Quantum Times (22 page)

Chapter Ten

“Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

     It was with more than a little trepidation that David mounted the steps to what he could only describe as a shuttle craft that looked like it belonged in a Star Trek movie. He had been directed to an out of the way field in northern New Jersey to catch his ride up to the second Object that had suddenly appeared over the world’s skies three weeks ago. He now knew the name of this Object was The Freya. The craft to take him to The Freya had arrived almost immediately after he had parked his car along the side of the infrequently used road.

     A soldier in a tight fitting, dark grey uniform had come out of the door of the craft and beckoned for him to come forward. David approached and said hello. Without any response to his greeting, the soldier patted David down and David was directed to hand over his backpack and the soldier looked through it. There wasn’t much in it – just his laptop, a pad of paper, some pens, a Kindle and some bottled water. Then the soldier gestured for him to take a seat with a harness. He placed his backpack between his feet and strapped in, the door was closed and the shuttle launched upwards. Not a word had been said by the soldier. That did not make David feel more comfortable.

     Two days earlier while sitting at his desk in his New York apartment writing an article for The Washington Post about the importance of philosophy in Plato’s homeworld, he had received an email telling him he had been granted an interview with the Captain of The Freya. David was stunned since he had not asked for an interview and thus far there had been only a video message when the new Object first arrived. In that video message, which had been picked up world-wide, the Captain had been stern and succinct: he and his crew had come to observe this new Earth and would meet with this earth’s leaders in due course. There was no reason for alarm.

     In the email David had been told where to go and when to be there. He had been told to come alone. It said he had been granted this exclusive interview because he seemed to be the leading journalist on the subject of ‘Many Earths.’ That was all the email said. Its tone was more of a command then an invitation.

     Gabriela came in to the apartment soon after he had read the email. She tossed her backpack into the corner of the couch and plopped down next to it. She kicked off her shoes and asked him what was new.

     David looked over at her and considered whether to mention the prospective interview. He knew she’d be concerned – she saw risks where he didn’t and even he could see there were risks here. Just sitting there on the couch with her black hair pulled back in a ponytail and only a trace of make-up, he still found her irresistible and he wanted to share this new development with her.

     He read her the email. “So what do you think?”

     “Have you told Plato?” she asked.

     “No. I haven’t decided whether I should or not.”

     “Why wouldn’t you?”

     “My instincts tell me to keep things simple. If I tell Plato, it will add a degree of complexity. From what Plato has said in the past, these other Earths have their own interests and agendas, interests sometimes hostile to Plato’s.”

     Gabriela did not like hearing any of this. “But he might tell you that going to them is dangerous!”

     “Probably would.”

     “David, you are a science writer – not some kind of wartime correspondent. You are not the dashing, danger-seeking type.”

     “Nice to know you think I’m a wuss.”

     “That’s not what I mean. I’ve been very proud of all that you’ve been doing. Your writing is published all over the world; people everywhere look to you to understand how things will change, whether they should be afraid or not, what they should believe. You have taken the lead in explaining to the world one of the greatest stories of all time.”

     David ignored the tightening feeling in his stomach. In the last months he had found it best to not think too much about his particular role in what was going on. He was not some important player on the world stage; he was just writing about the goings-on. His job was to be a chronicler not a participant. He was more determined than he had ever been in his life to do what he was doing as well as he could do it. “And that’s why I have to go … you know that, right?”

     Gabriela regarded David with a look of both concern and respect. She had always thought David blessed with a wonderful mind that was mostly wasted through a rudder-less ambition. He wanted to do great things but could never pick which one. Now he had his mind and ambition focused on the same thing – but it was something that was huge, complex and dangerous.  And now she feared for him whenever he was out of her sight. “Can I go too?”

     “Hell no! … I mean the email said I have to come alone.” Actually he wished someone else would be going with him – just not his girlfriend.

     The inside of The Freya left no doubt that it was a military vessel. What he could see was all very utilitarian and cramped. There was no decoration. David had once been on a new nuclear submarine and this spaceship reminded him of that – though it was larger than the sub. The people he saw, both men and women, all wore the form fitted dark grey uniform, all walked or stood with ramrod posture, all went about their business with precision and discipline and no idle chatter.

     Upon arrival at the ship David had been met by a tall reddish haired and bearded man who introduced himself as Lieutenant Benson, the communications officer.

     Benson told David that it was he who would first answer David’s questions, and then David would be introduced to the Captain for any questions that Benson needed to defer to the Captain. David was led to a small room with a table and two chairs and pointed to the one David was to sit at. David took the seat and pulled out a small pad of paper to take notes even though he planned to record. Also he pulled out one of the two small water bottles he carried. As he sat across from David, Benson said to record the conversation if he wished. David did.

     “Lieutenant, if we could start with your telling me about the Earth you come from and then why you are here? Then I’ll follow up with questions I might have.”

     “Excellent.  First, I should say that though we have been studying your Earth since we arrived six weeks ago --”

     “I’m sorry,” interrupted David, “I thought you arrived three weeks ago?”

     “Six weeks is correct – we only made our presence known three weeks ago.”

     “I see.”

     “As I was about to say, “Our understanding of your Earth is still quite limited. For example on my world, your country, the United States, does not exist. In fact I come from a city that is where you now live – the City you call New York is New Narvik in my Earth and is part of a country you think of as Scandinavia. As I think you now know, our Earths multiply through a physics you call ‘Many Worlds’. I believe my Earth and your Earth shared a common history until about the 11
th
Century. In your history, the Vikings came to North America and settled in Greenland but did not settle permanently in North America. In our history, Vikings roamed further south and set up a permanent settlement in what you call Massachusetts. From there our hunters and farmers established towns and cities. Our Scandinavia covers now a large part of Europe and the eastern coast of what you call the United States and Canada.”

     “A very different history from that point forward, I’m sure. “ David’s mind spun as he considered the differences.

     “Yes. We are a Viking culture.”

     “So why are you here now?” David asked.

     “We are here because it is the nature of Vikings to go to all new lands. But do not worry, we no longer rape and pillage. Though our traditions are honored, we have long ago learned the importance of peaceful co-existence. Besides, as I think you know, the physical laws that separate our worlds only allow for limited and focused interaction.”

     “So I’ve been told. But why is that?”

     “I am a warrior not a scientist, but my understanding is that since we move across the dimensional boundaries that separate us based on ‘mentalization’ as you call it, only those who can sustain that mentalization within the community of travelers can transport themselves and their limited equipment. As the size of the group of people to transport together increases, the spillage of distracted mindsets causes disruption in the transportation. As the number of people increases, so does the spillage, with disastrous consequences – so no armies can cross the dimensions.”

     “I see. Yet a moment ago you called yourself a ‘warrior’?”

     “Ah, a language slip-up. We all call ourselves warriors in Scandinavia. But I am a statesman. Perhaps now is a good time for you to briefly meet our Captain.”

     Lieutenant Benson led David to a different part of the ship which resembled a lounge area. There were tables and chairs for about twenty people but only a few were occupied. The people there seemed to be drinking what looked like coffee out of ceramic mugs. It all looked so ordinary that if a Starbucks logo had been on one of the mugs it almost would have seemed natural. But nothing about this was natural and David wondered if it had all been staged for his benefit. “See, nothing to worry about” was the implied message.

     There David was introduced to a tall, slender man with short cropped dark hair, a thin angular face and a pale complexion. His uniform was also form fitting but seemed a darker shade of grey than the others. The only insignia on the uniform was a small golden replica of a 13
th
Century Viking longship on his shoulder. David recognized him as the Captain who had spoken in the initial video transmission when The Freya had arrived.

     The Captain held out his hand to shake, “Mr. Randall, I am Captain Hans Ragnar, thank you for coming to us. I have been following all your stories. It seems you are now the thought leader for your country, perhaps the world.”

     David shook his head, “There is no such person. I just have been lucky in being at the right place when first things started to happen.”

     “You took action before others did. In my world that is highly valued.”

     “From what your Lieutenant Benson was telling me, your Earth is quite different from this one.”

     The Captain nodded, “Yes, our histories departed time-lines over a thousand years ago. I find the developmental histories of the different Earths that I encounter very interesting. Your Earth in particular is interesting.”

     “Why is that?”

     Captain Ragnar held up his index finger and then pointed it downward as if aiming at the planet he now orbited. “Here the most powerful country is your United States of America. But in almost all Earths that is not the case. Rarely has such a large continent spanning country with such developed political systems come into existence and then flourish so late in the historical cycle. In the other Earths, your North American continent has split into five to ten different countries and there is no unification of power. Your country is quite the historical exception.”

     “I am still getting used to the idea that this is not the only Earth. That they will all be different culturally and historically is somewhat mind numbing.”

     “The worlds are not as different as you might think at first. The biological, sociological and political imperatives that drive history forward are the same everywhere. Your DNA and mine are the same. Our goals and ambitions are the same. Though our worlds separate as a result of a major clash of conscious wills, major battles or wars, for example, from there our histories are just the results of random and accidental variances multiplied by changed cause and effect consequences.”

     As he listened, David studied the man in front of him. It was hard to know whether his instincts in assessing people would be reliable indicators or not. Things like trustworthiness, generosity and honesty, morality in general, were culturally driven.  One of David’s mantras was ‘you are what you do.’ It was too soon to know what this Captain Ragnar would do. But at least he could ask.

     “So Captain, why are you here? What is your objective?”

     “Good, let’s get to business. I want to answer that question. You may be surprised by the directness of my answer, but we have found through experience that it is best to be direct. You will find to your peril that others who come are not so forthright as we are. They will lie and dissemble. We will not.

     “We have come to build alliances with the powerful countries here. Our goal is to open up trade in intellectual property. In our developed worlds –worlds ahead of where you are, but your development will accelerate now –we have found that intellectual property is the only resource that matters. The power of the mind, of minds, is the only real power in the universe. The more the minds are harnessed and linked together, the more that can be accomplished.”

     “Is that what the others that will come here will also want from us?”

     “Of course. The power of mind is the only power that transcends across dimensions.”