Episode 101: Boundaries
OASIS LANDING, YEAR 2054
“This will be your room; it has its own bathroom and a view to the city. What do you think?”
“Not bad. Does your girlfriend stay here?”
“I – don’t have a girlfriend”.
“Yeah, you don’t believe that yourself. Anyway, where’s your bedroom?”
“On the fourth floor, just above this one”.
“Can I stay there with you?”
“Oh, no, no. I’m afraid that’s not possible”.
“Why the hell not?”
“Because volunteers don’t sleep with their donors. And because of Edwin Archibuild”.
“It’s ArchiBILT, and he isn’t jealous. He’s been with others so many times. I don’t see why I can’t do the same. It’s not a crime or anything like that”.
“Maybe it isn’t in Oasis Landing, but in the p…”
“You were saying?”
“Me? I didn’t say anything”.
“Yes, you said ‘maybe it isn’t in Oasis Landing, but in the…’ And then you stopped”.
“I did? Well, I didn’t notice. I must’ve been thinking aloud”.
“You’re acting weird, you know?”
“And you’re pushing me”.
“I didn’t mean to. I just wanna know why we can’t have fun like we used to”.
“Cause it isn’t permitted, Kaleigh, you know that”.
“By the RSL. They have some stupid rules, but we wouldn’t be breaking the law as such. I should know, I’m a cop, remember?”
“How could I forget. Still, not gonna happen, I’m sorry. Now, if you excuse me, I have to go to work”.
“Robby?
“Yes?”
“Don’t you find me attractive anymore?”
Robin gulped and turned to her slowly…
“Kaleigh, come on, of course I find you attractive. But my circumstances prevent me from having a relationship with you, or with any other girl at the moment”.
“Why? What circumstances?”
“It’s a long story, I don’t have time to tell it now. Besides, I suppose you remember why we broke up in the first place”.
“Time Travelers don’t get married. I know, but that law has been since changed, you can get married if you feel like it, you don’t have to turn into an old bachelor like Emit”.
“Emit is not that old”.
“Whatever, I never asked you marry me, I was perfectly happy with what we had”.
“So was I, but it wasn’t fair”.
“Okay, forget about marriage, let’s have fun together like we used to in the old times”.
“T-the old times? Kaleigh, you’re pregnant, remember?”
“I’m pregnant, not in my death bed”.
“Even so, it’s kind of risky. I’m supposed to take care of you, not have fun with you”.
“You love risk, don’t you? And as I remember you never played hard to get with me before. Come on, Robby, you seem lonely, let me take care of you”, Kaleigh said, getting dangerously close.
Robin started to falter, again he had to gather all his strength to overcome Kaleigh’s charms.
“Kale, that’s it, okay? Sorry, but I’m not doing this. I’m in so much trouble already.”
“What kind of trouble?”
“That’s none of your business”.
“Like I said, you are acting very weird”.
“I got my reasons. Now, will you behave for once and let me go to work?”
“You’ve become super boring; did you know that?”
“I’m the same I always was”.
“No, this isn’t you. You used to be daring and fun. Now you seem nervous, troubled, even scared. Tell me, have you been taking your suppressants on time?”
Robin was frozen. Dang, the suppressants! He had forgotten about them completely. He hadn’t taken them in almost two years. No wonder his emotions were surfacing. Stop taking the suppressants was totally against the Oasis Landing law, so – yeah, he was in deep trouble.
“Robby? You went suddenly so quiet. Is something wrong?
“It’s nothing. Listen, I really have to go, so make yourself at home”.
“And what am I going to do here by myself all day?”
“I don’t know, play the Rythm-a-con, take a walk, chat with your buddies from the police department?”
“Boring.”
“Yeah, well -“
“If you get hungry there’s plenty of food in the fridge, or you can use the food synthesizer. Help yourself to whatever you like and, please, stay out of trouble”.
“Why do I have the impression that you’re running away from me?”
“I’m not running away. Just like you, I’m a slave of the system who needs to work for a living. I’ll be back in two hours, take care of yourself, Kale”.
“Yeah, okay”, Kaleigh sighed.
Episode 102: Good and Bad News
As the day progressed, Kaleigh was feeling more and more bored. She wasn’t the stay-at-home type of woman. She liked action, she was a policewoman for a reason. She also liked fun and being locked up didn’t amuse her at all.
So, while Robin was at work, she decided to follow his advice and tried to entertain herself playing the Rythm-a-Con.
She went out for a little swim as well, even when the sky was a bit overcast.
When Robin returned, he changed his clothes for something more comfortable and fixed lunch for both. They had a nice time chatting and remembering their years at the Time Academy, the High School equivalent in the Future. The rest of the day Robin seemed more relaxed which made Kaleigh feel even more confident.
The next morning, they went to the Oasis Landing Hospital and Science Center for Kaleigh’s medical appointment. It was one of Robin’s responsibilities to be aware of her and the baby’s health status.
Kaleigh went in alone and Robin waited for her outside. Maybe it wasn’t the politest thing to do, but that way it was easier for him to keep the distance and boundaries between the two of them. And Kaleigh agreed.
When the consultation finished, Kaleigh came out more excited than ever.
“Everything went fine, I guess”, Robin said.
“More than fine. It’s perfect. The baby is healthy, of a good size, and– it’s a boy!”
“Is he?”
“Yes. Can you believe it? Your first child is a boy! As a Traveler you’ll get an instant heir, isn’t that just wonderful?”
“…”
“Robin? Aren’t you going to say something? Aren’t you happy with the news?”
“What do you say? Of course I’m happy”.
“Then, why are you so serious?”
“I’m not serious, just– overwhelmed with joy”.
“Are you really?”
“Of course I am, come on, come here”, Robin said, hugging her tenderly.
Kaleigh breathed with relief, Robin didn’t. If Kaleigh knew that this wasn’t his first-born child, or his first male child for the matter. Should he tell her? Like hell he should, but not at that moment. Maybe later – if he gathered the courage.
After a brief pause, Kaleigh pulled away to look at him.
“Oh, by the way, I almost forgot. The people of the RSL want you to come to see them, they need to talk to you”.
“Really? About what?”
“I don’t know, they said something about your DNA”.
“My DNA? What’s wrong with my DNA?”
“How would I know? I’m a cop, not a scientist”.
“True. Well, I’ll call them as soon as I can”.
“Let’s hope you won’t forget this time”.
“Yeah, well -. Robin answered, blushed.
Episode 103: Almost a Romantic Night
One of those nights in Oasis Landing, Robin and Kaleigh went out to watch the stars…
“This is a great idea, at least here we can breathe real air”, Kaleigh said.
“I thought you liked air-conditioning”.
“I do. And the one in your place is wonderful, but this is more fun”.
“But it’s all cloudy, there aren’t any stars to watch”.
“For me, it’s enough being beside you”.
“Kay, let’s not go there, okay?”
“Come on, don’t tell me you don’t miss me”, Kaleigh said, giving him a little nudge with her shoulder.
“I miss some things about you, yeah”.
“I know what those things are”.
“I wasn’t talking about that”, Robin answered, blushing.
“Well, I miss our getaways to Derelict Beach in Emit’s car. Oh, the nights we used to have”.
“I rather not remember”.
“I remember. Boy, were you intense–“
“Are those stars or snowflakes?”, Robin asked.
“Changing the subject won’t help, officer Crane”.
“Nobody’s called me that in a while”.
“Cause you aren’t in the Force anymore, but it suited you”.
“Yeah, those were good times”.
“We could bring them back tonight if you wanted to”.
“I rather not”.
“Why? Are you afraid of falling for me again?”
“Frankly, yes. It took me a lot to get out of your spell”.
“My spell?” Kaleigh laughed “If you had been ‘enchanted’ you wouldn’t have broken with me”.
“I’ve already explained to you, it wasn’t fair, I had nothing to offer you”, Robin said as he stood up.
Kaleigh got up as well and put her arms around him. On an impulse, Robin held her in his too.
“What about now? Do you have something to offer, officer Crane?”, she teased him.
“Nop, just trouble”.
“I’d love to get in trouble with you”.
“Kale–“
“What? Do I make you nervous? That’s not like you, Crane”.
“I’ve changed. A lot. Understand me, I am–“
“Shh– I’m not asking for anything. Only a little fun remembering the old times. Just that, no promises, no expectations, no hard feelings”, Kaleigh said, getting even closer.
Robin couldn’t help himself anymore and kissed her. He had always been weak when it came to girls, but with Kaleigh, this weakness was double. She knew him like the back of her hand, there wasn’t anything she didn’t know about him, except for…
“Kale…”
“Yes?”
“I’m sorry, I can’t do this.”
“Why not?”
“Because– Listen, there’s something I haven’t told you. I know it’s gonna sound crazy, but it turns out that– I’m married”.
“Is that all? Well, that’s fine with me. I’m not the jealous type”.
“You don’t get it. I got married and I have a family… in 2016”.
“WHAT?”
Kaleigh got away and turned her back on him.
“What do you mean you have a family in 2016? You mean you had children in the Past? You know that’s illegal. It is my duty to report you with the Council right away”.
“I know, and I’ll take the consequences, but hear me out first, please”.
“I’m listening”.
Episode 104: Too Much Information
“And that’s the story”, Robin concluded, after telling Kaleigh all what had happened since he had arrived in Aurora Skies since he had arrived in 2014.
“You did all that, and you tell me until now?”
“I wasn’t going to. Our contract doesn’t oblige me to reveal details of my private life to you. The fact that you and I met before was nothing but a coincidence”.
“You understand that it is my job to report you to the Population Council, do you?”
“Yes, and I’ve told you I’ll take the consequences”.
“I should call them right now and denounce you–“
“… But above all you’re my friend, I’ll never betray you and you know it. I won’t say anything, but I suppose that, since you already had a son, neither me or my baby are required here anymore, so–“
“I never said I didn’t want that baby”.
“Good heavens, Rob, why did you have to ruin it like this?”, Kaleigh cried.
“You knew it was an offence, then why did you do it? What the hell were you thinking, Crane?”
“I’m afraid I wasn’t thinking at all”.
“Obviously. You must have been insane to get married in the Past and procreate children by forbidden methods”.
“Those methods were not forbidden there, in the past couples still can…”
“Stop. I don’t wanna know. Boy, if Emit ever finds out–“
“You’re– not going to tell him, are you?”
“I don’t know, Robby, I’m so confused now”.
“What you did is not a misdemeanor, and I’m a cop, an informant in addition. That’s my duty, to inform the authorities about any wrongdoing. I told you already that I won’t go to the Council, but Emit? He definitely has to know. You’re in serious trouble, Robby, and he’s the only one that can get you out of this.
“By getting in trouble himself? No, I can’t do this to him. Please, Kale, please don’t tell him anything about this, at least not yet.”
“First give me the oportunity to explain well to you how it all happened. Come on, let’s go downstairs, have some coffee, calm ourselves down and then you decide what to do, okay?
Kaleigh heaved a sigh. She had almost forgotten about Robin’s strong powers of persuasion.
“Okay. But only because I have more questions. And you still have a lot to explain”.
*****
The buzz of the coffee machine announced that the hot beverages were ready. Anything that looked like coffee, only artificially flavored mixes.
“And they call this coffee”, he thought as he collected the tray.
In 2016, on the other hand, you didn’t always get the best coffee, but at least you still could…
“Robin, are you still here? Hey! Ground control to major Tom?”
Kaleigh’s demanding voice and the reference to that old song, one of his favorites, returned him to the present. Or should we say to the Future.
“Sorry, coffee is ready, do you want a cup?”
“No, thanks”.
“Come on, take a sip, it’ll do you good”.
“To me maybe, but not to the baby”.
“If the suppressants haven’t hurt him, much less will a cup of coffee”.
“Ugh, you’re right, I’ll have one cup”.
“Not bad, what brand is it?”
“The only brand we get”.
“Oasis Coffee, the Coffee of the Future”.
“If you can call this coffee”.
Kaleigh didn’t answer. They both drank in silence for a while, each one absorbed in their own thoughts.
“Where did you meet this Ann girl?”, Kaleigh asked after a pause.
“She’s not ‘this Ann girl’, she’s my wife, Kale. And I met her at the University”.
“Are there still universities in 2016? Wow… What about ‘Juliette’?”
“You know well who Juliette is”.
“Captain Shen’s daughter”.
“Yes, that’s her”.
*****
“So, you had already… ugh, knocked up Juliette but you had a fight, she decided to keep it from you, and since you desperately needed offspring, you got entangled with Ann.”
“I didn’t get entangled, I married her because…. well, why I married her is none of your business.”
“Don’t tell me, you fell in love? Wow…” Kaleigh scoffed. “Robin Crane, in love – and with two at the same time, no less!”
“It’s not funny.”
“You’re right, it’s rather pathetic. And it could be the end of your career, you know? Do you want my advice?”
“I don’t remember asking you for one.”
“Well, I’ll give it to you anyway: don’t go back to 2016. Ask for a vacation, or better yet, quit, dedicate yourself to working with your plumbots and forget about time travel.”
“Forget Juliette, Ann and my children? No, I can’t.”
“It’s for the best. If you go back there and the council finds out…. well, you know what the punishment is.”
“Yes, I know, you don’t have to remind me.”
“What I don’t know is how could the Council find out? You said you weren’t going to report me.”
“I won’t. It’s certainly not the wisest thing to do, they could take my job and even my son if they know I covered up for you. But my loyalty will always be with you, no matter what.”
“I appreciate that, and I promise I’m going to make it up to you.”
“You promise? Please, we both know that keeping promises is not Robin Crane’s strong suit,” Kaleigh concluded bitterly.
Robin stood up and walked away so she wouldn’t see his annoyance.
“Believe it or not, I’ve changed,” he replied.
“Yes, for the worse. You’ve broken every rule and betrayed the system you fervently believed in. You are about to destroy your career, even your life, on a whim.”
“It’s not a whim, Kale. It’s not that simple. Why I did what I did is more complicated than that.”
“You don’t have to explain anything else to me. Do as you please but be careful. Right now, someone could be watching us. There are cameras, microphones and surveillance drones all over the esplanade, some even inside houses.
“Not in mine. There is absolute privacy here, it’s a Time Travelers’ privilege. We can talk safely… Unless you bring a bug, of course. After all you are an informant, aren’t you?
“…”
Episode 105: The Informant
“You know– It offends me that you distrust me at this point”.
“It offends me that you pretended to be my volunteer only to pump me for information”.
“I didn’t ‘pump you for information’. You gave it to me of your own free will”.
“Whatever– Are you wearing a bug or not?”
“Yes. But I turned it off before you started your confession. I’d never do anything that could harm you, Robin. I’d rather die than giving you away. And I didn’t pretend to be your volunteer. I wanted this child more than anything in the world”.
“So did I”.
“No, you didn’t. You just wanted to secure your descendancy. That’s why you applied for and engineered baby in the first place. But you already have a heir in Aurora Skies, with Juliette, so you probably don’t care for ours anymore”.
Robin let out a sigh. “Kaleigh, forgive me, okay? It wasn’t my intention to offend you. I’m just nervous and scared. But I do appreciate what you did offering yourself as my volunteer, and it doesn’t matter if I have other children, I do care for you and this baby as well, believe me”.
“You don’t have to apologize or pretend to care for me, Crane. I got myself into this, so I’ll handle it on my own. Now, you don’t want to feel nervous and scared? Put your medical bracelet back on so you can recieve your round of supressants”.
And without giving him time to respond, she walked past him towards the elevator, but she stopped dead in her tracks and turned to him once more.
“I will stay here only for the time that the RSL requires, after that you’ll never hear from me again. And don’t worry, your secret is safe with me, but I’ll have to re-enable my mic at some point so be careful what you say from now on. Good night, Crane”.
Robin stood alone in the dining room, trembling. The bracelet! But of course, how come he hadn’t thought about that little detail? It was obvious it wouldn’t go unnoticed for Kaleigh. Now she will report him for sure. It wasn’t safe for him to continue under the same roof with her. But she couldn’t abandon or let her out of his life either. Not because the stupid rules of the RSL, but because, all in all, she was the mother of his child.
Once in her room, while she got ready for bed, Kaleigh thought as well about her conversation with Robin.
“Your secret is safe with me”, she had told him. It was true, but useless because the Council already knew, that had been the very reason they had sent her to investigate.
She could cover for him for a while, but sooner or later they will find out by their own means, and they will punish Robin. And her, for not following their orders. They both were in deep trouble and there was only one person in Oasis Landing that could get them out of it.
Her phone rang just at that moment, she grabbed it and looked at the name on the screen: Emit Relevart, thank heaven. It was as if he had read her mind!
“Emit? Yeah, I’m still here. I just talked to Robin. The Council was right about him, he himself confessed everything to me”.
“What do I do now? Robin is suspicious of me, and the Council is waiting for my report”.
“Did you do what I told you?”
“Yes, I disabled the microphone, but I must turn it back on soon or they’ll notice”.
“Alright, turn it back on as soon as you hang up. If the Council questions you about this, tell them to address me, I’ll deal with them…”
“In the meantime, you watch Robin closely and don’t let him travel back to the Past”.
“I don’t think he will for now, he can’t leave me alone until the baby is born”.
“Good. Then you take care of yourself and if you notice any strange activity around the house, like drones or things like that, please inform me immediately”.
“Of course I will, but first, there’s something else I think you should know”.
“Holy Jupiter, there’s more?” What is it?”
“Well, during my medical appointment, a doctor from the RSL came to me and said he needed to talk to Robin. I asked what it was about, he said something about his DNA”.
“His DNA? F*ck!”
“What the hell is wrong with Robin’s DNA, Emit?”
“Er– nothing, it’s nothing, you just, by all means, prevent Robin from talking to that doctor”.
“Don’t worry, I don’t think he even remembers”.
“Great, I’ll take care of the rest”.
“Are you sure Robin is fine, Emit?”
“Yes, yes he is. I only need to make sure that the RSL people are being legal about his personal data privacy.
“Okay–“, Kaleigh answered, not quite convinced.
“¿Anything else I should know?”, Emit asked, still agitated.
“Yeah, well, I’m– not quite sure, but I think Robin has stopped taking his suppressants. He’s been acting weird and he’s not wearing his bracelet”.
“What? For the moons of Saturn! What’s wrong with this kid?”
“I know, I should report him right now for breaches of the health regulations”.
“No, no, no. Please, don’t give notice yet leave it to me, I’ll handle this too. Did you hear me, Kaleigh? Not a word about this, nor to the Ministry, nor to the RSL, not even to Robin, understood?”
“Understood”, Kaleigh sighed.
“I know it’s a lot asking you not to do your duty, but I promise I’ll fix this mess as soon as I’m able. Trust me, I will. I thank you for the information, you’re doing a great job, Kale. Now, go get some rest”.
Episode 106: Classified
Emit hang up. Kaleigh tried to breath deep, but she couldn’t. “Just, by all means, prevent Robin from talking to that doctor”. Why did Emit not want Robin to go to the RSL?
What was the problem with his DNA? Was there something weird with his blood or his genes? If it was so, that would probably affect her baby. She had to find out what it was, but how and where?
Where else? In the Population Council data base, to which she had access like the rest of the Law Enforcement officers. That was why it was easy for her to enter the system using her holo-computer to try to find some information about Robin. To her luck, there was a folder in there with his name on it.
“CRANE, ROBIN… Here it is. Ah, what a picture! This is how I remember you. Cool, daring, proud, a lot of fun but always in control. You still wore your natural hair color… And your bracelet. What happened to you Crane? I know what, you fell in love. Sucker!
“Boy, were you a heartbreaker! You’re right, you’ve changed, a lot. Anyway, let’s see…
“Robin Crane. Species: Human. Year of birth: 2032. Biological Father: Classified. Biological Mother: Classified. DNA Type: Classified. Technology Used: Not engineered.”
“NOT engineered?? This means that your parents didn’t turn to baby engineering to procreate you, they bred the ‘old fashioned’ way. Ugh, this seems to be a habit in the Crane family. Well, it was still during the 2020’s anyway. But then, who are your parents and why were they and your DNA deemed ‘Classified’?”
“Wait a minute, there’s more here”, Kaleigh exclaimed. She had just found another file; this one was named “CLASSIFIED”. It sure contained the information she needed and the answers to all her questions. She didn’t even think about it and clicked on it, but it required her a password that she of course didn’t have.
“Damn it!”, she mumbled.
“¿Kaleigh?”
That was Robin’s voice, he was coming down the stairs! Kaleigh quickly copied the two folders and turned off the screen.
Robin’s voice startled her in such a way that the holo-computer almost fell from her hand. With a swift movement Kaleigh caught it, left it on the table and turned around.
Robin was there, next to the Tube Elevator, already in his pajamas and looking at her as if he had caught her doing something illegal.
“What are you doing at the computer at this hour. It’s almost dawn. Shouldn’t you be sleeping?”, he told her.
“I– was a bit stressed and I thought that playing a bit would relax me, so– Forget it, I’m going to bed”, Kaleigh answered, taking her computer off the table.
And without further word, she hurried towards the elevator and quickly went up to her room.
“Sleep well, Kaleigh”, Robin muttered, as he looked at the place where her holo-computer had been and which she, obviously, had taken with her.
He didn’t believe for a moment that she was playing. What was she doing then? Calling her fiance? Chatting with friends? …Or informing the Council? He hoped it wasn’t the latter. Anyway, he’d have to be more on guard.
Episode 107: A Second Successor?
Can there be something like a “second successor”? Probably not, but it was still a possibility. After all, in royalty there was a second heir to the throne, why not in this case? One more candidate to carry on the Crane name (although Crane was not really Robin’s surname, but– whatever). These were Kaleigh’s thoughts after her child, Collin, was born. Yeah, Robin’s engineered baby may well be his successor, that IF he managed to keep his Time Traveler title after the complete mess he had made of his life.
Anyway, Collin Crane was born at the Oasis Landing Hospital, through the methods and machinery of 2054. You know, giving birth to a baby in the Future was so easy that the mother could come out walking the next minute, as if nothing had happened, that was what happened with Kaleigh, who, by the way, wouldn’t talk to Robin since the night he had found her at the computer. Robin, however, had continued to take care of her and, of course, had accompanied her during Collin’s birth.
“Hey, Kaleigh, wait! Let me help you”.
“I don’t need your help, I’m perfectly fine, I can do this myself, thank you”, she cut him and continued walking to the parking lot.
Once in the car, on their way home, she didn’t say a word either. The only thing she could think of was to get home, get some sleep, pack her things, and stay away from Robin forever.
But one concern still tortured her: Should she tell him about the files she had found in the Population Council’s data base? Specially the one that she hadn’t been able to open. Should she tell him about both of them, even give him the copy she had made?
When they arrived home Kaleigh had made her decision. She would tell Robin everything before leaving. That would be her last support gesture as a friend, ex-girlfriend, and as someone who actually cared for him.
Yeah, she would tell him, but not yet. She would before she left, now all she needed was a shower and a nap, so still ignoring him, she continued toward the elevator.
“Hey, Kaleigh, where are you going?”
“I’ll leave Collin in his crib and take some rest, then I’ll pack my stuff and leave”.
“You can’t leave yet, Kale, we need to talk”.
“Not now”, she cut him, then she walked in the elevator and went up quickly to her bedroom.
When she arrived at the bedroom, she carefully left Collin in the crib that Robin had bought for him earlier.
“Rest now, little one, we’ll go home soon”, she said amorously.
Then she went in the Sonic Shower for a quick cleanse. She was so tired that she couldn’t even think of using the bathtub.
While Kaleigh was in the bathroom, Robin snuck into her bedroom to spend some time with Collin before their seemingly inevitable separation.
“Hey, Collin. Yes, I’m your dad, not exactly what you expected, huh? But you got to know that all in all, I love you. And no matter what your mom does, I’ll never leave you, our separation will only be temporary.”
“Temporary. How long would that last? A year, two? Whatever it took to fix his problems, both in Aurora Skies and in Oasis Landing. First of all, he had to tell Juliette about Kaleigh and Collin’s existence. And then tell Ann about Juliette. He needed to untangle the knot he had made of his life. His Time Traveler position and the right choice of his successor depended on that.
At the beginning he was sure Rowan would be his heir, but now he was considering Collin too. After all he was a child of the Future, it would be easier for him to understand the Oasis Landing laws and the Time Travelers’ rules in general.
And then there was Jessica, who was about the same age as Rowan, so why not her? Who said it had to be a boy? Girls could be travelers too. Now, that would be a tough decision!
“But why bother about that now, don’t you think, little one? You’re just a baby, your only duty is to grow, eat, sleep, be happy… When you come of age we’ll see if you can stand up to the job”.
“For now just enjoy your sleep. Dad will fix this mess for you and your brother and sister, who I hope you can meet some day”.
Episode 108: The Calm Before the Storm
When Kaleigh got out of the shower Collin was already sleeping, so she took a much-needed nap.
Robin took a bath. Not the classic futuristic ‘quickie cleanse’, but a real one. Nothing like a good old fashioned bubble bath to relax the tension.
After checking on Collin once more, he went down to the kitchen to fix lunch, something traditional as well. A dish he used to cook for Ann.
When Kaleigh woke up, the first thing she did was go to the night table and take out the pen drive where she had copied the information from the Council’s data base.
“I shouldn’t be doing this. But you deserve to know who your parents are and what happened to them. Maybe this will calm you down and put you back on the right path. Handing you these files will be the last thing I do for you, Crane…”
Robin didn’t hear from her until lunch hour, during which, again, she didn’t say a word to him.
He had almost finished, when she told him that they needed to talk.
“About time”, Robin muttered.
“This isn’t about Collin, it’s something else”.
Episode 109: The Bad News
At the beginning, Kaleigh didn’t know what to say, she was still angry at Robin, but at the same time, she was worried about the risk he was running. And about Emit, who should be appearing in front of the Council at that moment to try to help him.
“Kaleigh? Are you going to tell me why you are so angry with me?
“It’s difficult to explain”.
“Maybe if you calm down you could give it a try”.
“Alright, let’s cut to the chase. The Council already knows about your life in 2016. They know about Juliette, Rowan and your marriage with Ann Conners. They have the evidence they needed to arrest you, unless…”
“Unless?”
“Unless you appear before the Council of your own free will, take blame for what you did and promise not to go back to 2016”.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that. Ann is having my baby; I must be with her. Plus, I promised Juliette that I would give Rowan my name”.
“You will do all that when your problem is fixed”.
“Fixed? Come on, Kale, we both know that if I confess, they will take mi passport away and I’ll never time travel again”.
“And what do you prefer? Return to the past just like that, leaving Collin orphaned like your parents left you?”
“My parents didn’t leave me. They died”.
(“Yeah, I’m not sure about that anymore”), Kaleigh thought to herself.
“And FYI…” Robin continued, oblivious of Kaleigh’s thoughts. “I’m not planning to abandon Collin. I’ll come back for him as soon as I’m able”.
“Yeah, and when will that be? Solving your problems will take months, probably years. You could even go to jail. By the time you get out it will be too late. I’d better ask for a permission to adopt Collin. Edwin and I will raise him as our own”.
“What the hell are you saying?”
“What you just heard. Edwin and I will solicit Collin’s adoption”.
“No, you won’t. Over my dead body, you hear me?”
“For the love of Jupiter, calm down, okay? It’s not a big deal, it’s just an option, plus it isn’t against the regulation”.
Robin walked away a couple of steps, trying futilely to contain his anger.
“I don’t give a damn about the regulation. It’s my son, I requested for him, you were only a temporary mother, you had to return him to me as soon as he was born! What part of that did you not understand, Kaleigh?”
“Robin, stop it, will you? We’re not going to argue right now. There are serious things to take care of. Besides, you’re clearly not on your right mind.
“Of course I’m not on my right mind, you’re trying to steal my son from me!”
“I’m not stealing anything from you. And that obviously isn’t the reason why you’re out of your mind. We both know what the true reason is”.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about”.
“Stop pretending, Robin. I know that you stopped taking your suppressants.
“¡…!”
Episode 110: Trapped
“Did you think I wouldn’t notice? You wouldn’t go anywhere without your medical bracelet, now you’re simply not wearing it. You changed your hair color, your hairstyle is different, you even talk different! Your whole behavior is strange, you argue and yell, sometimes it seems like you’re going to burst out crying… You’re not nearly the cheerful, relaxed young guy I once knew, Robin. You’re totally out of control!”
“Alright!”, Robin exploded. “Yes, I stopped taking the suppressants. So what? I don’t need them.”
“Really? Well, it seems all the opposite to me.”
“I don’t care what it seems to you. To hell with the suppressants, those are not the issue right now, but Collin. He’s my son, I am the one who asked the RSL for him. I donated the DNA to engineer him.”
“My DNA is in him too. Like it or not I am his mother, you can’t take that from me”.
“That much I do know. But the contract is clear: you must give up the baby after his birth. It’s the law, Kaleigh. You, from all people should know it”.
Kaleigh went quiet. She slowly turned her back on him and sighed.
“I know the law”, she answered, “And I would give you the baby right now, without objection, but-“
“But?”
“Robin, I’m sorry but the situation has changed. Your contract with the RSL has been cancelled. The Council will take away your parental rights”.
“My parental rights? What does that mean?”
“It means that, technically, you’ll stop being Collin’s father, and you won’t be allowed to engineer any more babies either”.
What? Why would they do that?”
“You broke the statutes of the Population Council. As soon as they put together your case file, they will issue an arrest warrant against you. They can come for you any minute now, so–“
“Wait. An arrest warrant? On what grounds?”
Where do I start? Procreation by forbidden methods in another time frame–a serious crime. Improper use of the Time Traveler’s passport, and exceed the allowed number of children, which is two per citizen. Those are three counts, Robby, and you must respond for them before the Council.
You have until tomorrow morning to show up, if you don’t, they’ll come for you. So I better take Collin with me tonight, otherwise, a social worker will pick him up at the moment of your arrest and take him to the Community Center”.
“I see”, Robin whispered, with tears in his eyes. “So, you gave me away after all. That was what you were doing when I caught you at the computer the other night”.
“I’d never give you away. They already knew everything. If they sent me here with a microphone was only to confirm it”.
“They spoke with Emit, they admonished him and pressured him to take you to the Council. He of course didn’t want you arrested that’s why he decided to intercede for you. I don’t know what he’ll tell them, I just know that right now he’s putting his own job on the line to save you from punishment”.
“And if he’s willing to do that for me, why do you turn against me, trying to take my son away?”
“I’m not trying to take him away, nor I’m against you, Robin. I just want to keep him from falling into the hands of the Government. You and I know what it is to grow up in the Community Center. You want the same for Collin? I bet you don’t. If I take responsibility for him, he’ll grow up in a safe home filled with love and care. Not like a poor orphan, always from one place to another like you and I did”.
“You want to save Collin from living like an orphan, but you’re taking him out of his home on the very night of his birth?”, Robin reclaimed.
“It’s not the optimal, I know, but understand, they could arrive anytime now. If they find me here, they’ll consider me a suspect and probably will arrest me too. Then both of us would lose Collin forever”.
“Not if Emit speaks in our behalf”.
“I know he’ll do the impossible to protect us, but I’m not so sure that he’ll achieve something. The Prime Councilor is furious, he thinks you betrayed their trust.”
“So? What do you suggest? I mean, aside from taking Collin with you and Archibit”.
“Well, you have two options. The first one, you appear before the Council right tonight and beg for mercy…”
“No way. We know that they’re anything but merciful.”
“They will take away my badge and my passport, they’ll reinforce my suppressants treatment, not to mention– the other stuff. I’ll never get to see Ann, or Jul, or my other children again”.
“Well– then there’s the second option. Emit surely will kill me for advising you this but, if you’re not planning to turn yourself in, it would be better for you to return to the Past. The Council doesn’t have any powers there, it’s another time, another country, their laws wouldn’t allow them. My suggestion is that you stay there until Emit obtains the pardon for you”.
Robin let out a sigh. He was trapped. The Council considered him a traitor and if Emit failed in his attempt to save him the punishment wouldn’t be long in coming. Staying in Oasis Landing at that moment was extremely dangerous, there was no other option but to leave Collin temporarily in Kaleigh’s hands and get out of there immediately, otherwise he would lose all of his children forever…
Episode 111. The Restart
What happens if I stay?”, Robin asked after thinking quietly for a minute.
“You’ll need to hide from the police. Not a great idea considering Oasis Landing is such a small place. Sooner or later, they’d find you and arrest you, they’d take Collin away, lock you in jail probably a year, it depends on the judge. But the true punishment would arrive when you come out”.
“The Restart”, Robin answered somberly.
“That’s the only way they would allow you to travel in time again. By restarting your memories, they make sure you’ll forget about the people you met in 2016, your wife and children included”.
“Sounds like hell”.
“Well, it’s a better than ‘deleting’ them permanently from the world, which would be the other option”.
“I won’t have any of the two. I’d rather rot in jail, even die!”
“Very brave from you, but they won’t ask you what you’d prefer. They’ll just sedate you and proceed to restart your memory. They’ll wipe away every recollection from the Past. You won’t remember anyone, not even me or Collin”.
“Say no more. Just the thought of it gives me the creeps”.
“Me too. That’s why you must get out of here right now. Don’t worry about Collin, I’ll take good care of him”.
Robin became pensive again. He didn’t like any of the options. If he stayed, he’d get the maximum penalty; if he returned to Aurora Skies, he’d face another dilemma: tell Juliette what was happening in Oasis Landing, and about Kaleigh and Collin. He’d also should tell Ann about Juliette and Rowan. None of the two girls would be amused with the news, but anything was better than a Restart, wasn’t it?”
“Robin?”, Kaleigh insisted.
Episode 112: The Good News
“Alright, you win. I’ll leave as soon as you and Collin have arrived home safe””.
“Perfect, but before I go, there’s something else I have to tell you, it’s important”.
“Why, more bad news?”
“No, actually these are good news, or at least I hope so”.
“Please, Kale, get to the point already”.
“Ok. The night you found me at the computer, I was looking for information on you in the Population Council’s data base.
“What kind of information?”
“Well, I was worried about what that doctor said about your DNA. I thought there was a problem with your genes that could affect Collin, so I decided to investigate”.
“And? What did you find?”
“At first I didn’t find anything, just a file with general info about your birth. But digging deeper, I found this other file, it was marked as Classified”.
“What was in it?”
“I don’t know, I couldn’t open it, it required a password. But I got a feeling that it contains the information you’ve been looking for about your parents”.
“What?” Robin’s heart skipped a beat. Are you sure? Kaleigh, you know how long I’ve been waiting to find something about my parents, so please don’t joke about that”.
“It’s not a joke, I’m very serious. And I’m sure as hell this file contains the answers to all your questions, or at least some of them”.
“Can you enter that data base now and show it to me?”
“No, we don’t have time for that. But lucky for you, after you caught me that night, I copied the files to a flash drive”.
“Omg. Do you have it with you?”
“Of course”.
“There you go–it’s yours now”. Kaleigh said, giving the flash drive to a stunned Robin. “I could get in a lot of trouble for this, Crane, so I hope that is proof enough that I’m on your side”.
“It is, believe me”.
“Just, whatever you do, please don’t tell anyone I gave it to you”.
“Of course I won’t”.
“Like I said, the document is password protected, so you’ll probably need a hacker to open it”.
“No problem, I know someone who can do that”.
“Good”.
“Now get out of Oasis Landing as fast as you can and wait for Emit to get in touch with you to give you instructions”.
“Okay. I just hope he doesn’t betray me too”.
“Emit would never… And don’t say ‘too’ as if I had betrayed you. You know I’d rather die”.
“With ‘too’ I meant the Council not you. In fact, I thank you for everything you’ve done for me and–I apologize for the things that I said to you, I was rude and unfair”.
“Apology accepted. I know that wasn’t yourself. So please, please reconsider wearing your bracelet again, for your own welfare and health”.
“Yeah, we’ll see about that–“
“Now promise me you’ll take good care of yourself and Collin”.
“Rest assured I will”.
“When– do you think I’ll be able to return?”
“That depends on Emit. He’ll give you some more options, make sure to pick the one that’s convenient for all of us”.
“I’ll do my best”.
“Okay. Now if you excuse me, I need to go pack”, Kaleigh said and hurried to the elevator.
Episode 113: Goodbye to the Future
Before leaving, Kaleigh let Robin say goodbye to Collin.
“I’ll come back for you, son. I promise”, he said, giving him a hug and a kiss.
“I hope those files help you to find what you’re looking for”.
“I hope so too. If they really contain the info I need, this could be the end of my mission”.
“Well, then–“, Kaleigh smiled.
…!
“What was that for?”, he asked.
“For good luck”, she explained.
“Yeah, well, I think I’ll need it, so– thanks, I guess”, Robin flushed.
“You’re welcome. Please, take care of yourself, okay?”
“Don’t worry, I will”.
“Well, then, see you soon”.
“See you soon, and again, thank you– for everything”.
“Again, you are welcome”.
That was it. Kaleigh left Robin’s house and headed for hers. She decided to walk in order to calm herself down, but– What were those tears that appeared in her eyes as she walked? Where were the friggin’ suppressants when you needed them? Maybe they weren’t working anymore? On top of it, Collin cried all the way too.
It turned out Collin was hungry.
“That’s why you were crying. “Why didn’t I think of that? First time mum mistake, I guess”. She quickly took out the bottle and gave it to Collin. “I’m sorry, here you are little one, enjoy”.
That calmed him immediately.
“Phew, thank the gods for baby formula”.
Meanwhile, still at home, Robin had finished checking the two files that Kaleigh had given to him. Sure enough he couldn’t open the second one, but that wouldn’t be a problem, he knew someone that could certainly do it, his best friend and genius: Dustin Shen.”
He changed to more comfortable and less flashy clothes to try to go unnoticed for the surveillance cameras. Thankfully it was still dark, that would help, but you couldn’t be sure in the over-monitored Oasis Landing streets.
He had hope that Emit had been able to stop all the process. But he couldn’t stay and find out. He had to leave Oasis Landing without delay.
“Damn it”, he mumbled as he descended. All this was so absurd and unfair, having to leave his place, the home where he had lived happily and without worries for so many years.
“Forgive me, Collin. I’ll do my utmost to come back someday”.
Anyway, there was no time for regrets or second thoughts. He should get out of there before the police and their tracker plumbots would arrive. And before the drones would start hovering the place, looking for him.
“Well, goodbye home sweet home. Goodbye to the Future– for now”.
Episode 114: Under the Radar
Robin decided to use his car instead of the hoverboard, since the latter could be more easily detected by the drones.
In less than five minutes he got to the Community Center where the Portal was located, on the rooftop. Now he should be careful not to be seen by the plumbot guards.
Funny enough, the guard didn’t ask for his ID. That couldn’t be a coincidence. After all, Emit was the manager of the Center.
Robin was able to go up in the elevator without problems, and once there… The Portal was still activated! This was Emit’s work for sure.
It was the guard change, so the hallway was full of plumbots restoring their power in the chargers. They weren’t trackers, but Emit’s trusted ‘people’. It wasn’t an accident either that they all pretended not to notice him.
“Yes! Thanks, Emit, you’re the best. Now I just need to get to the Portal. Crossing fingers that my pass hasn’t been cancelled yet”.
The path to the Portal seemed never-ending on that moonlit, beautiful night, the last one he would spend in Oasis Landing – if he was lucky.
“Hurry up, Crane, you’re almost there”, he said to himself as he picked up the pace.
Episode 115. The Last Trip
Robin could hear the sound of the helicopters and drones in the distance. They were coming for him, he had to hurry.
When he got there, the Portal was still activated, and his passport was valid. There was no more doubt that Emit was behind all this.
Now, thanks to his unvaluable help, Robin would be able to return to the past safe and sound.
“You did a great job, my friend. I owe you one”.
“There it is, the energy spike, it’s time to depart”.
“Farewell, Oasis Landing. I really hope this isn’t my last trip. I don’t know when, but I’ll return, I promise”.
“The energy spike. He made it! Travel safe, Robin, we’ll meet again soon– hopefully”.
Time Traveler, Part II: Stuck in the Past
Episode 116. A Big Bang
Aurora Skies, 2016 again…
A few hours before dawn, the whole city is asleep. Suddenly, a distant but loud explosion shatters the peace of the peaceful winter night, shaking the windows of houses and buildings.
At the same time, at the Shen’s headquarters…
Dustin was quietly eating a snack before going to rest after a long night’s work when he heard the bang, so loud it shook glass and walls, even the chair he was sitting in.
“What the hell–?”
From the intensity and proximity, he deduced that the horrific sound had come from his yard. Without hesitation, and quite alarmed, he ran to peek out the window, knowing in advance what he might find.
“Damn right; it was the portal!”
The portal was still there in one piece, shrouded in the bright glow that indicated it was active. The lightning bolts at its center were still glowing too, but no traveler was in sight.
“I’m sure the noise came from over there, someone must be trying to break through… Wait, what?”
Another powerful bang interrupted his thoughts, and a silhouette was drawn through the mist just outside the portal, which Dustin recognized immediately.
“Oh, my–it’s Robin!” He gasped as he saw him stagger and fall to his knees.
Without a second thought, he ran for the door. As he did so, he caught a glimpse of Robin collapsing on the icy snow.
“Yes, that’s him, he doesn’t look good. The portal is on fire, I must get him out of there before there’s another explosion.”
Episode 117. Crash Landing
Dustin leaned over Robin’s motionless body. At first, he didn’t know what to do. One thing was certain: he had to move him from there. The Portal was burning like hell itself; he could feel it on his back. Maybe soon there would be another explosion, he had to act fast, but Robin wasn’t moving. Was he…?
“Robin? Robin, bud, can you hear me?”
After a few seconds of Dustin’s panic, Robin reacted. Slowly, he turned onto his back and put a hand to his head.
“Thank you, God.” Dustin breathed in relief.
“Dust? Where–where am I?”.
“Aurora Skies, where else?”
“¿2016?”
“Yes. Now let’s get out of here, the portal could blow at any moment.”
“It won’t, don’t worry.”
“Uh, whatever, we should go. Do you think you can walk?”
As the only response, Robin lost consciousness again. Dustin didn’t wait, taking him by the arms, he began to move him carefully towards the door. The cold of the snow and Dustin’s haste woke him from his unconsciousness again.
“Hold on, Dust, you don’t have to do that, I–I’ll walk”.
“You sure?”
“Yeah, just, give me a second.”
It took not one but several seconds for Robin to get to his feet, but he finally made it.
“All right,” said Dustin “Now we’ll turn slowly toward the door, can you do that?”
“I think so.”
“Slow down, you got this… That’s it. Now tell me, what the heck happened?” asked Dustin, as they walked towards the house.
“Well, it’s…complicated to explain,” Robin replied.
“With you it always is, huh, buddy?” Dustin joked.
“Yep… Ouch, slow it down, my leg.”
“Sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“It’s freezing here,” Robin said, shivering.
“I know. It’s -5°C. And maybe you have a fever. It would be good to get you seen by a doctor.”
“Nah, I’m fine.”
“Okay, we’re almost there.”
Episode 118. Bruised
“Are you sure you’re okay?”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine, don’t worry, it was just a few bumps here and there. Nothing serious.”
“Nothing serious, huh? Well, forgive me, but you look pretty bad.”
“Nothing to worry about, I’ll be as good as new in a few hours.”
“A few hours? Who are you, Terminator?
“¿…?”
“Forget it, bad joke.”
“That’s it, step carefully. We’ll head for the couch. I’d carry you up to a bed, but it’s a lot of stairs.”
“You should have put in a tube elevator when I suggested it.”
“Yeah, my bad. But I’m on it.”
“Maybe I should take you to the hospital.”
“No, I’m telling you I’m fine, my head just hurts a little.”
“Can I get you anything, a painkiller or something for those scratches?
“No thanks, a glass of water will do.
“A glass of water? Dude, I’m serious–“.
“So am I. I don’t usually take those things, I mean, painkillers.
“Why? No headaches in the future?”
“Let’s just say medical science has advanced.”
“You’re talking about the ‘magical’ bracelet? Judith never goes out without it,” said Dustin as he poured the water. “What’s in it, the I Feel Good serum?”
“Emotions suppressors, they keep your negative emotions under control. They suppress physical pain as well”, Robin replied.
“Fascinating!”.
“Yeah, maybe if I hadn’t taken it off I’d feel better now”, Robin added bitterly. “I should have listened to Kaleigh and put it back on.”
“Kaleigh?”
Robin avoided answering. Dustin decided not to insist.
“Here you go, Atomic Water, from the Drink Synthesizer, I guess you’re familiar with it. Talk about advanced medicine… It’s good for these cases, plus it’ll make you feel right at home.”
“Yeah, well, Oasis Landing is no longer my home.”
“¿…?”
Episode 119. Banished
Robin picked up the glass and drank the Atomic Water in a hurry, as if it was the last glass of water in the desert.
“Hey, drink slowly, okay?”, Dustin warned him. Robin kept drinking as if his life depended on it.
“You must be dehydrated. The portal was on fire when I approached,” Dustin continued. “Tell me what went wrong – was it a mechanical failure, or overheating?”, he asked.
“None of the two. It was a sudden power cut; the portal went to a stop, so I crashed” Robin replied still a bit agitated. Dustin gave him a few seconds.
“Feeling better?” Dustin asked.
“Yeah, although still somewhat dazed from the explosion.”
“A moment ago you said that Oasis Landing is no longer your home. What happened there?
“Ask me better, what didn’t happen.”
“Any problems with the volunteer mother and your engineered baby?
“No, everything went fine, but, as it turns out, the ‘volunteer’ was Kaleigh Chandelace, my ex-girlfriend from high school.”
“Oh? –Wait, don’t tell me you and her…”
“Of course not. I’m married, remember?” Robin replied, with another big sip of water.
“But in the Future there’s no such thing as exclusivity, remember?”
“True, but I have enough problems as it is, so I set my boundaries with Kaleigh.”
“I understand, and I applaud your good sense, but then– where’s the baby?”
Robin set aside the now empty glass and exhaled a sigh.
“He stayed in Oasis Landing with his mother. My idea was to bring him with me later, but something happened that won’t allow me to go back there,” he replied.
“Something happened? What do you mean?”
“The Population Council found out that I got married here, to Ann, and that we had a daughter. They also know that I have a son with Juliette. It is illegal for a traveler to have children in another time. They took away my parental rights, issued warrants for my arrest and sent the police after me, so I escaped–with the help of Emit and Kaleigh, of course. If it hadn’t been for them, I wouldn’t be here now, but locked up in some cell in Oasis Landing Prison.”
“Oh, my goodness.”
Episode 120. Stuck in the Past
Robin told Dustin in detail everything that had happened in Oasis Landing. That Kaleigh had been sent to spy on him, but she had sided with him, how Emit had kept the portal active so he could escape, how he was forced to leave his son, Collin, with Kaleigh so he wouldn’t be taken away by the social worker, and how he had miraculously survived his abrupt landing.
“It all must have been terrifying,” Dustin said.
“Yes, it was. You know, I can’t help thinking that if they’d cut the power just seconds earlier, I’d now be stuck in another time, or lost in some wormhole. Fortunately, I was already in Aurora Skies when it happened. I was very lucky.
“So you’re a fugitive now?” Dustin said when he came out of his stupor.
“Yes, and I’m stuck in the past, so I may never see Collin again.”
“You can’t go back there?”
“Like I said, the Council took away my passport, I can’t use the portal anymore, so I can’t go back. And even if I could, I lost parental rights to Collin, so I couldn’t bring him with me.”
“Wow, that all sucks. Taking your son away from you and banishing you just for having children in the Past?”
“It’s not just that. For them, the only way to procreate a child is to ‘design’ it. The ‘other way’ is forbidden.”
“Is having sex forbidden in 2054?”, Dustin asked, even more concerned.
“It is not forbidden, but it’ s considered only a form of entertainment. If you want to procreate a child, you must ask for permission to engineer it. If you don’t do that, you are considered a criminal, you’ll be arrested and given the maximum penalty.”
“You mean the death penalty?”
“No death penalty in Oasis Landing, but there is worse.”
“What could be worse than being executed?”
“The Restart. They erase your memories until there is nothing left of them in your head.”
“They erase your memories. Is that even possible?”
“You’d be surprised what they can do with the human brain in the Future.”
“Like controlling the minds?”
“They could do that, but it’s illegal. The Restart, on the other hand, is perfectly legal, especially if the Council decides you deserve it. They erase everything from your memory, you won’t remember your family, or your friends, or anything about your past. Everything starts all over again for you, as if you were just born.”
“You’re right, it sounds worse than dying.”
“But anyway, enough of that, I should get home, Ann must be worried,” Robin abruptly concluded and stood up. Dustin rose with him.
“Wouldn’t it be better if you stayed and rested a bit? You still look weak.
“Don’t worry, with the bath and clean clothes I’ll be fine. But first I need to ask you a favor. I was thinking of talking to you about this some other time, but it’s really important to me, so I’ll tell you right away.”
“I’m all ears.”
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