• “Thank the galaxies we won’t have to use seventeenth-century muskets.” Jamie commented as she and the other two members of Alpha Team suited up in Serenity’s primary armory, “What were they thinking when they invented those things? A bow and arrow would have been better.”

    “Those were pretty weird times, Jamie.” Steven replied, the fastener clips on his Marc IV body armor snapping into place, “For all we know, they could’ve made muskets just for the fun of it, or maybe ‘cause they liked the smell of gunpowder.”

    Jamie paused midway through sliding a fresh clip into her favorite laser TC-2 laser pistol and looked at Steven with one eyebrow raised. “The smell of gunpowder?” she echoed quizzically, “That’s got to be the third weirdest thing you’ve said since I was transferred over here.”

    “You’re keeping track?” Steven asked with a grin.

    “Someone’s got to.” Jamie answered with a shrug, “I could write a book listing all your sayings that would give the old Guinness Book of World Records a run for its money. And don’t even get me started on the amount of times you’ve said ‘I’ve got a bad feeling about this.’”

    “Plus the several times where we had to improvise because one of your ‘brilliant’ ideas didn’t go as planned.” Aili put in.

    “Sheesh!” Steven exclaimed, “Is it me, or did you two wake up on the wrong side of the bed today?”

    Aili laughed, “It’s just you. We’re like this all the time. You’re just finally noticing.”

    The laughter died a few seconds later as the mood turned serious and they focused on the mission ahead. “Once we get through the Portal,” Steven said while he screwed on a silencer attachment onto his heavy ten-millimeter handgun, “we’ll have to move fast so we can get in and out before the TimeSpitters show up, so light-caliber weapons only. Don’t want to fight off entire hordes of them like our last little jaunt through time.”

    “How could I forget?” Jamie said as she spun the combination to a black locker near the back of the armory. The lock clicked and the door swung open, revealing an elegant, five-foot-long sword. The sword’s crosspiece was laden with gold-colored veins and small green gemstones. Its blade sported a slight curve and was sharpened to such an extent that it could slice through diamond with ease. The weapon had been an heirloom in Jamie’s family for many generations, and had been a gift from her father after her graduation from the academy. She smiled with pride as she reverently removed the sword from its casing and slid it into a red leather sheath.

    “Alright.” Steven said as he checked his watch, “Bus leaves in T-minus ten minutes. If you guys forgot anything, get it now because we’re definitely not coming back for it.”

    Jamie slung her sword across her back and checked her pockets. “I think I’ve got everything,” she confirmed, “ but I may have left the kitchen sink back in my quarters.”

    Steven smirked, “Right. We ready?”

    Aili and Jamie nodded and Steven led the way towards the Time Portal departure room.

    General Nadeen was waiting for them as Steven, Jamie, and Aili strode through the thick doorway and into the Portal room. “You guys remind me of mid-twenty-first-century black ops soldiers.” Nadeen observed, “How’s the new armor feel?”

    “A little tight in the armpit seams, sir. Other than that, it’s pretty comfortable.” Steven replied.

    Nadeen laughed, “I’ll take note of that. The final preparations for the Portal are almost complete. Should take no more than a few seconds.”

    “Time Portal coordinates locked, sir.” An ensign reported not five seconds later from the control room behind them.

    “Activate distortion locks.” Nadeen ordered.

    Distortion locks activated.” Came the reply.

    This is it, Jamie thought as she took a deep breath.

    “Energize Time Portal.”

    “Time Portal energizing.”

    The ghostly-green colored ring suspended about two feet above he floor before them suddenly sprung to life as it woke from its sadly brief rest. Sparks and bolts of pure energy jumped from the ring’s center towards its outer edge, filling the air with the smell of ozone. Moments later, an aurora of dark purple and black colors boiled outwards until it completely occupied the vertical ring’s circular opening. “Time Portal has been established.” The ensign said.

    “Thank you, ensign.” Nadeen responded. He then turned to the members of his frontline unit, “Alpha Team, you have a go.”

    Steven nodded and saluted, “Yes, sir. Let’s move out!”

    With that, the soldiers jogged towards the Portal’s event horizon and vanished as they passed through. Nadeen gazed at where Alpha Team had just been and muttered silently to himself, “Godspeed.”


    Deep within the darkest catacombs beneath the great cathedral of Notre Dame, a hooded man stood silently before a stone pedestal. In his hands he held an object carefully wrapped in a brown leather cloth. “Oh Angels of Time,” he said, his hawk-like nose becoming more visible as he spoke, “hear my call! For many years, I have dedicated myself to the better understanding of your ways, and have come ever so closer to achieving the next phase of existence that you provide. As a symbol of my undying loyalty, I present to you this gift.” Unraveling the leather cloth with the kind of delicacy one would use when handling a sacred relic, the man emerged with a glowing green crystal and reverently placed it on the pedestal, “I shall now and forevermore be your servant.”

    With a final bow towards the pedestal, the hooded man walked out of the chamber, leaving the crystal’s eerie glow in his wake