Acme Time Travel Incorporated - Volume 2

Clacton – the Golf Course

“Well, that’s the care home told,” said Ginny.

Gabriel finished off his text to Barney and pressed SEND.

“All done,” he said.

“I’ll just let Moth know,” Ginny said.

She began tapping out a new text message, just as Gabriel’s phone rang.

“Hello mate,” Gabriel said.

Ginny looked over inquisitively, and Gabriel mouthed ‘Barney’ back to her.

Gabriel put his phone back to his ear, listening to Barney’s worried tone.

“No, it’s nothing serious, Barney,” Gabriel said into his phone.

“No, honestly, I’m fine, Barney.”

“Yes. She’s with me now.”

“Honestly, I’m really ok, Barney.”

“Yes, we are going together.”

“I can’t really tell you, Barney, but I think you might be interested in the story if I get back.”

“No, I meant when, Barney. When I get back.”

“Yeah, ok then Barney. I’ll see you when I get back.”

“Yeah, sure Barney. I’ll be seeing you. Cheers mate.”

Gabriel clicked off the phone and looked over at Ginny.

“I’m glad that he called you,” said Ginny.

“Why is that?” asked Gabriel.

“He would have worried otherwise.”

“I think he still will,” said Gabriel.

. . . . . . . .

“There is no-one about,” said Vicky.

Gabriel peered into the darkness around them. They had set off walking out of town, down the Marine Parade in the direction of Jaywick. A short walk had taken them to the Clacton golf course, which they thought would be sufficiently remote for their purpose.

“So, what do we do now?” asked Ginny.

“I need to request a suitable craft,” explained Vicky. “I will do that now.”

The darkness nearby began to shimmer, and a shape began to materialise. It was bobbing gently in the air, floating just inches off the ground. It was maybe forty feet long. Two massive engines hung off its stern.

“This is a ramstat-powered craft,” Vicky explained. “It can accommodate two people. It can travel vast distances. Its motors will run almost indefinitely. It uses dark matter energy to recharge its fuel cells. Crucially, it includes CrYO-PODS.”

The moon came out from behind clouds, and Gabriel stared at the craft in the moonlight. It was incredibly sleek, and it had a vaguely opalescent sheen to it. It was like looking at the underbelly of a fish.

“You had better get in,” advised Vicky.

“How do you ...,” said Gabriel, but just then a section of the craft’s sleek shell appeared to unpeel, exposing an entrance to the craft.

“Come on then, Ginny,” Gabriel said, holding his hand out for Ginny to grab.

She took his hand, and they both entered the craft. The door panel closed itself silently behind them.

As they entered, pale lighting revealed a cockpit with two seats. Gabriel saw a mass of instrumentation glowing gently.

“How can we ever fly ...?” he asked, suddenly aware that they had no idea how to fly even a toy glider, let alone a spacecraft.

“The instrumentation is more informational,” said Vicky. “These craft can be piloted without even touching the controls, but the option is always there to fly them manually. Some clients like to fly them manually.”

“Wow,” said Ginny.

“Would either of you like to learn?” Vicky asked.

“Yes please,” Ginny said.

“Well, maybe we should just get underway,” said Vicky. “I can teach you on the way, if that’s alright.”

“That would be great,” said Gabriel, though a trifle less enthusiastically than Ginny.

“Ok,” said Vicky. “I will just get us going. If you wish to explore another planet, then I would suggest SEG002. It is the nearest off-world mining planet. If that is acceptable, I can transmit the course to the starship’s onboard computer.”

Gabriel smiled at Ginny. He couldn’t stop himself from grinning.

“I think that would be a fine choice,” Ginny said.

“Very well. If you would care to take a seat ...”

Gabriel and Vicky climbed into the two seats in the cockpit.

“Initiate cloaking,” said Vicky.

“What’s that?” asked Ginny.

“Well, we don’t want to be seen as we leave,” explained Vicky.

“As we leave where?” said Ginny.

“The Earth,” said Vicky.

“Oh yeah ... ok then,” said Ginny.

“Ok ship,” said Vicky, “I am going to give you verbal instructions so that my clients are aware of your communications protocols. Is that understood?”

“That’s fine,” said the spacecraft, using a soft male voice. “Should I take it that this will be the ongoing method for control until otherwise notified.”

“Yes, please do,” Vicky said.

“And Ship, can you please note that my clients are called Gabriel and Ginny,” Vicky said.

“I am pleased to meet the both of you, and I hope that I can provide you with a pleasant journey,” said the spacecraft.

“Ok Ship,” said Vicky. “Can we please proceed to the off-world mining planet SEG002. Can you please ascend slowly, to enable my clients to view the Earth as we leave? Also, I would be grateful if you would enable complete transparency of the cockpit, so that my clients have the fullest view as we ascend.”

“Very well, Vicky,” the ship replied. “I will begin the ascent now.”

The interior cockpit lights dimmed, and then the walls of the cockpit seemed to turn to glass, giving the impression that Gabriel and Vicky were sitting in seats which were simply floating in the air.

Gabriel heard a very low ... a very deep bass growl, which was gone almost as soon as it happened. He looked over to Ginny questioningly, as if she might know what it was.

“The low sound you may have heard was the main ramstat motors coming online,” Vicky said. “They run silently, other than on initial start-up.”

Ginny leaned over and grabbed hold of Gabriel’s hand as the ship slowly lifted itself into the sky. The lights of Clacton could be seen below, and as they rose the entire section of coastline could be discerned.

The lights from the coastal towns were visible below them, dimming out as they rose up slowly into the low cloud.

“We don’t seem to have any sense of motion,” Gabriel observed, half-questioningly. “I would have thought that we would be able to tell that we were moving?”

“The ship is designed to protect you from the effects of acceleration and deceleration,” explained Vicky. “Otherwise you would not be able to withstand the impact of such forces on your human bodies.”

“Just like on Star Trek,” Ginny said, chuckling.

“Yeah, I guess so,” replied Gabriel, smiling back at her.

The ship interrupted them. “Please be aware that I will shortly need to make the walls opaque, to protect your eyes from the direct rays from your Sun.”

As it spoke, the transparent walls began to darken, just as they rose up into sunlight and into the fringes of space.

Gabriel turned to look at Ginny. She was staring at the starry vista, spellbound by it.

Her eyes were wide with excitement. Her blonde hair seemed to be glowing in the rays from the Sun.

“Ginny?” he said.

“Yes, Gabriel?” she replied, turning to look at him.

“I think I love you,” he said.

“I suppose you say that to all the girls you take for a flight in your space-ship,” she said, grinning.

“No ... really Ginny. I really think that I love you,” Gabriel said.

Ginny leaned over and slowly ran her fingers down the side of Gabriel’s face, as if exploring every aspect of his features.

“Well, I suppose that’s all right then,” she said, chuckling to herself.

Ginny got up out of the cockpit seat and turned to look at the ship behind her.

“Vicky?” she said.

“Yes, Ginny,” Vicky replied.

“If we are going to spend the next 163 years in this spaceship, I think you ought to at least show us where the toilet and the shower facilities are.”

Gabriel chuckled, giving a small prayer of thanks that the girl he loved (or at the very least felt that he couldn’t live another day without) was so lovely, so clever, so brave and had a wry turn of phrase.

“I will show you around,” said Vicky. “Let’s walk down through that hatch-way on the left, and I will explain as we go.”

Gabriel and Ginny followed Vicky directions, with a great deal of excitement and anticipation.

BOOK TWO