"There is only the past and present; there is no future," Professor Osorio said. "You have heard this before. The notion of the future is an abstract principal, relative to where one sits in the arrow of time. It is one of the guiding principals of temporal mechanics we have developed here at the University in our study of time." He glanced around the room, then continued. "Why am I repeating this to you? You have all been successful in your studies.
"You have been chosen over your peers. Each of you has had three intense years of training on the subject of time! You know this lesson!" He said emphatically. The short, round man with thinning hair and prominent brown beard paused for effect. "I am repeating the first of our basic tenets because, to you, it is just words; knowledge gained, not practiced. You must internalize these principles in order to be successful Interns, Supervisors, and one day even Managers. Who is to know, one of you one day may take over for the Mistress herself."
In the small audience sat a young woman, for whom this brief didactic message on the first day of her transition from Student to Intern, had great meaning.
Andrea Woodbridge kept her eyes on the aging part-time Manager who also served as an instructor at the University. As he spoke, she recorded all his words for later study and had positioned herself strategically in the audience. She planned to disengage from the group and speak one-on-one with the Professor once he had completed his talk.
Andrea stood out in the crowd. She wasn't noticeably beautiful. But from a profile view, one would notice how her forehead and lower face were in line with each other. Her dark skin glowed, but her face was in a sea of mixed-race. Her diluted bloodlines stood out. Her spongy hair had no additional coloring and was held in two ponytails. She lacked any tattoos or piercings, and appeared smart in her new, white Interns' uniform.
The lecture ended and Andrea made her move on the olive skinned Professor.
"Professor Osorio? Could I have a moment?"
"Ms. Woodbridge, of course. Congratulations on being selected for internship," the Professor replied, but with little enthusiasm.
"Thank you!" Andrea replied. She was new to the Keepers of Time, but spoke to the veteran as though he was her own uncle. "I was wondering," she said. "If there was any truth to the rumor that we may have some say in our department assignments?"
"Ah. Well, to that I cannot speak. Student profiles are examined by each department head and choices are made by presumptive strengths. So, even if you had a preference..."
"I do have a preference," she interrupted. "I'd really like to be considered for timeline preservation. That's where you work when you're not teaching at the University, isn't it?"
The aged Professor nearly blushed. "And who told you that?" he snorted.
"Rumors get around. I have always enjoyed your philosophical approach to learning about time. And, paradoxes have always interested me. Timeline preservation is where I'd like to be."
"Young lady," the professor smiled, "I admire your drive, but I have never heard any rumor that you could submit preferences for Intern placement. And I have heard all the rumors."
A guilty smile crept across the girl's face.
"The fact about timeline preservation, it has become a necessary part of our job as Keepers. While we try to educate, and travel for historical documentation and tourism, mistakes can be made. Repairing paradoxes is almost a janitorial function; a function that a bright girl such as yourself could do better than. Have you considered documentation?"
"To be blunt, Sir," Andrea responded in a lower tone, "timeline preservation is the field I have chosen to pursue as long as I am asked to continue on with my employment as a Keeper. I thought a personal recommendation from a dignified Manager of the department would go a long way."
"You are quite sure of yourself, aren't you?" Professor Osorio said, also lowering his voice. "Fine, I will mention your name, but there are some things you should know. I once was one of the four controlling Managers of the department, but not anymore. I am on my way out. I feel the need for early retirement. If you find yourself assigned to timeline preservation, walk in with open eyes. That office is not the happy smiling face you see on advertisements for the tourism department. Timeline preservation can have a grey hue to it. Things are not as clear-cut as one would imagine them to be. It is the dark side to our business that we do not show to the public. You may learn things that ruin the job for you, or you may thrive on it. Just be warned what you are stepping a foot into."
Andrea beamed, knowing she had convinced the old man. In her opinion, no one gave warnings about the difficulty of a job unless it was very rewarding. She was not of the faint of heart, being more inclined to solve problems, as opposed to babysitting a bunch of rich vacationers.
The tone and volume of the conversation returned to normal.
"I'm sad to see you go!" Andrea said. "I was hoping I might get to work along side of you, get to learn from someone with both academic and practical experience."
"Well, I feel my time has come and gone." Osorio replied with a sad spark in his eyes. "The thought of living out a carefree life in a simpler time has got my imagination by the hooks. I have always looked forward to the day when I could turn away from the projections and make tangible clay sculptures with my soft hands. Real tangible work..."
"A simpler time?" Andrea asked. "Are you going to retire somewhere in the past?"
"I am," Osorio said, a twinkle shined in his eyes at the thought. "London, Great Britain, May of 1904. It is an exciting time for science, and yet still has many modern conveniences. So please young lady, don't weep over me. There are plenty of other role models. You may be surprised to know, the Mistress keeps a special place in her heart for the department. You may perhaps stand beside the woman who invented time travel."