Only a Matter of Time

Adum Thox stood patiently before the great device, he marvelled at its potential. The hall although large was dimly lit with pale lanterns, the great device was situated as best Adum could tell in the centre of the hall; although much of the hall was clearly hidden he sensed it was astonishingly vast; previous 'purchasers' had told him as much. Something in the way echoes sustained in the air from his movements told him it was vast beyond compare; this assumption seemed a reasonable bet. The air was chill, not unpleasant merely the chill of a space too vast to heat uniformly.

Adum appeared nervous he glanced at his forearm and the information flashing back at him from a glowing screen seemlessly attached to him seemingly re-assured and steadied him. Adum waited for lack of viable alternatives, the percentage was rising and seemed true to him however he dared not act but within the wishes of the ‘roulette machine' it was shut off once more and would continue to be so until the appropriate moments, he had no notion of when these 'chance moments' would present themselves. He smiled wryly at the years of ‘chance intuition’ classes he had attended in preparation. The number 1056 seemed good to him. Somewhere in the murky distance a sudden block of light appeared then vanished, it was clearly the opening and closing of a door. Something was approaching the footsteps rang out on the smooth marble floor. It approached and seemed oddly human.

Adum bowed uncomfortably low as was customary when meeting a 'host'. Adum had expected something more ‘alien’ something possibly so brilliantly abstract his mind would boggle at its mere presence, yet the host looked very much like a ‘human’ except upon closer inspection something enormous was missing, it was not merely a case of skin colour, a vacant non-perceiving light in the eyes told Adum that it was not ‘human’ in the sense he was.

-Hello client I am Ahuma your species 'host' for this purchase session; I apologise for being late (she giggled to herself at the absurdity of the term ‘late’) but some minor technological issue which I shall not bother you with! You are well-be?

-Hello Ahuma, ‘well-be’ interesting phrase I was told to expect as much! Do not apologise nothing works forever I am Adum Thox chance willing this will be a slightly more productive visit than the last few times! Adum stepped down from the great device.

-I do not see ‘chance’ only will/doing/done as we say here! She smiled and went silent as if trying with some puzzlement to communicate via some silent means Adum was unaware of.

-Well I feel lucky today! He grinned!

-We say ‘well-be’ you say ‘LUCK’ (she did not appear best pleased mouthing the word) well it is will-been shall we go immediately to the 'team room' or would you prefer to meet some of our other clients and discuss your mutual difficulties? I as you well know have negotiated your particular case for the last 1055 visits usually this has been your preferred choice. Yet the last purchaser/client Walton Abbot chose otherwise! Ahuma smiled with a glowing air of smug certainty. Adum glanced at the ‘roulette’ screen on his forearm then back at Ahuma.

-I must regretfully decline also Ahuma (This seemed to momentarily puzzle her) I have been instructed straight to the 'tea room', chance’s are that it will be unlike any other showing any purchaser from my species as seen, this would be our 1056th purchase...an instrumental number!

-I do not see how! Smiled Ahuma playfully she gave the impression that Adum was an especially amusing simpleton, but a simpleton none the less.

-How could you? Remarkd Adum Thox curiously!

-Ho ho you are delightful! How could ‘we’ NOT? Well let us go to the ‘tea room’, I find you were my most unpredictable client this is amusing! With that Ahuma swished confidently away toward another door which Adum assumed was the ‘Go-been’ room Walton Abbot had spoke of. Adum followed brightly at a respectful distance, the hall behind him fell into complete darkness as if the tiles underfoot acted as light switches turning off the unnecessary illumination as he passed above them.

Ahuma paused momentarily saying nothing but waiting in the dim light for Adum Thox to settle. The outer door silently locked tight enclosing the two together in the room; which had no alternative exit or entrance as far as Adum could fathom. She smiled benignly and Adum returned a similar smile. Ahuma looked even less authentically human, she was a construct designed in every way to appear human, but evidently designed by a non-human mind such were the subtle aberrations that gave the ‘host’ an alarming lack of humanity.

-How is business? Enquired Adum for want of anything else to say, Ahuma smiled thoughtfully at his attempt to make small talk. She was smaller than Adum yet something in her movements gave the impression of great agility and strength.

-We have delighted in your visits and your many gifts of technology, you are an inventive species!

-1056 pieces of human technological invention to be exact, but it is a worthwhile price to pay!

-We know it is, this ability in your species for spontaneous irrelevancies as charmed us! You are quite unique in this way (Adum sensed there was almost a flicker of sadness in her non human eyes) alas it is not sustainable!

-What your business or our spontaneity?

-I have been instructed to indulge you this time it is the least we doing/would/have done! (She smiled with all the sincere emotion of a fist of coal, she composed herself thoughtfully) we sell temporal information Adum very specific and useful ‘static-temporal-weather’ civilisations like yours and all others we have encountered! You see that calibre of business always does well. She grinned as if she had accomplished some minor miracle. She found speaking to Adum's type vexing.

-Well that kind of monopoly can’t last forever can it? Asked Adum with a keen interest, Ahuma smiled and tilted her head accordingly; once again she seemed to be trying to communicate with something but this time the look on her face told Adum she had failed.

-I…I (She flushed if that was even possible) Adum Thox you are flawed we would certainly see such an occurrence and amend it accordingly!

-We for our part are your slaves in this matter! Said Adum obediently and for a moment seemed to sense a minor shudder run through the ‘Go-been’ room however if Ahuma had felt it she was not making it known.

-How could you not?

-Desire is a powerful enticement! Replied Adum glancing down at his ‘roulette screen’ Ahuma showed no sign of overt curiosity in the device.

-Many find our line of business desirable many have hungered for it; none have it save naturally for ourselves you must see Adum ‘future-history’ is our greatest defence it is absolute.

-I don’t understand ‘future-history’?

-Well how would you? We sadly were once a fixed-temporal-weather people, but then we became otherwise! Of course the second best use of this ‘ability’ would be to visit ‘fixed-temporal-weather'species and inform them of coming dooms. Do you not assume firstly they would have utilised it to its ‘fullest’ potential especiallly regards our own future/past; seeing how rare a product it would/was/had been settled the debate in our favour, we are the makers of future-history! We are startled by nothing! She was extraordinarily satisfied with this particular discourse. Adum felt a moment of doubt darken is spirits.

-I had not the sense to think of it in those terms. Replied Adum glumly.

-How should you think otherwise! Your species is ever postulating on the probable future (she giggled as the phrase left her mouth as though it was a supremely ridiculous thing) we make the possible impossible or the has/been will/be, the not-been or never-been! We save you Adum and many other civilisations like yours from your own futures!

-Who will save you Ahuma from yours?

Ahuma bored with Adum and their exchanges and smiling politely turned away from Adum and the silence gave him the impression she was consulting with that same someone or something unseen and unheard to him. Adum took the opportunity to glance at the patch of faux skin on his forearm the ‘roulette’ percentage appeared to have satisfactory risen he smiled all was good with him. Soon a door opened seemingly from what was previously a solid wall and Ahuma beckoned that Adum go first into the ‘tea room’ he did so she followed.

The ‘tea room’ was very neat and comfortable, with two dark blue bucket seats perfectly fit for human purpose. It was situated before a large shimmering cloth. Yet Adum had heard rumours of the cloth, it was indeed an unbelievably sophisticated screen and now upon it he saw flashes of ‘live’ human history. The ‘Daunting’ which was a name Ahuma’s association had given themselves always wooed clients in this way; it re-instated their mastery of what they termed 'futrue history'..

Ahuma made her way to a wall and waited patiently for something. She began to tap her foot on the floor as if the wait was some how unexpected and irksome to her. Then with a sudden jerk, two cups arrived unsteadily liquid spilling over their rims. Ahuma smiled politely at Adum before patting the cups down with a cloth. Adum knew it was tea for that was what the previous ‘purchaser’ Walton Abbot had been given and every other ‘purchaser’ before him. The ‘Daunting’ were predictable, Adum assumed this was a reflection of the nature of their specific business. Like pet owners who grow to resemble their pets, the ‘Daunting’ had come to resemble their line of trade.

-Tea? Asked Ahuma

-Tea! (Confirmed Adum as each seated themselves into the welcoming blue chairs before the cloth) is that humanities first inter-stellar spacecraft launching from Moonsphere?

-Yes Adum, Alpha-Sigma Class designation ASC – 1 ‘ETERNITY’ how wonderfully presumptuous your species was! She sipped the tea and found it deliciously refreshing. Adum did not sip from his cup but made appreciative sounds only for the moving vision before him. The ceiling was low and the walls decorated with various terra-scapes of Earth and its outlying municipals. Adum began to feel as if he was at a dear friends funeral who was having his achievements flaunted to show just how sad everyone was at his passing away. A great pain settled on Adum's heart this funeral had occured 1056 times!

-Everything is here for you Adum, obviously your temporal queries and specifications were handed to us from Walton; you may inspect some of the product if you wish? I warn you I was informed this would be less than desirous!

-That is yet to be seen (Adum sipped his tea and glanced at his forearm) chances are it may be better than one could envisage!

-Oh Adum how can you say with such pride “…that is yet to be seen…” surely you know it has been seen, it is inescapable! She smiled as though teaching a child how to fasten its shoelaces. Yet patiently amusingly continually failing to do so.

-Business first I believe Walton Abbot outlined our new ‘advanced strategy’ to deal with this so called ‘Light Plague’! I should like to know the outcome of our endeavours.

-Yes, the outcome! As you well know we have ‘observed’ and ‘analysed’ 1056 attempts to thwart this ‘light plague’ yet it seems strangely adapted to your technology and biospheres! Sadly it would seem the spirals of fate engineered it just for humanity! She remarked curiously.

-That would be regretted!

-It was/will/is been! She remarked with a firm finality.

-How so Ahuma?

-Our latest reports show yet again your species failed, when you return to your ‘static-temporal-weather’ (she thought intensely for a moment) I mean, what is it time, the date escapes me!

-2167 that is the date Ahuma when my entire race is wiped from existance! With a note of aggrieved bitterness that outwardly at least Ahuma did not register.

-As you may or may not be aware, on such cases we dispatch ‘Observational Analysts’ to cover all possible realities in reference to the time index you gave us; it is sad but out of 1056 'static-temporal-weather-possibilities' your species is 100% unsuccessful.

-That is something worth regretting! (Adum glanced at his forearm) I was lead to believe Mr Abbot was to attempt to procure a workable knowledge of your special product so as to permit our species to duplicate such a device and lets say, work on it for ourselves! I mean we have colonised more of the known galaxy than any other species, we are ingenius, quick to solutions and fascinating you said so yourself!

-Yes a very puzzling species; but as your leaders I fear knew we would, we declined as we have declined all others before and after you!

-Indeed (glancing at his arm Adum smiled appreciatively, somewhere deep in the bowels of the building there was a minor tremor, which Ahuma and Adum did feel for it was enough to startle both of them and disturb the liquid in the tea cups) I would not be startled Ahuma, that is the first affects of the ‘Light Plague’ on your infrastructure, trust me it greats appreciatively worse! Growled Adum as he now fully revealed the flashing screen, seemingly for the first time Ahuma became aware of it.

-I do not follow! She replied quietly, as she listened to a large crash somewhere in the building. As numerous beautiful vases of human origin rocked slightly on shelves attached to walls.

-We knew you would never part with your product! So we engineered a crisis that would seem calamitous to our futrue. In so much that coming to you for assistance, trading gifts an unprecedented amount of times, would be seen by you as sheer desperation on our part. You would seek to take advantage of our peril, being the type of non progressive scrounging species that you are, how could you not?

-This is highly irregular!

-What is irregular is that we engineered the crisis, we deliberately infected ourselves Ahuma!

-The ‘Light Plague’ is of human origin! Gasped Ahuma suddenly a glimmer of realisation flashed through her non human eyes.

-Yes when your ‘observational analysts’ watched my species perish 1056 temporal times, in each of those observations we knew a percentage of your ‘observers’ must return with undetected spores of light plague which once brought back would take a certain period to accumulate to the right levels of ‘active plague’ thus beginning the destruction of your world, culminating in today! It was not inevitable that is the key; merely unlikely at a long shot. My superiors calculated this with a degree of ‘luck-precision’ that one can only call presumption! They thought it would be Mr Abbot who spoke thus, but clearly it is Adum Thox.

-Surely this deceit of yours would have happened already and failed, it was dealt with it already a thousand times! Mumbled Ahuma a the lights in the ‘tea-room’ flickered off then on.

-You are so sure of your product, magnificent though it is, you became lazy, arrogant and deemed yourself superior to chance itself!

-What will the plague accomplish? Our annihilation is yours!

-Not so, we have the means to deactivate the plague we built it especially for you! It becomes really a better kind of trade, we take by coercion what you would not give freely!

-You are lying, this must have happened in 'temporal weather analysis' my associates have dealt with this already! She seemed bolstered by this logic if not the continually dimming lights around her.

-Chance being what it is dictates that is unlikely; listen each of the 1056 visits requesting that you help us against the dread ‘Light Plague’ had a percentage chance of infecting your observers, we knew precisely what minimum level of spore exposure would be; statistically speaking, theoretical but still computable!

-This ‘unknown chance’ startles us!

-Action on its own left to chance each mission being dictated by this we call ‘roulette machine’ (Adum raised his arm and revealed the sleek machine imbedded there in) it is direclty linked to our computational games of chance! No one knew exactly when or if it would occur, our behaviour was varied in compliance with the 'chance percentage' received! Let us say visit 0001 had a 0.000% chance and so forth!

-How could it be other wise! Ahuma appeared desperately trying to communicate with the unseen something or someone.

-Now you are getting it Ahuma, so given 0.000% as starting point, it need be only a matter of...I think you will find this amusing, only a matter of time! By visit 1025 we had formulated exposure gradients and likely revelation dates, 1055, 1056 or NEVER! Mr Abbot was unfortunate, chance is hardly an exact science!

-I am informed we will acquiesce to your ‘coercion’!

-How could you not!

THE END.