"I think I've got it, Nathan," Dr. Ranon said.
"Oh, yeah? Tell me."
"Well, we use the Atlas to go back in time to when the eruptions first began and close it, hopefully permanently, at that time, so it won't happen any more in the future."
"Sounds good." Then Nathan hesitated. "Would that affect us in any way? Our lives here, and yours in the 24th century?"
"It wouldn't affect us personally, as we would be out of the effects of time alteration by being in time warp. As for the rest of the world, it seems unlikely that the anti-matter dimension has played any significant role in our history, even up to my time. So it should be fine."
"Good."
"Well then, let's get started."
"Alright. But calculations for time warp would take a lot of time."
"Yes. In my time, I would have been able to use the Atlas' computer for this. But the computer is not used to this time period."
"So we have to start from scratch, right?"
"I'm afraid so."
"Anyway, let's begin."

James felt strange going to school. Not that much had happened. Jenny walked alongside him, silently. But the usual sound of Anna talking to him was missing, although he didn't always hear what she said.
She had been doing other things sometimes before, but something about this time seemed different.
What is it? James thought. Is it possible that she's actually become so close to me recently that I'd miss her at a time like this? He had never considered the fact until then.
Still, he told himself, it's not so bad. Maybe I'm just getting nervous over this other dimension thing. But he knew that there was more to it than that.
"Are you alright, James?"
James looked up suddenly. He turned around to see Jenny staring at him.
"Yes, Jenny. I'm fine. Why shouldn't I be?"
"School's this way, silly."
"Oh. Right." He went and followed Jenny to school, concentrating on the school day ahead of him.

"Why do you want it, anyway?"
"Are you sure you want to know, Anna?"
"Of course. Now tell me, why?"
James hesitated, but then eventually decided to tell her.
"If you really want to know..."
"Yes?" Anna was dying with anticipation.
"Well... What if I told you it's part of a spaceship from the future which has come back through time?"
"I'd say you were either dreaming or crazy."
"I didn't think you'd believe me."
"Why don't you believe him?" Jenny asked.
"Because it isn't exactly what you see everyday."
They came to Anna's house, and went up to the front door. Anna took out a key and unlocked it.
"Come in. I'll only be a minute." Anna ran up the stairs to get the strange object she had found and James now mysteriously wanted. She had no use for it, so he might as well have it, if he wanted it so much.
While going in, James noticed someone hiding behind them. Quickly he went inside and took Jenny in, closed the door and looked out the window.
The person, a fairly old man who seemed familiar but who James couldn't quite name, came up closer to the door.
James hurriedly locked the door and took Jenny and hid behind a door. He watched as the man outside tried to unlock the door, and somehow managed to succeed. The man came in and followed Anna up the stairs. Covertly, James and Jenny followed.
Anna went into the bathroom. The man hid in a cupboard, waiting. James and Jenny waited as well, around the corner.
Anna came out and went into her bedroom. She went over to the shelf and picked up the mysterious object. She looked at it for a moment, before heading back to the door.
Just then the door opened. James and Jenny heard some muffled noises.
"Come on," James said. "Let's go."
They rushed to Anna's bedroom and looked in. There they saw Anna and the man, both of them with their backs facing them. The man had tied up Anna and gagged her, and was now looking at the object which she had been holding.
He took off Anna's gag, and began to talk to her.
"So," he said in a gruff voice, "what's this?"
Anna didn't speak, except to shout, "Help!" The man hurriedly put the gag back on.
"Well anyway," he continued, "whatever it is, it looks like we could examine it."
He turned around to go out.
Just then, a large, heavy book fell, and he dropped down unconscious.
James put the book down, and began to untie Anna. Then he tied up the man.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine."
James turned to Jenny. "Jenny, go home and get help."
"Okay." She went out and down the stairs.
"Do you know what that was all about?" Anna asked, giving him the object she had taken back.
"I'm not sure, but I think I know."

"He seems to be a certain Professor Richard Farrell, who lives not far from here," Dr. Ranon said. He had been checking through the computer files, and cross-referencing from the man captured by James. "But something seems different. On the molecular-level scan, he doesn't seem to be a person at all. He doesn't register as matter. All we get is a powerful amount of photons."
"You mean..." Nathan began.
"I believe so. Chances are he's from the antimatter dimension."
"What would he be doing here?" Christine asked.
"He may be trying to ensure that we don't stop the invasion of the antimatter dimension here and now."
"How?"
"Who knows? But for now we can't do much except lock him up."
"Right." Nathan agreed.
Dr. Campbell and Dr. Ranon carried the still tied and unconscious man to the back of the shuttle. Dr. Ranon pressed a button on the wall.
"Computer, engage security containment field."
The air sparkled with the activation of the graviton polarity field, holding the man prisoner.
"It also appears," Dr. Ranon continued, "that the photon concentration is a type of shielding which prevents contact between matter and antimatter."
"Whatever the reason, he may be involved just as much as his counterpart," Dr. Campbell said.
"Go on," Dr. Ranon said.
"Well, I don't know much about antimatter dimensions, but I believe that while there are general differences between us and them, overall things are the same. When one thing is not mirrored by the other in some way, an eruption occurs."
"I get it," James suddenly said. "So if Professor Farrell from the other dimension is involved, then it is likely that our Professor Farrell is just as much involved in some way, right?"
"Right," Dr. Ranon agreed. "You have quite a son there, Nathan." He smiled at James. "But if the anti- Farrell knew this, then he would have done something."
"Can you locate the other Professor Farrell, just to be sure?"
"I suppose from here we can." He went to the front again. The others followed.
After a few minutes, the computer came up with the results.
"Professor Farrell is right there," Dr. Ranon said, pointing to a spot on the screen. "And it looks like he's in some kind of trouble."
"That's Centennial Park," Christine remarked. "We'd better go and get him."
"Okay," Nathan agreed. "Now, Rachel and Daniel, stay here with Jenny and Sally, will you? The rest of us, let's go to the van."
"Here," Dr. Ranon said to Rachel as he passed, giving her a small box-like object. "Take this communicator. Call us if there's any trouble."
"Alright." She took the communicator.

"He's around here somewhere."
"Over there."
They went to the dark form of Professor Richard Farrell, the real one, tied to a tree. Nathan untied him.
"Thanks," Professor Farrell said.
"Don't mention it, Professor."
"Do you know what just happened?" Professor Farrell asked. "I seem to have been captured by myself."
"That would be your counterpart from the antimatter dimension," Dr. Ranon explained.
"Interesting. Antimatter, eh? Very fascinating. Tell me more."
Just then Dr. Ranon's pocket beeped. He took out a box like the one he had given to Rachel.
"Yes?" he said into it.
Rachel's voice came out of it. "Hello? Yes. Something's happened." She sounded petrified. "The Professor's escaped. He took the shuttle and knocked out Daniel."
Nathan stepped closer. "Don't worry, honey," he said, "we're coming home." He turned to Professor Farrell. "There is an imminent invasion from the antimatter dimension. Will you help us?"
Professor Farrell smiled. "I'd never pass up an opportunity like this."
Nathan look around. "Then let's go."

After things had settled down and Daniel had been taken to the hospital, Anna approached James quietly and sat down.
"James," she said, "I'm sorry I didn't believe you before."
James looked at her. "Don't worry. I must admit it does sound a bit odd."
"I'd like to help in any way," she continued.
At this, James looked deeper into her eyes. "Are you sure you want to? Things are getting complicated now. I'm not sure I even understand it all."
"I want to help, James," she said. "Besides, I've now figured out that science isn't so bad. Even if I am hoping to become a writer when I grow up." Then she smiled and kissed him. After a few seconds, she looked at him, smiled again and went off.
Well, James thought, this is it. And he stood up and left.

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