It was Saturday, but Anika Rao had wanted to have a “work meeting” to touch base before the month (which would mark about half a year on the Time-Travel project) ended. David Gregory didn’t mind at all.
Both having PhDs in physics, they had been hired by Will Robertson at NYC SysCo to investigate the Time-Travel phenomenon. So far, their was little to show for their work.
They had started with lunch at a little deli near where they lived, and she had talked about her trip. The clouds were breaking up by the time they finished, so they agreed on a little walk to a nearby park.
“So what do we know, so far?” Anika asked. “What have we learned in six months?”
David wasn’t ready to get to work. “We know you’re more concerned about what you think your dad thinks than you are about being happily in a relationship with me.”
“David!” She smiled and shook her head. “This again?”
“It’s true.”
“My dad has expectations. Family is paramount in my culture.”
“We’re practically roommates, and how many times have you cuddled me on the sofa watching the news?”
Anika’s eyes bulged. “We are hardly roommates! We share a kitchenette in the dorm’s common area! Between our rooms are Paul’s and Melissa’s! And… I probably shouldn’t have cuddled you.”
“Come on… I’ll concede to the roommate point. But, the cuddling was nice. And you know it! I mean, it’s not like once and done… And…”
David had been surprised and pleased when,a couple months earlier and fairly regularly afterwards for a solid six weeks, Anika had sat close on the sofa in the common area of the dorms and had leaned over. Hand-holding had been involved a few times.
She had backed off when he had, after some time, asked what she thought her affectionate gestures meant. Thinking back, he hoped he’d used better wording.
Anika looked down as the walked on. “Okay… yes. And to skip your next question, I’ll… speak to my mother… Now… what do we know about our work?
David didn’t answer immediately. He was processing her promise to speak to her mother. That seemed like a huge move in a direction he was hoping for. If her mom would encourage it.
But he decided to let the moment stand on its own and answer her question. “Based on the fact that Addison’s journal adds content in the now based on whatever Addison writes… wrote in 1985, we know that the phenomenon is real. Plus, the experiment with the drawer at Shay’s house…”
Anika nodded. “Which seems to confirm that there are indeed multiple instances of the Time-Travelers existing simultaneously at different points in time.”
“Different ‘moments,’ Paul Charm would say…” David looked over at Anika. “Quantum theory allows superposition across states—position, spin, energy—but not across what we classically call distinct time moments. That’s where this breaks everything.”
Anika nodded again. “David, quantum theory barely has words for this. Sure… we can model how an electron’s position is a function of probability—existing in different regions, or lobes if you will, of a p orbital—but never in the space between them. But that’s still very different from simultaneously existing at different… moments… in time.”
David agreed. “Not to mention that it’s not just a discrete particle… it’s a whole other… other… universe and…”
Anika took David by the arm to interrupt him. “Sure… in quantum theory, we describe how an electron’s state is spread out across probabilities… position, spin, energy… but those are all spatial or energetic domains. Superposing entire moments in time? That’s not just another orbital. That’s… something else entirely.… And let’s not forget that in those other universes that exist in different times… moments… are duplicate consciousness of the people…”
David nodded and looked at her. “…and that those consciousnesses are linked… They share memories!”
Anika laughed. “It’s… just… Well, there’s absolutely no quantum support for memory or consciousness linking across instances… none at all!”
They had come to a crosswalk and were waiting for the light; David continued. “Like we’ve said… like Merritt said early on… it’s more metaphysical than it is physics.”
Anika let go of his arm. “And we’re not even trying to explain what they call the feeling of connectedness they share with each other. Like… on first sight, they feel bonded… I’m thinking about the way they group in Memphis back in 1861 connected…”
David nodded at the light as it changed and they began crossing the street. “Barely even mentioned are the duplicates that exist that are not Time-Travelers… the parents… Will exists at least 3 times that we know of. Tom… I can’t remember…”
Anika shook her head. “So what we know is that something is really happening. Most of the missions have resulted in something that seems to be immediately a good deed, but if there is a bigger ‘why’ it is unknown…”
“Butterfly effect,” David added. “Or ripples on the pond. They know where the stone went in, but not where the ripples hit the bank or what difference they make when they do.”
They walked quietly past a few stores, then Anika shrugged. “Okay… so… that’s pretty much where we were three months ago.”
“And Will Robertson,” David added, “understands we’re making good money without coming up with anything useful. And he’s fine with it.”
“Well, we have tossed in a few calculations here and there for some of their designs… Answered a few questions about…”
David finished her thought. “…about things they could have Googled.”
Anika nodded. “So we keep going… Keep taking notes… keep trying to find anything like the same objects existing simultaneously at different… moments… in time…”
David smiled. “Yeah… we keep going…”
They walked a few more steps, then Anika careened herself into his shoulder. “And I have a talk with my mom…”
David’s stomach flipped and his face lit up. “I can’t wait to find out what she says.”
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