Cretaceous Sea

Jane said Homo sapiens are extinct!'

Rick sighed. 'That's the pattern for our genus. When was the last time you encountered a Homo neanderthalensis or a Homo erectus? They used to share the world with us.'

'Jane talked about a discontinuity in the record, but I think it's more than that. She doesn't seem to understand us at all.'

'People wouldn't have volunteered to become extinct.'

'So you think they destroyed everything?' said Con, ap-palled by the very idea.

'When the Spanish encountered the Indian civilizations,' said Rick, 'they not only destroyed them, they burned all their books as well.'

Con shivered. 'What's going to happen to us?'

'I don't know,' he said, 'but I have one hopeful theory. They asked me a lot of questions about my plans after our trip. Did they do the same to you?'

'Yes. What do you think that means?'

'Joe said they've discovered that actions downwhen alter the future. That's why they banned time travel—they're afraid of changing their own present. I think they're in a touchy situation. They know what they do to us will affect them.'

'How?'

'History will be different if we don't return to our own time,' said Rick.

'So they have to take us back. Then why haven't they?'

'Because history will be different if we do return to our own time.'

'Now you're not making sense.'

'Their problem is figuring out which course of action their present is based on.'

'I get it!' said Con. 'That's why they asked all those ques-tions about public records.'

'I think Hitler and Stalin are off doing research, and Jane's minding the cages.'

'And she let the animals out,' said Con with bitter humor.

'Jane Goodall came to care for the chimps she studied,' said Rick. 'She became their advocate.' Con sighed. 'I doubt this Jane will ever care for us.'

38

CON AND RICK CUDDLED AND TALKED FOR A BLISSFUL

hour before the barrier between the columns vanished. Jane was standing outside in the snow. She carried the weapon in her hand, but she did not aim it. Looking at Con, she said, 'It is time for you to return to your room.'

Con pointed to the weapon. 'That's not necessary,' she said. 'I'll go.' Con gave Rick a parting kiss, then rose with a heavy heart. Attempting to play the model prisoner, she walked quickly back to her quarters. Once she passed between the stone col-umns, she turned to face Jane. 'Thank you,' she said. 'It meant a lot to me to see him.' Jane said something in her own language, and the barrier formed between them.

Con was left staring at the opalescent colors that separated her from Rick. Seeing Rick made his absence all the more painful. Her recent joy only deepened her current sorrow. She threw herself down on the bed and sobbed.

When she had cried herself out, she began to brood about the future. There seemed to be two possibilities. One was blissful—she and Rick would return to their own time to continue their lives together. The other was bleak. They'll dispose of us. When Con tried to decide which was most likely, her heart sank. They must do what they've done be-fore. It was very confusing, but the worst part was that she couldn't imagine that these people had ever sent them back. Still, she reasoned, there was one version of time where they built this observatory. Perhaps, there are infinite variations of the future. That idea was little help. Which variation am I in? Her prospects did not look good. I'm in the one where our captors are nicknamed Hitler and Stalin.