May 16, 1997
Wade Welles stands as a chilly breeze cools her cheek. Looking towards the east, the sky is turning pink as the first rays of the sun shine on the San Francisco Bay. She looks at the U.S. Navy transport jet sitting on the taxiway in the Alameda Naval Air Station near Oakland, California.
She walks up the stairs and enters the plane's passenger cabin, towing her luggage with her. She sits down on one of the seats.
"Was it cold out there?" asks Rembrandt Brown, sitting in the seat next to her.
"Not that cold," replies Wade. "It's amazing. We get the meet the President. Our President."
"I hope you two are comfortable," says Captain Maggie Beckett as she enters, dressed in her Marine dress blues. "I've been given the honor of being your chaperone."
"You ever met the President?" asks Wade.
"Twice," replies Maggie. "I will be the one flying us to Andrews Air Force Base; I am qualified to fly this make and model. You two are of the highest priority; the President ordered the Transportation Command to accomodate you. Well, we will be leaving soon. I'd better get in the cockpit."
And so the Marine captain enters the cockpit and sits next to her co-pilot, a Navy lieutenant junior grade.
"Everything is ready to go, ma'am," says the lieutenant.
Maggie dons a headset. "This is Hawkeye Three-Niner to Alameda Tower," she says. "We are ready for takeoff."
"Copy that, Hawkeye," replies the air traffic controller. "All runways are cleared. You may take off."
Wade Welles looks out the window and notices the plane is moving. She hears the rumbling sound of the landing gears as they roll along the runway. Soon the rumbling stops, and Wade can see that the shapes on the ground are getting smaller and smaller.
"All passengers, this is the captain speaking," says Maggie. "We are now airborne. Our ETA to Andrews is five hours."
Five hours later, the U.S. Navy jet is on its final approach to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. The landing gears touch the runway and then the plane taxis to a hangar on the base.
Maggie shuts off the engines, and then enters the passenger cabin. "Well, we're here," she says.
"So we've noticed," says Wade.
"There's a helicopter which will lift us to the White House lawn."
"A helicopter," says Rembrandt. "I haven't ridden one of those in a long time."
They all step down a flight of stairs to the ground. The air base is busy, with Jeeps and Humvees moving about.
"This is the base where two presidential transports are kept," says Maggie. "He actually visited Yerba Buena last year. He was visiting the San Francisco area for an election campaign, and he wanted to pay us a visit. I actually got my picture taken with him."
After walking for a few minutes, they all reach a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is stenciled along the tail.
"I've never been to Washington before," says Wade. "I wonder if I'll get to visit all the monuments."
They all board the helicopter, and then the Marine pilot lifts off. The helicopter leaves Andrews and heads straight for Washington, D.C. Wade looks out the window, noting the landscape below.
Minutes later, she sees a huge river, and there are roads and buildings on both sides of the river.
"That is the Potomac River," says Maggie. "Just right before the river ism our nation's capital. Past that is Arlington, and over there is the Pentagon which is the headquarters for the military."
"The Pentagon?" asks Rembrandt. "you mean that pentagon-shaped building over there?"
"Yes," says Maggie. "Anyway, General Shalikashvili will be joining us at the White House; he's the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff."
Wade and Rembrandt look down upon a green area crisscrossed with roads and white buildings. They can see the Capitol building.
And they can see the White House.
Then the ground appears closer and closer as the helicopter descends. The landing gears touch down on the White House lawn.
Wade and Rembrandt step out and look upon the White House. They had both seen pictures of it-as well as its counterparts in parallel universes. But they are now here.
Several men in suits come out; they must be Secret Service agents.
"Come this way," one of the Secret Service agents say.
They all enter through a door. They are now in a hallway. The interior design is luxurious.
A dark-haired woman approaches them. She wears a black beret and a blue dress. Wade notices she looks young, about as young as she and Quinn are.
"Hello, you must be the President's guests," she says. "My name is Monica Lewinsky; I am in intern here and I was sent here to greet you."
"Hello there," says Rembrandt. "I am Rembrandt Brown."
"Hi, I'm Wade Welles," says Wade. "you must have heard of our travels."
"Uh, yeah," replies Lewinsky. "We are gathering in the Rose Garden. If you will follow me."
Lewinsky leads Wade, Rembrandt, and Maggie through the halls of the White House and they emerge through another door. They enter the Rose Garden, aptly named because of the roses.
"Welcome to the Rose Garden," says Lewinsky. "You will notice all the roses here. Anyway, previous presidents have met with foreign leaders and other guests right in this here garden."
A man appraoches the group. He is dressed in an Army formal dress uniform. Maggie slutes him, and he salutes back.
"Hello," says the man. "I am General Shalikashvili, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "
"Hello, sir," says Maggie. "I am Captain Maggie Beckett."
"I have read about your project. Are these the two travelers from our world who got lost for two years?"
"Yes, sir."
"I am Rembrandt Brown," says Rembrandt.
"And I am Wade Welles," says Wade.
"A pleasure to meet you both," replies the general, shaking both of their hands. "The President should be here shortly. He is on the phone. I was wondering what you experience was like."
"We've seen a lot of different things," says Rembrandt. "We've seen what could have been."
"Hello," says a dark-haired old woman, extending her hand. "I am honored to meet you two. I am Senator Dianne Feinstein."
"Hello," says Wade.
"I used to be Mayor of San Francisco about seventeen years ago. I oversee the sliding program for the Senate."
"You must understand it well," says Rembrandt.
"Not really," replies the senator. "I heard it has to do with parallel universes that have other versions of Earth and other versions of us."
"We can tell you all about it," says Wade.
Then they notice a whole bunch of people in suits walking towards the Rose Garden. Wade and Rembrandt recognize one silver-haired man.
He is none other than President William Jefferson Clinton.
The White House band starts playing music and photographers start taking pictures.
The President appraoches Rembrandt and Wade. "Hello," he says. "I have heard about your travels."
"It is such an honor to meet you, Mr. President," says Wade.
"I've seen and heard a lot of things," says Rembrandt. "I will never forget this."
President Clinton approaches the podium. "Greetings to you all," he says. "Today we welcome back two Americans who have returned three days ago after a long journey through the universe. They spent two years exploring worlds similar to ours, and yet different. I know it's hard to explain; believe me, I have trouble understanding it myself. I can only imagine what these two have seen. A lot of us wonder what-if; they have lived it. As we honor these two Americans for making history, let us not forget the other two who still have not come back. I ask you to join us in prayer that God will look after them and guide them home."
And then everyone in the Rose Garden claps. Rembrandt and Wade stand with President Clinton and then photographers take their pictures. Then Senator Feinstein has her picture taken with the two White House guests.
Rembrandt and Wade step down from the podium, and then the President and other dignitaries go back inside the White House.
"Isn't he the greatest?" asks Monica Lewinsky.
"I guess so," says Wade. "He is the President."
"He seems all right," says Rembrandt.
Later that evening, an airplane flies high above the heartland of America at an altitude of fifty miles. It is a strange-looking craft, shaped like a manta ray. Manta rays are known for swimming quickly through the oceans; the designers of this plane copied nature to design an aircraft that can cut through the air.
The airplane is loaded with all sorts of surveillance equipment.the equipment on the plane can monitor air temperature, surface temperature, radiation levels, atmospheric pressure and content at various altitudes, and electromagnetic and particle radiation.
The pilot of the plane looks at an light-emmitting diode readout. "We have five minutes left," he says.
"Good," says a crew member. "I can't wait to get home and have dinner."
"Have you recorded everything you can from the electromagnetic broadcasts?" asks the copilot.
"Yes, sir," replies another crew member. "We are recording on over one hundred thirty channels."
"Well, we have four and a half more minutes."
And so the plane continues its course. Finally, the LED readout reads zeroes all the way.
"All right then," says the pilot. "Let us return to Outpost One."
He presses a button. The air in front seems to shimmer, even though the air is very thin at this high altitude.
The whole universe is filled with something called quantum foam. At subatomic levels, spacetime is rippled and foamy, hence the term quantum foam. Quantum foam has wormholes; all too tiny to be used.
But sometimes they can be expanded.
Like now.
A pulse from the airplane opens one of the wormholes. It gets larget until it is over three hundred feet wide. It glows red.
"Let's go back," says the pilot.
The plane enters the mouth of the wormhole and goes to another version of Earth in a parallel universe.
Wade Welles stands as a chilly breeze cools her cheek. Looking towards the east, the sky is turning pink as the first rays of the sun shine on the San Francisco Bay. She looks at the U.S. Navy transport jet sitting on the taxiway in the Alameda Naval Air Station near Oakland, California.
She walks up the stairs and enters the plane's passenger cabin, towing her luggage with her. She sits down on one of the seats.
"Was it cold out there?" asks Rembrandt Brown, sitting in the seat next to her.
"Not that cold," replies Wade. "It's amazing. We get the meet the President. Our President."
"I hope you two are comfortable," says Captain Maggie Beckett as she enters, dressed in her Marine dress blues. "I've been given the honor of being your chaperone."
"You ever met the President?" asks Wade.
"Twice," replies Maggie. "I will be the one flying us to Andrews Air Force Base; I am qualified to fly this make and model. You two are of the highest priority; the President ordered the Transportation Command to accomodate you. Well, we will be leaving soon. I'd better get in the cockpit."
And so the Marine captain enters the cockpit and sits next to her co-pilot, a Navy lieutenant junior grade.
"Everything is ready to go, ma'am," says the lieutenant.
Maggie dons a headset. "This is Hawkeye Three-Niner to Alameda Tower," she says. "We are ready for takeoff."
"Copy that, Hawkeye," replies the air traffic controller. "All runways are cleared. You may take off."
Wade Welles looks out the window and notices the plane is moving. She hears the rumbling sound of the landing gears as they roll along the runway. Soon the rumbling stops, and Wade can see that the shapes on the ground are getting smaller and smaller.
"All passengers, this is the captain speaking," says Maggie. "We are now airborne. Our ETA to Andrews is five hours."
Five hours later, the U.S. Navy jet is on its final approach to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland. The landing gears touch the runway and then the plane taxis to a hangar on the base.
Maggie shuts off the engines, and then enters the passenger cabin. "Well, we're here," she says.
"So we've noticed," says Wade.
"There's a helicopter which will lift us to the White House lawn."
"A helicopter," says Rembrandt. "I haven't ridden one of those in a long time."
They all step down a flight of stairs to the ground. The air base is busy, with Jeeps and Humvees moving about.
"This is the base where two presidential transports are kept," says Maggie. "He actually visited Yerba Buena last year. He was visiting the San Francisco area for an election campaign, and he wanted to pay us a visit. I actually got my picture taken with him."
After walking for a few minutes, they all reach a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA is stenciled along the tail.
"I've never been to Washington before," says Wade. "I wonder if I'll get to visit all the monuments."
They all board the helicopter, and then the Marine pilot lifts off. The helicopter leaves Andrews and heads straight for Washington, D.C. Wade looks out the window, noting the landscape below.
Minutes later, she sees a huge river, and there are roads and buildings on both sides of the river.
"That is the Potomac River," says Maggie. "Just right before the river ism our nation's capital. Past that is Arlington, and over there is the Pentagon which is the headquarters for the military."
"The Pentagon?" asks Rembrandt. "you mean that pentagon-shaped building over there?"
"Yes," says Maggie. "Anyway, General Shalikashvili will be joining us at the White House; he's the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff."
Wade and Rembrandt look down upon a green area crisscrossed with roads and white buildings. They can see the Capitol building.
And they can see the White House.
Then the ground appears closer and closer as the helicopter descends. The landing gears touch down on the White House lawn.
Wade and Rembrandt step out and look upon the White House. They had both seen pictures of it-as well as its counterparts in parallel universes. But they are now here.
Several men in suits come out; they must be Secret Service agents.
"Come this way," one of the Secret Service agents say.
They all enter through a door. They are now in a hallway. The interior design is luxurious.
A dark-haired woman approaches them. She wears a black beret and a blue dress. Wade notices she looks young, about as young as she and Quinn are.
"Hello, you must be the President's guests," she says. "My name is Monica Lewinsky; I am in intern here and I was sent here to greet you."
"Hello there," says Rembrandt. "I am Rembrandt Brown."
"Hi, I'm Wade Welles," says Wade. "you must have heard of our travels."
"Uh, yeah," replies Lewinsky. "We are gathering in the Rose Garden. If you will follow me."
Lewinsky leads Wade, Rembrandt, and Maggie through the halls of the White House and they emerge through another door. They enter the Rose Garden, aptly named because of the roses.
"Welcome to the Rose Garden," says Lewinsky. "You will notice all the roses here. Anyway, previous presidents have met with foreign leaders and other guests right in this here garden."
A man appraoches the group. He is dressed in an Army formal dress uniform. Maggie slutes him, and he salutes back.
"Hello," says the man. "I am General Shalikashvili, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. "
"Hello, sir," says Maggie. "I am Captain Maggie Beckett."
"I have read about your project. Are these the two travelers from our world who got lost for two years?"
"Yes, sir."
"I am Rembrandt Brown," says Rembrandt.
"And I am Wade Welles," says Wade.
"A pleasure to meet you both," replies the general, shaking both of their hands. "The President should be here shortly. He is on the phone. I was wondering what you experience was like."
"We've seen a lot of different things," says Rembrandt. "We've seen what could have been."
"Hello," says a dark-haired old woman, extending her hand. "I am honored to meet you two. I am Senator Dianne Feinstein."
"Hello," says Wade.
"I used to be Mayor of San Francisco about seventeen years ago. I oversee the sliding program for the Senate."
"You must understand it well," says Rembrandt.
"Not really," replies the senator. "I heard it has to do with parallel universes that have other versions of Earth and other versions of us."
"We can tell you all about it," says Wade.
Then they notice a whole bunch of people in suits walking towards the Rose Garden. Wade and Rembrandt recognize one silver-haired man.
He is none other than President William Jefferson Clinton.
The White House band starts playing music and photographers start taking pictures.
The President appraoches Rembrandt and Wade. "Hello," he says. "I have heard about your travels."
"It is such an honor to meet you, Mr. President," says Wade.
"I've seen and heard a lot of things," says Rembrandt. "I will never forget this."
President Clinton approaches the podium. "Greetings to you all," he says. "Today we welcome back two Americans who have returned three days ago after a long journey through the universe. They spent two years exploring worlds similar to ours, and yet different. I know it's hard to explain; believe me, I have trouble understanding it myself. I can only imagine what these two have seen. A lot of us wonder what-if; they have lived it. As we honor these two Americans for making history, let us not forget the other two who still have not come back. I ask you to join us in prayer that God will look after them and guide them home."
And then everyone in the Rose Garden claps. Rembrandt and Wade stand with President Clinton and then photographers take their pictures. Then Senator Feinstein has her picture taken with the two White House guests.
Rembrandt and Wade step down from the podium, and then the President and other dignitaries go back inside the White House.
"Isn't he the greatest?" asks Monica Lewinsky.
"I guess so," says Wade. "He is the President."
"He seems all right," says Rembrandt.
Later that evening, an airplane flies high above the heartland of America at an altitude of fifty miles. It is a strange-looking craft, shaped like a manta ray. Manta rays are known for swimming quickly through the oceans; the designers of this plane copied nature to design an aircraft that can cut through the air.
The airplane is loaded with all sorts of surveillance equipment.the equipment on the plane can monitor air temperature, surface temperature, radiation levels, atmospheric pressure and content at various altitudes, and electromagnetic and particle radiation.
The pilot of the plane looks at an light-emmitting diode readout. "We have five minutes left," he says.
"Good," says a crew member. "I can't wait to get home and have dinner."
"Have you recorded everything you can from the electromagnetic broadcasts?" asks the copilot.
"Yes, sir," replies another crew member. "We are recording on over one hundred thirty channels."
"Well, we have four and a half more minutes."
And so the plane continues its course. Finally, the LED readout reads zeroes all the way.
"All right then," says the pilot. "Let us return to Outpost One."
He presses a button. The air in front seems to shimmer, even though the air is very thin at this high altitude.
The whole universe is filled with something called quantum foam. At subatomic levels, spacetime is rippled and foamy, hence the term quantum foam. Quantum foam has wormholes; all too tiny to be used.
But sometimes they can be expanded.
Like now.
A pulse from the airplane opens one of the wormholes. It gets larget until it is over three hundred feet wide. It glows red.
"Let's go back," says the pilot.
The plane enters the mouth of the wormhole and goes to another version of Earth in a parallel universe.