Chapter 3: On entropic control, and the definition of time: A thesis from Adeline Veronica Schugel, New Berlin College of Higher Sciences, October 2086
New Berlin College of Higher Sciences, October 18th, 2086.
The Studies of unusual phenomena, and how they relate to our perceptions of time and entropy.
Adeline Veronica Schugel.
"...And in conclusion, it is the results of my studies that our perception of time, and how we interact with it is a definition of entropic decay and our own minds methodology for chronicling how we perceive the world. It is my belief that time travel is not possible, but the controlled retrogression or acceleration of entropic effects could be perceived as such, if one does not look at all things pragmatically. So far, we have not found a magical methodology that can slow or accelerate molecular and atomic motion to the extent that we can either enter a state of noticeably accelerated or degraded entropic progression, but I think we will one day see this put into a practical, repeatable, provable process. This concludes my presentation, I thank you for your time and consideration." The eighteen-year old graduate student finishes, nodding politely to those who sit in consideration on the verbal part of the thesis competition,she walked briskly off the stage and towards the gentleman in the neat dark suit standing in the wings, obviously waiting for her.
As she steps off the stage, the gentleman approaches her, looking her over once. "Adeline Veronica Schugel?" At her brief nod of assent, he continued on. "I'm special agent Grey, and I would like it if you would come with me, please. We have a subject that might prove of some interest to you, but of course we would need to speak of it in someplace more private."
She paused for a moment, adjusting her glasses as she looked him over. "Very well, Agent Grey. If I may just collect my case? My thesis papers and research notes are in it." She started to look where she had left it, only to be handed it by another eerily similar man in the same dark suit. "I see. You were anticipating my response, then." She says primly, taking her case and followed the two gentlemen to the waiting car.
Once inside, she gave them another careful look over, then focused on Agent Grey. "Are you at liberty to fill me in now on why you needed to collect me from my thesis presentation, or will it have to wait til I am at whatever facility you are surely taking me to?"
The two agents shared a look, then Grey once again looked at her, addressing her directly. "I think we can begin now, and see what you think of our proposition." He hands her a thin folder. "We have found an anomaly while excavating a destroyed bunker from the era of the first world war. The site was first uncovered in the spring of 2062, after detecting an anomalous magical source buried under the ground." He points to the pictures of the excavation, the initial findings of the collapsed bunker, the few recognizable items recovered from within. "Then we found the anomaly. A perfect sphere of some impenetrable black substance, 300 centimetres in diameter." He pounds to the photo of the sphere which seems to rest in a depression in the floor, the surrounding material looking to have been blasted away from it. "The center point of the sphere rests 48 centimetres above what was the floor of the surrounding site." He points to another photo. "We attempted to take a sample of the sphere, but nothing we have tried has made any sort of mark or impression on it." He glanced towards his companion, another silent conversation seeming to take place. "Then, a researcher suggested getting time-lapse photographs of the site, to see if there were any variations or emissions. That is when we found this." He pulls a folder from within his suit, and hands it to her. The photo depicts two women in a variation of the uniform typical of the German army of the First World War, with some slight if noticeable differences to the trained eye. Both appear to be battle worn and wounded, the brunette laying in a pool of blood, her hand lifted towards the face of the diminutive blond that has her hands pressed to the chest of the bleeding soldier.
Adeline Schugel looked at them, then back to the picture. "And when was this taken? Do you have others? More angles, different exposures from other dates and times?" She fixed them both with a stern look. "I will need everything you have, as soon as possible. I take it you wanted me, in particular, because of my studies in entropic control? To understand what you have found here."
Agent Grey nods. "We thought that you, with your rather particular focus, might prove to be of some use to us in understanding the anomaly that we have found. Of course, this and everything you have seen and will see are under the strictest of confidentiality, Doctor Schugel."
She looked at them, then back to the photo. "It's not doctor yet." she said, flipping through the papers and photos that they had handed to her.
"We shall see about that, Doctor." Is all the taciturn Grey has to say.
Facility 1, formerly bunker 208. December 16th, 2087.
"Our research has shown a few things that are of import to understanding and analyzing the phenomena that we have here. First, and foremost, what we are seeing is not a perfect example of stasis. There is movement within the event horizon of the effect. It's minute, and it takes months or even years to make it noticeable, but there is movement. There is every indication that the two subjects are alive. Second, the sphere is shrinking. Once again, it's minute but recordable. Third, the rate of emissions from the sphere have been increasing, once again, the amount is negligible unless one were to track it carefully. Fourth, we are working on a hypothesis that the sphere may fail on its own, but we do not yet have enough data to do more than postulate on that."
The newly minted director of the project said as she addressed the board of trustees overseeing the project. Doctor Schugel adjusted her glasses, and continued on. "Taking that into consideration, we have begun to work on a protocol for when and if the sphere loses integrity. We have already started the process of reinforcing and isolating the bunker to a greater extent, extending and reinforcing the airlock and control protocols to handle any potential NBC threats that might be released with the sphere's collapse."
She pointed to the diagrams that were carefully prepared then continued on to the next point. "Secondly, we will have an extended combat and security unit prepared, in case those inside are hostile or in other ways a threat. The fact that at least one of them seems to be a mage is troublesome for obvious reasons." She directed their attention to the procedure and preparedness manuals that had been presented to each of them as well.
"The third point is preparing a medical and trauma team to take care of them, in the likely case that one or both of them needs immediate medical attention. With that in mind, we have constructed a model of the probable damage done to the injured woman, henceforth referred to as 'Subject B'. We will not know the full extent until we can actually study her directly, but our trauma experts are relatively sure on the probable damage done. We have already begun on preparations for the needed devices to repair or replace the most vital of organs and systems that were likely damaged in the attack."
She adjusted her glasses once again, facing them directly. "Now, if you have any questions, I would be happy to answer what I may?"
April 3rd, 2093
The research had been progressing at a respectable pace, discoveries were coming at a good rate, and projections were able to be made at last.
"Ok, what we are looking at, according to the latest models, is the sphere will lose integrity on or around the new year. Best estimate is between the 1st and 6th of January. We will be running 24 hour double watches the entire time, with the medical and security teams on standby rotations. The trauma and containment units will be operable well within the timeline specified, and we have secured the last of the medical implants that we speculate we will need. On top of that, the medical CAD's will be ready as well. This could be an important research point for us on this, because it is rare that we see people needing replacements, much less with the potential to make use of devices such as this. It has passed basic trials, so Subject B might very well be our first full field test. Doctors Werner and Heines, I will see you in my office after this for reports from your departments. Dismissed!"
With that, the good doctor heads to her office, the two older gentlemen in tow for what she is sure will be an informative, if dull, report from the heads of Medical Research and Entropic Theory.
January 3rd, 2094. 2:03 AM, Facility 1 Primary Containment.
"Doctor! We have a fluctuation in the psion field! Evidence of out-gassing from the event horizon, and an increase of isotopes. The sphere has begun to shrink rapidly!" The technician monitoring the primary feeds announces, the secondary station double checking the results and reaching for the alert button, one glance at the tense doctor, and a button is pressed and alarms signal exactly three times, letting the base know that the operation was commencing.
Ready Team One and Medical Team One were prepped and ready by the time the doctor hit the airlock, all weapons locked and loaded and all the emergency first aid supplies placed on their crash carts. "Ok people, we get one chance at this. Move quickly, concisely, and make sure you only use German. We have no idea of their mental states, but we can assume a heightened sense of alertness and trauma. Be careful, and lets get our job done."
The airlock opens to a thin haze of smoke from a war that is long gone, if not forgotten and the sight of the two subjects sitting in the middle of the rubble that has surrounded them for over a century and a half, of real time.
The teams rush in, as Subject A collapses. The soldiers make it to the pair first, removing the pistol and the odd pendant that is clutched tightly in Subject A's hand. The medical teams are shortly behind them, dropping into place and starting their checks over each of them.
"Subject A is non-responsive! Breathing is shallow but steady, no obvious signs of active trauma, applying sedatives and beginning treatment for shock!" The team lead of Team A declares even as they are loading her onto a gurney and heading for the trauma and medical wing.
"Subject B is non-responsive. We do not have a pulse! Applying Emergency Trauma magic, STAT. No response, the subject is resisting the effect. Moving to mechanical and chemical means!" Team B announces, as the experts go about their duty with the precision they had spent the last couple of months drilling into themselves. A field bypass is set, a field dressing is applied to both the entry and exit wounds while a report on blood type is prepared rapidly. "Ok, get the infuser and bypass running, type AB-, full spectrum protocol. Have the trauma team begin to prepare for the implants, we have a magically active individual." As the team rushes past, Doctor Schugel kneels down to examine the objects that are left laying in the wake, carefully placing the pendant into a sealed and protected box, her eyebrows furrowed. "Let's see what you are, shall we?" She eyes the discarded flight gear, looking at her support staff. "Everything documented, where it was, what it appears to be. Then into containment containers and make sure the cameras are recording for the next seventy-two hours."
With that, the doctor heads out to check on the status of her subjects.