As you press the button again, the vortex folds around you, wrapping itself against your flesh. The veil grows thinner and thinner, and shapes begin to become apparent. Faces rushing past, eyes staring, terrified, blank, featureless, rippling walls. A harsh voice like sound repeats and repeats. You are amazed by the speed at which people are racing past you until it dawns upon you that it is you who are moving, as fast as you can think. The bubble bursts and you are truly there, screaming through the crowds, a solid ball of pain and fear. You scream out, feeling the sudden heat flash of remembered momentum and reach out an arm to try and stop yourself. It meets with solidity and is whipped back against your body with a crack that numbs the mind. You scream once more, in agony and despair, and then feel consciousness slipping away.




Echoes. Sounds. Flashes of light. Shadow of Anarch. Sounds of speech. Words. Fear. Words.

"How are you feeling?"

Eyes. Eyes open and staring. Ornate patterns of light and shade. Eyesight. Colours.

"Can you understand me?"

You blink, forcing your eyes into focus. Mouth opens. Blow air at vocal cords.

"Where am I?"

"Medical centre. You've been out for several days."

"I was... in Oxford..."

The face frowns, then smiles reassuringly.

"Just a bad dream. Relax. I should make the most of it while you can. A lot of very important people want to have a talk with you.

"What about?"

You manage to ask the question and your ears hear the answer, but you're two tired to make any sense out of it. Your eyes close and consciousness begins to slip away again. You have crossed space and time, you're in another world... another life... another...

"The transporter....?"

You drag yourself to a sitting position, the room rolling around you.

"Where's my transporter...."

The doctor looks round, frowns again, and comes back towards you. His eyes tell the reply you do not wish to hear, but your mind is already crawling back into shadow.




When you next wake, it is dark. A few moans come from adjoining beds, but there is no sign of any form of authority. You look around. With the transporter gone, you are trapped in this time and space until either you can find another, or Anarch decides otherwise.

'A lot of very important people want to have a talk with you.'

You don't like the sound of that. The question is, what should you do about it? They might have some connection with the two dead bodies who gave you the transporter, in which case contacting them might be a good idea, but on the other hand...



Click here, if you want to stay here and talk to them.
Click here, if you'd prefer to sneak off and try to find the transporter.

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