Sakura Wars: The 21st Century

By Steve Edward

Chapter 4

Area 51 – 2130 hours local – T-minus 1 hour and 30 minutes

Stepping out of the conference room that he had been using; John walked down the hallway to the large briefing and mission room. There arrayed on tables were the contents of his luggage for his journey. Identical in every respect to what was already packed and stowed on an antique luggage cart that was already in the doorway room he would be given yet another refresher on what he would be taking with him.

Already in the room were Dr.'s Julie and Mary Long, both having finished the final preparations in the control room, all that remained were to give their part of the refresher briefing. Both would also take the opportunity check John one last time for any stray twenty first century devices on or about his person.

The Central Intelligence Agency had been tasked with providing the needed materials. The main concern was Japanese money from that time period and they came through by locating original printing plates. Analyzing the actual currency and reproducing it was easy. The money now concealed in the steamer trunk which for all practical appearances appeared to be an actual piece of luggage from 1920's time period was in fact an ultra-modern piece that had been aged. Taking into account that John was now posing as an architect it contained implements of his trade. The Central Intelligence Agency had also been utilized to manufacture John's travel and identification documents.

An early twentieth century slide-ruler was included, now vary rare it had been purchased through E-Bay several months earlier as were other items that tradesmen used during that time period. John's cover name; Herbert Robert Long his persona had in fact existed in 1927. His grand father was architect in the 1920's and had an office located in San Francisco, California. Because of his skills he traveled extensively around the world.

Herbert had kept a diary of his travels; and it was this diary which had been in the Long Family library at the family estate near San Diego, California that Admiral John Long utilized for his cover.

Herbert who was born in 1871 would be the same age as John in 2010. Herbert too had been born on November 15th as was John so there would be little difficulty if John was by happenstance asked what his birth date was.

John's own father Will had moved his father Herbert to the family estate in 1955 which is where he had come into John's life. Herbert would regal John on his travels and would eventually show him his diary of his travels along with his passport which was filled with numerous entry stamps from countries around the globe. Herbert would also begin teaching John many of the foreign languages that he knew. At the time of Herbert's death in 1961 from natural causes; John was already fluent in German, French, Italian, Japanese, Chinese and Russian.

The identification documents that lay on the table were direct reproductions; taken from Herbert Robert Long's original passport, now safely back at the estate along with the diary. A day by day and month by month review of Herbert's travels revealed that he had not been to Japan in 1927. However he had been in Japan in 1924 to mid 1925, which when studied more closely he had been involved in the design of a building located in Tokyo. But which one was an open question. John would have to hope that it was inconsequential.

The eye glasses which lay nearby had also belonged to Herbert, because they were from the same time period and John still wore glasses he picked them up fingering the frame as he put them on. As John turned; Staff Sergeant Bloomberg did a double take. Looking at a photograph of the real Herbert Long and then looking at John the resemblances was eerie to say the least.

John's twin sisters too were a bit taken back by the uncanny resemblances, to which J.C. commented; "John or I should say Herbert go to the mirror." A full length three sided mirror mounted nearby reflected his appearance. John looking then turning around walking towards them both; "Well I guess the package is complete then is it not Sis?"

Julie and Mary both rolled their eyes upward as one and then proceeded to search through his pockets for anything that he should not be taking. Completing that task, Mary walked to the final table which contained an electronic device that was his key back to 2010.

The signal device, utilizing alien technology had the ability to send a signal to the present time; so that the travel doorway could be opened. As Mary described the operation of it, she closed with a briefing of the codes that were preprogrammed.

Already memorized by John he still listened intently ensuring he had missed nothing and satisfied with that he turned to Staff Sergeant Bloomberg.

Staff Sergeant Bloomberg opened an aluminum travel case and removed its contents placing the items on the table before him. A 1920's era shoulder holster containing four magazines and next to it considered antique in the twenty first century a 1911A1 .45 Caliber Colt; which had belonged to Herbert. It had been carefully checked and fully reconditioned. Though both his sisters and Professor Walters had vehemently opposed him carrying the weapon, John still would carry the piece. Slipping off his jacket he put on the shoulder harness and after carefully checking the weapon one last time he placed a magazine within and jacked a round into place.

Filing out of the briefing room, the involved parties took separate elevators. John who was now in the persona of Herbert went to the final level. Exiting the elevator he turned and walked to where the luggage cart sat. The contents were securely fastened and would stay on the cart regardless if it tipped or not. Not a reproduction the cart had been found at a railroad museum in Duluth, Georgia. Taken to the Norfolk Naval Shipyard, woodcraftsman would restore it so that it would be able to handle the luggage. Historically accurate down to the bolts and rubber lined steel wheels it would not look out of place when John would leave it behind.

Area 51 – 2245 hours – T-minus 15 minutes

Getting John back to 1927 and more specifically within the project three months of the June 30th, 1927 deactivation date had been solved. Utilizing a best guess date of arrival and using steamship records from 1927 they had a target date of May 1st, 1927. That date fell on a Sunday which also coincided with the arrival of a steamship named San Francisco Star. Herbert's arrival with that of the steamship would not arouse suspicions. The travel door way would be into a warehouse that was near the dock that the San Francisco Star had actually utilized that day.

To open the doorway required tremendous amounts of energy and because of that the original power supply plan had been to utilize public utilities. But that had been made mote when the Long sisters were able to get the power plant from the 1947 Roswell, New Mexico crash site to work. Because of the ability to warp time and generate energy as well the power plants ability to provide a way to travel to the past there was no need for public utilities to be utilized; which likely was a blessing as the sisters later calculated power requirements would entail having to blackout Las Vegas itself just to open the doorway. Doing that would be entirely unacceptable and would raise a lot of questions that could not be truthfully answered.

The size of the doorway could be regulated allowing for objects of various sizes to be accommodated, the sisters during the early planning stages had half joked with their younger brother about sending the Wisconsin and her crew back in time. Not amused John imagined what would happen if the Wisconsin appeared within the harbor of Tokyo unannounced. The ship would likely come under attack by the very people he was going to try to bring back in the first place; and it would severely alter world history just being there.

A team member of the time travel operations center handed Herbert a small compact communications device. Placing it in his ear, he tested it and heard the voice of J.C. acknowledging the test, then her statement of "Five minutes to doorway opening."

Taking his assigned position in preparation for entering the doorway, John mentally reviewed the does and don'ts. Foremost if at all possible avoid the taking of human life no matter how serious; even if it meant death. John paused at that; "Who's death?" Herbert who had traveled on numerous occasions to Japan and the surrounding countries had remarked that even though relatively peaceful during those times; crime was still a problem. Hence the Colt, which John as a young boy would shoot when he was just 6 years old. His grandfather had been adamant that he should know how to handle a weapon and the implications of picking it up.

Mary's advise on how to enter the doorway was very basic and common sense. "When you receive the go ahead to enter the doorway, do so at a leisurely pace. You will be entering a confined area and if you were to bolt through the door, you may or may not have time to stop before encountering a wall or other object." After hearing those comments; John at did not have inspirations of demolishing anything at that point or worse possibly injuring someone inadvertently.

January 11, 2010 – U.S.S. Wisconsin BB-64 – 0255 hours local

The messenger of the watch quietly knocked on Captain Hollister's sea cabin door. Acknowledging that she was awake and granting permission to enter; the seaman a female crewmember entered the cabin and placed a hot cup of coffee on the Captain's desk nearby.

Departing and closing the door; only a few moments later that the Executive Officer Commander Chris Tyler and Chief Engineer Matt Healey entered the cabin after briefly waiting for Sammy to dress.

Going to her safe, she entered the combination and using her thumb print was electronically verified. Removing the sealed orders she returned to the nearby desk where she sat and opened the updated orders.

Reading the official gibberish she continued to read until she got to the meat of the sealed orders. "OH MY GOD!" her features in shock and the loud cry causing enough alarm to the Marine Guard on the nearby bridge to come running, his Beretta 92SBF out and ready; Chris who was startled both by Sammy and then the Marine entering the cabin turned to the Marine Guard and dismissed him, having him close the door.

Picking up and reading he scanned the official order, digesting the information; his comment "Is he nuts or what?" as Matt too read the official orders "If not certifiably he should at least have his head examined if he comes back."

The order read in part, "Sammy, Chris and Matt you are reading this order at this point which signifies an important event. I am by now or have already entered a device that allows one to time travel. In this instance; I am traveling back to the year 1927; my destination Tokyo, Japan."

Continuing the reading the order, Chris read further; "This is the most important part of the plan to help us fight the Sea Wraiths. It is only a matter of time before they reappear again and cause even more devastation. The hope is that I can bring the Imperial Flower Combat Troop from the past namely the year 1927 to the current year 2010.

I could have chosen someone else to do this; but I felt necessary to do it as I feel I have some type of connection with these warriors already."

Pausing briefly, he turned to Matt, his expression reflective in thought; Sammy still stunned took the letter from Chris and continued. "Sammy; I figured that you would object strenuously over my decision. Teresa has already done so repeatedly but to no avail; I currently have serious thoughts about having her locked up so she will not bolt after me but hopefully will instead stand by like a good Marine and await my return."

Taking a sip of the coffee, Sammy continued. "Captain Frank Orkney will now be in operational command of Task Group Rose and as such I expect you to fully follow his orders. With luck I along with the Imperial Flower Combat Troop will meet the ship in San Diego, California. You are upon exiting the Panama Canal is hereby ordered to proceed at a speed of 35 knots to San Diego. Hopefully by then you will have heard something from me by then. Good Luck."

Sitting back in her chair, turning to look at her officers, "Gentlemen you have read the orders. It may already be too late but throw some prayers out; that man is going to need a lot help, help that we can not give him."