In Time | Featured in Citadel21 | Vol. 13

Originally published in Citadel21, Vol. 13 on September 21, 2021. Art by Deathburger

The Institute, Continuum Optimization Division, 11-14, Galactic year 67,378

Narros, Xirin and Gemmaria are about to open a window to Terra to watch over FTL development in Northern Italy, Earth year 2027. It is currently November 5, Earth year 2142. The three research officers have completed their mission to observe timelines A-01 through A-26, at the request of SI Collective Origin Genesis, and are discussing options.

[Narros] Open a viewing window, I want to see where the Terrans are with their FTL drive.  

[Gemmaria] Have you heard more from SI Collective Origin Genesis?  

[Narros] Yes, they are helping the Terrans, covertly.  

[Gemmaria] Are the Terrans aware of the Singularity forming?  

[Narros] Not yet.  

[Xirin] What are we going to do about Nakamoto?  

[Gemmaria] Do we have a choice?  

[Xirin] No, we are down to our last option. Each intervention has resulted in the same outcome. Any further attempts will create a decay event. This is the only way.  

[Narros] As long as you mask his signature he'll be safe, the Terrans won't know what to look for…  

[Gemmaria] No, but the Sirians will.

Narros creates a time directive, marks it Clearance 0-A and delivers it in person to the Director of Overwatch. The Director opens an identity file for 'Dr. Jonas' and gives him the appropriate training and offworld missions. Dr. Jonas is given 3-A Clearance and is assigned to the Economic Division of The Institute on Aldos. He's given a research team and professor emeritus status. The Director's team secures Dr. Jonas a private residence on Aldos near The Institute, a private hyperlight, and books his orientation. Once complete, the Director gives Gemmaria quantum-secure dissolving coordinates, and creates a compensating event in the timeline.

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March 7, 2014; 01:14 UTC

Satoshi Nakamoto is awakened again by sirens and begins to drift back to sleep. He feels a gloved hand on his shoulder and startles awake, swinging at the body in front of him. Xirin crashes backward as Satoshi jumps up from the couch toward him. Gemmaria initiates a holo field and removes her glove to verify her identity. She touches Satoshi's forearm and freezes him in place. Satoshi feels a cool glow envelop his body and is instantly calm. Gemmaria lifts her hand. Satoshi cannot move his body, but can still speak. Bizarrely, he is unafraid.

[Gemmaria] Come with us, it's the only way.  

[Nakamoto] Come with you where?  

[Xirin] It's the only way.  

[Nakamoto] But, where ... where am I going?  

[Xirin] Doorway becomes unstable in three minutes, we have to go now.  

[Gemmaria] Be in prison here or be free with us.  

[Nakamoto] I can't just leave. I have a life here.

Gemmaria downloads a replay of events in the timeweb, showing lines A-02 through A-25. She projects a holo of the arrest in the early hours of March 8, 2014. She jumps to October 2023 showing the trial & violent execution. The uprising. The CERN accident, the creation of the Brotherhood narrative by nefarious sources. Subsequent trials and executions of the Freemen and Acolytes. North America and Europe decimated, and a giant geyser where Tokyo once was. Satoshi looks on in horror at versions of the world on fire, destroyed by violence, revenge, and the whims of weak men.

[Gemmaria] The exact timing changes, but the events are always the same.

[Xirin] 30 seconds.

art by Deathburger

Xirin opens a terminal, locates the thread dated February 11, 2009; 22:27 UTC, and comments 'I am not Dorian Nakamoto.' His finger hovers over the Enter key. Gemmaria hands Satoshi a small glass stone.

[Gemmaria] Hold this and don't let go. She places her hand over his fist.

Satoshi feels a small jolt as nanobots enter his bloodstream and buffers his nervous system. His vision darkens. He feels the room spin and the floor drop from underneath him. There is a faint melodic hum. A bright light flashes through every cell of his body, and it feels like his insides are about to implode.

[Gemmaria] Hello Satoshi. Welcome. I am Research Officer Gemmaria. I'm sure you have questions, but for now, let those wait. Come with me, I'll show you around.

[Satoshi] You sound familiar... Where am I?  

[Gemmaria] We met, briefly, four days ago. But for you it will seem like just a moment ago. Hold out your hand and make a fist. 

Gemmaria places her hand over Satoshi's. He feels a jolt and a wave of motion sickness.

[Gemmaria] That feeling will subside. The nanobots take some getting used to.

[Satoshi] I remember you. We were just in my living room.

[Gemmaria] We were. It's ... complicated. I'll explain, but for a moment let's just walk.

Gemmaria and Satoshi walk around Biodome Alpha. They come to a river of the clearest water he has ever seen. Multi-coloured wildflowers appear throughout the fields flanking the river. Satoshi looks up and sees the brightest blue sky. It flickers a little as he sways and he feels another bout of dizziness. Gemmaria steadies him. A bench appears to his right.

[Gemmaria] Let's sit.

Satoshi looks down at his hands and feet, he feels pins and needles, he takes a few deep breaths and the dizziness subsides.

[Satoshi] Where am I?

[Gemmaria] You are in Biodome Alpha in a place we call VirtualSphere. You're experiencing a digital representation of Veld, one of our worlds in the Pareidien Collective. We like to bring Terran offworlders here because it's so similar to your home planet. 

[Satoshi] (laughing) No, really, where am I?

Gemmaria smiles. Satoshi feels dizzy and feels pins and needles again, this time through his whole body.

[Gemmaria] It will take some time until you feel 100%, but you are already progressing well. Most people take a week or two to awaken, but here you are moving around already.

Satoshi stands, lifts his foot and kicks the side of the bench as hard as he can. He reels back in pain.

[Gemmaria] You are real, even though VirtualSphere is not entirely real.

She grasps his hand and presses his thumb and forefinger together in three short bursts. The pain subsides instantly and completely.

[Gemmaria] The nanobots in your system unlock many things. They are safe, don't worry. You are still you, but you'll pick up a few new abilities during your stay here.

[Satoshi] When can I go home?

Gemmaria looks at him with sadness in her eyes.

[Gemmaria] You can't. This is home now. Well, for the moment. Aldos will be your home, but not until you're ready. You've travelled more than most ever do, there are protocols you'll need to observe. You won't be able to see or contact your family and friends, but you can, in time, observe them. We've arranged for you to work at one of our most prestigious institutes, and you'll want for nothing. You are free here.

[Satoshi] If I'm free, why does it feel like I'm in a prison?

[Gemmaria] Those from your ti... world grew up in a time when everything was breaking. Things are very different here. We've watched your world for many years. We observed you cross oceans and discover new land, your first flight, nuclear fission, breaking the sound barrier, the moon landing, CERN, your first interplanetary flight, nuclear fusion, the great carbon sink, building your first colony.... 

Satoshi looks at Gemmaria in disbelief.

[Satoshi] When am I?

[Gemmaria] November 9, Earth year 2142, is how you would measure it. Or, the 15th day of the 14th month in Galactic year 67,378, here, in the Pareidien Collective of Worlds. There are many things I will brief you on, when you're ready.

[Satoshi] Am I dreaming, am I dead?

[Gemmaria] You are very much alive.

[Satoshi] Then why can't I contact my friends or family?

[Gemmaria] Your trip was one-way, I'm afraid. You are the same age you were in your world a few days ago, but you are in a different location in the Continuum, or the timeweb if you will.

[Satoshi] Time travel isn't possible.

[Gemmaria] A viable money not printed from the State isn't possible either, is it?

[Satoshi] Point taken. How, when, where, does time travel become possible?

[Gemmaria] Only the Director of Overwatch knows the approximate time. No one knows the exact date but the Collectives, at least they did - until they corrupted that block of their memory.

[Satoshi] Collectives?

[Gemmaria] Synthetic Intelligence Collectives, Origin: Genesis, Alpha, Beta and Omicron.

[Satoshi] Of course.

[Gemmaria] How - no one knows exactly. Where, again no one knows the first few instances but the earliest measured decay event occurred near Xiqisic, one of our worlds, in Galactic year 63,773. We assume there is a Collective Doorway somewhere near there, but again - we can't verify this.

Satoshi closes his eyes and nods. His body shudders and he feels dizzy and faint again. Gemmaria grasps his hand and presses his palm twice. Satoshi is suddenly back resting in the hammock over the glistening green grass of the field where he awoke and hears Gemmaria faintly telling him to rest as he dozes off to sleep.

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