Traveller Manifesto

The Story so far …

Traveller Book 1 - Traveller Inceptio

The Transporter. It was always about the Transporter.

And how it was developed was largely accidental.

But isn’t that the way? A quick check through Google and you can easily build a list of world-changing accidental inventions. There’s potato chips, Coca Cola, the pacemaker, the Slinky, microwave ovens, LSD, and so many more. Some we could have lived without, others arguably have made the world a more liveable place.

But the Transporter?

A group of research candidates funded by global security company, Helguard Security, were to develop a next-generation passenger baggage scanner, but thanks to an unsteady intercession, their research produced something vastly different.

What does one do with technology that, instead of scanning airline baggage, sends an individual 1000 years into the past?

As soon as the Transporter became publicly known, intense debate about what to do with it intensified into an audacious research project suggested by eminent British academic and historian, Professor Adrian Taylor. Why not use the Transporter for historical research?

But where? And who to send?

Several nations that had participated in the development of the Transporter were interested enough to supply the services of those most efficient in surviving the most trying times, namely members of their military’s Special Forces. Dubbed Saxon Traveller, none expected the project to succeed, yet a team of ten Special Forces candidates were trained in the languages and skills that would assist them to integrate into the society of 11th Century Saxon Aengland. But this was a perilous time, when English history was experiencing a period of significant change.

Australian SAS Sergeant Michael Hunter was sent to the 11th Century and eventually wins the trust of the local community, and the heart of one in particular. Following a battle with invading Vikings, on which he draws on the resources of his 21st Century Traveller colleagues, he returns to the present day.

He eventually resumes the life of a modern researcher in Anglo Saxon times.

Traveller Book 2 - Traveller Probo

Traveller Missions become the biggest issue in global politics and the Transporter’s use is hotly contested.

Most nations are required to pay a hefty sum to use the Transporter for their own Historical Research projects, though there are efforts to copy the Transporter’s technology.

Not all nations can afford the price tag to use the Transporter, so a lottery is developed where small nations can undertake their own limited Traveller projects for free.

New Zealand Traveller is the first such project, but it is beset upon by problems of their own.

Meanwhile, a new Traveller Mission, Byzantium Traveller, is under development. Overseen by Lt Tony Osborne of the original Saxon Traveller team, the Travellers include Professor Adrian Taylor who is to visit the ancient Byzantine Empire’s capital, Constantinople, known today as Istanbul.

Other Traveller Missions are also under development. The USA is to launch Mississippi Traveller, while Ukraine is training a team to research the Rus city of Kiev.

Saxon Traveller, Michael Hunter, has to return to the 21st Century because of a medical scare highlighting the potential for a medical mission to Saxon Giolgrave.

The Byzantium Traveller mission progresses well, though the innocuous gifts of ribbon attract too much attention. A team under McAlister accompanies a Varangian Guard patrol and is attacked. Meanwhile, Professor Taylor’s team is invited to an audience with the newly returned Emperor Basil. The Professor and McFee are retained as guests until a shipment of ribbon can be delivered to Constantinople.

In a final move to save the villagers of Giolgrave from the machinations of the modern military, Michael Hunter resigns from the Traveller programme and removes himself from modern contact.

But another clandestine Traveller mission appears to be under way as a 1st Century Roman patrol comes into contact with a US and Israeli team led by former Saxon Traveller, US Ranger Paul Anderson.

The question is: What is next for the Transporter and Michael Hunter?