Marwan and Made Oka smiled and nodded. This young man could appreciate other people’s hard work.
“For that very reason, we can only travel back in time, is that right?” asked Herman again.
“Precisely.” Made Oka nodded promptly, confirming Herman’s statement. “Anyway, we don’t have either people or things from the future,” he said in a not too serious tone. “If there is one, we can do time travel to the future.”
“And then, how can a human body enter the quantum realm, an entity or realm that consists of neutrino structures?” Herman asked again, still curious.
This time Marwan didn’t give an immediate answer. He only exchanged glances with Made Oka who was equally surprised by Herman’s critical question. Marwan dug deep into his thought first, trying to arrange the words so the young lad could understand the answer.
“In principle, a human body has a neutrino structure too. With the help of electromagnetic field, we modify the human atomic structures and synchronize it with the intended time and space recorded in the neutrinos and transported the whole human atoms into the real world in the past as per the selected records.”
Herman raised both his eyebrows. Marwan felt amused to see the behavior of the wise-Aleck young man with his sincerely serious expression on his face.
Another question came from the young man. “So, if a human can’t go back to his own original time and space, he will be trapped in the neutrino record?” Herman guessed.
For the second time, Marwan nodded with gusto, confirming Herman’s conclusion. He then shook his head and showed a worried facial expression.
“That’s why we can’t just come and go freely to any time and space of our fancy. If that happens, it will cause chaos, a time anomaly,” said Marwan.
Herman examined Marwan’s face seriously, waiting for what this quantum physics expert would explain next.
“Because if that happens, we shall meet two, even more of ourselves at the same time. Until at last, we don’t know who among them is the real us.”
Herman was taken aback and gulped on hearing that last piece.
“That means if we depart from a certain time, we must come back at the same second as the time of departure?” Herman asked rhetorically. “Although in the destination you linger for a few seconds or a day, a month, or even a century?”
“Yup!” Marwan responded sharply.
Herman was deep in his thoughts at once and his brain was trying to digest those out of the generally logical box theories, though he was a student in the Physics major at the university.
Just then Herman heard and saw Amanda came and hugged her parents. Herman even conversed with Amanda a bit, saying that he was about to search and bring her back home. However, he was shocked to see himself coming with Amanda. Herman was then sure that he was hallucinating, so he turned away as he was already on the time machine platform. When he turned back, Amanda and Herman’s freakish clone were gone from sight and he sighed with relief.
Without regarding the young fellow who was as though in a trance, Made Oka looked at the big holographic monitor on the platform he was on and saw that the machine has reached one hundred percent ready and heated up. After he was sure nothing was amiss, he announced to the rest of the team, beside himself, Marwan, and Herman who were already standing on the platform.
“All right, search and rescue team, please step on the platform. We shall depart immediately!”
At that time, all eyes were staring at the platform and all feet of all team members were stepping and standing on the platform.
Blue lights began to gleam, surrounding the circle-shaped platform like a curtain to limit the affected area of neutrino emission for time travel. All technicians and all people in that room started to put on their glasses that were readied beforehand. Every face was tense. They looked hopeful and concerned at the same time, while they keep staring at the search and rescue team.
Anything could happen during that dangerous mission, and all of them could only pray and hope for the best.
Meanwhile, the owner of this project set a prying eye on all his employees. “The news of my granddaughter missing in the Old World Age must not leak out from this room!” Reign bellowed.
The scientists and the search team listened to the sole patron and financier of this project’s words intently. “If not, not only I who shall suffer a total loss after investing my fortune in this time-traveling business. But you will also lose your jobs. Plus, your working experience here will be useless because the time machine will be regarded as too dangerous, even in the limited AVR mode! People will be too afraid to do time-traveling vacations, ever! And not only InterTime, but Tunnel Incorporated will also be doomed if we fail.”
No one dared to argue with Reign’s statement, although they knew InterTime was already doomed when Marwan and Oka left the company. Good thing Reign has invested heavily in Tunnel Inc. too, so their employment would be ensured, either in Jakarta or somewhere else if this facility must be shut down after this last mission.
And then Marx Reign moved away, keeping a fair distance from the platform and especially the blue-lighted lines.
Herman, Marwan and Made Oka. Three armed men, including Bill were ready with their guns and blades. Plus one more man, Mr. Jhaansen was the technician of the time machine, the whole team consisted of seven men.
Before Made touched a button, he saw the expressions of Suranto and Caroline who stood outside the platform with Mr. Reign. Strangely, they all smiled confidently as though the whole mission was already a success.
The touch screen start button on the Tempus Fugit in his hand was pressed by Made. At the same time, the countdown on the holographic big monitor was displayed, showing that the time machine was starting.
Just then, the circle platform got showered by particles of light covering it, forming a sphere above the platform – more like a dome. This time the particles were white and were projected from devices that looked like big flashlights. The flashlights were circular so the lights on the platform formed a dome too. This is a different time machine design than the inferior ones for commercial use, the ChronoTours AVR Time Machine.
The emitted light was very dazzling to the eye, and that’s the purpose of black sunglasses at that moment like this.
But the ones on the platform didn’t need sunglasses, because they didn’t see and didn’t get dazzled by the neutron lights. The ones on the platform didn’t seem like the ones outside the platforms did.
Marwan and Herman who were just undergoing this time travel stood, their eyes looking everywhere around them. They didn’t feel anything, only standing on that platform with the others, and didn’t move anywhere.
And then they saw changes happening slowly around them. A different view began to appear in the big hall. From somewhat blurry, the new view became clearer like breaking dawn in place of the night. On the contrary, the indoor laboratory view began to fade, until it completely vanished and was replaced with another view.
“Watch out! Hold on to something tightly!” said Mr. Jhaansen with a pinch of humor, of him holding his own body as though he was shivering.
At last Marwan and his team arrived in the Pliosen Age, the Old World, precisely at the numerals displayed on the holographic monitor in front of them.
A totally strange world came into view. The machine was now in the middle of a dense forest. As far as he could see, what he saw were only dense groups of trees. They were not magical trees, instead, they were just ordinary trees and grass, just the same as in their homeworld, Earth.
Made put his Tempus Fugit in the pouch hanging on his belt facing his back. Marwan and Herman just realized that they have arrived at their destination when they saw Made Oka walking down the platform.
The time machine they were riding on was not moving anywhere from one place to another, only the time moved back and stopped exactly as the time setting on the Tempus Fugit.
Bright light from the sky above the forest penetrated through the leaves. Tree branches swayed to and fro, blown by the wind. Tree roots as big as their bodies were lying scattered on the forest floor, also lush with a variety of bushes. A few tree lizards on the branches were hunting for insects creeping and flying everywhere.
Slowly, Marwan followed Made Oka down the time machine. The young Herman who went with them felt strange when stepping on the soil of this strange Old World as Marwan did. Now they started to feel very cold, seasonless weather, but it made their bodies feel fresh. Despite that, this chilly temperature made the impression as though the sun didn’t have enough heat to warm their heads up.
Then, Marwan felt a splitting headache as though his body was so light as though he was about to faint. He then braced himself and started to walk down from the flat platform of the machine. On the other side of the mountain slope, they saw a magnificent view of the valley below them.
Herds of prehistoric animals, also called dinosaurs were grazing together with their kind. The largest dinosaur with a very long neck chose to graze near the lake. But once in a while they stopped their activities and turned their heads around as though we were cautioned by something.
Marwan and Herman’s feet became wobbly and they lean on the ground a little as though they just got off an airplane and suffered from jet lag. Made Oka and the others understood their plight because they suffered the same symptoms as Marwan and Herman. []
“Are we there yet?” asked Herman.
“Don’t be disappointed if the real-time travel is not like in science fiction movies or ChronoTours VR rides,” said Bill, teasing the seemingly gullible young man.
“But it still made me sick!”
“Ah, how come a crosser wants to puke when riding a carousel?” Jhaansen added, teasing Herman again to divert his time travel sickness.
Herman found himself in a very dense forest. Only a little sunlight penetrated the thick of the leaves.
Meanwhile, the team started to move forward. Marwan and Herman followed wherever the team leader, Made Oka went. Now Marwan understood why the team was fully armed. It was the second time InterTime ventured into this exact timeline, so people like Bill knew that in the forest, a machete, for instance, was useful to chop off the branches blocking the way.
They then heard the muffled voices of animals, insects, and birds that were annoyed by the team’s footsteps going through the bushes.
Suddenly the team was shocked by a thundering low growl.
“Err, what sound was that?” asked Marwan and Herman at the same time, as though the two were connected. Herman was so shocked to see the incredible view in front of him, that only the word “Hu-uh!?” was uttered from his mouth.
A gigantic, monstrous beast was preying on a dead beast on the ground.
Herman and the rest of the team didn’t move a muscle. They were afraid they would attract the terrifying predator. It was the King of the Dinosaurs, Tyrannosaurus Rex, the exact specimen as seen in pictures or movies alive and real in front of them. Instinctively, on Bill’s signal, the team walked backward and hid behind the trees.
Meanwhile, the T-Rex was not aware and kept on gorging into its prey. It was very horrifying and grotesque to see T-Rex’s savage voracity, so Herman and almost all others didn’t want that voracious dinosaur to detect their presence in any way.
Unexpectedly, Jhaansen bellowed, “Look over here!” and moved forward. Of course, all were shocked.
Marwan blocked his way and said, “Hey, don’t do it!” but the Dutchman sought T-Rex’s attention more instead.“Yoy!” yelled Jhaansen van der Jagt. Of course, Herman got frightened to death! But Bill said to Marwan casually, “T-Rex has bad hearing and eyesight.”However, Marwan didn’t get close to being content, especially when the T-Rex came toward them to find out who or what disturbed its meal. The ground Marwan was stepping on shook hard by T-Rex’s quaking footsteps and the trees bent by the coming terror.Marwan was so near to death’s door as the T-Rex’s jaws were right above his head. Its nostrils widened and narrowed, sniffing at Marwan. The T-Rex’s jaws polished with the blood of its prey already made Marwan thought that he was its next prey.Suddenly, Jhaansen leaped out to shoo the T-Rex away. “Shoo!” He bellowed at the top of his voice.Startled, the T-Rex let out a deafening roar. Strangely, it ran away haphazardly as though being intimidated by a greater force. “Shoo! Shoo
“No!” Marwan argued. “From birth until a teenager, their body biorhythm is the same as us. But, when entering young adulthood, they will stay young as immortals do,” said Marwan, patting Herman’s back to remind him that the team has moved on.“Hey, don’t leave me behind!” Herman ran after Mr. Bill.“Herman, don’t daydream,” Marwan called. “Let’s go inside!”Herman heard Marwan’s call, but he was looking at the building his team entered into. This building was shaped like a gigantic tree trunk, so it was as though being harmonically blended with its surrounding nature. The building was so high, that its apex was as though invisible, covered by a cluster of thin clouds so it looked like a gigantic snow-covered tree.Without lingering any longer, Herman rushed to catch up.Moments later, Herman stood inside a room with a very high dome ceiling. Every side was decorated with human-shaped statues more than ten meters high. And the statues were still too low to reach the ceiling on this flo
“Let me continue,” Marwan cut in. Made Oka smiled and then signaled to go ahead. “The climate change happened because Earth was tilted northwards and southwards in its orbit against the sun,” said Marwan. “Everything begins since the Great Flood in Noah’s time. The tilting movement of the planet from south to north caused climate change. Seasons became shorter by centuries.” “So, the cause of all that is a comet?” Made Oka concluded. Marwan nodded and agreed with his good friend’s conclusion. “I didn’t mind if this zig-zagged orbit theory contrasts with the science that stated that Earth was tilted against the sun since its conception,” said Made Oka. “It’s the opposite of your description about the Lunar Year that began since the Day of the Solar Eclipse, signaled that there will be a moon shadow in the west. At that time, it’s supposed to be a total eclipse in a certain place on the Earth's equator. The occurrence of penumbra or partial eclipse also becomes proof that your theor
Pathetic! Herman cursed in his thoughts as he sat down on a nearby bench to rest his feet a bit, charge his smartphone by putting it into the slot next to him and plan his next move. They are just a bunch of slow, decrepit old men!Herman reminisced about the team he left behind and Made Oka who rebuked him when he said, “I think I can try with their internet. I’ve tried that yesterday and it worked. I interpreted their language through the binary…”No wonder Herman was upset by the limitations set by Made’s team, which, according to him, was too protective for their good. The team did manage to move stealthily and safely all the time until they returned with more neutrino samples, but they would never find Amanda that way.Only by trying a few things, I know that the internet system functions here are easy to decipher and understand, said Herman to himself. I understand those scientists and technicians don’t have the skill to hack, decipher, tweak and synchronize internet codes, but
Having dinner in that diner, he sat with others. While eating, he even thought of Amanda, whether she was well fed or starving. Whether she was healthy or sick, happy or sad, content or miserable. But maybe, as fellow Millenials and as Marx Reign's granddaughter, she would much likely survive with her resources and resourcefulness, he hoped. Now that the cover-ups were done, it was time to spend some of the unlimited ankh credits for good use. As Herman had observed and learned how to drive a hover scooter from his teammate, he decided to buy a hoverbike from a nearby showroom. Naturally, he picked the sporty type. Seeing Herman's shabby looks, the showroom salesman didn't talk much to him. He only looked at the buyer's choice, typed something on the electronic data capture or EDC payment device, and displayed the credit amount and QR code on it to Herman. Herman scanned the code and paid the amount due, his eyes widened a bit. The salesman nodded and smiled a bit, said thank you, an
Having dinner in that diner, he sat with others. While eating, he even thought of Amanda, whether she was well fed or starving. Whether she was healthy or sick, happy or sad, content or miserable. But maybe, as fellow Millenials and as Marx Reign's granddaughter, she would much likely survive with her resources and resourcefulness, he hoped. Now that the cover-ups were done, it was time to spend some of the unlimited ankh credits for good use. As Herman had observed and learned how to drive a hover scooter from his teammate, he decided to buy a hoverbike from a nearby showroom. Naturally, he picked the sporty type. Seeing Herman's shabby looks, the showroom salesman didn't talk much to him. He only looked at the buyer's choice, typed something on the electronic data capture or EDC payment device, and displayed the credit amount and QR code on it to Herman. Herman scanned the code and paid the amount due, his eyes widened a bit. The salesman nodded and smiled a bit, said thank you, an
Herman sighed in relief knowing that every problem in this era was solved easily and instantly. It was a simple, good life everyone dreamt of, so why should it end? You could blame the supernova for that.Finally, Herman went away from the bike showroom with a lighter heart. And now he wanted to find another district in the city where he could get a good internet relay network signal. As he reached one, he activated Thoth Biometric Search Engine and hoped to get results this time.When he just logged in and ran the search, Herman shouted, “Bingo!” He just saw a message notification on the touch screen. He didn’t expect so quick a response and hoped that was about Amanda’s whereabouts. He then clicked the glowing hieroglyphic icon. Suddenly, by his side stood the girl long sought by himself and her loved ones from her time.“Amanda!” Herman shouted excitedly, turning to embrace the love of his life. But sadly, the Amanda he saw was just a virtual holographic image.Adding to his embarra
Hmm, now what? This time the witty Herman was like out of his wits. I might bribe the crew of the plane to stow me inside, but I don’t know whether they can be bribed or not. Looks like there are no semi-manual, freelance jobs here, everything is robotic. If I sneak inside, I don’t understand the blueprint and the layout of these flying saucers kind of hover planes. Just then, right in front of him, there were piles of crates waiting to be loaded into a hover cargo plane. While Herman understood from the inscriptions on their labels that the crates were sent to Atut Baton, he still could only consider his options, thinking hard about a hidden position in the hangar, trying to find the best way how he could be a stowaway in that cargo plane. When Herman was staring forward and scratching his head, suddenly a brusque, loud voice broke through the noises. “Hey!” shouted a weighty man wearing a worn pack, a shabby towel hung around his neck. At first, Herman didn’t think that the fat m
The lovers were shocked and didn't expect to be pursued by the enemy hover planes from the northern lands. Moreover, those were bigger, faster hover jets with more firepower with big cannons than theirs.Sure enough, the pursuing hover jets began to be visible behind them without telescopic display. Herman assumed manual control and accelerated his jet with top speed southwards.Suddenly, the pursuers hailed them with a radio call. "You two, turn your phone around and come with us quietly!"Herman and Amanda were aware that this plane was stolen from the Union, so both Union planes could communicate directly with each other. But they didn't reply at all.Getting no response, the pursuers were upset. And it was expressed through their next call. "We promise we won't hurt you."Of course, the couple ignored it."Respond now, or we'll shoot you down!"This time their promise has turned into a threat. But of course, Herman still ignored it.Suddenly, Herman was shocked by a loud zapping s
When they were searching for something they could use, they just realized that this place was once a motorcycle garage. Beside the shelves covered with plastic sheets and thick dust on them, they saw posters of Stefan Everts and Antonio Cairoli on their respective rides. They were the legendary Motocross Grand Prix World Champions whom Herman surely recognized."I have a funny feeling about this. Let's search for a motocross bike that was still usable!" said Herman excitedly. After seeing the pieces of equipment, the tools, and the posters in that room, it was apparent that this place used to be an ancient motocross bike garage.Hurriedly, Herman and Amanda searched for a bike they could use. How lucky they were! A 450 cc motocross bike was found in tip-top shape, with the key on the ignition. Herman immediately removed the sheet covering that bike.Thank goodness, this "ancient" two-wheeled vehicle was still in one piece and quite clean, not dusty. Herman must remove the cover slowly
Just then, the four guests felt the hover plane descending. And then a door was opened wide. The plane has landed. Judging from the landscape, it turned out the plane has landed in a city park outside Harold Land."Very well, as thanks for your courtesy, our dear guests, if you want to leave, be my guest," said Sharpo, extending his hand to the exit.Herman and Amanda didn't expect them to leave that easily from the clutches of the Union. Of course, they accepted the offer gladly, and then they immediately went down the escalator out of the doorknob-shaped hover plane. They were afraid the Supreme Chancellor of the Ladder would change his mind."C'mon! Let's go away from here!" Amanda shouted, reminding everyone that the objective to free Ben Nassor has been accomplished.Just then, Sharpo managed to convey a message to Ben Nassor."Mr. Ben Nassor, I hope we can meet again. I'm still opening the offer of cooperation to build the Tormato," said Sharpo. Ben Nassor just nodded, and then
They were placed inside a big room. The glass windows in it were large so they could see the outside freely. Even the ceiling of that pavilion was made transparent, so they could see the moving traffic of hover cars and hover planes from the spot they sat and talked."How come you are here?" Ben Nassor repeated his postponed question. He was puzzled, why the couple didn't take their chance to go back to their own time and were willing to go through dangers to help him instead?"It was a mistake," Herman admitted. "We were curious to find out how our experience in Osiris can influence the future as 'living legends'. Plus we want to return the favor of you saving us by correcting the 'mistakes' we might have done after returning to our time. But our time machine was destroyed. And you said you have another way to send us back to our time, so here we are.""Anyway, we went through the regular route with Joe Han and other comrades' help," said Amanda. "But I think Sharpo has arranged all
Herman, Joe Han, and Amanda walked fast, half running towards the hover plane door. Once they were inside, the door was slid shut and the escalator was retracted. The android who greeted them was inside too. Moments later, the plane started to move smoothly.The young time travelers observed the interior and realized that they were inside a platform. There was no window whatsoever. Instead, the only monitor inside displayed the view outside, as though they were looking directly through a window. The view on the monitor showed that the plane started to cross the river and not long afterward, they have passed the vast forest of skyscrapers.Herman, Joe Han, and Amanda stood on the platform, accompanied by the android guide. They enjoyed the hover plane that flew without a pilot, remotely controlled like a drone.The Babylon Tower-like, the mount-like building called the Relayer got closer and closer. On its every cliff-like side there were plenty of open spaces. Trees grew on every tier
In that room, several people were working in front of tables full of panels. A big window above us showed a scenery quite familiar to me. Through that window, I knew this shuttle was flying, probably in a cloaked mode. But I didn't know when it took off.Through this big window, I saw the city we passed through down below. From here, we saw that the night wasn't all dark. Besides the lights from the buildings, the lights from the horizon made me see the places we went past."In the beginning, we were also surprised to see your kind," Utinao continued the conversation.Meanwhile, the people sitting behind the panels, including the pilot ignored our presence. "At first, we also made assumptions of what kind of creature you are," Utinao Noor added. "People on our planet used to believe that life only exists in Arden, our planet you call Venus.When you just built the Apollo Rocket to go to Moon, we already built anti-gravity hover space shuttles suitable for space flight. Unfortunately,
As though finding a new clue, I hurriedly opened that "pending" folder and searched for the said e-mail. This e-mail was sent from Heru Sulaksono. He was a member of the BETA-UFO inactive mailing list. After I found it, I opened and re-read the contents. It was a chat archive."Son, did you read 'The Da Vinci Code novel or watch the movie?" And then I read my reply, "I haven't read the novel because as far as I know, it's not in circulation here. But the film did, and I even watched it several times because there were many interesting dialogues and required watching carefully," I replied. And then I asked him back," What's going on?"The next day I received an answer from Heru, "The novel and film are based on a documentary titled 'The Da Vinci Code Documentary'. The documentary film is the result of Dan Brown's research. If you want to know, just click this link." I clicked the link at once to open that video on YouTube.While watching "The Da Vinci Code Documentary" video, I also ac
"Big Joe! Whassup, Brah?" Joe Han asked the leader, the black-skinned man who greeted him in front of his group. The leader didn't answer. He only curled a big smile and extended his two muscular hands. With one swoop Joe Han was right into Big Joe's hug. Not only that, Big Joe shook the muscular body smaller than himself until "Little" Joe Han begged for Big Joe to put him down. Finally, Big Joe put his friend back on the ground and invited him to go with them into the woods. Four other people greeted Joe Han warmly too. They started to go through not-so-dense woods. Several minutes passed, and Herman and Amanda saw four carts, and the horses were grazing grass. Wasting no time, they mounted their carts. The cart Herman and Amanda were on was driven by Big Joe himself with Joe Han in the front seat. The four-horse carts group scoured the dirt road that cut through the woods. If someone should be counted, they have been journeying a whole day. Luckily, no one forgot to bring along
The mortars were launched and dived right on target. The EMP-D mortars hit the walker's head and several EMP blast sounds were heard, severing it. Before long, the walker with a shattered head moved limply and then fell into the water with a loud splash, causing a high wave that spread in all directions. This result didn't make them full of themselves, but they couldn't help smiling because they have destroyed one of the most lethal enemy weapons. However, the victory didn't last long as the ceiling of the room suddenly fell and the debris fell on the guerrillas. "Watch out!" Amanda shouted to warn them, but she was too late! Several people fell injured by the debris. Before their comrades could help them, a walker foot appeared from the cavity in the ceiling and stepped on several people without mercy until they were flattened to death. Amanda planted her face on Herman's chest because she couldn't stand that dismal sight in front of her eyes. Herman himself was almost as frighten