Timely

‘Now, what were you saying again?’

‘It’s quite simple, really. You see, time is Relative. Actually, not only time but all of the varied dimensions. However, that’s really not important right now. What is important is that by discovering that truth.. If you can accept that all dimensions are relative, the next step – The vital step in the creation of this device – is only a matter of getting the job done.”

‘Ah, so here comes the pitch. Just how much will this job cost the institute this time?”

‘Oh, just the usual tea and cakes, guild scale plus half, etc.’

‘Plus HALF? My dear sir, with your last invention we paid you half of Guild normal, and now you wish three times that amount?’

‘Of course I do. After all, the last gadget only allowed us to see into the past and future times. With this one.. Yes, with this one I will be giving the institute – And by extension all of mankind – I’ll be putting all of Time and Space within our grasp.’

With an audible Click, Belser deactivated the viewer, and then turned to the assembly, already murmuring with unrest. Pausing a moment, he steeled himself for the onslaught that was sure to come. And then, he began what he knew would be the most difficult moments of his long yet storied life.

“So” he began, “There we have it. Using the Viewer I created, we have seen many things. Cleopatra’s court and her many lovers for instance.”

As expected, there was the usual tittering of humor – many of those in the room had visited that era for their hedonistic pleasure. Belser went on.

“As we all know, before this night we have never been able to look into the future. Something changed. I wish I knew what – But just now, you’ve all seen the same thing I’ve seen several times over. If the Viewer is correct – And I have no reason to think otherwise – Some time fairly soon, perhaps even at this very moment, the institute’s top man – Namely ME – will develop a method of not only seeing – But traveling through Time and Space itself.”

The room quickly filled with noise, with the members of the Institute excitedly talking amongst themselves. Belser glanced at his chronometer, wondering how long he should give the group to digest the information. He was about to continue when one of Silver group stood and posed a question.

“How exactly are we to know that what we are seeing is a true vision? Isn’t it possible that it is just a clever recording placed in there by Gold group, merely to extend their budget yet again?”

At mention of their brethren, the members of Gold group stood and proclaimed their innocence, insisting that they had no knowledge of any such happening. Belser jumped in to get control of the meeting once again.

“Fellows, fellows please attend me. Before I called this assembly, I made certain that this indeed was not a recording. The Viewer has in no way been altered. What we have just seen is in fact a future.”

“Aha” cried one of Silver, “I note the tense you use – ‘A’ future indeed, sir. Is this to infer that you believe that the outcome is *not* certain?”

“Precisely sir. Have not all of you witnessed before that certain of our dear Cleo’s adventures were repeated, each to a different outcome? It has been my hypothesis for some time that the Viewer shows us all possibilities, both those actions taken, and those passed upon. We do not watch merely Time – We watch – as the Viewer itself just informed us, ALL dimensions, and all cusps of possibility. Why, on close examination, I do believe I have seen anomalies in almost every Era we’ve looked upon. In quite a few, there has been something curious.. A Box of a bluish color, with inscriptions upon it. Old English I should think. I had Ruby group translate one still image we managed to catch of it. ‘Police Box’ it said.”

The leader of Silver group proclaimed “Police? Wasn’t that an old law keeping body?”

“Yes,” said Belser “But that isn’t important. What *is* important is that this same box has been seen in the Jurassic period, the 19th, 20th and 23rd centuries – And in the very moment we witnessed not 20 minutes ago!”

Suddenly, the speaker’s face underwent several changes, as he seemed to be thinking intently. He then literally jumped and began to move.

With looks of amazement, the assembly watched Belser run quickly from the room. The assemblage followed in short order. Belser himself was too intent on reaching his destination, the Laboratory they had glimpsed such a short time ago. When he arrived, it was to see a slim individual in a brown trench-coat entering into the Blue Box.

To Belser’s horror, seconds later a loud wail was heard coming from the contraption, and it vanished as if by a fantastic feat of legerdemain. All that was left was a scrap of paper, which he picked up and read aloud:

Dr. Belser:

Sorry to have troubled you, but Humankind just isn’t ready for this type of power. Time isn’t something to meddle with lightly – Believe me, I’m an expert in the field. I’ve taken the liberty of also removing the plans for the Viewer from your computer – And as you’ll find when you get back to the meeting room, the Viewer itself.

If you wish direction, you should look inwards – Humanity should attempt to better themselves, and worry about the future as it comes.

Yours in Time,

The Doctor.

P.S. I do hope there are no hard feelings Belser, it was nothing personal. Just remember this – use the 3rd isotope, not the 2nd you discover. I think you’ll be pleased.