Lucas exhaled heavily and shook his head. “A temporal anoma
lyinvolving Caesar could pose all sorts of problems. He didn’t exactly lead anuneventful life. When did Travers make his report?”
“This morning. He clocked in with it personally. leaving Caesar’scamp on the night before he crossed the Rubicon and started the civil war in Rome.”Forrester said. “He clocked back out so he’d arrive just after he left, so hewas only gone from Minus Time for a matter of minutes. Therefore, the risk wasminimal and he felt justified in taking it. Under the circumstances. I’minclined to agree. At first, he wasn’t sure that what he had on his hands wasan anomaly. Caesar, like other people of his time, was in the habit ofconsulting soothsayers and it seems that word had reached him of an oracle ofsome sort, a man named Lucan, who could see into the future. He had sent forthis oracle to give him a reading on the night before he crossed the Rubicon.There’s no historical record of any such event, but as we all know, that doesn’tnecessarily mean it didn’t happen. Still, Travers found it curious, since bothCaesar and his classical biographers had mentioned most of the occasions whenhe had received significant prophecies or omens. To receive a prophecy on thenight of one of the most important events in his life would certainly seemsignificant. yet it was possible that history might have overlooked it.
“In any event,” Forrester continued, “Travers didn’t thinkmuch of it at first He thought it might make for an interesting incident in hisbook. He plans to write a biography of Caesar when he returns to Plus Time. Hemanaged to be present during the reading. which turned out to be ratherunusual, to say the least. The oracle told Caesar that he would be successfulin his civil war, that his fame would live for generations. and that he wouldfall in love with a beautiful young queen. an apparent reference to Cleopatra.”
“Well, with all due respect. sir.” said Delaney. “thatsounds more like a generalized bit of fortune-telling than an anomaly. None ofthose so-called predictions would seem particularly farfetched for a Romangeneral with Caesar’s reputation. Roman military governors often becameinvolved with royalty. There were more kings and queens back then than youcould shake a stick at. And flattering a general by promising him victory andfame would only be good business sense for an enterprising soothsayer.”
“This soothsayer also told Caesar the exact date when hewould be assassinated and to beware of men named Cassius. Brutus, Cimber, andCasca.”
“oh.” said Delaney.
“Yeah, oh. What’s more, he told Caesar there was a chancethat he could change his fate if he paid attention to the omens, and one inparticular, which he cited rather cryptically. ‘That which was concealed shallstand revealed.’ After the oracle went out the gates of Caesar’s camp, Traverstried to follow him, only he had mysteriously disappeared.”
“This was at night, wasn’t it?” said Steiger. “Travers mighthave simply lost him in the darkness.”
“The moon was out,” said Forrester. “And the terrain aroundthe camp was an unbroken slope that stretched down to a meadow, affording anunobstructed view for several miles.
“He might have gone around the camp. hugging the wall.”
“Or he might have clocked out.” said Andre. “I think Traverswas right. It definitely sounds like a potential disruption. We can’t afford tooverlook it.
“That which was concealed shall stand revealed.’” saidLucas, frowning. “What does that mean?”
“I have no idea.” said Forester.-Travers is going to checkback in as soon as something breaks. In the meantime. I want you all to reportfor mission programming and stand by to clock out on a moment’s notice.”
“That could pose a small problem. sir,” asked Priest. “Officially,I’m still dead. If I report for mission programming, I’m liable give them onehell of a shock in Archives.”
“Steiger can take care of that.” said Forester. “The T.I.A.’salways maintained its own programming facility for covert field agents. He cangive you the coordinates and you can clock right in from here. I’ll have thefacility cleared. then Steiger can access the data from Archives and run thedownload himself.”
“What about what Darkness said?” Steiger asked.
“That stays in this room.” said Forrester. “I don’t knowwhat the hell he’s up to, but there’s little point in trying to second-guesshim. You can’t effect a temporal adjustment while you’re worrying aboutwhatever he might do. Or whether you’re doing the right thing from thestandpoint of the future. You can’t try to second-guess yourselves. either. It’llonly interfere with your mission. Just go in and do what you have to do. Forgetabout Darkness. There’s not really anything that we can do about him. anyway.-
“I’ll need a warp disc,” Lucas said. “With my transponder decaying.I don’t want to take a chance on not being able to clock out if I have to.”
“Good point,” said Forrester. I’ll see that you get one.”
“I wish we’d asked Darkness one more question.” saidSteiger.
“What’s that?”
“What happens if that decaying transponder starts malfunctioningand causes Priest to translocate without being able to control it?”
Priest glanced at him. “Oh. thanks a lot. Now youbring that up!”
“Maybe you shouldn’t go out on this one.” Steiger said.
“Forget it,” Lucas said firmly. “I need a mission. I’ve beengoing stir crazy cooped up in here. Besides. Darkness didn’t say anything aboutthe transponder’s chronocircuitry running out of control. he just said it wasdecaying.”
“As I recall, he also thought he had all the bugs ironed outof it in the first place,” Steiger said.
“Look, if it’s going to happen, it’ll happen whether I’mhere or on the mission,” Lucas replied. “Staying behind won’t change a thing.”
“Maybe not, but it would keep you from jeopardizing the missionby clocking out suddenly at the wrong moment.”
“I’m afraid he’s got a point, Lucas.” Forrester said.