WABAC To the Future
Four.
Sherman got back in the WABAC and I quickly powered up the machine. We took off under full cloak and flew back towards the harbor.
"Atom's told his boss that this was the second UFO that was reported today," Sherman said, "What's going on here?"
"We were the first UFO that was spotted Sherman," I said, "Someone forgot to cloak the WABAC earlier."
"Gee, I'm sorry about that Mr. Peabody." Sherman replied. "So I guess this time it's the real UFO that Atom ran into before I messed things up."
"It appears so. Only that UFO shouldn't have been seen in this time frame. It was your initial approach into this time period earlier that altered the UFO's path in time. Atom would have been flying over the harbor earlier when the WABAC arrived the second time with the two of us and encountered the UFO. It wouldn't have arrived the second time. In fact our arrival earlier altered the UFO's time line slightly, that's why Atom left just now. You are about to arrive in the WABAC at the Institute just about now. Good thing you're here with me so you won't met yourself.
I timed the WABAC's arrival over the harbor perfectly. The strange spaceship crashed into the water not too far from where our time machine was hovering. About 30 seconds later Atom arrived, just as the UFO crashed into the water. He dove under the surface and returned a few moments later holding an unconscious female. I quickly uncloaked the WABAC machine and allowed Atom to see us.
The WABAC was now floating on the surface of the bay, and I opened the main hatch. "Allow me to assist you!" I cried out. Atom flew into the WABAC holding the woman. "Sherman will you please help Atom treat this woman?" I asked, "You know where the WABAC's medical supplies are."
While Sherman and Atom took care of Scara's needs I quickly manned the controls of the WABAC machine. I closed the main hatch and jumped us backwards in time by 50 years. I knew that Sherman would probably hate me when he found out what I did, but it was the only way to repair the space-time continuum.
"I think she's coming around Mr. Peabody." Sherman said.
"Yes she looks like she'll be OK." Atom replied, looking around. "Just what is this machine?"
Before Sherman could answer I quickly replied, "This is an experimental stealth aircraft with the ability to travel on water."
"Oh." Atom replied.
"Why don't you take her ashore, perhaps back to the Institute." I told the boy robot. "They could probably help an injured space traveler."
"Sure, good idea." Atom said. I opened the hatch and he flew away carrying Scara with her.
"What just happened, Mr. Peabody?" Sherman asked. "We didn't do anything to undo my tampering?"
"Actually, I just did." I replied. I closed the hatch on the WABAC, and motioned for Sherman to take his seat.
"Set the return coordinates please, Sherman." I replied.
If he noticed anything funny on the controls, Sherman did not let on. He correctly adjusted the return settings to our own place and time and locked them in. I then activated the time controls and in a matter of seconds the WABAC returned us home, where everything once again appeared to be the way that it should.
Sherman looked at me a little funny, "What happened back there, Mr. Peabody?"
"Did you notice anything peculiar about that woman?" I asked.
"She wasn't exactly human." Sherman replied.
"True." I agreed. "Her race is a species of locus that can take human form. She was the pilot of the UFO that crashed into the bay. Her craft came from another dimension and was slipping though time when it arrived here. Before your arrival into this time space her ship exploded shortly upon impact sending her and Atom back in time by 50 years. However your arrival into this time space the first time absorbed some of her ships krontron energy. It did not explode and remained in this century. Atom did not go back into time, and he did not prevent the death of the CIA's future agent in Korea."
"I still don't get it, unless..." Sherman gave me a look of distilled anger, "You didn't ..."
"Yes I did, Sherman." I confessed. "While you and Atom were attending to Scara, that was her name by the way, I quickly jumped the WABAC 50 years into the past. It was a quick trip, didn't take more than a micro second and I made sure to avoid any bumps so you didn't notice."
"You mean we just left Atom and, what's her name, 50 years in the past!" Sherman yelled.
"Exactly." I said. "Which what was supposed to happen, remember? Let this be a lesson to you Sherman. Time travel requires great responsibility!"
"But Atom won't be able to get back to his own time!" Sherman said.
"I wouldn't worry myself about that." I said. "You see, we actually just caused a rather serious time paradox that will eventually work itself out. There will be two Atoms for a brief while, and one of them will exist in the future."
"I don't get it." Sherman said.
"Don't worry my boy." I said. "Someday it will all become clear to you, perhaps we will go back to the future again some day and you will see for yourself."