Traveller Probo
12. USA

“You can’t be serious,” gasped Professor Lady Deborah Alexander of the Oxford University, the world’s leading centre for the study of Late Antiquity and Middle Age European History. Professor Alexander enjoyed the distinction of being a part of the small, elite group that had originally championed the Transporter as a research tool. Because she had supported Professor Sir Adrian Taylor, she, through the university, had helped organise and oversee much of the education of the original Saxon Traveller team. Professor Taylor was chief recipient of the raw data and observations from the project, so Professor Alexander also continued to receive observations and data from Michael Hunter in Saxon England. Though not having enjoyed as high a public profile as Professor Taylor, she had been a champion of the Traveller concept from the very beginning. His scheme had been so improbable and so audacious yet, through the efforts of a few iconoclasts, their gamble had actually paid off. The upshot was that Professor Taylor’s faction had enjoyed the successes the project offered without investing any of the real risk. It had all come so breathtakingly close to being a disaster but now every historian benefitted from the popularity in the now-fashionable area of study. Like her colleagues, Professor Alexander’s reputation had been further enhanced by a weight of prestigious publications, all thanks to Transporting modern researchers back to Saxon England.

Like Professor Taylor, her academic star was in its ascendancy. Historical study had never been considered a particularly glamorous field of academic endeavour but after the thrill of official recognition in the form of a title from the Queen, as fellow director of Historical Research International, Professor Lady Alexander was one of the team who selected which nation was to use the Transporter.

The broadcast of her latest television series on the Saxons and Europe of the 10th and 11th Centuries, with her deep insider knowledge on the Saxon Traveller project, had recently boosted her own profile with the public. Many of her colleagues had seen their own fame come to fruition.

And why not?

But so much more was at stake.

If the tiny, historically insignificant New Zealand, a nation of only four or so million, could be a member of what became known as the Traveller Club, then could not every nation? All looked to New Zealand’s success as a shining example for their own aspirations of national pride and prestige that would come with sending a team back in Time.

Hopes could be shattered, however. The emerging debacle of New Zealand was forcing them to re-evaluate all Transporter programmes and the role of Historical Research International was under pressure. What made matters worse, was that New Zealand was a wealthy, progressive nation with excellent disease control and a world-class, modern military. If they had issues with their Transporter Project, how would one of the more economically challenged nations hope to manage?

Two SAS researchers; two young men in their prime, dead! Others, including Doctor Neil Chow, injured. Appalling! To make New Zealand matters even worse, local Maori villagers had been killed and one actually brought back to the 21st century! The historical ramifications could be disastrous, not to mention the disease control concerns. Those who ventured into the past understood the risks. Yet it seemed that after the Saxon venture, many historical research planners had been lulled into a false sense of security. They had been convinced that modern elite military training, know-how, and technology could deal with anything the past could throw at them. After the Battle for Giolgrave, Professor Lady Alexander, along with most of the world, believed Special Forces researchers to be almost indestructible.

The New Zealand plan had been to simply observe locals who had the most rudimentary technology, yet the elite Special Forces researchers had been ambushed and two killed!

For God’s Sake! She massaged her temples and feared the onset of a migraine. She had managed to keep the rampant headaches, the crippling disorientation and that damned aura associated with the malady under control. She didn’t need to start the stress-associated migraine cycle again.

What made the matters worse was how they, as a committee, had only just learned of the New Zealand events after it had been splashed all over the international media. Some enterprising local journalist had intercepted insecure police communications, a common enough practice to be sure, and grasped enough details to be on location at the right time. The story was covered globally and the social media was going berserk.

Is it possible, she thought sadly, that a Traveller project could be completed without having ambulances gather, or without leaving someone in the past?

This meeting for the managing committee for Historical Research International was hurriedly convened via internet conferencing. The committee knew little more than the media. Granted, they now had been able to access the names of those who had been killed, and the broad observations leading up to their ambush by Maori villagers. While they waited, raw footage was being downloaded from Dr Chow’s research team while he received badly needed medical attention.

Professor Lady Alexander, (Lady! The title still thrilled her, and had her American colleagues in a lather of envy), sat in the office of an American committee member; Professor William Cowen. Joined together by virtual meeting, the committee discussed the current crisis while they struggled with the grave implications. Not surprisingly, some of the committee displayed the sphincter-tightening response typical to academics and bureaucrats and favoured a complete shutdown of all Transporter projects. They could then examine the procedures adopted by the New Zealanders, though they were procedures this very committee had verified. As visions of further academic glory faded, most of the dozen who made the quorum for Historical Research International opted to avoid any responsibility, a tactic soundly denounced by none other than Professor Sir Adrian Taylor himself.

“No Lady Alexander I must re-emphasise my position on this,” Professor Taylor stressed, his face flushed in irritation. “Historical Research International cannot be seen to prevaricate on the New Zealand situation. All of us agree that the team followed procedures to the letter. Their only error was that the security team on the ground sent soldiers back in time to rescue their team members. Yes, it was against procedures, procedures you may recall I never supported. But we must keep in mind that their actions were spectacularly courageous and successful.” He paused and took a deep breath. None interjected, so he continued, “The final researcher, Lieutenant Jonah Pokere of their SAS, was alone and was sure to be killed, if not taken alive and submitted to the most bestial torture. Dr Chow suggests the locals could have even eaten him alive. These Travellers, we all agree, were extraordinarily brave in what quickly escalated into a horrendously dangerous situation. Their roles were to observe and protect, roles they performed admirably, so admirably that two of the Travellers were killed on duty. We need to remember that we’re not dealing with absolutes here, that historical research with the Transporter has its risks and rewards. It is an imperative that we stand with the New Zealand team and support them.”

“It might be a small consolation but the footage from their project looks unbelievable,” nodded Professor Darren Goldman of Harvard University. The message was clear. Superb footage meant that it could be crafted into highly profitable media. Since Saxon Traveller, the public had developed an insatiable appetite for spectacular footage and the world’s media conglomerates would pay handsomely. In the agreement to use the Transporter, a confidential copy of all raw data was always sent directly to Historical Research International.

Professor Goldman continued. “So far as I see, the video clarity and sound is even better than Saxon Traveller. I’ve only just had a quick look at a few files and I can assure you there are details we can’t reveal to the public. Much of this will be far too shocking.”

“We must be united in our decision,” continued Professor Taylor, “We must stand by the New Zealanders and then announce our project as proposed.”

There were nods on the computer screens, though some looked troubled.

“That means we must take quite a risk Professor,” suggested Professor Habib Abbas of the University of Cairo in Egypt.

“That is the only way these projects can proceed,” interjected Professor Esther Febvre from the Sorbonne in Paris. “Surely, we all agreed that such a research tool carries enormous risk. Each government, each educational facility, and each researcher understands this implicitly.”

“May I suggest then that we make a unified media statement of support for the New Zealand researchers and government, and then announce that we will initiate our own Traveller project?” persisted Professor Taylor with the ghost of a smile. There were groans and a few murmurs of objection but nothing too vocal. Professor Alexander was certain that he enjoyed baiting the other committee members whom, she knew, he often thought of as mouldy old farts. As driven and controversial as he was brilliant, Professor Taylor had, almost single-handedly, argued the point for the use of the Transporter as a historical research tool. Granted, she and a few other well-placed supporters in that original meeting had ensured the topic had stayed on the agenda but Professor Taylor had backed his arguments with his own neck on the professional chopping block. Now, despite being the target of intense professional jealousy, those in the quorum now enjoyed wealth and enormous influence through Professor Taylor’s rash actions. His had become a voice to be heeded and many saw him as the first among equals, a fact not lost on the others and especially not lost on Professor Taylor himself.

The murmurs of uncertainty and dissent faded as lively discussion ensued. As usual, it all boiled down to money. Nations considering the multi-billion-dollar payment to implement their own Traveller project needed to be certain that the procedures were sound and that the Transporter worked as it should. There must be minimal, if any harm to the societies being researched, a guideline that seemed to have spectacularly failed to date

Byzantium! Professor Alexander thought with a thrill. Even the name was impossibly exotic and the proposition breathtaking in its scope. “May I add, ladies and gentlemen, my support to Adrian’s proposal,” she offered. She noted a few annoyed expressions and Professor Taylor’s smile and nod of assent. “To send a team of researchers to the Byzantine Empire at its pinnacle is not to send a researcher or two into a village in the forest,” she continued. “We are going to place modern researchers into a civilisation at its peak. The Byzantine Empire was Christianity’s bastion in Eastern Europe, a flowering of arts and literature while the rest of Europe, including Rome, lived little more than a barbaric lifestyle based on raiding neighbours and slaughtering the weak. This will be a centre of one of the most powerful civilisations the world has ever seen, trading with the precursors of today’s Russians, as well as with India, China, and the rest of Europe. The Byzantine Empire was a cosmopolitan melting pot of culture and peoples; impossibly wealthy, cultured, and implacably opposed to anything non-Christian. We would be insane if we gave up on such an ambitious, audacious and exciting project.”

She paused, impressed at her own depth of feeling. She knew such a project would be dazzling in its scope.

Not to mention immeasurably profitable.

Each committee member knew that to launch a historical research project into ancient Byzantium would cause a media sensation, regardless that few of the public knew what or where Byzantium was. The prospect of a high-profile mission would be certain to enliven interest in historical projects, especially important after the looming disaster of New Zealand.

Besides, all knew that interest in Transporter Corp’s reality TV show Hunter in Saxon England was waning. With the absence of battles and slaughter, most viewers weren’t following the daily survival of the Giolgrave Villagers in Saxon England as they once had. With diminishing viewing figures, it was rumoured that some countries might cancel the show after this viewing season. After the incredible battle for Giolgrave, the terrible winter with the tragic deaths, and the marriage of Hunter to Tatae, the most exciting thing to happen recently was to witness the birth of a few babies and watching Tatae pull a snake-like parasitic worm from the nostril of a small child.

Yes, she nodded as she looked to Professor Cowen for support, interest in history was in need of a boost. Historical Research International was, after all, a private corporation. Together with Transporter Corp, they made the weighty decisions on the use of the Transporter and each member of the committee received a hefty share of the royalties from media rights, licensed merchandising and any newly rediscovered herbal lore. Multi-million-dollar consultancy fees were hard to come by, especially for historians, so each committee member knew the money had to keep rolling in. A team of Travellers to Byzantium could discover art and architecture lost for centuries, capture music that may have shaped music today, and experience the scents and sights of food that would hearken back to the luxuries of decadent, imperial Rome. The potential was obvious and, as Professor Taylor had suggested to Professor Alexander some days previously, Byzantium Traveller could be the high-point of any Transporter project. All other projects would be eclipsed.

As the meeting drew to an obvious close, Professor Taylor decided to drop his final bombshell. “So, as agreed, we’ll proceed with Byzantium Traveller.” He paused for effect and gave a small smile, which had Professor Alexander almost chuckle. “I think now is the best time to mention, my dear colleagues, that I intend to be a part of the Byzantium research team and will therefore become a Traveller. Following the lead of Dr Neil Chow, I think it appropriate that an academic researcher accompany the lads to Byzantium. It’s just too tempting to resist.”

There was stunned silence. Predictably, it was Professor Gail O’Malley of Stanford University who was the first to state the obvious. “Professor Taylor, with the greatest of respect, you’re no longer a spring chicken! You’re hardly in the physical shape demanded by the rigorous Traveller fitness standards we, as a committee, demand. If faced with a situation similar to those experienced in Saxon Traveller and New Zealand Traveller, there’s every chance of you being killed!” Her eyes looked as if they wanted to bore holes into Professor Taylor but, as usual, he seemed immune. “Despite your persistent delight in baiting this committee, we’d all agree that you’re simply far more valuable to humanity and historical research if you stayed in the present.” Professor O’Malley’s sternly matriarchal features could not hide the disapproval many of the other board members shared.

The Russian, Professor Yumashev, barked in laughter and Professor Taylor smiled widely, for he enjoyed yet another attention-seeking moment from a group of academics known for their own petty infighting. After an appropriately polite pause, he simply continued, “As you are each aware, I am the world’s most experienced specialist in the interaction between the Saxons, Normans and the Byzantine Empire, having presented a number of seminal papers on the topic. I have been exercising, with Sergeant Chris Parker, the trainer of the Saxon Travellers, as my personal trainer and my linguistic skills are peerless. I’m the most qualified and more likely than any other historian to be accepted to lead the research team. As well as knowing the project thoroughly and having organised the outstanding success of Saxon Traveller, I have cordial personal relationships with the British and Australian Saxon Traveller team members who will be joining us in Byzantium Traveller. I have also a very close relationship with my colleagues in Turkey, especially the eminent Professor Kemal Askar of Boğaziçi University in Istanbul. He will oversee the Turkish management of this project. I have the best connections to make this project work. As agreed by this committee, the initial organisation of this project is already in progress and I’m more heavily involved than any of us.”

“Okay, okay Adrian, I concur!” exclaimed Professor William Cowen. Though he had initially been annoyed when Professor Alexander alerted him of Professor Taylor’s decision, Professor Cowen decided to support them. They were all familiar with Professor Taylor’s political savvy and she was, on many occasions, forced to admire the old boy’s tenacity. What caught her fleeting suspicion was how Professor Cowen seemed to concede to Professor Taylor’s arguments all too quickly. Both Professor Cowen and Professor Taylor had built their careers in the Holy Land and were often found to be in disagreement on one point of another, so his acquiescence was something to watch closely.

The other committee members reluctantly gave their assent, though each would no doubt be now planning their own inclusion in future Traveller projects. Lady Alexander smiled. Oh how each wanted to be the one that knocked the preening Professor Sir Adrian Taylor off his perch!