arrive next Thursday at 2:09 pm.

But Newton was anxious and pushed the boundaries of which many on his team were hesitant to explore. By 2101 CE, just four years after the creation of the portal, Newton was ready to try additional frequencies, those to the past and further into the future per his calculations. But it was the past that he found most intriguing. It was his algorithm that indicated that travel to the past was possible, and this is where he focused his greatest interest. As there was no reverse portal, he could not retrieve the objects and each test appeared to fail. While anything transported to the past would begin to move forward in time, it would always remain behind our current time as we cannot pause our ever-moving flow of time. Occasionally he tried with a person, hoping the traveler could find some way to communicate with him, by placing an ad into a paper or some such device. But no such luck. Newton theorized that if an object was sent from T(departure) to T(departure-1day) then in one day the object would return to Newton at T(departure). But Newton himself would have moved forward to T(departure+1day). He theorized he would instantly know of the object’s recovery, as a memory. The theory was wrong as knowledge must also travel with the flow of time. Thus, if the traveler somehow altered an event with a magnitude to alter the future, this knowledge and consequence traveled on a different wave of time. So, there was no way for Newton to ever know if it had worked. This isn’t to say that one cannot change the past, it is just those in our ever-moving present, will never know. There are now two different time waves moving forward but separated from each other.

Finally, in 2104 CE, a breakthrough occurred. Someone in 2107 CE transported back to 2104 CE. Victory! Time travel to the past was possible. And here also became the first test of the paradoxes of time travel and led to the first time-crime or TC. Ironically, the crime was greed, just like the motives of the venture capitalists. This led to a second and third TC, murders. Simply put, the traveler had been a cunning thief and used three years of stock market knowledge to create a small fortune for himself during a short passage of time. His good luck resulted in somebody else losing that opportunity, hence the crime. He became extremely rich before his scheduled departure in Newton’s experiment, but to help hide it, he had to murder his original self shortly after his arrival in 2104 CE in order to eliminate the duplicity of himself. This leads to the whole question of paradoxes and why the concept was shattered. The traveler might have gotten away with the thievery, but he was caught for the murder in 2106 CE as he did not properly depose of the body. Investigations from governmental entities ensued. The venture capitalists wanted no part in this crime due to the heavy governmental investigations and had the traveling thief murdered just days before his scheduled departure in 2107 CE. Not that he would have entered yet another jump in time, he was rich now, afterall. Regardless, this did not erase the crimes of the traveler as the second time wave did not inhibit the first.

Newton and the world became aware of the murders and of the thievery. This took the hardest toll on Newton and every time theory ever theorized was laid to bare. There were no paradoxes. It didn’t matter. There was no paradox to the ever-moving present when changing the past. But there was an effect. The past certainly had been altered but the ever-moving present would never know.

These initial crimes led to time-travel becoming illegal in the year 2109 CE and yet we are still dealing with its consequences in 2247 CE.

This led to great philosophical debate, if our ever-moving time wave would never know of the change in the past, why would it matter if a material event were changed? I will get to this point shortly.

The predecessor to the Sol Federation. known as United Earth, was solely Earth based, and not every nation signed on to its thinking as a few nations – or rather their leaders – still favored individuality over community. Philosophically it is an interesting topic to debate, the individual versus the species. Although, most nations did agreed to restrict time travel in some form. However, the off worlds differed on this matter.

As the laws were debated and enacted, United Earth attempted to secure the technology. But this relied upon cooperation of those who had worked on the Newton Project. Newton himself had taken his life due to his dismay of the events surrounding the murders and that his discovery had a role to play in them. As one would expect, United Earth failed to secure the technology. The leaks were multiple. One of the venture capitalists went rogue and escaped with the technology to an off world. This began one of the first interplanetary wars before the Sol Federation was established. Some of the Newton Project physicists sought refuge in a few of the rogue nations. Control, had it ever been a possibility, was lost.

United Earth then formed its own research department and used the technology to study what had occurred. Time travel had become illegal for personal or governmental use, including military use, but if properly monitored, it was allowed for scientific research. The technology still did not exist to send a traveler backward in time and then forward again as access to one’s own portal was the key. But United Earth devised a way to pass a message forward to the ever-moving present. The only way any message could ever catch up to the ever-moving present was for the knowledge contained in the message to travel faster than our current flow of time, which is still not possible. Unless one used a portal with its own source of energy for the return trip. This was risky as it meant establishing portals at various points in time. Eventually the black market in time travel also created their own network. This created more conflicts between Earth and the off worlds and more military intervention. Eventually a peace was negotiated due to a cessation in much needed trade and the Sol Federation was created.

It was also the time the effects of all those changes began to become noticed. Yes, each change amounted in a newly created wave of time, but the network of portals allowed the passing of information from the waves, and even some riches to return to the original wave. And so, the theory of time paradoxes shifted yet again. The knowledge that was passed from one wave to the other, changed the present in the original ever-moving present. These new portals also made it possible for travelers to return to their original present or to the ever-moving present if the traveler had the algorithm to adjust for the next leg of their journey. Crimes abounded. T.I.M.E was formed. And the passing of knowledge made the effects known to our ever-moving present.

As humans will be humans, even T.I.M.E. agents were prone to making matters worse. Either through human error, or their own fallibilities and internal conflicts, which led them astray. Thus, my existence.

My name is Idian, short for Meridian. I am not in the strictest sense human, nor am I am a non-human. My DNA is human, although augmented, and I was born in a lab, not birthed from a mother. A small AI was also integrated into my brain and so I am human, but I am also different. With no emotional attachment to parents and siblings I am unattached to family and history. At least family or cultural history.

But I lied earlier. I am not employed by T.I.M.E. I am property of T.I.M.E. It is such a well-guarded secret that only the Secretary of T.I.M.E. and my unit commander are aware of my special existence. My dark unit is tasked with shutting down the black-market networks, not just intercepting missing entities. There are of course conspiracy theories of our existence, all of which the Sol Federation and T.I.M.E. deny.

I am unique, there is only one of me, thus assisting in my unattachment to history, culture, family, friends, and lovers. Thus, I have no issues in carrying out my orders or worry of any changes in the past changing events of today or tomorrow. The other members of my unit have their own specialties, to assist me in my tasks. One of the unit’s specialists, I call Archives. She compares any new knowledge passed through our network to previous records.

My primary task is to locate and close all portals operated by the black-market and to destroy their abilities to reproduce the technology. As knowledge is not merely digital, but sometimes carbon based organic, this means I also assassinate. My activities have an impact on our ever-moving present, but the black-market knowledge ceases or is tempered, and no ill-gotten gains can be transferred to our ever-moving present. Thus, my actions are considered a net positive effect. This destruction took many years, but success was inevitable.

Two years ago, I closed the last remaining portal of the black market. Black market crime from time travel ceased to exist and I seemingly was out of a job. The alternative time waves still existed, but no more knowledge of them would be available, and no riches could be exploited and transferred to our ever-moving present.

However, there is almost always a flaw in the human spirit of doing what is the right thing to do. The Sol Federation allowed T.I.M.E.’s network to remain open with strict procedures to prevent nefarious activity. But humans will be humans. Last week, there was a breach. The richest of the black markets, PRIME, had infiltrated T.I.M.E. and sent a black-market agent backwards to prior to Newton’s suicide. News passed forward through our portals that Newton has/had been kidnapped. PRIME was now in possession of the needed knowledge to resurrect a new network.

I had new orders. To return to 2096 CE, assassinate Newton before he had created the knowledge and before being kidnapped in that wave of time. It was to be a one-way mission as there would be no portal for me to return. All knowledge of the ability to time travel were to be destroyed. I would jump to each portal, destroy it and any knowledge, even that knowledge saved in carbon-based T.I.M.E. agents. This would necessitate my using delay tactics to the physical portal after I made my next jump. Hopefully my time bombs went off, least a portal remain intact. My reward, as it were, is that I will no longer be property of T.I.M.E., but living in 2096 CE.

But I was curious. Why did PRIME want to kidnap Newton? T.I.M.E is in possession of the network and is now searching for the agent. And so far, Archives hasn’t recorded a return trip for the agent.

The hour has arrived, and I step into the portal and arrive to Newton’s lab in the year 2096 CE. Newton is working alone and late. I startle him but do not take advantage of my surprise entry.

Newton turns and faces me. “When are you from?” Newton asks.

“When?”

“Security is high here. For you to enter, you must have slipped through time.”

“I always read that your perception of time flows was unique.”

“So, you are from the future. Did I succeed or did one of my competitors beat me to it?”

“Competitors?”

“One of my assistants left me a year ago. I heard she attracted some funding.”

Now I was no longer sure of my orders. If another created or also created time-travel, should my orders be modified. But currently, I have no method to confirm as Newton’s portal has yet to be created and I have destroyed the string of portals from T.I.M.E.’s network. I am alone and must interrupt my orders for the situation at hand.

“Who is the source of your former associate’s funding?”

“An old money venture capital group, PRIME.”

“Old?”

“Families of multi-generational wealth. They keep their projects close to their vest.”

“Where can I find the head of PRIME?”

“Their office is in Manhattan.”

I need to investigate this. “Thank you,” I say.

“Wait. What is your name? When are you from?”

“The less you know, the better for you.” I speak. “How can I exit without triggering an alarm?”

“I will walk you out.”

As Newton escorts me out he peppers me with questions. The only one I answer is that I am not here to commit a crime. Which is not the truth, but I am here to prevent crimes. He accepted my answer at face value.

After traveling to Manhattan and locating the correct address, I ride an elevator to the seventy-seventh floor of an office building. There is a receptionist and behind her is a sign, PRIME Investments.

“Hello, my name is Meridian. I would like to speak with the head of your organization.”

“Do you have an appointment.”

“In time.”

She looks at me.

“Just give him the answer to your question please.”

She makes a call. “No, that is all he told me. His name is Meridian and doesn’t have an appointment. Or rather he will have one ‘in time’.”

She hangs up the phone and looks at me. “I’m sorry but his secretary says his calendar is full.”

“Then I shall return tomorrow,” and I turn towards the elevators.

Just as the light above the center elevator illuminates and the doors begin to slide open, I hear “excuse me.”

I do not enter the elevator, allow the doors to close, and turn towards the voice. “Yes.”

“I am Mr. Henry’s assistant. He asked me the purpose of your visit.”

“To discuss time.”

“I see. Please follow me.”

I am taken to a modest size conference room and left by myself. There is a pitcher of water and glasses at the center of the conference room table. I pour myself a glass of water and sit along one of the sides. After ten or so minutes the door opens.

“Hello, I am Timothy Henry. How may I help you today?” but he does not extend his hand.

“Thank you for seeing me Mr. Henry. My name is Meridian. I wanted to discuss time with you.

“I see. Meridian is an unusual name.”

“It suits me.”

“What is it about time that you wish to know?”

“I understand you are working on time travel.”

“I see.”

“You do not appear surprised at my inquiry.”

“Normally I would not divulge any of our investments, but you are not the first.”

I am most certainly curious now.

“First?”

“One year ago, I was approached over the idea of time and subsequently introduced to a physicist from Newton’s project that was seeking her own funding.”

“And did you fund her?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“The visitor that approached me showed me credentials that while I could not verify, appeared he was from the future. He convinced me that this was some sort of loop, and this had already occurred.”

“I see.”

“You don’t believe?”

“Oh, I believe he is from the future. In fact, from the same future as me, but the chicken and the egg paradoxes are false.”

“False?”

“I need to locate him.”

“Why?”

“That is classified.”

“Then I think I cannot assist you in your hunt for him.”

Before I can reply, the door to the conference room opens. Entering the room is a tall, darked skinned, trim, and intimidating man.

“Timothy, I appreciate your efforts to thwart Meridian’s hunt for me, but I believe I should handle this myself.”

Mr. Henry looks at my fellow traveler and says, “Very well.” Mr. Henry then leaves the two of us.

“Meridian, will you please afford me the opportunity to explain before you murder me?”

I study him for tens of seconds, and he stands without moving.

“You know my name.”

“You are well known by my firm. Afterall, you destroyed our network and murdered hundreds of those under my employment. I should eliminate you myself.”

“Your PRIME name is Radiant. What is your actual name?”

“I did not expect this question. May I sit?”

“Please.”

He pulls a swivel chair from the table and sits across from me. “The name my mother gave to me is Ian. The name that I went by was indeed Radiant.”

“The PRIME Radiant?”

“Yes. I took it from a fiction book that I read as a boy. It seemed appropriate.”

“I know this book.”

“Of course, if you were to join me, you would be the PRIME Meridian.”

I look at him and let out a small laugh. He laughs too.”

“So, what is that you wish to share with me?”

“The reason for my jump to now.”

And I nod my head in the affirmative for him to continue.

“I jumped here because I need to rescue my daughter. She is an archaeologist.”

“She didn’t join the family crime business?”

“No one wants their children, especially their daughters, to enter the crime world.”

“You are a misogynist?”

“Not when it comes to my daughter. I wanted better for her. She follows her passion and knows little of my line of work.”

“Go on.”

“We, or rather I, funded her team’s jump further back in time of any known attempt. I also sent the needed technology for her return. But it would require a skilled mathematician to work Newton’s algorithms for a precise return. He made a brief return to our ever-moving present for the birth of his own child. Just as he was entering our portal to return to my daughter’s team, you destroyed the intermediate terminal he was going to use. We lost him. My daughter, and her team, are now stuck in the past as they do not have the needed math.”

“So, you want to rescue your daughter?”

“Yes, but I need a portal.”

“Do you have the mathematician?”

“Yes, the physicist that I recruited from Newton’s team. Quite capable and I provided the algorithms. We were able to save them from your destruction.”

“How close is she to creating a portal?”

“It is complete. She is testing it as Newton did, to confirm it is functioning correctly.”

“I am sure you know my orders.”

“Yes, and I won’t interfere with them. But allow me to send my scientist to my daughter so that her team can be returned to our original ever-moving present. You can then destroy her portal and Newton’s.”

“But she will still have the knowledge and your daughter’s portal will still exist.”

“I will send her back to this time wave after my daughter and her team have been rescued. You can wait for her and complete your assignment. My daughter and I have no scientific knowledge of the portal.”

“That alone will not allow me to fulfill my orders.”

“I will deliver the remaining scientific information, and myself, to you in our ever-moving present. Use one of your time bombs. The portal at my daughter’s time location will simply be lost in time. Useless to the dinosaurs. It certainly cannot last hundreds of millions of years as its power supply will deteriorate and become useless.”

I think this through. I could destroy Newton’s portal before it is completed, return to my original present, and destroy this other portal, while saving Radiant’s daughter. And with the knowledge of Radiant’s location and his promise to turn himself in. But I do not know T.I.M.E.’s reaction and whether I would gain my freedom. I think a bit more and take another drink from my glass.

“Very well. I will agree to these terms.”

The next day we travel to the portal created by his scientist. Everything is set into motion, and I remain behind and await the return of the scientist. She had not been told of my plan to assassinate her or to destroy the portal. She does not return. Radiant must have tipped her off. I set the charges and destroy her portal and all her research. I then return to Newton’s lab. Although this time I must enter through security.

“I heard my competitor’s lab was destroyed. Are you here to do this to mine?”

“Yes, but I will take you with me.”

“Excuse me.”

“My task is to destroy all the networks that will begin once you create your portal. Crime becomes rampant. I am also to destroy all knowledge, but I have purpose of you in my wave of time. I need you to complete your work.”

During the next many months, I pace and wait. Finally, Newton completes his portal. I provide to him the algorithms that I took from the other lab. I have effectively tied Newton’s hands as anyone with the ability to recreate his masterpiece is in the room as he and I enter the portal. Moments after he and I jump to my ever-moving present, his lab lies in ruins.

T.I.M.E. begins debriefing him and me. Archives was a little too liberal in her sharing of knowledge with Newton. He became depressed and takes his life once again. I locate Radiant and destroy the knowledge that he has hidden away and locate his scientist and assassinate her. Radiant does not have the scientific ability to recreate a portal and is instead sentenced to prison for the remainder of his life. T.I.M.E. employees his daughter and her team for their knowledge of the past proves valuable.

All is under wraps, and I am permitted to retire.

* * *

It has now been thirty years and I have received an urgent message from T.I.M.E. and required to transport to Earth. I have been called to an archaeological dig site.