Sergeant Benton followed Jo, Mr. Dorsley, and Lom and her tetrahedron through the woods, rifle slung over his shoulder. He hoped he wouldn't need it, but as ever the weapon was immaculately cleaned and oiled, just in case he did. Jo and the auditor were both locked in an animated discussion with - or rather, at - Lom, who seemed to be paying the two of them little mind. She's a strange one, thought Benton, but at least it made a change to have a friendly alien for once. And the weather was good, too. Nice day for a walk, whatever the circumstances.
"I think you'll find, Ms. Lom," said Dorsley, picking his way around a fallen branch, "that government work can be very rewarding. Not to mention the job security and generous pension plans available at the higher echelons, for which I have no doubt you would qualify."
Jo rolled her eyes. "Lom doesn't care about any of that. She has a spaceship! She can go anywhere and do anything she wants!"
"Everyone should give thought to their retirement!" the auditor snapped. "Gallivanting about, chasing dreams - it's all well and good for unwashed hippies, but how often does it put food on the table? I put my dreams aside years ago, took a safe job, worked my way up, and I've - I've never looked back." He faltered for a second, then covered it up by storming ahead of Lom and addressing her face on.
"See what you can do!" he said, pointing to the tetrahedron hovering serenely over their heads. "By God, I'd give my right arm to have your abilities! Just think of what could be achieved if you put them to proper use! Wars could be won overnight! The British Empire could rise again, stronger than ever!"
Lom gave him an odd look and walked on past. "I am Intersector. Intersectors do not harm."
"Nor should you," said Jo approvingly. "There's enough of that in the universe as it is."
"Alright, fine." Dorsley strode rapidly to catch them up. "Don't take lives. You don't have to. You can save them instead."
By this point the quartet's walk had taken them to the bottom of a small, leaf-strewn hill. A tiny stream, barely a trickle, emerged from beneath a rock just where the ground began to slope upwards. Dorsley hurried over to it. "Here, I'll show you," he insisted. "You can… reach through time, can't you? Change history?"
"In small ways, this is possible," Lom agreed.
"Show me. Try blocking this stream, but in the past - back before it ever became a stream. Just move one rock! That's all you have to do."
Jo put her hand on the alien's arm. "Lom, please don't," she asked softly.
Lom looked almost apologetic. "I am curious," she said.
The tetrahedron sank down onto the ground with a crunch of litter as Lom knelt beside the mouth of the stream. Jo and Benton watched on uneasily, but Dorsley's face was alight with hunger.
Lom reached out with her hand, which seemed to vibrate and blur as if reflected in a shaking film of metal. As she touched the rock, a shimmer of something shot out of the rock and raced down the path of the stream - erasing it from existence.
Benton's mouth fell open as the woodland shifted around before their eyes. The shrubs and leafy herbs that had crowded the banks of the stream disappeared, and the larger trees moved in to fill the gap, growing very slightly taller in the process. The whole transformation took less than five seconds.
"Yes! Yes!" cried Dorsley, almost hopping with glee. "That's it! That's exactly what I mean! Move one rock and a whole forest moves! Alter the trajectory of one bullet and change the course of a war! Just think of the lives you could -"
"Stop it!" screamed Jo, tears pouring down her face. The sudden noise silenced the birds and insects all about them. "You have no right! Can't you see how monstrous this is?"
Lom was perplexed. "I do not understand," she said, gesturing to the rock she had moved. "The water flows underground. The trees drink of it and grow strong. No harm is done."
Jo took a breath, calming herself a little. "It's not about whether or not there's a stream. It's about whether or not it's our stream." She pointed at Dorsley. "He wants to rewrite the past for everyone else, but look at him. He's miserable. He can't even write his own present." She glared at the auditor. "Why do people like you always need to be powerful? Why can't you just be happy?"
Dorsley's mouth opened and shut, but no words came out.
"This is harm," said Lom sadly, "but I mend it." She knelt down once more and reversed what she had done to the mouth of the stream. A few seconds later the woodland was restored to its original state, and the Intersector levitated the tetrahedron into the air and continued on her way.
"You stupid girl!" Dorsley roared at Jo, finding his voice at last. He appeared to be close to tears himself. "You've ruined everything! There's so much about the past that needs to be fixed! You have no idea!" He advanced towards, his hands balling into fists.
"I think we'd best be moving along, don't you, sir?" Benton, without appearing to move, was suddenly standing between them. He smiled good-naturedly as he adjusted the strap on his rifle. "Wouldn't do to get left behind."
Dorsley pursed his lips so hard they went white, then turned and stomped up the hill after Lom.
"Thanks," sniffled Jo, pulling a hankie from her sleeve and blowing her nose.
"Don't mention it, Jo. Some of us just know better then to get on your bad side." Benton nodded his head towards the top of the hill. "Come on, I think we're nearly there anyway. The Breakridge Institute should be right over the next rise."
