Work Text:
A Mother's Cry
By David Lee Rickman II
Electronic globe spreads out and locator focuses on the Eastern United States. LOCATION: Norfolk, Virginia.
Allison Vomisa was busy typing the last chapter of her book when the phone rang.
She grumbled as she reached for the phone. "Hello?"
"Mrs. Vomisa, this is the Norfolk Municipal city pool."
"What? Is this about my son Chris?"
"I can't discuss this on the phone. Could you please come to Mercy Medical Hospital?"
"O.K. I'll be right there."
Allison Vomisa saved the document on her computer and ran out the door.
*******
Electronic globe locator moves to the Western United States. LOCATION: Nevada, Never-Never Land.
"Hey Parker, you don't still listen to that crap, do you?"
Donavan's sudden voice startled Parker while he was web surfing and listening to the radio. "Huh? Oh, Walter Landis. Yeah, I still listen to him. Tonight he's talking about more government conspiracies."
"You know how Ramsey feels about the internet being used on the base."
"Yeah, but it's not like I ever leave the base."
Donavan looked over Parker's shoulder and read the key word searches out loud. "Time travel, time traveler, transdimensional theory, time machines. Looks like you're doing heavy research Parker."
"I thought I could talk to Ballard or Olga about it later."
"Ballard's on vacation."
"Then I guess Olga will have to do."
Donavan chuckled. "Well, have fun Parker. Just don't let Ramsey catch you. I have to go now."
*******
A few web pages later, Parker found a link to a recent "News of the Weird" news report.
"Famed science fiction writer Allison Vomisa has had a death in her family. Her son, Christopher Harold Vomisa died yesterday at the Norfolk Municipal City pool during a swimming lesson. In a press release, Mrs. Vomisa made known her belief that time travel is possible, and made a plea that if anybody can time travel, that they go back in time and prevent her son from going to his swimming lesson on April 18."
"April 18 was two days ago. If I happen to backstep some time in the next five days, would I...Yes, I would. I have a son, and part of my first backstep was to save him." Parker thought and felt compassion for the mother's cry for help.
Donavan knocked on the door again. "Parker, Talmedge wants to see you in the debriefing room."
******
"Three days ago, a group of obscure hackers in Virginia hacked into DARPA"s computer network and has taken a U.S. satellite over. They want $50 million in ransom."
"That's funny, I haven't heard anything about it on the news lately."
"Well Parker, that's because the satellite doesn't official exist. It's the result of Reagan's STI program. It has a 4.7 Gigawatt laser and is official banned under international treaty."
Wow, 4.7 Gigawatts! That sounds like alot."
"It could easily cook popcorn from outer space."
Ballard sat back while imagining the use, "But the hackers intend to use it to cause a drought in the southeastern United States."
Talmedge put an NSA folder in front of Parker. "Read this and report to the hanger. You backstep in forty minutes."
******
"Well Olga, I guess I should be going now."
"I am not going to kiss you again Mr. Parker."
Parker walked up the steps leading to the sphere's hatch. "It was worth a try."
As the sphere technician was strapping him in, Talmedge's voice came over the loud speaker.
"Mission aborted! Mr. Parker, I need to see you in the control room!"
The sphere technician began to unstrap Frank Parker. "I can do it! Geez, most guys would want to be tipped for doing this." The sphere technician stood back as Parker unbuckled the strap and got up.
*******
"Talmedge, what's going on?"
"I'll tell you what's going on Parker!" Ramsey slammed a stack of papers on a vacant table. "I was going through the computer log records and what name should I see? Frank B. Parker!"
"Ramsey, I never leave this base, and I sometimes want to read more than e-mail."
"And boy have you been reading!"
Talmedge silenced Ramsey and turned to Parker. "I want to see your flight bag."
Frank Parker slowly handed Talmedge his flight bag. Talmedge pulled out a folded piece of paper, and Parker looked away.
"You were right Ramsey, Parker printed out the 'News of The Weird' article. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Parker shook his head.
Talmedge turned to Olga. "Ms. Vulkavich, is Donavan fit enough to backstep?"
"He's been training for over a year."
"Tell Donavan to suit up and then we'll brief him."
Part 2
Parker st still listen to that crap, do you?"
Donavan's sudden voice startled Parker while he was web surfing and listening to the radio. "Huh? Oh, Walter Landis. Yeah, I still listen to him. Tonight he's talking about more government conspiracies."
"You know how Ramsey feels about the internet being used on the base."
"Yeah, but it's not like I ever leave the base."
Donavan looked over Parker's shoulder and read the key word searches out loud. "Time travel, time traveler, transdimensional theory, time machines. Looks like you're doing heavy research Parker."
"I thought I could talk to Ballard or Olga about it later."
"Ballard's on vacation."
"Then I guess Olga will have to do."
Donavan chuckled. "Well, have fun Parker. Just don't let Ramsey catch you. I have to go now."
*******
A few web pages later, Parker found a link to a recent "News of the Weird" news report.
"Famed science fiction writer Allison Vomisa has had a death in her family. Her son, Christopher Harold Vomisa died yesterday at the Norfolk Municipal City pool during a swimming lesson. In a press release, Mrs. Vomisa made known her belief that time travel is possible, and made a plea that if anybody can time travel, that they go back in time and prevent her son from going to his swimming lesson on April 18."
"April 18 was two days ago. If I happen to backstep some time in the next five days, would I...Yes, I would. I have a son, and part of my first backstep was to save him." Parker thought and felt compassion for the mother's cry for help.
Donavan knocked on the door again. "Parker, Talmedge wants to see you in the debriefing room."
******
"Three days ago, a group of obscure hackers in Virginia hacked into DARPA"s computer network and has taken a U.S. satellite over. They want $50 million in ransom."
"That's funny, I haven't heard anything about it on the news lately."
"Well Parker, that's because the satellite doesn't official exist. It's the result of Reagan's STI program. It has a 4.7 Gigawatt laser and is official banned under international treaty."
Wow, 4.7 Gigawatts! That sounds like alot."
"It could easily cook popcorn from outer space."
Ballard sat back while imagining the use, "But the hackers intend to use it to cause a drought in the southeastern United States."
Talmedge put an NSA folder in front of Parker. "Read this and report to the hanger. You backstep in forty minutes."
******
"Well Olga, I guess I should be going now."
"I am not going to kiss you again Mr. Parker."
Parker walked up the steps leading to the sphere's hatch. "It was worth a try."
As the sphere technician was strapping him in, Talmedge's voice came over the loud speaker.
"Mission aborted! Mr. Parker, I need to see you in the control room!"
The sphere technician began to unstrap Frank Parker. "I can do it! Geez, most guys would want to be tipped for doing this." The sphere technician stood back as Parker unbuckled the strap and got up.
*******
"Talmedge, what's going on?"
"I'll tell you what's going on Parker!" Ramsey slammed a stack of papers on a vacant table. "I was going through the computer log records and what name should I see? Frank B. Parker!"
"Ramsey, I never leave this base, and I sometimes want to read more than e-mail."
"And boy have you been reading!"
Talmedge silenced Ramsey and turned to Parker. "I want to see your flight bag."
Frank Parker slowly handed Talmedge his flight bag. Talmedge pulled out a folded piece of paper, and Parker looked away.
"You were right Ramsey, Parker printed out the 'News of The Weird' article. Do you have anything to say for yourself?" Parker shook his head.
Talmedge turned to Olga. "Ms. Vulkavich, is Donavan fit enough to backstep?"
"He's been training for over a year."
"Tell Donavan to suit up and then we'll brief him."
Part 2
Parker stood in the control room and watched Donavan on the monitor as he was being strapped into the sphere.
"I am sorry about this buddy. I guess we knew it had to happen sometime."
"Yeah Donavan, I guess you'd backstep sometime."
"Do you have any advice?"
"Yeah, watch the re-entry. It's a slam on the back."
~~~
Olga began the countdown. "Reactor on-line....Reactor at 80%.....90%.....Reactor at 100%. Engage Parker...I mean Donavan!" Olga looked embarrassed as soon as she realized her slip of the tongue.
The sphere that Donavan was in became covered in an electric blue skin. The light grew more intense, and then it was gone.
"Well, backstep completed.," Ballard put down the computer mouse he was holding and began to navigate his wheelchair out of the control room.
"Yeah, I guess that's it." Parker bowed his head in a personal moment of silence.
"Mr. Parker, I am sorry, but you violated the rules."
"Olga, where exactly are these rules posted?"
"Mr. Parker, doing other things than your mission violates and jeopardizes project security."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"What?"
"Why are we still here?"
"What do you mean?"
"If Donavan backstepped, why are we still here?"
Olga Vulkavich looked as confused as a puppy dog looking at itself in a mirror. "What made you ask that?"
"I was doing some research on time travel theory on the internet. That's how I found that article."
"Most of that is science fiction. There's no...."
"Tippler's theorem."
"Mr. Parker, I know you're just trying to impress me by becoming an 'armchair physicist', but please leave the theory to people like Ballard and I."
"Olga, we're still here! Something happened to Donavan..."
Olga Vulkavich quickly grabbed a clipboard and stormed out of the control room.
Olga didn't think much about it for the rest of the day. When she arrived at the base the next morning, the guard at the front fence gave her the message that Talmege wanted to see Vulkavitch immediately in the infermatory.
"Ms. Vulkavitch, I need you to perform an autopsy today."
"An autopsy? On who?"
Talmedge pulled the curtain surrounding the infermatory bed.
Olga stepped back and tried to catch her breath. On the bed was Donavan. His body was covered with dry blood. He was definately dead.
"Donavan's body suffered tremendous stresss during the backstep. He was bleeding internally, and his eyes barely popped out of his head because of the pressure."
"Did he suffer as he died?"
"I am afraid so Talmedge. Probably as long as four minutes. His body is partially decomposed because his body's been in the sphere for four days...uh, four days referenced from the sphere."
"I guess Parker has to backstep now."
"Tippler's theorem," Olga sighed.
"What's wrong Olga?"
"Parker tried to tell me yesterday something was wrong after Donavan backstepped, and I wouldn't listen to him."
~~~
Olga knocked on Parker's door. "Mr. Parker, I wanted to apologize about yesterday."
"Hey Olga, was I right or what?"
"Yes Parker, you were right."
"Pretty good for an 'armchair physicist', huh?"
"Yes, apparently Donavan died when he arrived in the past. So you'll backstep in an hour."
"I don't know. You said a few hurtful things."
"I apologized."
"Let's kiss and make up."
"What?"
"I'll know you mean it then."
Olga went over to Parker and gave him a quick kiss. "I hate it when you manipulate me."
"I bet you say that to all the guys you kiss."
"O.K., let's get this baby back in time!"
"Mr. Parker, please at least reconsider just sticking to the mission."
"Olga, trust me. I'll do what's right."
~~~
Talmedge picked up the phone. "Yes Conundrum."
"In about two hours some hackers are going to get into the DARPA supercomputer and highjack a satelitte."
"O.K. Conundrum. We'll take care of it."
"By the way Talmedge, since it'stood in the control room and watched Donavan on the monitor as he was being strapped into the sphere.
"I am sorry about this buddy. I guess we knew it had to happen sometime."
"Yeah Donavan, I guess you'd backstep sometime."
"Do you have any advice?"
"Yeah, watch the re-entry. It's a slam on the back."
~~~
Olga began the countdown. "Reactor on-line....Reactor at 80%.....90%.....Reactor at 100%. Engage Parker...I mean Donavan!" Olga looked embarrassed as soon as she realized her slip of the tongue.
The sphere that Donavan was in became covered in an electric blue skin. The light grew more intense, and then it was gone.
"Well, backstep completed.," Ballard put down the computer mouse he was holding and began to navigate his wheelchair out of the control room.
"Yeah, I guess that's it." Parker bowed his head in a personal moment of silence.
"Mr. Parker, I am sorry, but you violated the rules."
"Olga, where exactly are these rules posted?"
"Mr. Parker, doing other things than your mission violates and jeopardizes project security."
"Can I ask you a question?"
"What?"
"Why are we still here?"
"What do you mean?"
"If Donavan backstepped, why are we still here?"
Olga Vulkavich looked as confused as a puppy dog looking at itself in a mirror. "What made you ask that?"
"I was doing some research on time travel theory on the internet. That's how I found that article."
"Most of that is science fiction. There's no...."
"Tippler's theorem."
"Mr. Parker, I know you're just trying to impress me by becoming an 'armchair physicist', but please leave the theory to people like Ballard and I."
"Olga, we're still here! Something happened to Donavan..."
Olga Vulkavich quickly grabbed a clipboard and stormed out of the control room.
Olga didn't think much about it for the rest of the day. When she arrived at the base the next morning, the guard at the front fence gave her the message that Talmege wanted to see Vulkavitch immediately in the infermatory.
"Ms. Vulkavitch, I need you to perform an autopsy today."
"An autopsy? On who?"
Talmedge pulled the curtain surrounding the infermatory bed.
Olga stepped back and tried to catch her breath. On the bed was Donavan. His body was covered with dry blood. He was definately dead.
"Donavan's body suffered tremendous stresss during the backstep. He was bleeding internally, and his eyes barely popped out of his head because of the pressure."
"Did he suffer as he died?"
"I am afraid so Talmedge. Probably as long as four minutes. His body is partially decomposed because his body's been in the sphere for four days...uh, four days referenced from the sphere."
"I guess Parker has to backstep now."
"Tippler's theorem," Olga sighed.
"What's wrong Olga?"
"Parker tried to tell me yesterday something was wrong after Donavan backstepped, and I wouldn't listen to him."
~~~
Olga knocked on Parker's door. "Mr. Parker, I wanted to apologize about yesterday."
"Hey Olga, was I right or what?"
"Yes Parker, you were right."
"Pretty good for an 'armchair physicist', huh?"
"Yes, apparently Donavan died when he arrived in the past. So you'll backstep in an hour."
"I don't know. You said a few hurtful things."
"I apologized."
"Let's kiss and make up."
"What?"
"I'll know you mean it then."
Olga went over to Parker and gave him a quick kiss. "I hate it when you manipulate me."
"I bet you say that to all the guys you kiss."
"O.K., let's get this baby back in time!"
"Mr. Parker, please at least reconsider just sticking to the mission."
"Olga, trust me. I'll do what's right."
~~~
Talmedge picked up the phone. "Yes Conundrum."
"In about two hours some hackers are going to get into the DARPA supercomputer and highjack a satelitte."
"O.K. Conundrum. We'll take care of it."
"By the way Talmedge, since it's almost nine o'clock at night, I am going to stay in Norfolk tonight."
"O.K., a military plane will pick you up sometime tomorrow. I'll call you later with the exact time."
~~~
Parker hung up the pay phone, and dialed the next number. The phone rang three times, and a tired sounding woman picked up the phone. "Hello?"
"Hello, is this Allison Vomisa?"
"Yes."
"This is Frank Parker at the Norfolk Municipal City pool. I am calling you to let you know that your son's swimming class is cancelled tomorrow. The pool has a broken filter."
"Thanks for telling me. I have to go now."
"Bye." Parker hung up the phone. That's it. Her son won't go to swim class tomorrow and drown.
~~~
"Ring! Ring!" Parker was already up before the alarm clock went off. He couldn't sleep because of the nightmares he had all night. All of them were about being trapped under water.
Parker got dressed and went to a diner around the corner from the motel he spent the night at.
"Boy, you look like a mess!" The clerk nodded as Frank Parker walked in. "Let me guess...Coffee."
"Yes, as black as you can make it. And some french toast also."
The clerk went to the kitchen. As soon as the door closed, Parker heard a voice behind him.
"You!"
Frank Parker quickly looked around. "Huh?"
"I recognize your voice! You're that guy that claimed he was from the municipal pool cancelling my son's swim class. Lucky for me I called an hour ago to confirm the cancellation."
"You sent your son to swim class?"
"Of course I did."
Frank Parker quickly got up, but Allison Vomisa block the exit. "Where do you think you're going?
"Let me go!"
"I am not done talking to you."
"Yes you are!"
Frank Parker knocked the woman down and got into his car.
Part Four
Frank Parker quickly got out of his car and ran to the municipal pool.
The woman at the front desk greeted him. "I am sorry sir, but the pool is closed...." A siren sounded in the background.
"What is that?"
"There's been an accident." The woman began dialing 911.
Frank Parker ran past the front desk toward the pool.
When he got there, he saw a small boy laying on the cement floor. It was too late. A lifeguard was trying in vain to revive him.
Frank Parker silently walked back to his car.
~~~
Donnavan handed Parker a beer. "So, that's the whole story?"
"Yeah."
"No wondered you didn't tell them why you were late for the transporter in Norfolk."
"I failed him Donavan. After all that trouble, her son still died."
"You didn't fail him."
"Sure I did."
"Frank, traveling through time to save people is nice. Sometimes you can't win them all. Sometimes people make choices that you'll have no control over. You did more than anybody ever could."
"What would you have done if you were me?"
Donavan considered his response for a moment. "I guess I would have done the same things you did."
~~~
After Donavan left, Parker looked up in the Nevada sky. Even stars die eventually Parker tried to remind himself. The greeks made their heros immortal through creating constallations and naming stars.
~~~
Parker focused on a small red star. As long as Parker is alive, he'll think of that as Christopher's star.
The End