Time Within Time

By Denis Leeman

A metal capsule that turns out to be a modern mobile laboratory is found a mile underground, embedded in solid coal three hundred million years old. Impossible?

Matt Ross, an out-of-work scientist temporarily working as a miner in a Yorkshire coal mine, is abruptly brought back into his professional environment when signs of life are detected within an undisturbed solid coal face, a coal face which hasn’t been disturbed since the start of its evolution from prehistoric vegetation into coal three hundred million years ago. This unbelievable event not only marks his return to the world of science, and the beginning of a working relationship with another scientist, Doctor Jeff Braden, but also their involvement with other people of science with the capability to travel and communicate through dimensional space–time.
Matt and his new colleague are immediately given the job of investigating the phenomena by their superior at the government research lab, Professor McKay, a grumpy middle-aged man. When the two colleagues disappear McKay is helped by his beautiful lady-friend, Professor Flossy Palmer, a brilliant scientist specialising in quantum science. The story goes into the illogical realms of quantum events, with the possibility of duo effects that permit the folds of flat space–time to roll back into itself, this method being eventually used to bring all involved back to the beginning, before the unusual event occurred. Or so it appears ...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Denis Leeman
• Release date: Jan 27, 2016
• ISBN: 9781311569837

Book preview

Chapter1

‘This is a bit of an open-ended report you’ve just sent through to me, Jane,’ Professor McKay called out from his office station across the large room. ‘In fact, it’s unbelievable! How the hell could anybody get trapped behind an untouched solid coal face that’s been settling there for more than three hundred million years?’

‘I didn’t read it, sir, I just transferred it across to you as soon as it came through,’ the young secretary replied casually, continuing to work at her keyboard. ‘Did it say who had got trapped?’ she asked innocently.

Pausing to look at her back as she typed away, he shook his head in frustration. ‘No, it didn’t – haven’t you been listening?’ he grumbled. ‘But they’re saying that the trapped person is behind an untouched coal face.’ Then, grinning, he added ‘If there’s anybody behind that wall he must be an old bugger – at least three hundred million years old!’

‘I did notice that the incident is at the reactivated Prince of Wales mine at Pontefract,’ she said, turning in her chair to face him, ‘but I can’t see them making an error, sir: they were fitted with all the very latest equipment only three years back when the mine shaft was extended in depth.’

‘Well, the report did say that the laser scan on the cutter detected life ahead and demobilised the machine.’ He shook his head. ‘But even a new machine can develop a fault, I suppose.’

‘Thank God they were detected,’ the girl grimaced. ‘Just think, sir – if someone is behind that coal face, those huge coal-cutting blades would have made a right mess of them!’

The professor sighed. ‘Contact Jim Appleton, the manager over there, and tell him to leave everything as it is. I’ll send a science investigator over later today. Then get Doctor Braden, he’s in the lab, and tell him to get his lazy ass over there after lunch. He can get a lift in one of the choppers,’ he added as he resumed his tasks.

***

Jeff Braden was a big, easy-going guy in his mid-thirties, around six feet tall, well-built with piercing blue eyes and unruly fair hair; his usual attire was jeans, walking boots and a bomber jacket. From his rugged good looks and general appearance he could be taken for a sportsman of some sort; he was in fact a highly qualified geological scientist whose hobby was playing the trumpet with his mates in their own little jazz band.

Leaving the newly built government scientific HQ on Ilkley Moor, Doctor Braden was all but pleased by the information he’d received from his boss, the eminent Professor McKay – generally referred to by the staff as Prof Mac – he thought he was probably flying over to the Pontefract incident on a wild goose chase. However, as a result of their organisation having been formed as part of the national energy plan when the government reopened all the disused deep coal mines, every call for assistance had to be followed up to comply with the general safety protocols.

‘What’s that big glass domed structure down there?’ Jeff called out to the helicopter pilot, pointing down out of the port-hole. ‘There, between those four skyscrapers.’

‘We’re just passing over Castleford, and that’s the new rugby club with the covered pitch – the top can be rolled back off the field when it’s not raining … which isn’t often!’

Jeff laughed. ‘How much further have we got to go, Fred?’

‘We’re nearly there,’ Fred replied as they began their descent.

***

The mine complex was like all the other reopened mines: clean and pollution free. No dust or grime, as would have been the case in its original incarnation, back when the Thatcher government closed the industry down in the latter part of the previous century.

Jeff was new to the job and this was his first visit to a working mine. He’d spent the three months since getting his position on the scheme in the HQ laboratory working on geological samples. Now he was dreading the fast mile-long descent to the bottom of the pit shaft. Going through the building housing the cage – as the miners called the elevator that transported them to the bottom – he was surprised at the conditions. It was not at all like a mining complex, more like a clean factory floor, with very few personnel visible – though this was not surprising as the whole underground operation was handled by the minimum of human personnel. Jeff was further surprised to find that the mile drop was also no more than a gentle civilised descent, rather than the stomach-churning experience he had feared.

Chapter2

‘What time did the lab boys say they were coming, Eddy?’ Matt asked the deputy on reaching their destination. The other machine operator sat on his immobile cutter talking to his assistant shovel-man. Both looked pissed off.

‘The old prof is sending that young scientist chap over as soon as possible, just after dinner time, he said. Reckons he’s good, said he’d check everything out. I don’t think the old prof believes our instruments though,’ he laughed.

‘Probably one of them weedy bespectacled boffins like the last one,’ laughed Jock, ‘scared to get his delicate little hands dirty! Anyway, me and my mate are off duty in half an hour so we might miss him.’

‘I’m not going till he gets here,’ Matt stated. ‘That machine has detected something and I want to know what it is.’

Their worry was to be to no avail: just then the deputy’s communicator crackled and, after putting it to his ear for a few moments and muttering into the mouthpiece, he turned to the group to inform them that Jim Appleton was on his way down with the investigator, Doctor Braden.

***

Within fifteen minutes the short stumpy figure of the manager appeared, striding purposefully towards them along the passage, with the tall well-built Jeff Braden lumbering behind him, carrying a small black instrument case.

‘Now then, Eddy, let’s have that cutter dropped back from the face a few feet,’ he ordered the deputy. ‘And get your lads to clear all the muck out of the way. Doctor Braden hasn’t got all day to bugger about!’ he added sharply.

Meanwhile Jeff had put his case down on a nearby rock-shelf and was fumbling about, preparing his instruments. Finally, taking out a clock-faced device with a battery attachment, he went over to the cutter and examined a small box fitted alongside the driving seat, before asking the driver what he had witnessed when the calamity happened.

‘Well, it was working smoothly as usual, Doctor,’ the operator said, ‘then suddenly it faltered and stopped. I thought it was just overheating and so I fired it again,’ he nodded. ‘It started up, but the problem recurred almost at once and it shut off again.’ He shook his head. ‘That was it, the bugger wouldn’t have anymore – dead as a dodo.’

Jeff glanced down at the cut-off box again. ‘Well, I can’t see anything wrong with that,’ he nodded. ‘I’ll do some scans on the coal face and see if we get any reaction there.’

He went back to his case and, after fumbling for a moment, brought out a Geiger counter and a small metal disk, which he attached to a clock-faced instrument that was already in his hand, Then, making his way past the cutter, he began scrutinising the black shiny coal face. The others remained silent, standing rigid as they watched his every move. He walked from one side of the five-metre face to the other, stopping to test with his instruments every couple of feet. After several minutes he turned and came back over to the cutter. He shook his head and frowned at Appleton: ‘Negative. I thought I had a slight response at first, but it must have been static retained in the coal; the machine had been working at it non-stop for hours, so it’s to be expected,’ he added. ‘Mind you’ – he nodded towards at the cutter – ‘that’s got a more powerful probe than my hand detector. I should think it can detect at least ten feet ahead. Do you think you could sink me a two inch probe five feet into the face?’ he asked, looking at Eddy.

Within minutes it was done. From his case Jeff took out a thin telescopic rod; extending it, he attached it to the device he’d been using before, then inserted it into the bore-hole. He frowned as its dial pointer slowly began to rise, and then he shut it off.

‘There could be something there,’ he mumbled over his shoulder, ‘there is a slight response, though it could just be natural. But still, there is something,’ he said, shaking his head.

‘No sign of life then?’ the deputy asked. ‘The machine showed a positive reading for that. It wouldn’t have shut down automatically for anything else,’ he stressed.

‘Well, as I said, the machine’s safety mechanism is very powerful,’ Jeff replied. ‘Anyway, we have to find out one way or the other, because we’re losing coal output. I suggest we dig a narrow tunnel – say, three feet wide by seven feet high – through the right-hand side of the face. I don’t think we will have to go more than a few feet before we come to the offending object – if there is one,’ he shrugged.

‘What sort of life do you think we might find? Could it be dangerous?’ Jock asked.

‘How the fuck do you expect me to know!’ Jeff laughed. ‘I haven’t got bloody x-ray eyes.’

The two shovel-men set to work with pick and shovels: obviously the powerful cutting machine couldn’t be used for such a narrow opening. Matt and the deputy followed, propping the roof behind the enthusiastic diggers. After an hour or so of hard work they’d made good progress into the soft coal face, with Jeff constantly taking measurements and checking the roof.

‘You must be a good ten feet in by now,’ he called out to the two diggers, who were both covered in black coal dust and sweating like hell.

‘I thought your reading said we would be through at just a few feet?’ one of them called over his shoulder.

‘Aye, but that was just a guess. Give it another three feet, and if there’s still no joy we’ll do another probe before we dig any further.’

However, even as he spoke, the face wall within the little passage began to crumble and Jock yelled ‘We’re through, we’re through!’

Both diggers charged out, followed by a thick cloud of coal dust as the wall within collapsed.

***

The group stood back, gawping at the cloud of thick black dust that emitted from the hole as the wall collapsed. As it gradually cleared Jeff Braden switched his helmet light on and gingerly went over to inspect the result of their efforts. As he peered in over the pile of coal which had formed the back wall and part of the roof he mumbled ‘Good God!’; then, taking another step forward he leaned further in, shaking his head.

‘What is it, Doctor Braden?’ Appleton called out with urgency. ‘Is there clearance through? Is the wall down?’

‘Better get this rubble out of the way,’ Jeff yelled out to the two shovel-men. Then, turning to Appleton, he said ‘Yes, the wall is down, but it’s not clear – there’s an obstruction of some sort behind it. Looks like more coal, but I can’t make out much more until they clear all the muck away.’

Half an hour later, with the ten-foot passage cleared out and the roof safely propped up again, Jeff Braden, armed with a two-million candlelight lantern, made his way cautiously in for the second time. His inspection took ten minutes, and he came back out scowling and shaking his head.

‘It’s impossible,’ he said, staring blankly at the others.

‘What do you mean? What’s impossible, Jeff?’ Appleton asked impatiently.

‘I mean what I said – the situation’s impossible. The end of the passage we’ve just cut out is completely blocked, but I still can’t be sure until I can get more clearance. If there is something other than coal there, I want to be sure before I make my report. It could just be static in the coalface that cut the machine off, and, as I said, it could just be the normal coal construction.’

‘So you don’t think there’s something unusual behind that wall then, Doctor Braden?’ the manager called out.

‘Could be, I suppose, but I doubt it. Mind you, I can only see a small area back there because of the thick dust.’ He wiped his eyes with his sleeve. ‘Anyway, whatever it is it’s been fully entombed in that thick solid coal seam for over three hundred million years.’

‘It’s a wonder the bloody thing hasn’t rotted away, being there all that time!’ chuckled Jock.

‘Shut up, you silly bugger,’ the deputy scoffed. ‘Didn’t you hear what he said? It could be anything, even just a rock. That’s why it’s stood the test of time.’

‘I didn’t say what it was,’ Jeff chipped in, ‘so don’t get carried away and start any rumours – you’ll get me the bloody sack, chaps!’

‘I agree with you there, Doctor Braden,’ Matt called out from the back of the group. ‘Do you mind if I go and have a look at it?’ he asked, pushing forwards through his mates.

‘What the fuck do you know about it, Matt Ross?’ the deputy laughed. ‘You’re only a fucking coal ripper.’

‘You want to be sure of your facts before you open your big gob like that, Eddy,’ Jock called out defensively. ‘I’ll have you know that Matt is a qualified scientist with a first class degree.’

‘Is that right, Matt?’ Jeff Braden smiled.

‘General science, with a bit of quantum study thrown in,’ Matt nodded, grinning.

‘Carry on, colleague,’ Jeff grinned, passing him the lantern. ‘Give me your opinion.’

The deputy scowled as Matt made for the opening, closely followed by Jeff.

***

The first thing Matt noticed as they entered the narrow passage was the slight increase in temperature. However, he agreed with all of Jeff’s previous observations – that under any normal circumstances nothing but coal or rock of some type could survive over such a long period of time. Whatever it was it had shown a response on the instrument readings; consequently, even though nothing unusual could be seen, Matt assumed it to be twice the width of the coal face.

‘Did you test for radioactivity, Doctor?’ he asked over his shoulder as he scrutinised the back wall more closely.

‘You felt the increase in temperature, then? Yes, I’ve got a Geiger counter, first thing I did. All clear there though.’

‘Did you notice that the graph scanned by the cutter shows less than half of the obstacle protruding out of the side wall?’ Matt asked. ‘That suggests that the object could be as much as ten metres long, Doctor.’

‘Yes I agree, Matt. By the way, my name’s Jeff to colleagues,’ he chuckled. Then, in a serious tone, he said ‘We’re going to have to get this bloody passage cleared right through to the other side of the scanned area in order to give it a thorough inspection. I reckon it’ll need more than two shovel-men,’ he said with a nod. He passed Matt a small metal file and a plastic sample bag. ‘See if you can scrape a few grains off the surface of this bloody thing for the lab, it might help us to date it and see what it’s made of, if it isn’t coal. Then we’ll pack up for today and let the lads clear the muck away.’

Chapter3

As the lift cage shot up the pit shaft Jeff said, ‘I’ll get the sample you scraped off analysed for tomorrow, Matt, all being well – even though its nearly all coal dust,’ he chuckled. ‘They should be able to use the cutter when we get the remaining loose face down, don’t you think?’

‘I’d have thought you would have had him cut through right away. The machine indicated life in there, didn’t it?’ Jock muttered, stern-faced.

‘Yes, I know it did, but it was too risky. You saw how the roof fell in. No, we don’t want any loss of life; we want to know a bit more about it before we go through,’ Jeff replied. Then, with a laugh, he added ‘If it’s been there for the last three hundred million years or more, I can’t see another day hurting!’

‘I’m sure you’re right,’ Matt agreed, ‘but Jock’s got a point – it did detect something live that shut it down, even if it was only a rat, that’s why I asked if you’d tested for radioactivity. Some generating power source is active in the area; we both felt the slight increase in heat, Jeff,’ he added thoughtfully.

‘Yes, and that’s why I’m not rushing in there blind. Don’t forget, we’re at the bottom of a very deep mine, it could be natural generation. My reading showed negative for radioactivity, but there must be some active source of power, I agree,’ he said, shaking his head.

‘I thought that radioactive stuff lasted for thousands of years,’ Jock said.

‘It does – but not for three hundred million!’ Matt laughed.

Just then, the lift came to a halt and the doors slid open, revealing the sun streaming in through the windows of the pit-head building. ‘Anyway, come on, Jock. Let’s go for a shower, then let me get on my bike. It’s a long ride to Menston,’ he chuckled.

‘Huh, you’re a neighbour, eh?’ Jeff asked.

‘Do you live there too?’ Matt grinned.

‘Yes, I moved into one of those tower blocks that they’re throwing up all over the bloody place,’ he laughed. ‘Why not have a lift back with me in the chopper? You can throw your bike in the hold; the lab is only a stone’s throw from Menston.’

‘You’re on!’ Matt grinned. ‘When are you going to do those tests on the scrapings we gathered, anyway?’ he asked eagerly. ‘I can’t wait for the results.’

‘As soon as I get back to the lab. I can’t wait either. You can come in with me if you like? It shouldn’t take long – it might not be as helpful as we first thought, though,’ he shrugged.

***

Standing at a wide alloy-topped bench in the well-equipped laboratory alongside Doctor Braden, Matt said ‘Fine set-up you’ve got here, Jeff. This is the first time I’ve been behind a professional lab bench since I graduated.’

‘I thought you told me you were teaching for a while?’

‘Yes, I was, but mainly classroom stuff. We did some practical, of course, but only in educational labs for the kids,’ he shrugged.

‘Better than down the coal mine, I‘d have thought, for a guy with your background.’ Jeff was bent over the microscope, perusing the chipping that had been scraped off the object behind the coal face. ‘What the hell made you take a job like that, Matt?

‘Money.’ Matt replied bluntly. ‘But you’re right, I should never have made that move. I should have persevered in my search for the position I was trained for. Anyway, I’m packing the job in. I’ve sent an application to the Ministry of Science for a job I saw advertised in New Scientist last month, a research position – though I’ll take anything they offer,’ he said dolefully. ‘That’s if anything is bloody offered!’ he grinned.

Just then the door opened and the tall gangly figure of Professor McKay lumbered in. ‘Ah, you’re there, Jeff. And who’s this you have with you?’ he asked, looking Matt up and down with a frown.

‘This is Doctor Matt Ross, sir,’ Jeff replied, smiling as he turned to face the older man. ‘I met him at the scene of our problem. Matt, this is my boss, Professor McKay.’

‘I see. I don’t suppose you’re a medical doctor are you, Matt?’ he asked, screwing his eyes, still staring at Matt.

‘No, that’s not my field, sir,’ Matt smiled. ‘I’m general science, specialising in monocular research and quantum science.’

‘You are, eh? And what department sent you to that job at the Prince of Wales without informing me first?’ he asked angrily. ‘I’ll have you know, young man, that this office has full scientific jurisdiction over the whole of northern England.’

‘I’m afraid you’ve got it wrong, sir,’ Matt replied sheepishly. ‘I wasn’t there in my professional capacity when I met Doctor Braden.’

Professor McKay raised his bushy eyebrows. ‘Well, what darn capacity were you in, then, at the bottom of one of our deep mines? And who the blazes sent you?’

Feeling like he was back at school, held in the older man’s aggressive stare, Matt said ‘Nobody sent me. I work down there as a miner – I’m a ripper on the coal face, sir.’

‘You’re a coal miner, with your qualifications?’ McKay asked in amazement. ‘Whatever is a research scientist doing in a job like that?’

‘I’ve had difficulties finding a position in the scientific field, sir,’ he shrugged. ‘Mind you, I keep trying. I sent an application to the Ministry of Science only the other day, but I suppose someone older with more experience will get the post,’ he said despondently.

‘Cheer up Matt, with your qualifications I should think you stand a good chance,’ Jeff said. ‘Don’t you think so, Professor?’ he said, looking at his boss.

‘Well yes, of course,’ he smiled, ‘but what is he doing here helping you Jeff?’

‘Matt has good knowledge of metallurgy, sir; we’re trying to find out if there’s any traces of metal in that obstruction in the coal face at the Prince of Wales colliery.’ Grinning, he added ‘It’s proving a bit of a puzzle, sir. The sample we got seems to be mainly caked coal dust.’

The professor nodded slowly, looking thoughtfully at the two younger men. ‘Well, you seem to be working well together on this task, I must say.’ Then pausing momentarily to scrutinise Matt, he mumbled ‘I do have another young scientist starting very shortly, a prodigy of our Professor Palmer in number two lab; they worked together at NASA. In fact, she’s expected any day now, but I think we could still use you,’ he nodded to Matt. ‘Would you like to join our staff here, Doctor Ross?’

Matt, obviously taken aback, spluttered ‘I’d be honoured, sir! I could give my week’s notice on Friday if you really mean it, sir?’

‘Of course I mean it, man! This is a crisis situation. Apart from production on that seam being stopped, there could be life involved, if the machine’s data is correct. Anyway, there’s no need to give notice for a transfer,’ he smiled.

‘Transfer, sir?’

‘Of course,’ the professor smiled. ‘We are all Ministry employees here, as is the staff at the Prince of Wales colliery. I’ll check your qualification background when I get back to my desk and, all being well, you can start tomorrow in your capacity as junior science officer under Doctor Braden here’ – he nodded at Jeff, smiling as he added – ‘if he’ll have you.’

‘Yes, I’ll give him a go, sir,’ Jeff joked. ‘Anyway, his practical mining experience might prove useful, especially on this case here, sir,’ he said seriously.

‘I’m sure you’re right, but don’t forget to brief him on our underground working techniques, especially the new miniature communication device. We don’t want to lose him down there!’ he laughed.

‘What’s this communication device he was so keen about?’ Matt asked when McKay had gone. ‘And who’s this other professor he mentioned? Is he easy to get on with?’

‘Ho, yes, she is. And Professor Flossy Palmer is a beauty too, mate, as well as being a brilliant scientist.’ Then, putting his finger in his ear, Jeff extracted a tiny plastic oval-shaped object the size of a grain of rice. ‘That’s a receiver,’ he said, holding it out in his palm. He then produced a similar, slightly larger one from his shirt pocket. ‘That’s the transmitter. These we have on our person at all times, especially underground. Security and safety precautions. They have a range of about a mile and are ultra-sensitive; you forget you’re wearing it after a while,’ he added.

As they were talking the door opened and a tall elegant woman in her mid-thirties came striding purposefully through the door. She was dressed in a standard green lab smock, but even then her luscious form showed through. On seeing them she called out, ‘Now then, Jeff, who’s this handsome young fellow you’ve brought me?’

Laughing, he replied, ‘This is Doctor Matt Ross, our new colleague, Flossy.’ Then, after he’d introduced them formally, he said ‘Matt is a quantum boffin like you, Professor Palmer, so you should get on well.’

‘Oh, I see. Well in that case why don’t the pair of you join Peter and me this evening? We’re going out to the local for a celebratory drink – the tenth anniversary of his divorce!’ she laughed.

Noticing that Matt looked a bit bewildered, Jeff chuckled. ‘She means the boss, Prof McKay.’

***

‘What’s all this then? Science staff, white overalls?’ Eddy Freeman, the deputy, called out as Matt and Jeff came lumbering up the tunnel towards him, case in hand, as he sat on the cutter with the ripper and the two shovel-men.

‘Better than these canary yellow buggers we’re wearing!’ Jock laughed. ‘But what’s the idea Matt?’ he asked seriously.

Jim Appleton, the manager, had been following the two scientists. ‘Doctor Ross has been transferred to the research and safety laboratory at Guiseley,’ he explained.

‘But he’s one of my rippers!’ the deputy said sharply. ‘Who’s going to handle that bloody seam now?’

‘Don’t worry, Eddy,’ the manager said condescendingly. ‘We’ll soon get you another ripper. Doctor Ross was only doing the job to get some practical experience anyway,’ he lied.

As they put their cases down on the flat back of a nearby transporter truck, Jeff asked, ‘Have your lads got everything cleaned out and ready for going forward, Eddy? And did you get the engineer to bypass the cut-off device on the cutter?’

Eddy nodded affirmatively.

‘Right, let’s get things going and sort this lot out,’ Jeff grinned, giving Matt a quick glance.

Chapter4

There was a groan from the huge electric motor as the cutter sprang to life. Matt, who was watching intently, called out to the driver: ‘Slow and steady as you can, Reg. We don’t want to tear whatever’s behind that face wall to bits – that’s if there is anything. And be ready to