Chapter 4

Chapter 4

When Sam said they would get some snacks that was no joke. At the back of the room they were in was a wall full of cupboards, and essential kitchen equipment. 

In what could only have been a few minutes of targeted opening and shutting of cup doors, some quick dicing and slicing, and some magical minutes with an oven, Sam had produced a selection of warmed pastries, fruit arranged artistically on a platter, and cups of steaming hot chocolate with all the trimmings. The tables had been placed together by Sal to create one big long surface, and everyone brought their chairs to sit together. 

Despite everyone still being in shock, the look and smells of the food distracted them from the turn of events of the last few minutes. Everyone’s brains seem to welcome the ability to focus on the familiar and comforting. For a few minutes there was a little to hear except some satisfied grumblings and munching sounds as they all helped themselves to the treats before them. 

Once the food had been demolished, everyone sat back in their chairs to sip hot chocolate, and collective attention turned uncertainly towards Sal. Although everyone was clearly desperate to understand the situation they found themselves in, they were equally concerned that they may be about to find out that all that they knew and loved was about to be  imminently destroyed by an alien race. Although, if they made hot chocolate this delicious, imminent destruction didn’t seem that likely. 

Sal realised it was time to start explaining. 

“I’m not really sure how to start!” Sal said, slightly sheepishly.

Cai spoke up with steady and quiet reassurance. “Maybe just start at the beginning?”

“Ok. So, we, I mean Sam and I, are part of the Karopean Time protection Force, or KTPS. The KTPS are an elite force that travel through time and space to protect reality from those who wish to destroy it. We were on a mission to Earth following a tip off that time disruption devices had been hidden on Earth. We have the technology to move between space and time, so that allows us to travel vast distances over short time periods. Something happened mid jump. I don’t know what it was, but suddenly there was an alarm, and then the ship went into emergency shatter mode. When attacked, our ships are designed to break into small, self contained parts, and scatter to the nearest safe place and time. Sam and I were in the staff break room, and so that’s the bit of the ship we are in now. We’ve tried to disguise it a bit. We’ve not had any communication from the rest of the crew, so we can only assume we are the only survivors.” Sal and Sam looked down at the table, clearly feeling the loss of their crew. 

“Why haven’t you just jumped back to your planet to let them know what’s happened?” asked Mali.

“We tried, and usually even when the ship has broken into smaller parts, they still have the ability to jump. But we seem to be stuck here on Earth for some reason. We  think we have enough power to do 2 more jumps, but we won’t be able to move off planet. And we still need to try and complete the mission we were sent here for.”

Sal looked at the children’s faces, all listening intently to the story. 

“ And we needed more help”. 

“What do you mean you needed more help?” asked Tom, starting to realise that there was a reason that they had been lured here with the fake holiday camp, and beginning to feel anxious about that fact. 

“ Well, in the mission briefing we were told that the time disrupter had been hidden in a tomb in ancient egypt. We were told that there were a number of codes that would need to be broken, and small spaces to navigate. Within the crew we had brought cryptologists and elite soldiers who were the correct physical stature to navigate the tunnels…. But, well, we have lost them….”

Tom had caught up. “So, you tricked our parents to send us to this camp so you could use us to complete your mission?”

Sam looked up slowly, meeting Tom’s accusing stare. 

“Yes, I’m sorry to say that we did. We really didn’t know what else we could do. We were worried that if we went to any authorities we would be locked up in a secret base somewhere before we could explain ourselves. We knew we would need people somewhere around the size of a 12 year old child, but we also hoped that you would have other skills that we don’t have. I’m only a chef!” 

“And I’m a junior officer” added Sal. “Only just joined the KTPS to be honest. First mission… “

“What happens if we don’t help you?” said Mali, looking like breaking rules and going AWOL with some Aliens wasn’t a deal breaker. 

“Well”, said Sal, “ to be honest we don’t know. But it’s likely to be pretty catastrophic. These devices tend to be designed in a way that causes maximum disruption to key points in time, and these disruptions tend to have butterfly effects. The models that were run by our team showed that the most likely outcome would be an apocalypse, and the end of life on earth as we know it. “

“Oh” said Delyth, quietly. 

The rest of them sat in stunned silence. 

“Something I don’t understand…”said Bert, “is if the time disrupter was set off in the past, how come we’re not already seeing the effects of it? Doesn’t that mean that it’s already failed”. 

“Good questions!” said Sal. “What we were informed of in the briefing before the ship was hit was that the time disruption devices are on a timer. I think we must be in the time period between the time disrupter being planted, but not having yet detonated. We still need to identify the location of the device, and remove it before it has a chance to go off. I agree, it’s a bit mind boggling and temporal physics was always my weak point in school. But my understanding is that we have 3 days before detonation.” 

Cai spoke up. “It seems to me that we don’t have many options here.”

“And it could also be fun” said Mali.

“It’s been my dream to visit ancient Egypt” said Delyth. 

“I like puzzles” interjected Bert.

Tom looked around at the gathered team. “I’m in” he said. “I’ve always loved the idea of an adventure like indiana Jones, and feels like this is probably the best chance I’ll ever have to get anywhere close!”

They all slowly turned to look at Mo, who seemed to have stopped planning his escape temporarily. 

“Haven’t got anything better to do” he said begrudgingly. 

Sal looked at Sam with hope in their eyes and a spreading smile. “ So, you’ll help? Really?!”

There were nods and smiles around the table. “Yes, looks like we’re going to help” said Tom. “What’s the plan?”