Chapter 3 The Idea
"Well, you know how we were just learning about how the Alternate Timeline technology has been improved?"
Both students nodded.
"I'd like to know what my life would have been like if Bogg hadn't fallen into my room. You know, what would that alternate time line be like."
They stared at Jeff.
"Playing with your own history can be really tricky," Daryl said hesitantly.
"Yeah, I know, but it's possible, right? And after all, it's not real."
"Yeah, I guess."
Jeff looked from one to the other and saw their hesitation. "Look, I just want to know what it would have been like if another voyager picked me up. That would be the only parameter we would change. Everything else would unfold like it was supposed to. That would fit the criteria for the assignment, right? Just change one variable and measure the effect?"
"You sure you want to know what would happen with somebody else?"
"You've seen how overprotective he is. It gets old, I'd just like to see how different it could've been, you know? "
"You can't change what did happen, just because you see an alternative doesn't mean you can make it happen."
Jeff rolled his eyes, "of course I know that."
"What if your life with the other voyager would've been a lot better?" Gary asked. "You'd have to live with it."
"So I live with it, come on, is it too complex a problem or can we give it a try?" Jeff asked.
Daryl glanced at Gary and then Jeff, "let's write the proposal this afternoon and see if it gets approved."
"All right!"
That afternoon, the three friends wrote a proposal for the study of the effects of a one variable change on an existing time line. The following day it was approved. They reserved time in the Alternative Timeline Generator on Thursday afternoon.
"Yes, your request can be accommodated, but I need to know which voyager you'd like to replace Bogg," the technician informed him in an amused tone.
"Can't you just send who the Omni would have sent?"
The Omni wouldn't have sent anyone else unless Voyager Bogg wasn't available."
"Can't you make him unavailable?"
"I can arrange for him to be injured," the technician said.
"Don't do that," Jeff said immediately.
Daryl spoke in his ear, "none of this is real."
Jeff glanced at him, then continued, "can't you just divert him somewhere, make his omni crash, until somebody else is assigned by the computer to drop into my room?"
"Yes, I can program that in," answered the technician. He was an interesting looking fellow. Though his hair was white, his skin was smooth and Jeff found it hard to tell how old he was.
"Okay," Jeff nodded soberly, "how long will it take?"
"Just a minute or two."
The three friends exchanged smiles as the technician typed on his keyboard.
"That should do it. Keep your eye on that display, it should show you any important action related to your future that happens in this alternate timeline."
As he stood up and left the room, they all turned toward the screen and watched it flicker on. "This is gonna be great," Jeff whispered.