Chapter 2
Though I had spent nearly the entirety of my life building this machine, it was with no small amount of surprise that I realized that I have literally no plan. Perhaps it was how unlikely a positive outcome actually seemed, but I had never laid out an actual schedule of what would be done once my machine was completed. Now the day is here, and I’m realizing what a dope I’ve been. An opportunity of this magnitude obviously needs to be explored as thoroughly and effectively as possible. That means careful plotting, extensive analysis, and absolute agonizing over every choice I make. Though I have the rest of my existence to explore the realms of time, my life is all too short to see everything I want to see. One would have to be immortal to explore all that I want to experience. As such, I dutifully decided to settle on the most crucial time periods, at least as far as my opinion goes.
Now, here I stand, before my machine with list gripped in hand. Though technology has pervaded far beyond a simple paper and pen, it seemed the most efficient method, considering I intend to take the list with me on my travels. While my trip to the prehistoric ages had been exciting, I think I’ll stick with a time period that’s a bit less risky. The medieval period, as lived by the humans of this planet some millennia ago, is another point of fascination for me. Human culture, and by association the culture of my own people, has been molded dramatically by the tales of what happened during this time period. While the tales speak of some danger, most of it lies in creatures of a mythic nature. Dragons, though an interesting tale, certainly have no roots in reality. It seemed a time simpler than my own, yet less dangerous than my initial trip. It was, after all, an era of chivalry. I had taken a few short moments to beat out the dings that littered the outside of my machine. While it is not as pristine as it once was, I suppose that is of little consequence. It is not as if anyone in the past should see my machine-- were they to see it, the results could be disastrous. The entire space time continuum could be disrupted. However, I trust myself to obscure the machine well enough from prying eyes. While the people of the medieval era are leagues more intelligent than the dinosaurs I encountered, their civilization is not nearly as advanced as others. There should be open plains aplenty for me to mark my landing.
As I step into my beloved machine, fiddling with the knobs, I can’t ignore the slight gap between the sliding doors that kept me safely inside. It could prove an issue, but this is a realm unexplored. If there are some odd side effects to traveling through time, I would be the first to experience them. For the sake of research, it could prove beneficial, though the effect on my long term life remains at question. I am, however, a scientist at heart. My work in the field comes above all things, even personal health.
Yes, that’s easy enough to say.
My eyes remain glued to the gap as I continue to adjust the console. While for the time being all I can see is a sliver of light beyond it, I haven’t the foggiest idea what lies ahead. In spite of my personal insistences that I will be okay with whatever happens, I still hope that the effects, whatever they may be, are minor at best. I draw my eyes away from the gap for a brief moment, noting that my machine has taken stock of the damage. There is a small warning flashing that indicates the breach of the machine’s seal, but I tap away from it, preparing to launch myself into the past once more. A hesitant pull, and the lever is flipped. The machine lurches as it has from the start, and a blinding light fills the interior of the machine.
“Augh!” I shout, wincing away and drawing my forearm towards my face to cover my eyes. When I close my eyes, it feels as if I will very well faint. I can’t allow that to happen, however. I simply brace myself against the back wall as has become something of a routine. The machine stills abruptly, and the blinding light is replaced with a much more tolerable one. I lower my arm away from my eyes, and shakily inhale. There’s a strange tingling in my chest, but there’s little sense worrying about that presently. I’d much rather enjoy my little day trip. As the doors slide open once more, I am greeted with the warmth of sunlight. I hesitate for a long moment, and when I realize nothing is going to peek in and attack me, I step out of the machine. There is grass underfoot, and I realize I have landed in a rather beautiful meadow, plush with wildflowers. Warmth floods my body at the sight of them, and I crouch to grab a dandelion between my fingers. Giving it a sniff, I didn’t expect the sudden sneeze that shook me. Allergies, it seems. Perfect. I toss the flower aside, stepping away from my machine and casting a glance in my immediate area. Nothing. Nothing but meadows and trees for miles. Seems I had quite the walk ahead of me. Fortunately, I had brought a small satchel of treats along for the trip. I grab a nutrition supplement from my bag, peeling off the wrapper and taking a bite as I begin to walk in what would likely seem a random direction to any onlookers. It would likely seem that way because, truth be told, the direction was rather random. It was not as if I had an intricate map to follow. I only had my natural sense of direction, and a small pinch of luck. I could only hope I would find a town in my time here, as I truly can’t afford to plan another trip to this particular time. As much as I would like to regroup, I’m here, and I will make the best of it that I can.
At the very least, the grass cushions my steps, and I wore my most comfortable walking boots in preparation for such an occasion. The sun is bright, but not altogether intolerable. I’m certain my skin may darken from the exposure, as I have only managed to maintain my pale blue hue from… well. Not leaving my home at all. Only now does it occur to me what I may have missed in the twenty some-odd years I’d been working relentlessly on my machine. No matter. I have plenty of time to make up for what I may have lost.
I take yet another bite of my nutrition supplement, and realize it tastes remarkably bland. Perhaps it is because my other senses have been rewarded with such splendor, but my taste buds seemed to be rebelling at the utter tastelessness of my government provided nutrition. Swallowing what I had bitten off, I tuck the bar back into my bag. If I find a town, perhaps I can indulge in some period delicacies, but in the meantime, even the dandelion I had sniffed seemed more appetizing than what I had brought. I pause as I come to what appears to be some sort of orchard, glancing towards the neatly grouped trees. It seems convenient, almost too convenient. However, I quickly identify the trees as being apple trees, and it seems to me that they are overburdened with fruit. Glancing around, and seeing no one in the vicinity, I reach towards one of the lower branches. There is a bright red apple hanging just within reach, and my stomach rumbles in anticipation as I wrap my hand around it.
“Hey! What are you doing!? You’re trespassing on the king’s lands!” A gruff voice calls, and the thundering sound of hooves assaults my delicate ears. The king’s lands? Trespassing? Certainly not, it seemed such a foolish notion. However, a man garbed in metallic armor leaps off of his horse and levels his sword in my direction. Perhaps it would have been wise to toss the apple away, but instead, I lower my hand with it still in my grasp. “The king’s prized apples!” The… guard, I suppose, cries out. His voice is harsh, and I’m startled into dropping the fruit in my hand. It wasn’t intentional, but the guards considered me as if I had killed one of their own.
“I didn’t know…” I sputter helplessly, taking a step back. The other guards dismount their horses, aiming their swords at my heart with startling accuracy, These are men who are not afraid to kill. They had likely killed stronger men than I, and I know I have no chance if I fight them. One of the human men, perhaps a self appointed leader, steps forward and takes me by the wrist. “Don’t kill me, please. I have so much to live for,” I whisper, the words sounding hollow even to my own ears.
“We’re not going to kill you, lad.” The guard says gruffly, looping a length of rope around my wrists. “That’s the executioner’s job.” He adds as an afterthought. My heart feels as if it has dropped into my stomach. I allow the man to lead me to my inevitable death. This is how it ends. I thought I would be safe here, but there was no way I could anticipated how wrong I was. As I trail behind the guards, I look for any possible escape route, but I know I could not outrun them on their horses. Resigning myself to my fate, I fall into step behind the guard--
Only to stop abruptly as an arrow whizzes past my face and is planted in the tree to my side. I can’t contain the panicked scream that escapes me, and the guards seem as wrapped up in a panic as I am.
“Bandits!” One of them shouts. Another arrow soars into the clearing, but it is impossible to see which direction they’re coming from. In the ruckus, the guard holding onto my bindings drops them, leaping atop his horse. He raises his sword, and I am tempted to complain when it seems they intend to abandon me here with bandits. However, I quickly remind myself that their intent was to kill me all along, so I remain silent. I edge away from the horses, biting back a squeal as a hand covers my mouth and I am pulled into the underbrush. I struggle briefly, but a pair of lips ghost against my ears and render me motionless.
“Hush, now. Do you not want to live?” A melodic feminine voice croons, and a spike of uncertainty lances through my heart. Regardless, I allow her to pull me deeper into the depths of the brush, watching as the guards seem to realize that I am missing. The supposed bandits are suspiciously absent, and I can’t help feeling as if some higher power is watching out for me. The hand presses firmer against my mouth, and I quake in fear as the guards grow near to the brush.
“Damn! He must have gotten away. If we’re lucky, the bandits will get him.” The apparent leader muttered. The other guards rumble in agreement, and they quickly climb back atop their horses and disappear back in the direction they must have come from. Whoever had been supporting my weight allows me to sag to the ground, and I scramble to my feet, wheeling around to face them. Immediately I am struck by her beauty. She smiles coyly, crossing her arms over her chest. I immediately notice the quiver she carries, and I can’t help but bark out a laugh as I realize what has happened.
“There were no bandits!” I breathe, my body’s quaking easing off somewhat. She smiles teasingly, shrugging a shoulder.
“Do not be so quick to assume you are safe. I could very well be a bandit, could I not?” She says slyly, and I am unable to ignore the unmistakable jolt of arousal that surges through me at her lilting tone. I cough awkwardly, crossing my arms over my chest in an attempt to be casual.
“If you were a bandit, why would you save me from the guards?” I reply coolly, cracking what I can only hope is a suave grin. The woman considers me for a long moment, quirking her lips and giggling. I am immediately enamored, her laughter sounding much like the pleasant tinkle of a bell.
“Oh, well, from the looks of your strange garb… I thought perhaps you were an eccentric diplomat.” She offers, shifting her hand to her quiver. Uncertainty shoots through me, mingling with the tingling in my chest for a rather confusing sensation. I open my mouth to speak, stammering awkwardly and wringing my hands together. “In any case. You should be on your way, traveler. The guards may come looking for you again, and I will not be here to save you a second time.” She says with a small smile. She turns her back on me and begins to slip away, and I smother the desire to trail after her. As beautiful as she is, as much as I would love to pursue her, it is not to be. She is not of my time. All the same…
“You are not a bandit, then, right?” I call out, hoping she lingers for a moment longer.
“That is not for you to know.” She calls back, not pausing in her stride. I stare after her, mouth hanging slightly agape as I watch the certainly unintentional sway of her hips. Not of my time, I remind myself.
Counting myself lucky to live another day, I turn away from the orchard and begin back in the direction of my time machine. Though many would likely be dissuaded from continuing their venture through time, I simply hope the next trip will be… more successful. I step back into my machine, the tingling in my chest having returned at full force. My mind had been drawn away from the state of my invention, but now it returned to the situation at hand. As I adjust the dial to return to my own time, I make certain to mask my eyes before throwing the lever. My body quakes with anticipation, as if it craves the lurch of the machine. I feel a strange sense of satisfaction as the blinding light fills the cavity of the time machine. My knees feel a bit weak, and I rest the back of my head against the wall of the machine, keeping my eyes closed until it ceases moving.
I all but collapse out of the machine as the doors slide open, stumbling over to the nearest workbench. I collapse bodily upon it, sagging and breathing a sigh that could almost be mistaken for pleasure. Jolting from my reverie, a purple hued blush washes up on my cheeks. I push myself to my feet, taking a moment before bed to gently wash the wound on my hand. I swallow thickly as I realize my mind is still wrapped upon the woman I had seen in the past. I am certain that even in the few remaining history books, I have never seen a human of such immaculate beauty. I am almost equally certain that I will fall for another woman in another time. Perhaps it is the romance of the situation, but something about my experience seems almost otherworldly.
I awaken before my alarm clock even has time to sound, and I quickly dismiss the alert. With the happenings the day before, I was lucky to pass as, as my savior said, an eccentric diplomat. However, in the future it would benefit me to look as inconspicuous as possible. I slip on a simple black shirt, and a pair of matching slacks before slipping towards my workshop. My plan this time is to go to several thousand years in the future. It seems like overkill, but I want to make extra certain any of my near ancestors are long dead, if they even exist. Again with the space time continuum.
As the door to my workshop slides open, the familiar tingle from the day before returns. Ghosting my hand to the broad expanse of my chest, I can’t help thinking back to the woman who saved me. Arousal spikes through me once more, and I quickly avert my mind to the least sexy thing I can think of. Naked grandma. ...Okay, that worked a bit too well. Wishing I had a bit of mind bleach, I step towards my time machine, examining my reflection in the dented steel. I am less worried about hiding my time machine in this future timeline, as I am certain I would not be the only time traveler to make this particular venture. The only risk was, as I mentioned before, the risk of skewing space time, though I am not sure what the effects of that may be. Even now, I am still unclear on whether the exposure during my travels is having some sort of adverse reaction on my body. I exhale a sigh, examining my skin in my reflection for any odd specks or spots. Seeing nothing abnormal, aside from the wound that remains on my hand, I offer my reflection a smile before slipping into my invention.
The gap seems to be growing wider, but there’s little to be done about it at this point. I’m too invested in my explorations to delay them any further, and it’s all in the name of science. I adjust the knobs around two thousand years into the future, swallowing my excitement and jerking the lever with little preamble. I am used to the blinding light by now, and if anything, it seems to be growing more tolerable. Perhaps the light is dimming, or perhaps I am simply adjusting to the harshness of it. In any case, I no longer have to cover my eyes, though the light still makes me squint. Though I have only been undergoing these explorations for a short time, it almost seems routine at this point. It doesn’t detract from the heart pounding excitement, though any fears I may have had have begun to abate.
When it is clear I have arrived at the appropriate point in time, the doors slide open and I step outside. Immediately, I am struck by… how bland everything seems. All around me, everything is a shade of grey from the buildings to the streets to the sky itself. Even the people are clad in muted tones, and I realize the clothes I chose this morning are all too appropriate. No one seems to have even noticed the arrival of my machine, even as people walk the streets in droves on either side of me. I almost expect someone to complain about my placement on the sidewalk, but the empty eyed people of this time simply walk around, remaining silent with their heads bowed low.
Following the crowd, I examine the world of the future around me. I am certain there must be some redeeming feature to this place, but there is nothing of note. The sheer melancholy of the place seems to be wearing off on even myself, and I feel my head being drawn to a ducked position. My feet, however, are unused to the change of pace and move too quickly to be of any grace. I abruptly slam into another body, and my head jerks upwards as apologies begin to spill past my lips. However, I cut myself short as I take in the visage of the person I have collided with.
It’s impossible, and I am very much aware of the impossibility of the situation, but the person seems too familiar. Where everything in this future world is muted and grey, she seems to almost shimmer in her radiance. That same honey blonde hair, those same sky blue eyes that seem to see right through you. Not like the skies of this time, but of a time much more vibrant. She quirks a curious brow as she considers me, and I straighten up, offering her a slight smile. Between the hundreds of people parting on either side of us, she is the most colorful person in the crowd.
“Uh… sorry.” I manage, trying not to stare at the tight cut of her pants. She stares at me for a long moment, looking briefly pensive before smiling dismissively.
“No problem.” She says simply, hesitating for a moment. “You look rather out of place, here.” She offers, as if nervous to speak the words. I offer her a bright smile, tilting my head in curiosity. It seems strange to encounter what seems nearly a genetic duplicate with so many years between the time periods I have traversed. But the resemblance is uncanny, and as she draws her lip between her teeth, I feel myself growing firmer. If she notices, she gives no indication, seeming to think over what she wanted to say. I am desperate to escape, but more desperate to hear what she has to say. I hope I continue to go unnoticed, but this hope is dashed as her eyes are drawn between my thighs. Her mouth falls agape, and I begin sputtering apologies.
“I’m sorry. It’s just… you’re just…” I manage awkwardly, noting with some relief that she doesn’t seem utterly disgusted by my primal reaction. If anything, she looks almost intrigued.
“You are certainly a strange one.” She hums. I can only chuckle nervously, waiting for an opening to escape. However, her fingers soon interlace with my own, and I have to bite back a gasp of surprise. “You are fortunate that I like strange. A breath of fresh air, I think. Would you… perhaps this is rather forward, but would you like to join me at my apartment?” She says slyly, and if anything, I feel myself growing harder. Hard enough to strain against the tight pants I chose today. Her eyes dance with mirth, and though I have no business engaging in such acts with her, I cannot deny her.
“Y-yes. Of course.” I smile, allowing her to tug me in the direction of her home. She walks through the crowd of people as if they are not even present, and if anyone notices my flustered state, they simply do not care. It is as if I do not even exist, though to be frank, it looks like many people in this timeline would prefer not to exist. I try to distract myself from that thought, which is an easy enough task as I look down to see my companion’s hips swinging lusciously from side to side.
As soon as we step into her apartment, her lips crash against my own. My heart is pounding in my chest, and I can feel my pulse throbbing in other places as well. Uncertainty washes over me, not only because she is not of my time period, but because I am altogether inexperienced in this… particular… field. I have had my moments of fumbling grasps and elation, but never anything that felt so significant. Never with someone so beautiful. I don’t even realize her hands have slipped away from my shoulders until I feel her grasp me through my clothes. I nearly come unwound on the spot, but manage to keep my composure long enough for her to offer me a coy smile.
“Just let go.” She croons in that melodious voice, but I refuse to give in. At least, not yet. She slips her pants down her hips, and it is with a jolt that I realize she is not wearing any underwear. She makes no move to remove her shirt, and it strikes me how little this exchange means to her. It also strikes me that perhaps I am letting this exchange mean too much to me. Allowing my mind to go blissfully blank, I feel her warmth envelop my length and am swept away into ecstasy. Her breathy cries are the only sound aside from my guttural gasps, and though it seems an eternity we are only together for a scarce moment. Then, we are both gripped by our respective highs, and I can do little but babble nonsensically. I want a name to scream, but I have not been offered one, so I can only whimper. When I come down from my peak, she seems to have already recovered, examining me with almost clinical indifference. Beneath her gaze, I feel almost small. However, the slight smile she offers me before she turns and walks away makes it all feel worth it. It is a small gesture, but somehow, it makes me feel ten feet tall. After all, it is but a blip in time, and there is no sense pondering it all too deeply. I pull up my slacks, adjust myself to look at least moderately respectable, and slip out of her apartment building, making my way back to the time machine. If even a small percent of my ventures are comparable to this, the years spent agonizing over research will be well worth it. Even now, with this one experience with this one genetic marvel, it feels well worth it. My mind is drawn to the woman from the past, and though I know they are not one and the same, I can’t help thinking this meeting was somehow fated. Now, all there is left to do for the day is go home and refresh my knowledge on genetics. Perhaps there is something that I overlooked. I only know it is simply worth pursuing further.