No Rest For The Weary (The Last Time Traveler Book 2) Page 3

  As soon as he said this, the comm lit up again.

  “It's the secretary for the council,” Cleo said, glancing down at the screen.

  “Yeah,” Robert nodded. “I'm sure it is...”

  Chapter 2: Differing Opinions

  “We might as well get this over with,” Robert sighed. “Open the channel please, Cleo.”

  She did as she was asked, and one of ship's screens was filled with the image of a rather attractive purple young woman.

  “Am I speaking to Robert Nathaniel Hood?” she asked, her gaze locked on the traveler.

  “No, Lily,” he replied, shaking his head. “I'm actually Popeye the Sailor Man; I'm just wearing a disguise.”

  “Would you just answer the question, Rob?” she snipped. “It's not like this is my fault. I'm just doing my job.”

  “Yes,” he replied. “I'm Robert Nathaniel Hood.”

  “The Robert Nathaniel Hood,” Morgan added.

  “Thanks, bro,” the traveler chuckled.

  “Mr. Hood,” Lily continued. “Your presence is requested at the council chambers at ten tomorrow morning to give testimony concerning your recent irresponsible actions and their unquestionably dire consequences. Although you are not currently being detained to face charges, this may change depending on the council's findings. As a result, you will remain in Never Never Land until after the council has reached a decision.”

  “Who dictated that message?” he asked.

  “Doctor Sturm.”

  “I thought I recognized the touch.”

  “Well, he's had it in for you for a while.”

  “He has.”

  “Either way,” she continued. “I take it the new guy is Morgan.”

  “Yep.”

  “Am I speaking to Morgan Vincent Harker?” she asked, her eyes shifting to the young man.

  The young lady spoke to each of the companions in turn with the exception of Celeste who was not legally considered part of the traveler's team. As soon as this was done, she wished them all luck, asked Robert to please do as he had been ordered and stay in Never Never Land until this was all sorted out, and closed the comm.

  “Could Vox end up in prison over this, Rob?” Celeste asked, a very accusing tone in her voice.

  “Absolutely not,” Doc assured her. “Robert is the captain...”

  “I thought he wasn't the captain!” Morgan interrupted.

  “He's not really the captain,” Cleo explained. “But, he is the one in charge. If push comes to shove, it will amount to the same thing.”

  “And, because of that,” Doc continued, “Vox could only be imprisoned for disobeying orders, which he very clearly did not do.”

  “But, Rob could end up in prison?” she asked.

  “In theory,” Doc admitted. “But, there's really no chance of that at the moment. Doctor Sturm was merely trying to underline the point that Robert can be held legally responsible for what any of us do.”

  “And, he's kind of a jerk,” the traveler observed.

  “Either way, we're here until tomorrow morning at least,” Morgan observed.

  “We're here for a few days,” the traveler corrected. “Most of the council members spend hours trying to decide what kind of dessert they want to have after dinner. This could take a month or more.”

  “Then, we might as well use the time.”

  “Agreed,” Robert replied. “What did you have in mind?”

  “I want to start with some shopping. For one thing, we need to get some other kinds of MRE.”

  “That's true,” Celeste agreed. “The only ones that are even slightly edible are those Hot Ham ones. The rest of them are just plain nasty.”

  “I wouldn't say nasty,” Vox replied.

  “Regardless, I don't want you eating anymore of those Chili with Beans until after I'm off the ship.”

  “I can see that,” he admitted.

  “Plus, they need a bigger bed,” Morgan pointed out.

  “We do that,” Vox agreed.

  “I thought you and I might pick up a few other things, Rob.”

  “Like what?” Cleo asked suspiciously.

  “It's a surprise,” the traveler smiled. “You'll find out before long.”

  “I'd better.”

  “Either way,” Robert continued. “Your points are valid, Morgan. Vox, you and Celeste go pick out a bed. Me and Morgan will go grab some more MREs. Cleo and Azure...”

  “Will go with you,” Cleo interrupted.

  “Of course,” he nodded. “And, Doc, you can do whatever shopping you want.”

  “Good,” Doc smiled. “There are a few bits of fishing equipment I want to pick up.”

  “Knock yourself out.”

  As their plans had been made, the traveler parked the ship in one of the VIP sections of the island and called three space cabs. Minutes later, all of the companions were headed for their various destinations. The taxi that was conveying Robert, Morgan, and the girls made its first stop at a supply warehouse that was simply packed with equipment - including MREs and a countless variety of space ice-cream. As they strolled down aisle after aisle of military grade munchables the mind of the young man began to meander.

  “So, do they have gills?” Morgan mused aloud.

  “The ones’ that do, do, I guess,” Robert replied.

  “I suppose that’s true... But, then, can they breathe air as well?”

  “The ones’ that can, can, I guess.”

  “I suppose that’s true, too,” the young man agreed. “How long can the ones that have gills live on land?”

  “A while.”

  “What if they keep their gills wet? Can they stay longer?”

  “Morgan,” Robert replied, turning to look at his friend. “What, in all of space and time, are you talking about?”

  “On dry land, I mean,” he explained. “Can they stay on dry land longer?”

  “Clearly, I’m not making myself clear,” the traveler pointed out. “I’ll try again: Morgan, what are you talking about?”

  “The mermaids.”

  “What mermaids?”

  “Yes, Morgan,” Cleo said, almost accusingly. “What mermaids?”

  “I just want to know whether or not mermaids have gills.”

  “Why are you asking?” Azure asked.

  “Idle curiosity,” the young man explained. “Aren’t you curious?”

  “Yeah,” she admitted. “I guess, now that you mention it, I am actually.”

  “Morgan, I never said there were mermaids.”

  “I know you never said that.”

  “Well then…” Robert replied, raising his hands.

  “Oh, that doesn’t mean anything,” Morgan chuckled. “I can read between the lines.”

  “What lines?”

  “Yes, Morgan,” Cleo said, the same tone of accusation in her voice. “What lines?”

  “Well, Rob,” the young man began, “you remember that time you said mermaids weren’t your fantasy?”

  “No!” Robert exclaimed.

  “Yes!” Cleo also exclaimed at the same moment.

  “So… Wait…” Morgan said slowly. “Are you saying they are your fantasy?”

  “No!” the traveler said vehemently.

  “What?!?!” Cleo asked simultaneously.

  “What I’m saying,” Robert explained, “is that: No, I don’t remember saying that because it’s so obviously not true that I can’t imagine having had to deny it.”

  “Well, you did.” Azure asserted.

  “You heard me deny it?” the traveler asked.

  “Well, no,” the blue young maiden confessed. “But Morgan told me about it.”

  “That’s hearsay!”

  “No, it’s not!” Cleo replied sharply. “I heard you say it, as well!”

  “Look,” Robert replied, pinching the bridge of his nose as he spoke, “whether or not you heard me say it, Azure didn’t, which means that her saying I did is hearsay.”

  “So then, you admit
I heard you say it?” the green young lady asked.

  “No, Cleo, I merely deny that Azure heard me say it.”

  “I never said I heard you say it,” Azure pointed out.

  “No, she didn’t,” Morgan agreed.

  “Well, I didn’t, either,” the traveler replied.

  “Didn’t what?” the young man asked.

  “I didn’t say mermaids weren’t my fantasy.”

  “What?!?!” Cleo exclaimed.

  “I mean, I never said it before,” he explained with a sigh. “I am, however, saying it now.”

  “So, what exactly is it that you’re saying now?” Azure asked, a confused look on her face.

  “Okay…” the traveler replied, gazing up at the ceiling above. “Mermaids are not now, nor have they ever been, Robert Nathaniel Hood’s fantasy.”

  “That sounds like you trying to talk your way out of it to me,” Cleo observed.

  “My fantasy,” he said immediately. “Mermaids are not now, nor have they ever been, my fantasy.”

  “Good!” Cleo replied.

  “Right!” Morgan said, with a wide smile. “And that’s one of the lines!”

  “What lines?” Robert asked.

  “I mean, the lines I read between.”

  “Morgan, are you overheated?”

  “What I’m saying is that since mermaids aren’t my fantasy, and they’re not your fantasy, if they didn’t exist you’d just tell me.”

  “You’re right, Morgan!” Cleo agreed.

  “So then,” the young man continued, “logic dictates that they must exist and the only reason you won’t tell me is because you don’t want me bothering you about meeting them.”

  “Well then,” the traveler replied. “Why wouldn’t I have just lied and said: no?”

  “Yeah, I have to admit that makes sense,” Morgan conceded. “Unless of course you’re lying about them not being your fantasy and you've actually never taken the time to find out because you might have disappointed yourself.”

  “You’re right, Morgan!” Cleo agreed again.

  “You know,” Robert said, rubbing his hand across his forehead. “Now, I'm seriously wondering why I didn’t just say: no.”

  “I’m sure you are!” the green maiden snapped. “But, it’s a little late for that now, Rob!”

  “That's funny,” he said, nodding his head. “I’ve got that same feeling.”

  “Well, you’re right!” she almost screamed. “I certainly don’t want us to keep you from your fantasies! Come on, Azure!”

  Cleo then stormed out of the warehouse, the blue maiden following just steps behind her.

  “Thank you, Morgan…” the traveler sighed.

  “For what?”

  “For not being too sick to get out of bed today,” Robert explained.

  “Oh… You’re welcome,” he replied. “I guess this will make it easier to do the grocery shopping without them seeing us. Date night; here we come!”

  “Morgan, man... Sometimes, you seriously amaze me.”

  “Thanks!”

  Once the pair had ordered a wide variety of MREs and space ice-creams to be delivered to the ship, they headed for the nearest comestibles boutique (or grocery store, depending on what side of the tracks you grew up on) Of course, they had to call another cab as Cleo and Azure had taken the first one. Angry women will do stuff like that to you. That's a lesson young men should learn early. When at all possible, it's wisest not to make young ladies mad in the first place.

  As soon as they reached their next destination Morgan grabbed a cookbook from one of the shelves and started perusing recipes. He selected ingredients almost at random as he thumbed through the book. He was completely confident that he'd be cooking like a chef in a matter of days and he intended to make sure his kitchen was well stocked. With that thought in mind they also grabbed up loads of pots, pans, colanders, eating utensils, a pasta maker, etc.

  Morgan ordered about fifty pounds of red meat, along with an assortment of pork products, including several pounds of bacon. Although bacon certainly wouldn't be a date night staple, the young man simply couldn't buy meat without buying bacon. It just seemed wrong somehow. They also got some chicken and fish to fill the freezer. Robert was somewhat concerned about getting all of it into the galley without the girls seeing it; but, in the end, he decided that they would just sneak it up the loading platform. Since the girls were likely locked angrily in Cleo's room at the moment, it would probably be a piece of cake.

  They then stopped by a flower shop to pick up I'm sorry bouquets, in spite of the fact that they really had nothing to be sorry about. It was all just a misunderstanding. I mean, you saw what happened. Of course, that's another good lesson for young men! When in doubt, buy her flowers (if she likes flowers that is). They also picked up a couple of boxes of candy because why not.

  Minutes after they returned to the ship, the supplies they had ordered began to arrive. Once all of the food was safely stowed away, the young men made their way to the chambers of the young ladies. The flowers and candy worked like some kind of magic spell, which they often will, and Robert and Morgan were quickly forgiven for the crimes which they had not committed. As the girls were in a very much improved mood, Morgan decided to try his luck.

  “Ya know,” he said thoughtfully, gazing at Azure as he spoke, “tonight was kind of like a date.”

  “Not really,” she pointed out.

  “Well, I mean all four of us went out together.”

  “We do that on missions all the time,” Cleo replied.

  “Sure, sure,” he agreed. “But, this time we weren't trying to fix the universe or anything. So, it was really more like a date.”

  “More like an outing,” Azure corrected.

  “Hmmm,” he hummed. “I disagree.”

  “Morgan,” she said, tilting her head to the side. “What point are you trying to make?”

  “After a date, I get to kiss...”

  “Oh,” she giggle-interrupted. “Well, no, it certainly wasn't a date from that point of view. But, don't worry, date night is right around the corner.”

  “I got ya,” the young man sighed.

  “Either way,” the traveler said, “we all need to get some rest. For one thing, tomorrow we're going to have to testify to the council.”

  This observation brought the conversation to an end. The young men made their way to their rooms and then their beds before quickly falling asleep. Shortly after breakfast the next morning, all of the members of the little band were on their way to the council chambers. As soon as they arrived, they were led inside and the session was soon opened. The chairman almost immediately gave the floor to Doctor Alexander Sturm.

  “Ladies and gentlemen,” the old man began, standing as his spoke and adjusting his round, brass rimmed glasses, “as you all know, yesterday afternoon, five minutes of the past collapsed in on itself. This resulted in an alarming number of lost events, as well as potential resources. However, in truth, we should consider ourselves fortunate. This disaster could have resulted in a much more severe collapse of time, leading to the undoing of Never Never Land; if not that of the entire universe itself. I'm also certain that you're all aware that my theories have proven beyond a shadow of a doubt...”

  “Theories are called facts once they've been proven,” Robert interrupted loudly. “So the fact that you still have to call them theories proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that they don't prove anything at all.”

  “Thank you, Mister Hood,” Doctor Sturm smiled. “That incredibly predictable outburst proves that you're still the same old Robert we all know and love. The same reckless, irresponsible and, if I may say so, dishonest...”

  “Doctor Sturm,” chairman Ross interrupted, “I would appreciate it if you would confine your remarks to the present crisis.”

  “Of course, Doctor Ross,” the old man replied. “I apologize. And, Mister Hood, as you would prefer to deal in facts rather than theories, I'd like to review a few. First, I
believe it's a well-established fact that time travel was an unmitigated disaster and that irresponsible individuals from the past took it upon themselves to make changes and improvements to the past. Second, I don't think you'll deny that the ignorant actions of these time travelers led to the current time freeze that has the future locked in a state of perpetual flux. Would you say those two points are accurate, Mister Hood?”

  “You know, Alex,” Robert replied, shaking his head, “sometimes you're so pedantic you still manage to surprise even me.”

  “Would you just...”

  “Of course, Doctor Sturm!” he almost barked. “No one denies that. We all agreed on those two facts hundreds of years ago. What's the point of bringing them up now?”

  “The point, Robert!” Doctor Sturm counter-barked, “is that you lost five minutes of the past with your idiotic...”

  “Gentlemen, please,” the chairman said, banging a small gavel on his desk. “Let's try to keep this official and show a little decorum. And, for the record, Doctor Sturm, I prefer pedantic to childish outburst, so please continue.”

  “Thank you, Doctor Ross,” the old man said with a nod. “Well, considering the fact that we all agree on those two points, I find it mind boggling that the council decided to try to fix the damage done by time travel by using time travel. It's the metaphorical equivalent of trying to heal a gunshot wound by shooting it off of the patient's body.”

  “You said the same thing a hundred years ago, Sturm,” the traveler asserted. “And you're as wrong now as you were then.”

  “Well, let's discuss a few other things I said at that same time,” the doctor replied with a wide smile. “I believe I pointed out that, if you were allowed to continue your work, time would become even more damaged than it already was.”

  “I think you mentioned something like that,” Robert agreed, faking a yawn. “It's hard to remember though, a lot of the time I fall asleep when you're talking.”

  “Rob, please try to act like an adult,” Chairman Ross replied, shaking his head. “After all, this is rather serious.”

  “I'll try,” the traveler sighed. “But, you have to admit he's not making it easy.”

  “In that case, I'll get right to the real issue,” the old man replied. “I warned the council not to do this, not to allow anyone to tamper with time again, and I was ignored. Time will heal itself if we let it, we just have to be patient. Every trip made through time causes more damage and makes the situation even more complex. This is a situation where nothing is unquestionably the right thing to do. In time, the iterations of random elements...”