"Six months in development, you think it would be...I don't know, sexier."
Pete snorted, shooting Miles a reproachful look as he handled the device that Dr. Singh was so very proud of. In fact, he and his team of developers were now standing in their neat and tiled lab, looking somewhat wounded at Miles' assessment of their groundbreaking research.
"We aren't marketing it, Miles, so I don't think sexy is what we are going for with it." Pete replied, handling the device. It didn't look like much, measuring about the size of his hand, but if what they said was true, it was powerful enough to do exactly what they needed.
"It's not as simple as a teleport device, but it's based off the same technology the Cybermen are using," Singh explained, direct and sincere as he pointed to the objects face. "Essentially the principle is the same as a teleporter, it moves matter particles from one point in space to another in three dimensional space. The difference with this, however, is that we aren't simply moving through space, we are also moving through time and the other dimensions that we don't see."
"So when the Cybermen open that hole in between dimensions, this thing will let us pop right on in and say hello," Miles asked, staring doubtfully at the piece of plastic and electronics. Pete couldn't blame him. It all sounded like science fiction to him too. But then again, so had aliens, time travel, and humans in cyber bodies at one point in time.
"That's the idea," Singh concurred, taking the device back from Pete carefully. "We've run tests in simulation only. We've never run it live. But so far, it looks good."
"So on a computer we've managed to get a human being through a trans-dimensional hole, but in all possibility, I could use this on one of my team and have them end up eaten by a dinosaur," Pete muttered, knowing that it wasn't much use. What sort of tests could they run on this sort of thing?
Singh didn't particularly seem offended by Pete's assertion, but instead held up another device, an earpiece, similar to the old earpods but smaller and singular. "That's why I developed this. It's sort of an earpod with a subatomic signal. It's keyed into our system, only we can hear it, and it allows anyone who makes one of these jumps to still call back home should anything be happening on the other end. Takes massive amounts of energy, though, the battery only lasts for twenty minutes, but it's enough to let us know if there's trouble."
"And how about the devices," Pete wondered. "How are they powered?"
"A lithium alloy we've developed with some of our alien allies, one that is commonly used across the universe to help power devices on long voyage, deep space trips, sort of the inter-galactic mobile battery. They are self charging, pulling electrical current from the environment, but, just like with the earpods, it takes a lot of energy to get through that dimensional hole. One short burst, and it will need at least half-an-hour for a recharge."
"So, if there is a dinosaur on the other side, they at least only have to avoid it for half-an-hour, which is comforting," Miles sniffed, glancing at Pete. "What do you think?"
Pete stared at both of the devices. What he thought was that this was madness and he'd be an idiot to attempt this, sending people into danger without knowing what was on the other side. On the other hand, what other option did he have? "We might as well give it a shot, eh? Give Mickey a call."
Miles didn't look nearly as convinced as Pete did. "You sure about this?"
"What, you got another sacrificial lamb you want to toss out here and feel less guilty about possibly killing," Pete snapped. "Besides, I promised him if he could go. He's had more experience with other worlds than anyone has, even you, Miles, and if it is indeed his home, he knows it far better than we do."
"I hope you know what you're doing," the other man murmured, walking away to put in the call.
"I do, too," Pete sighed. He looked up at Singh. "Think we can have Mickey give it a test run?"
"I don't see why not." Singh even looked excited by the prospect, as did the team. Of course, they would want to see if it even worked. Pete prayed fervently that it did. He didn't want to have to explain to Rita Mae Smith where her grandson had disappeared to, even if in all technicality, he wasn't her grandson.
"If this doesn't work, Dr. Singh, what's the worst that could happen?"
Pete couldn't help but notice the furtive looks between the engineers that stood behind him.
"Worst? He could end up stuck somewhere with a broken device, unable to get back."
"It won't explode? He won't be stuck between dimensions?"
"No…well, in theory."
"Fantastic," Pete muttered, glancing up as Miles returned. "He coming down?'
"He'll be right here." Miles looked as if he had been sucking on a lemon. "Look, Pete, I know we promised him this, but he's a good agent, if something happens…"
"I'll speak to Rita Ann personally," Pete replied, not meeting Mile's eye.
"That's nice, and while you don't bother explaining to her that he's not really her grandson after all and tell her that he died in a freak accident, here's some money for your losses, you are sending a kid out there with a device that's never seen real testing. You all right doing that?"
"I have you send other people's kids and grandkids out to deal with aliens everyday, Miles, what's so different with this?"
"Aliens are a known threat, this...we don't know what's on the other side."
"Mickey's done this before." Pete tried to sound more confident than he felt.
"Yeah, and from all accounts he was with someone who knew what he was doing."
That was true. Pete knew very little about the mysterious Doctor, but he knew one thing, Mickey was no where near the capability of the mad alien in his blue box.
The doors to the lab burst open, and Mickey rushed in, a blur of brown and blue jeans. He skidded to a halt, his trainers squeaking on the tile floor as he grinned at Pete. "You finally got it working?"
"Singh's got the first device ready to go." Pete pointed to the innocuous looking bit of plastic. Mickey snatched it up eagerly, carelessly turning it over as he studied it.
"What's it do? How's it supposed to work?"
"First," Singh sighed, plucking it out of Mickey's hands, frowning at him as if he was a careless three-year-old playing with a grenade. "Be careful with it. You set it off, and you'll disappear without us being able to track it."
Mickey shrugged, shoving his eager hands into his jean pockets, looking somewhat chastened. "Yeah, sorry about that."
"Right. Now, the way the device works is like this." Singh pressed a button on the side and turned to his tablet, fingers flying as he pulled up screens. "The Cybermen opened the hole above Torchwood this morning. It's still open. We've zeroed in on the signal and have used that to plot the coordinates into our algorithm. That is how the jumper will be able to know where you are going and where to come back too."
"Jumper? That what you are calling it," Mickey wondered aloud.
"Well, we were going to call it the transdimensional matter teleportation device, but jumper sounded more catchy," Singh murmured as he worked, brow furrowing in concentration. "Now, I've keyed it in. This will take you wherever the Cybermen are going."
"Now do I make it work?"
The scientist plucked the nylon lanyard at the end and slung it around Mickey's neck. "Wear it at all times, that way you don't lose it." He grabbed the earpiece off the table beside him and handed it Mickey. "Wear that too. It's a telecommunication device, let's you call back home. It only lasts for twenty minutes, so make it brief. The jumper has enough energy for one burst through the transdimensional wall, after that, you'll need to give it a good half-hour to charge. There's a light bar on the side, it will show you when it's ready to jump. Don't attempt to jump unless it's fully charged, you'll simply waste energy and have to wait longer."
Mickey listened attentively, picking up the device from his chest and studying it. "And it safe to use, right? I won't get cancer or something from it?"
Pete nearly snorted. Cancer was the least of his worries with this feet.
"It's safe." Singh glance at Pete and Miles, the latter who still glowered uncertainly. "Do we want to give it a try?"
"What, now?" Mickey blinked in surprise. "I mean...can it go?"
"If you are ready," Singh replied.
Mickey looked from Miles to Pete. "Do I have clearance to go?"
Miles only looked at Pete for confirmation. Pete took a deep breath and held it.
"Right, bloody hell, let's get it over with."
Mickey grinned as he held up the device. "So I just push this button."
"That's it," Singh confirmed.
Mickey nodded. He planted his feet, squared his broad shoulders, and gave Pete a smart salute. "I'll call in as soon as I land, boss, let you know what's on the other side."
"Let me know you're bloody alive too," Pete growled.
"Right," Mickey laughed, fingers hovering over the button. He closed his eyes, pressed his lips together, and sharply pressed the flats of his fingers on the button.
At first nothing seemed to happen. Then, somewhere in a room behind Pete, he could hear a whine, like an engine revving. And then, in the blink of an eye, Mickey Smith disappeared.
Beside him, Miles exhaled, cursing, as the engineering team whooped in amazement. Only Singh remained unflappable, his eyes glued to the tablet screen. Pete moved to stand beside him, watching the data as came up, trying to make sense of it. "Is he there?"
"He's there," Singh replied. A beeping sound emanated from the tablet, and Singh clicked a program. "That's him calling in."
"Thank God," Pete breathed, as static sound filled the speakers nearby and floated into the engineering lab.
"Mickey, is that you?"
"Yeah," Mickey replied, his voice overloud, as if he was attempting to speak over something. "Yeah, I'm here, I'm safe...and I think I'm home."
Again the engineers clapped, but SIngh waved them off as Pete stepped in. "Mick, it's Pete. You sure you're home and not somewhere else?"
"Yeah," Mickey replied. "Pretty sure, at least. Looking at a big tourist poster of the Queen, so it must be the right place."
"You're not in any danger," Pete insisted.
"Only from this homeless bloke who's trying to hit me up for a fiver," Mickey repled. "It's got to be home. It's got to be!"
The joy in Mickey's voice would have made Pete happy for him if the situation wasn't so dire. "Any sign of the Cybermen?"
"No, not yet. Everything looks so...normal. Like it did when I left."
"What's the date," Miles called out. He looked relieved, now, but curious.
"Give us a 'mo, I'll find a paper." There was a brief bit of silence. In the background, Pete could hear car sounds. "Weird, it's only a few months after we left."
"Time could move differently between the worlds," Singh murmured by way of explanation.
"You see anything in the paper, anything strange about what's been going on." Miles asked, curious. It hadn't even occurred to Pete look there.
"Yeah. Something about ghosts."
Ghosts? Miles shrugged, even Singh looked confused. Pete decided when in doubt, roll with what they had. "You got any money on you?"
"Not any they'd accept here. Why?"
"Can you get some?"
"Yeah, got a mate who owes me. I bet I can find him. Tell him I've been traveling, he'd believe it. What for?"
"Buy all the papers you can, whatever you can hold. When the jumper's charged, come back."
"Might take me longer than half-an-hour. Got to track him down."
"Just get here when you can. Keep your eyes sharp. We'll let you go, save the battery. Let us know before you jump so we can make sure the hole is open."
"Right," Mickey replied. "See you in a bit then, boss."
With a click, his voice was gone.
The engineers murmured between themselves. Even Singh looked pleased. Miles, on the other hand, looked relieved and amazed. "Did we seriously just speak to someone in another dimension?"
"And you said it wasn't sexy," Pete kidded, relief bringing a smile to his face. He turned to Singh. "Not bad for a bunch of engineers and an astrophysicist jury rigging some alien junk."
"I was half afraid it wouldn't work," he admitted with a small smile. There was still a hint of worry, however, in his dark eyes. "Mickey mentioned ghosts?"
"What, you think it might be something?"
"Maybe," Singh admitted carefully. "Just...something I heard in lecture once. I'd have to call an old friend of mine at Oxford, if you don't mind. Just, a theory of his. I won't tell him what we are up to, but I think I may know what that's all about."
"Does it have to do with the Cybermen?"
"Perhaps," Singh nodded vaguely, leaning a hip against the lab table. "Or it could be that Mickey's world is just mad."
"Either possibility could be true," Pete admitted ruefully. "Sure, call him up. When Mickey returns, send him to my office, would you, Miles?"
"Sure, after I've had a stiff drink," he replied as Pete turned away.
"You and me both," Pete muttered.