* * * * * * *
My next two days were pretty much uneventful by recent standards. Alistair took me to the gym as he promised he would – now that was without doubt a bit of a shock to the system! My whole body is beginning to ache and hurt all over from just an hour’s work out. Mind you, going to the gym yet again only yesterday was probably the killer. I really don’t know how Alistair managed to talk me into going two days in a row – at the first opportunity I will definitely have to pay him back for that one!
In the afternoon I attended the meeting with the rest of the team – it was a complete and utter waste of time. Absolutely nothing was achieved, and nobody was able to put forward any sensible and coherent theories that would shed any light on any of the recent weird goings on.
Was I really surprised? If I was honest with myself, not really. However, I was nevertheless disappointed and greatly frustrated by the fact that in spite of some very clever and able experts surrounding me, there was nobody here that could really help me to understand recent events. Just what was behind all these events that have caused my life to have so quickly turned upside down? Davila’s solution, whilst not ideal, was very simple. She suggested that by further investigating the data from the first run, as well as advancing further with the project itself, some or all of these strange events should hopefully unfold and become more explainable.
So it was decided – the team would continue to work their way through all of the existing data. Additionally, they would also continue with their preparations for a possible second run. It was explained to me that due to the enormous power requirements of the MDT, they had to plan very carefully ahead when they would do the dimension transmissions. This planning meant that they had to reserve the power at least a full two months in advance. If the team did not go ahead with any of these planned runs for whatever reason, then these reserved slots were lost, and would not be replaced. The team only had four slots booked, and the next run was in four days – that is always assuming that it would be authorised by Davila.
Earlier this morning Davila had invited all of us for a business breakfast in the canteen. Apart from Alistair, this was the first time I had seen or spoken to anybody else in the team for two days. The meeting itself was less than an hour and was very informal. The first thing I noticed was that Sarah was her usual self again - very bubbly - and her provocative teasing smile had returned. Sarah, like the other members of the team, was only talking about the project in positive tones – with no mention at all about any of the earlier unsettling events.
Davila explained to me that Sarah and Paul had made a very important and significant breakthrough in how the MDT would work during the next planned run. As I knew only too well from my previous experience of the first run, when I met or became the other Martin in the other dimension, I effectively became and lived as the other Martin. I myself had absolutely no control over what I thought or did, as my own conscious mind got buried deep within the subconscious of the mind of the other Martin. That much we all knew and understood. Sarah and Paul had apparently devised a plan that would change how the MDT would transmit my brain waves on the next run. The way I understood what had been explained is that when I connected the next time, my conscious mind would not get buried - resulting in us both being consciously aware at the same time. Whilst I did understand up to a point what they had told me, it did nevertheless prompt a question from me.
‘Just so that I’m clear on this, assuming that I agree and you authorise the next run, the next time I connect to another one of me, we will both effectively have two separate conscious minds in our heads. Isn’t that going to result in complete and utter confusion between the two of us?’
‘We have considered that scenario, of course,’ replied Davila. ‘However, on balance we don’t think that it should really be too much of an issue, as you Martin, will be in a position to fully understand what is going on, and can therefore communicate to the other Martin just what is going on. Don’t let’s forget, that the way we are planning the second run is really how we envisaged the first run would go – so this has all been thought through and planned.’
‘And do you intend to go ahead with the second run Davila?’
‘We are not decided yet. We are of course all working towards that goal – that’s why we are all here. However, there still remain a few uncertainties after the first run, and we also need to ensure that the MDT can be recalibrated as Sarah and Paul have determined. If and when we can overcome these challenges, then yes, we will then proceed with another run – and hopefully with you on board Martin.’
‘I hope you appreciate that whilst I do want to do this – I do mean that, I am nevertheless reluctant to commit myself at this stage, and I’m sure that you can appreciate that. What if I say no? You must surely have somebody else that can take my place and sit in the chair?’
‘That will be me Martin,’ answered Sarah.
‘It’s no Martin that we have a lot of volunteers to try their hand at dimension travelling, and should you decide not to give it a go at this late stage, well we have decided that Sarah can have a go,’ stated Davila looking straight at Sarah.
I looked across the table directly at Sarah. She returned me one of her familiar teasing smiles before saying, ‘Like everybody else here Martin, I hope you do decide to continue with us – but given the chance I will gladly sit in the chair. I mean who in their right minds wouldn’t?’ she finished with a joyful expectant rub of her hands accompanied with another big smile.
I could see Davila thinking for a moment or two before saying to me, ‘There is another reason that we got you as an outsider to get involved with all this. You see there is another factor involved here that I never previously explained to you, and that is security. Now we all know that you are very intelligent and quick thinking, indeed if you were not, you would not be here. However, no matter what you know about this project and no matter what we have told you, you nevertheless have absolutely no knowledge of any of the basic principles of any of the workings of this project. Am I right?’
‘You know that to be true Davila.’
‘Now, just supposing that we had sent one of our team into another dimension, and they then connected to a sinister version of themselves. The last thing that we want is for that person’s sinister twin to then somehow be able to get hold of our knowledge of the project, and for them to use that for their own personal gain or indeed, even against us – do you follow what I am getting at Martin?’
I thought for a few moments before replying, ‘Are you suggesting that you consider it a possibility that whoever travels to another dimension, could find themselves in some ghastly sinister dimension, where only evil perverted acts take place? Because if that is the case, then that’s not the way I previously understood it.’
‘No, that’s not what we think at all. All I am trying to put over to you is that we do take our security here very seriously, hence all of our very elaborate precautions. What is the possibility of a traveller from here connecting to some evil twin in another dimension, and then for that twin to somehow use their new knowledge in some wicked way? None of us can answer that one with any real certainty. It does nevertheless remain a very, and I do mean very, remote possibility. As we did consider this remote possibility to exist, we were reluctant to use one of our own team on the first run. I am sure you understand our logic on this matter Martin.’
‘I think I am beginning to. Basically you used me, as you knew I didn’t understand anything about the project. Is that also why I wasn’t told anything about the power source down here?’
‘Well, it’s certainly part of it.’
‘So what has changed your mind about sending one of the team?’
‘From the data we have from the first run, as well as your descriptions, we feel that we don’t really need to be too concerned with that particular security element any longer.’
I looked around the table before addressing my next question
at Alistair, ‘Okay, if it’s all right for Sarah to stand in for me if I don’t want to have anything more to do with the project, what am I still doing here? Why do you want me for the second run?’
Alistair was again waving his glasses in front of him as he answered, ‘It’s very simple Martin. You see, all the data and feedback from the first run is from you, and you alone. If we are then able to use the same person and that’s obviously you, and once the MDT has been recalibrated and used a second time, then I’m sure you can see the value in comparing the data and feedback. For us to be in a position to analyse both sets of data from the same person, well it’s going to be invaluable. That’s why we, no…no that’s why I, want you to do another run with us. I know and understand that you are undecided at this point in time, however, hopefully now you understand and appreciate why you’re still here.’
‘I couldn’t have said it any better,’ added Davila. ‘I hope you have at least come to trust us, so that when we say we would like you to do another run with us, we do genuinely mean it, as well as us having sincere and honest reasons behind everything that we say to you. Now that’s been clarified, let’s get back down to the fun part shall we?’ she asked whilst fixing me with one of her serious stares. Her stare may have been serious, but for some reason I was sure I could detect a mischievous smile.
I returned her a blank stare, she then continued, ‘Martin, the next run is scheduled three days from now, so including today we have four days still to go. If it’s okay with you, I would like you to stay here in the complex throughout, so that if you or any of us have any questions we can then talk them through. However, I really should point out to you that should you stay, your next few days could be pretty boring for you, as we will all be busy making our preparations for the next run. So, the decision is entirely yours.’