Timeless

The Frisbee

The FrisbeeSam removed his backpack and laid it on the table. He unzipped it and produced the Frisbee-sized disc and laid it next to the pack.

“Is that it?” I asked. Sam nodded and slid it across the table toward me. I picked it up and turned it over in my hands. When he described it to me, I expected it to look like a Frisbee, but as I studied it, I thought it looked more like a metal pancake with a television screen in the center. The object had no bent edges one would expect from a Frisbee. I traced a finger across the glass, and the screen sprang to life. A picture of a planet filled the screen. It looked like Earth with the exception of a yellow ring around it, similar to Saturn. The planet also seemed to be mostly water with one large continent filling about a quarter of the surface. “What the heck is this?” I asked, pointing at the planet.

Sam stood and craned his neck to see what I was looking at. “That was the last planet I traveled to. The Oculus stores information from prior use and bookmarks it, kind of like a web browser,” Sam said with a smile.

“The Oculus?” I repeated with a raised eyebrow.

“That's what Grillick calls it: 'The eye of the universe' he said.” Sam smiled and spread his arms wide for dramatic emphasis. He reached over and took it from me. “Anyway, to answer your question, that is the planet Gliese.” His smile faded.

“What's wrong?” I asked.

“It's located in the same galaxy as Shai's home planet of Drith.”

I winced at the name. It was hard to believe his name still inspired strong feelings of anger and hate. But when I remembered the corpse of Deena, it was no longer so hard to believe. “But what's special about this planet?” I asked, nodding my head toward the Oculus.

Sam shrugged. “Maybe something, probably nothing,” he responded mysteriously.

“That answer was about as useful as a fart in a blizzard,” I replied sourly.

He shoved the Oculus in the backpack and an uncomfortable look came over him. It was like he had suddenly been stricken with a bad case of gas. He stood up and threw the pack over his shoulder. “As the current Cartographer these objects were meant to be passed to you, but Grillick and I agreed it would be best if I held onto these just a little while longer.”

“Oh?” I responded with a hint of irritation. “Why's that?”

Sam tossed me an anger-deflecting smile. “Don't worry, it's nothing negative. Circumstances created unforeseeable changes. Stuff happens. In the meantime, I will continue working the time holes, stabilizing them as best as I can. Don't worry though: I will make sure all of the journals are updated so when your time comes, you will have all the information needed.”

“Why does it suspiciously sound like you have just been nominated as the new Cartographer?” I asked.

Sam hesitated and his eyes drifted to the floor. “Because it's true.”

My eyes widened with surprise. “So where does that leave me?”

Sam's eyes drifted slowly from the floor and a dry smile crossed his lips. “Your role is much bigger than you think.”

Sam's eyes twinkled and he tugged at one of his earrings. Suddenly, I realized the meaning behind his mysterious statement. “You have seen my future,” I gasped.

Sam frowned. “I can't discuss it so I will neither confirm nor deny your statement.”

Frustration settled in and I was ready to explode on Sam before I realized the truth in his words. He couldn't risk me changing my decisions based on the information. The time line had been getting screwed with enough lately. It didn't need my help in making it worse. I decided to drop the subject. Sam wasn't going to tell and I wasn't completely convinced I wanted to know.

“So what am I supposed to do in the meantime? Am I like the equivalent of the school janitor now?” I asked with a hint of irritation.

Before Sam could reply, a knock came from the door. Sergeant Cantrell popped his head in the door with a sour look on his face. “Grillick wants to see you, Nathan.”

“For what?” I asked.

Cantrell's face soured more, if that was even possible. “Do I look like a messenger boy?”

“Yeah, you kinda do since you came down here to deliver a message,” Sam quipped.

Cantrell's face turned a bright red and for a brief moment, I thought he would burst into the room and throttle Sam. He managed to maintain his cool, however, and the scarlet flush faded. “The meeting is in the lab,” he growled and slammed the door.

“It seems the always pleasant Cantrell demands your presence in the laboratory,” Sam chuckled. “I suppose we can pick up where we left off another time.”

I stood up and approached the door. My hand was on the handle when Sam called out.

“Nathan, wait a minute.”

When I turned, Sam stood and placed his palms on the table. “Going forward, no matter what happens, always follow your heart.”

I walked out the door and hesitated before heading to the lab. The door closed behind me and I realized Sam was attempting to convey a message about my future without actually telling me.

Follow your heart.