got nervous when Pendelshape started to talk in terms of progressing the simulation to the implementation phase — an actual intervention in history. Pendelshape wanted to target the late sixteenth century using their replica Taurus. Of course, it was clear from the message that Christie’s greatest concern is for Jack’s safety. He does not want the Revisionists to do this…” De Raillar looked at Inchquin and then at Carole and Jack uneasily. There was an edgy silence in the room.
“Carry on.”
“Well, it appears that Pendelshape and the rest of the Revisionists do not share these concerns and it looks like they have decided to go it alone. Christie felt that the Revisionists had moved against him and he decided to leave them some weeks ago. Concerned that they would quickly refine the simulation and we might think him responsible, he took the unprecedented step of sending us a warning message today — and then contacting Jack directly by phone. It was a big step to take. Christie knows he is risking his life — betraying his own team in such a way. He is now isolated from both VIGIL and the Revisionists.”
Inchquin arched his fingers in front of him, deep in thought. “So — Pendelshape has usurped Tom Christie as the leader of the Revisionists. He has a plan to make some intervention in history — in the sixteenth century. Okay, two things to check. First, Carole, what is the latest forecast on time signal availability?”
Carole looked up from her terminal. “We have had no time signal availability for a number of weeks now, but as you are aware, we are forecasting the availability of carrier strength time travel signals over the next forty-eight hours. Of course, forecasts are not accurate — in terms of timing, duration or strength.”
“Time signal forecasting — it’s worse than the weather forecast…” Joplin moaned.
“Shut up, Theo, you’re not helping,” the Rector said. “This is why Christie has chosen to contact us now. The Revisionists will also know that we are entering a period of potential time signal availability… so Christie must think they will use this opportunity to carry out their plan.” He paused. “Do we have any details on the actual intervention in history that they are planning?”
“No. Apparently when Christie left them, there were a number of open scenarios still being analysed, but they were not complete. He had no final detailed plans.”
“So, Theo, now is the time to say something sensible. You’re the historian, any particular views on why they would choose the period between 1580 and 1600 to make an intervention?”
Theo Joplin looked up from a laptop that he had open in front of him. He was only twenty-seven but looked like a relic of sixties’ hippiedom with his long hair, goatee beard and flowery shirt. But appearances were deceptive and encased within his mop of messy black hair was an encyclopaedic knowledge of history.
Joplin curled his lip. “A good choice if you want to make some structural changes to the future course of history — many, many options. Lots going on. Overall, a very cool period…” He turned back to his laptop assuming that this would be a more than sufficient contribution to the conversation.
The Rector tried to contain his frustration. “Would you mind being a little more
Joplin shrugged nonchalantly. “English Renaissance, Shakespeare, Marlowe, Spanish Armada — or Armadas — I should say, Mary, Queen of Scots, the Babington Plot, Drake, Raleigh, Howard, Grenville, Treasure Fleets, first English colony in America, religious conflict, Ireland… I could go on… and no doubt you’ll want me to…”
“We don’t have time for all this,” Inchquin said irritably. “Jim, are we sure that Christie’s message did not say anything more specific about what Pendelshape and the other Revisionists might be trying to do?”
“He said that Pendelshape had a well-developed theory that if the Spanish dominance of the period could be extended somehow, then it might be harnessed to usher in a period of peace. Perhaps for centuries. A strong Spain would have defeated the Netherlands and then colonised all of the Americas… and also they would have been better able to enforce a single religion — Catholicism. This would have reduced religious conflict.”
“Interesting theory.” Joplin was suddenly enthusiastic. “It’s true that the period was a bit of a turning point for Spain. She was the most powerful country in the world, but her power declined — gradually mind you — pretty much from then onwards.”
“Since when, specifically?”
“The defeat of the Armada, really, in 1588. The fact that Queen Elizabeth reigned for so long, as a Protestant queen, and the fact that the Armada failed meant that the balance of power — certainly naval power — slowly transferred to England, then to Britain. And by the nineteenth century, Britain was the most powerful nation on earth.”
“So you’re saying that if the Armada Campaign had succeeded, the world would have been a different place.”
“Very different. The common language of the West would be Spanish, not English — just as it is in much of South America today. The influence of Protestantism would have been substantially weaker and we would have many different habits and customs. We might even have had a regular bullfight in Soonhope,” Joplin chortled.
“Theo, this is not funny,” Inchquin growled. “Jim, do you think Pendelshape’s plan is to give power to the Spanish?”
“It’s something along those lines — it marries up with Christie’s communication to us. But the details clearly weren’t fully developed when he left — so I don’t think he knew the specifics. But the main thing he wanted to make clear was that he didn’t want to be associated with any of it and, more than that, he wanted us to know that he was not associated with it so that we would not take retribution on him.” Jim paused and then added bluntly, “Or his family.”
“I understand,” Inchquin said, moving on swiftly. “Well, we really need more data than this. It is all too sketchy at the moment. Tony, can you radio the team up on the hill? Perhaps they have managed to track him down…”
Suddenly, Carole called out from behind her terminal. “Councillor. There is some sort of reading. We have an emerging time signal. It’s faint but it looks like there is a possible deep time disturbance… possibly time-travel initiation.”
“Can you pinpoint it?”
“Difficult to identify it precisely — but the impacted year is 1587. Looks to be early on in that year.”
“Location?”
“England — definitely. South-east. Must be London.”
“Well that decides it then. It looks like Christie was right and the Revisionists are making their move. We must not waste any more time. We need to mobilise immediately.” Inchquin rose to his feet and placed both palms on the table, his voice grave.
“I feared it would only be a matter of time before this happened again. Everyone — security protocol is Triple Alpha. VIGIL is now on high alert. You all know what to do.”
Sixteenth-century Sortie
Jack stood in front of the Taurus. He felt different emotions. Not all of them good. Last time he had been in the Taurus control room, he had thought he was going to die. It loomed ominously behind a solid wall of thick green glass that extended from the floor all the way up to the ceiling. The great machine had been expanded and rebuilt since he last saw it. From their previous mission, VIGIL had learned that the Revisionists’ Taurus was significantly larger than VIGIL’s and had the capability to transport sizeable items of machinery, as well as people. In the last six months, work had been carried out on VIGIL’s Taurus to ensure that it was up to scratch. However, VIGIL would only ever use their machine for emergencies such as this. They were reluctant to transfer equipment that was potentially out of period because of the historical consequences it could have. The Revisionists, they had learned, were not so fussy.
The great machine sat brooding among a complex assortment of engineering equipment — pipes, cables and access gantries. The shell of the Taurus itself was a raised metal platform bounded by a semi-closed arrangement of hefty, black metal struts. There were eight of them. They rose from the ground and bulged out to surround the platform and then they rejoined each other at the top. The simplicity of this structure belied the wonder and complexity of its function. This machine could take you back in time.
The VIGIL team quickly developed a plan based on piecing together the little information that they had
