Jackie was confused. "Why would you need a physicist to check that?"
"Because it's part of a larger project. This isn't just a matter of someone who can predict the future because she has good judgement. Nor is it someone who uses hocus-pocus to fool the natives. We think there is a real temporal anomaly."
"A temporal what?"
"We think, that if we can figure out why this is happening, we can uncover the secret to time travel."
Nyusi explained he had spent the previous forty-eight hours doing the preliminary calculations, working on the initial readings when he first arrived, trying to narrow down several theories of time travel. The next day Nyusi got up early and after breakfast told Jackie that he was going to travel around the city and get more readings, as well as see if he could learn more about the mysterious woman. He invited Jackie to come along, partly in the hope he would find something in the city that would interest her so she wouldn't spend the day nagging him.
Jackie did not like being dressed from head to foot in unsightly robes. "My God I look awful. Everyone who sees me would think I look hideous."
"Literally no one in Manethysia cares what you look like."
And so they toured the city. In retrospect, Nyusi realized that Jackie would have little interest in the great library of Manethysia which its almost entirely secular set of scrolls, papyri and codexes that were five millennia old. But he did get some interesting readings while Jackie pouted underneath her hijab. And he also got interesting readings while showing some of the other interesting sights. There were the games of chance and skill, like the combination of backgammon and chess, only much more exciting. There was the strange ethereal singing of Manethysian children. There was the fascinating world of sculpture, at times figuratively exact and at the same time breath-takingly original and abstract. And there was the festival of many colored balloons that the children happily set sail into the sky.
Jackie did not like any of this. "This is so boring." "It's so sandy." "This is so dull." "This is so dull." "The fashions here are so boring."
"Perhaps you could try to appreciate the uniqueness of where you are. Even in the 33th century, most humans have not actually left Earth."
"Why did I have to be on a planet governed by space Muslims?"
"Actually, the religion of the city is closest to a combination of Zoroastrianism and Shintoism, with some very striking differences."
"And there's somebody following me in blue robes."
"You're imagining things. There are dozens of people wearing blue robes."
Jackie pointed to someone who just ducked down an alley. "I'm sure that person…"
"Oh hell," Nyusi interrupted. For down the large avenue about fifty feet away walked a dozen Al-Zephani and behind them was the Joelamosia who had confronted Nyusi earlier.
"Isn't that the bigoted priest you said…" Jackie asked, but just then a short purple humanoid dashed through the crowded streets yelping in a high-pitched voice.
"Get down!" Nyusi yelled. As he dropped he pushed Jackie to the ground with him. She was about to complain, but then four robed humanoid figures made their appearance. Obviously the ones who were chasing the purple creature were clearly taller, much broader and much stronger than the indigenous inhabitants. And they were armed, firing a combination of machine gun and laser gun fire at the purple humanoid and the nearby area.
Jackie whimpered as some spent shells fell near her. But just then the Al-Zephani abruptly stopped and drew their swords and rose to confront the would-be assassins. But then the Joelamosia spoke up in a loud, deep voice. "Lie down!" the judge commanded in the local language. The Al-Zephani instantly obeyed and fell to the ground. To make things even worse the purple creature stumbled to right where Jackie and Nyusi were. The quartet aimed their weapons at the three of them.
"Move!" Nyusi shouted in a voice that brooked no opposition. To her surprise Jackie found herself racing through the crowded alleys along with Nyusi and their new companion, as the quartet chased them. "This way!" Nyusi dashed into one narrow alley, and then shortly after, "That way!" as they dashed into an even narrower one. Jackie gasped back as the bullets hit what she should have realized was some cooking oil. This caused a flash fire that delayed the assassins, and after two more surprising turns the three managed to make their getaway.
Jackie quickly started gasping for breath. But then Nyusi motioned her to be quiet. "Now what's going on?" he asked the purple man.
"You have to help me. My life isn't important. But it's the only way you can save the Doctor."
And then he fainted.