Never Enough Time

My name is Acayib. I am sending this message in hopes that someone can help me. I have travelled long and so extremely far, and I fear I have reached the end of my journey. I am not even sure you can help.

I am attempting to send this message to a time before the agency has been formed. It is unclear whether they would try to find me, but I need to be cautious. Oh, but would not be aware of the discovery of time travel. I have included some files from the Time Agency to help you understand.

From the Time Agency History Files

Time travel was first discovered by a monk named Norbu. He sat in meditation in an empty lot that he planned to build a grand temple for all to come and relax in thought. His meditation was so deep while he envisioned his new temple that he felt himself shake and when he opened his eyes the temple that existed only in his mind now stood before him. A moment later the doors opened, and a man emerged from the temple. Norbu quickly saw the man was him only older.

"Hello, my younger self", the man said.

"Then you really are me?", Norbu asked.

Old Norbu took his counterpart inside and explained to him that he had inadvertently found the secret to time travel while meditating. After a tour around the temple the two ate a feast and talked at length about life. After a time, Old Norbu told Young Norbu he had a task that he must complete. The construction of the temple was eased by Norbu telling his tale of time travel to the governing body of younger Norbu's time. Norbu was directed to go into the city and find the time agency building. When he arrived at the time agency he was greeted like royalty. He was examined by their medical staff and put through many tests and procedures. He was then taken to a conference room and seated with a table full of official looking individuals.

The woman at the head of the table thanked him for coming and told him if he had not none of this would be possible. They told him that his travel through time had opened a closed loop. They already had the results of his tests but had needed to preform them again so they could be sent back with him so they would receive them in their past.

He was given a package, told where to go and who to give it to. The package held his test results but also the package included schematics for machinery. It also explained in detail what was needed to time travel. Norbu was told it was imperative he delivered the package to the person specified and at the time specified. Norbu assured them he understood and would not fail.

Everyone stood up and as the woman escorted him downstairs every employee of the time agency wanted to shake his hand. A car waited at the entrance. Norbu asked if this car would take him back to his time. The woman chuckled and said no it will take you to a ship that will travel eleven light minutes to a wormhole and after they passed through it Norbu would be in his own time.

She explained to him that as he sat and meditated in his own time the earth passed by a micro wormhole. Norbu's brainwaves caused it to open wider and he was sent to the future. The tests they performed on him revealed what the frequency was to open a wormhole. Now they were building a fleet of ships outfitted with equipment capable of producing that frequency. Soon people would be able to travel to any time in history or future.

The trip back was uneventful. The spaceship touched down and transportation was arranged for Norbu to his home. Two days later he made the trip to the city to deliver the package as promised. When Norbu arrived at the address he was given it was the office of a local official. The attendant inside seated him and let him know the councilor would speak to him shortly.

When the councilor emerged to greet Norbu he was shocked to see it was the woman who ran the time agency in the future, albeit a little younger. She asked him into her office and inquired what she could help him with. When he explained what had happened in the last few days she looked at him skeptically. He held out the package to her and said it would give her proof of his claims. Inside she found everything Norbu already knew was inside as well as a letter from the councilor's future self.

Starting from that day work began to bring the time agency into existence.

Hopefully, that is enough for now to get you going. There is much more information which I will include further on in this transmission.

When I was young, I had a friend named Molly and back then we spent every minute of the days together. I had met her while playing by the river near the house where I grew up. She and I had so many adventures together over that long summer but what we did most was swim. The river was the perfect place to be during those hot days. The first time we went swimming we were not planned on it so neither of us had swimsuits. We decided to just swim in our underwear and once I got past the awkwardness of being half naked in front of Molly it was a wonderful day.

We emerged from the river and I noticed what I thought might have been leeches on her back. When I looked closer, I saw it was a birthmark. I thought at the time she might have been embarrassed by it so I tried to look away. She turned, saw me looking at her and smiled.

"You're not supposed to watch me get dressed"

"I wasn't", I said. "I noticed your birthmark".

"Oh", she replied. "That's just who I am"

In the six months I knew her she would say strange things like that. Some might have thought she was odd, but she was my best friend. When fall came that year my days with Molly became less adventurous. Swimming in the river became too cold for me to stand and Molly did not seem to have the same enthusiasm as when I had first met her. Then one day she did not show up at our meeting place. Turns out she moved away off planet with her family and I never heard from her again.

When I was 24, I went into the city and ended up by the Time Agency building. The agency has been operating for a hundred years by this point. Millions of people had used their services. Myself, I had never considered travelling to another time. I never felt the pull that others had to see things as they had been or how they could be. As I approached the side of the building, I saw something that drained the blood from my face. Painted on the side of the Time Agency was a symbol. A symbol that looked like the birthmark on Molly's back. I shook my head thinking to myself that it must be a coincidence but as I approached the graffiti I could tell it was a perfect match. I had not thought of her for years but seeing this graffiti had opened those wounds anew. I went inside and was greeted by reception.

"Hello, what can the time agency help you with today", asked the man behind the counter.

"I…the graffiti on the side of the building", I responded.

"I know, we have already put in a request to have it removed", he stated. "I do not understand why they feel the need to randomly mar a building. Many businesses will give space on their walls for artists to express themselves."

"Maybe it wasn't an artist"

"You are probably right. It is just a symbol, no real art in that, is there?"

"No, I suppose not."

We stood for a moment in silence. I was not sure what I should do next. The man behind the counter smiles but his eyes conveyed how uncomfortable the situation had become.

"Was the graffiti your reason for your visit today or would you like to register for a time trip?"

"Yes."

"I'm sorry sir but which is it?"

" A trip. I would like to take a trip."

At his mention of a time trip, I knew that the graffiti had to be a sign. A message that I should seek out Molly.

"If you would be so kind to place your hand on the pad so we can start your application," he said.

I placed my hand on the pad and within seconds it registered a small chime.

"Thank you, sir," he said cheerily. "Will you be taking one of our planned tours or do you plan to choose a unique destination to visit on your own?"

"What is involved with either choice?"

"The pre-set destinations are all inclusive and there is no need for a traveler to worry about anything. We plan every aspect of the activities in the time you choose," he explained. "If you plan to travel to a time where we have no resort, or youare traveling to multiple times then you must take our training course."

I was not sure what seeing Molly's symbol meant so I signed up for the course. The benefits of taking the course were that you could travel anywhere in time that the agency had access to. his is an explanation of how and where travelers could go.

From the Time Agency Regulations File

The science of time travel is simple. Each ship in the agency's fleet is outfitted with an emitter that sends out a signal tuned with Monk Norbu's brainwaves at the moment he time travelled. This signal is directed towards one of the many wormholes that have been discovered. However, each wormhole has a unique signature which transports the ship within a specific window of years. Even the width of that span of years can vary. Some will give you a range of a few years. The wormhole with the greatest span to date is in the Andromeda Galaxy and has a range of over one hundred years.

Another peculiar fact of time travel is that it is not possible to travel to the past farther than the moment it was discovered by Monk Norbu. This has only proven to be a problem for historians and scientists. The ability to travel through time but not in the direction that would answer some of humans most basic questions is a frustration felt by many in the field of scientific research.

The agency offers much more than a regular travel agency does. Not only can you see another planet, but you can see it at its most amazing. Many wish to see and do more than just what one experience can offer. Those individuals must take an extensive course that will give them the tools they need to travel unaided by the agency. It also opens an opportunity to work for the agency. Reporting on events of various times that the agency has an interest in. Joining the Time Corps is also a choice for those who train at the agency. The Corps handles all regulations involving time travel.

The course was quite interesting and fun. The important parts of it were to prepare you as a traveler on encounters with other species, how to safely travel the universe and how to be a helpful member of a time traveling society. The rest was mostly the rules and guidelines of travelling which are as follows. I will try to explain some of the more pertinent ones.

The prime guideline of time travel is that the universe will always try to correct itself. Meaning whatever you do in the past or future will be corrected. One of the most widely known paradox theories is the grandfather paradox. How it goes is I go back in time to kill my grandfather, but if I do then I am never born so I never go back to kill my grandfather, so I am born and do go back and kill him, so I am never born and so on and so on in a never-ending loop. However, there is no paradox. I can go back and kill my grandfather and I will continue to exist. When I go back to my time, I will find that my killing him will never have happened. The universe will heal itself.

Even though the universe has this amazing failsafe it is still frowned upon by the agency to try and influence the past or future by use of time manipulation. If you plan to make a life in a time that is not your native one you must apply to the agency council. If approved, you are signing up for a closely monitored life. Many of the agency's pre-set destinations have souvenirs approved for transport to other times but anything outside of that list needs to be approved by the council.

The training took months, not only teaching the theories and practical side of time travel. It also prepared me to survive in the many vast world's out there to explore. I was given the knowledge and ability to aid in a crisis if called upon. The night of my completion of the course the academy held a party for all the graduates.

There was around a hundred new travelers ready now to hit the universe running. Besides Molly I never really had much talent in making friends. However, for some reason one of my fellow students took a liking to me and we had talked a lot throughout this process. His name was Aleksi Rinne. He was from Finland and was my direct opposite. He exuded confidence and always had something to say. Usually someone like him would have my anxiety skyrocketing, but somehow, he even managed to charm me.

"So, I guess this is the end of an era?" Aleksi asked.

I was distracted when he spoke, so his utterance came to me especially puzzling.

"I'm sorry, not sure what you mean."

"Us! We finished our time here at the academy and now I will be back to work with my father and you, well, I don't know that you ever told me where you planned on going now that you have free reign over time and space."

My heart sank. We had gone all this time together discussing everything under the sun and beyond but the subject of my intentions for traveling never came up. He was right, we would likely not meet again so I should not have cared what he would think if I were honest. However, I still was nervous about admitting that my reasons were based on a random symbol on the side of a building that resembled my childhood friend's birthmark. I was not even sure what my next move was going to be. I thought something would have popped out and I would intuitively know that was the path I needed to follow.

"I am not sure where I want to go, or when for that matter."

"Well how long do you have to travel? Is there something you need to get back to?"

"No, I'm free to travel as long as I want"

"You don't have a job to get back to?"

"I have not really needed to get a job; my family is financially independent of the state."

This was another tense moment. There were a respectable number of people who were financially independent who decided that they did not need or want to work. Some people viewed this as if these independents were somehow outside of normal society. But an equal number of people understood that there really was not a need for workers. If someone worked is because they wanted more than what the state governed necessary for life.

"Well, that is cool man," Aleksi laughed. "I guess I really don't have to work either, but my father has been so influential in my upbringing he has convinced me that what we do is a necessary staple of human society. I just never thought I would do anything else but work for him."

A member of the academy military made his way to the two of us. His name was Captain Behrends, and he was an occasional instructor during our months here at the academy. He always seemed intense and preoccupied.

"Gentlemen, congratulations on completing the academy training. Many have a challenging time with some of the requirements. What are your plans for travel?"

"I will be returning to my father's business first, Sir. He asked me to take the academy training so that I might sell our products around the universe," Aleksi said.

Captain Behrends turned to me looking expectantly.

"I do not have any specific place in mind. I want to see what's out there," I answered.

My answer did not seem to please him. He stared intently at me and looked to be internally debating how to respond to me.

"Perhaps you should consider joining the agency military. No better way to see the universe. Your aptitude evaluation suggested you would do well."

"Thank you, but I do not think military life is what she..I mean what I am looking for."

Behrends' face darkened as he continued to look at me. He grunted once, turned, and stomped away.

"What was that about?" Aleksi asked, chuckling.

"I have no idea"

"Forget about him, I just thought of something. You should check out the agency's request board to find a place to start your travels."?

"What is the request board?"

"People post a job they want done. It usually involves going somewhere or sometime that would require taking the agency course. It could be retrieval of an item or imaging a world or person. Many people see it as an easier option to hire someone who already has clearance than to go through the course themselves."

I knew at once this was the way I was looking for. I made my way from the reception hall to the agency library. I accessed the agency database from one of the consoles and searched the job listings. The one that made me stop and take notice was an appeal from a couple who's sixteen-year-old daughter had left on a time trip and had not returned. I clicked the notification of intent tab and I panicked when the console informed me it was trying to connect me with the client.

Three chirps sounded before a window popped up and a man who looked not much older than me appeared. A few awkward moments passed before the man spoke.

"Are you going to find my daughter?" he asked earnestly.

"I can try. I must be honest with you; I have only just finished the academy training. Your posting stuck out to me and I wanted to help."

"Well, my wife and I would appreciate any effort you are willing to put into it."

"Can you give me a little information about your daughter and why she may have disappeared?"

"Yes, yes I am sorry. My name is Motya Matveev. My daughter is Julia Matveev. She is sixteen and a few months ago she did not come home. We contacted the authorities and they told us she had bought a ticket from the time agency. They tried to find her but were unsuccessful. Because of her age she is legally allowed to travel without our permission." He hesitated for a moment, I wasn't sure if his emotions were getting the best of him or he wasn't sure about something he wanted to say." My wife and I know that at sixteen Julia is not a child but having raised her we know what she is like."

"What do you mean by that?" I asked.

"She has always been rebellious. She questioned the truth of everything she encountered. We moved from Earth when she was young. As she grew older, she started to believe that the agency had fabricated stories to push people off planet. She thought they were hiding something and wanted as little people close to headquarters as possible to lower the chance of their secret being exposed."

"Did she say what she thought that secret might be?"

"No. There were few children on Rephade when we came so Julia did not have a large group to choose friends from and the few she did start a relationship with would find her arrogant. We thought she was just bored and eventually grow out of it but as time went on, she became more impassioned with the notion of conspiracy."

"Alright send me all the details of her travel log and I'll take the next ship available."

We said our goodbyes and Motya disconnected. A few minutes later I received a packet on my personal display and opened it. The first thing displayed was an image of Julia. She was pretty but trying hard to hide it. It was her eyes that convinced me I had made the right decision taking this assignment. I could see the same look in her eyes as I did when I looked at my own image. We both were consumed with a certainty that we needed closure of our demons.

My first confusion when I first saw the posting for locating Julia was how she could disappear. She had not taken the academy training so she could only have booked a trip to an agency organized destination. The agency would have a record of her movements. I would think it would be next to impossible for there to be no record of what happened to her. However, there is no record of her beyond her arrival at Tortilla.

I went to register myself for the next trip to Tortilla and was irritated to find the next flight was full. When I looked at my status, I was surprised to find I had a special option available to book myself on the flight. Agency ships had a reserved section for agency operations. Because I had been hired from the job board, I was given priority to book a seat in this special section. I had enough time to go home, pack my luggage and get to the space port before my flight was boarding.

As I was boarding the ship I felt an apprehension I could not put a fix on. I was not sure if it was nerves about traveling to space for the first time, failing my client or just my usual anxiousness. Whatever the reason I had to keep in mind that this was the way back to Molly.