Hello and welcome to my readers. Thanks for your votes, PC's and e-mails on my previous stories. This is the latest in a series of stories about the Temporal Management Agency and Agent 99. The TMA concept was begun by slyc_willie on an Authors Hangout thread. Previous Agent 99 stories are there along with explanations of various terms used in these stories. Enjoy.
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'A Rupture in Time'
Agent 99 emerged from the TAP as his 17
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Century merchant's garb disintegrated revealing a standard issue TMA jumpsuit. The Director's voice sounded strained when she'd contacted him. It was highly unusual for her, especially during a mission. Something must be seriously wrong. He joked and chatted with the Time Tech's as they decontaminated and Hypno Debriefed him, but his thoughts were elsewhere.
***
"Agent 99, please take a seat," said Director Radha Naveen, her voice was grave. "Agent Crystal will be joining us in a moment." 99 raised an eyebrow. "I know you were expecting Agent TK; however she is on a high priority assignment and cannot be spared."
The office door opened and a tall, flaxen haired woman strode into the room. "I apologize for my tardiness Director Naveen," she said in oddly accented English. "The debriefing took longer than anticipated."
"Agent 99, Agent Crystal, Crystal, 99," Rhada said briskly. They nodded to each other and turned to the Director. "I will need your combined talents for this mission. It is of prime importance, possibly the most important in the existence of the Agency.
The problem is this. There has been a rupture in the Ultra Time Line. The Mother Line as the Tech's call it. This rupture is allowing alternative time streams to intersect with our own. The very essence of our existence is being altered by intrusions from elsewhen."
"What is being done to mitigate the effects of these intrusions?" 99 asked, leaning forward. "Can an alternative time line penetrate here at headquarters? Could we be altered and cease to exist?"
"At present, no," Rhada said wearily. "The Tech's have erected a ChronoBubble around the entire installation to prevent such an occurrence. We are currently in Time Stasis and safe for the moment. All indications are that The Rectifiers are creating the rupture utilizing technology unknown to us. We have, however pinpointed the source of whatever is causing it to early 20
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Century America in the city of Chicago, the period known as the 'Roaring Twenties'."
"How can we travel in time if we are in stasis?" Crystal asked. "Are we in fact trapped here in the bubble? Are we nowhere in the Time Stream?"
99 smiled, Crystal was quick on her feet, already planning their next move, their next gambit. She would be an effective partner, of that there was no doubt.
Rhada nodded. "The Tech's are working on the problem now. The magnitude of the difficulty is such that every milliwatt of computing capacity is at work solving this problem. The mental strain on the Tech's is tremendous. Some have already broken under it and been isolated."
The agents exchanged glances. Both had experienced the Sensory Deprivation Tanks in training. Deprived of all senses, suspended in regeneration fluid, a symbolic return to the womb until body and mind healed. Crystal shuddered at the memory and 99 frowned. It was not pleasant.
"The Tech's have also informed me," Rhada continued, "That all conventional operating procedures in Time Combat will need to be altered until the problem is solved. We cannot at the present time transport our current technology to the past. You may only utilize weaponry of the period or before it. Upon leaving, you will report for HypnoTraining in the techniques to use period weapons." She smiled at Crystal, "You may bring your short sword and battle axe if you wish. They may prove useful."
Crystal relaxed visibly. Those weapons were extensions of her own arms, a part of her energies, victorious in many a battle. "I will bring my saber and stiletto," 99 said. "I am comfortable with them. We may not always have access to weapons of the period. Are The Rectifiers also hampered by this restriction in technology?"
"All indications are that this is the case," Rheda replied. "Their internal defense and repair mechanisims appear inactive. You will be fighting on relatively equal terms. There is an additional factor of concern, however. The overlapping Time Lines are permitting periodic intrusions of Rectifier agents from other time lines into the Ultra Time Stream. You will be facing opponents from various periods of human history and varying historical outcomes.
We have observed periods where empires still exist, dictators still rule, revolutions have failed, countries and governments as we know them never formed, monarchies and conquerors have triumphed, free people are subjugatedโฆ" she paused, "And the TMA does not exist. I need not stress the importance of this mission. The Techs say breaching the ChronoBubble long enough for two persons to pass through is possible before compromising stasis. Any questions?"
"Only one," Crystal said. "When our mission is complete, can we return?"
Rhada steepled her fingers. "All indications are that you can. We all know the risks. This is no exception. Every effort will be made to return you in one piece."
"Either we return or none," 99 said. "We will stay as a unit until you can extract us both." Crystal smiled at him, nodding in assent.
"Report for weapons training, then get some rest," Rhada said, rising to her feet. "When the Time Portal is activated, you will of course be garbed in clothing of the period and we will deactivate all implanted micro weaponry and defense mechanisms. Your weapons will be molecularly reduced until you need them." She shook their hands. "Good luck and may the gods smile upon you."
She watched them leave and turned to gaze at the hologram of the desert floor a thousand meters above.
Two of my best agents sent on a mission from which they may never return. If they survive, and they cannot return, they are capable of making a life for themselves in the past. They must succeed or life as we know it now will cease to exist and every person here with it. Then the Rectifiers will become the rulers of time.
***
99 lay in the massage tub, the jets soothing his tired body. The weaponry instructors had been merciless, driving him and Crystal to exceed what they considered their perfect fighting techniques. Crystal. She was a whirlwind as she dueled with the instructors, lithe and agile, keeping pace at every turn. She had caught his eye several times from across the training room, winking at him, the sheen of sweat on her face suffusing it with a soft glow.
His career as a Time Warrior had hardened him, made him cynical, aloof, trusting no one, a loner no one really knew. He liked it that way. Many people had passed through his life, but they were as footprints on a beach, disappearing behind him in the waves of Time.