Brave New World

By Neil Dabb

Amy Hayden had been whisked away from her life in Northern Nevada, and finds herself in Antarctica where two old friends are working in a secret lab. Now she must help The Historian prevent a subspace rift from forming while helping her friends travel to the past to save The Historian's niece.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Neil Dabb
• Release date: Dec 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781005079376

Neil Dabb

Neil grew up in Smithfield, Utah, and currently holds a General Class license amateur radio license. He was a material handler for over 10 years while obtaining a BA from Utah State University. He has been a freelance writer for most of that time and has been published in a variety of magazines over the years.Neil worked for Utah State University for twelve years with the Junior Engineering program. He enjoys writing, Frisbee (disc) golf and bonfires. He is the father of five children and lives in Logan Utah.

Book preview

Brave New World

by

Neil Dabb

Smashwords Edition

Copyright 2020 Neil Dabb

Chapter 1

Amy stepped through the shields of The Historian's wooden time ship and struggled to breath as the biting cold winds of the vast, pure white plains of the Antarctic summer ice cap glared in her face. She knew it was less than a hundred yards across the airstrip, to the white dome-shaped buildings that were the lab he was taking her to see, but this was ridiculous.

This is not the fresh, spring snow covered land I was imagining. As she stepped back behind the protective shields of the ship and took a deep breath of the warm air. Amy shook the blown snow from her long blonde hair and brushed it from the halter-top she was still wearing. She'd done enough spring skiing in her day that a little cold wouldn’t bother her, but this was too much. You didn’t tell me we were going to the Arctic.

Antarctic actually, and I warned you that it would be cold, The Historian adjusted his wire rimmed glasses and pulled the heavy parka around his wiry frame.

And what is there here to see besides penguins and snow? Amy moved back into the ship intending to find something more substantial to cover her than the shorts and halter top she still wore after leaving a distant world they’d recently visited.

A whole city. The Historian said as he waited patiently for his companion to step into a pair of snow pants, and shrug on one of the heavy winter parkas he had near the entry.

And you couldn't have parked any closer to the entrance? Amy looked at The Historian, waiting for more but was disappointed when the young man stepped through the shields and walked toward a couple of bumps in the snow on the far side of the airstrip. She hesitantly followed.

The sound of the constant wind in her ears reminded her of the music that sounded when The Historian's ship flew through time. I don't remember there being any cities on Antarctica in my time, Amy shouted over the wind.

No one knew about the people on the moon or it’s destruction either, The Historian responded.

Amy recalled when she first met The Historian, and the timeline that she'd left rather than allow herself to be killed. They had prevented the destruction of the moon. Then she remembered a song from her time called time passages. They entered an air lock and the sound of the wind died in a slight whoosh.

Are they expecting us? she asked as the door opened to an empty corridor.

I doubt it.

They're going to wonder how we got here.

And I have a perfectly good explanation to give them, The Historian said.

Amy smiled. The Historian tended to be rather quiet, but he was seldom at a loss for words when it was important. She would have to keep an eye on him, but that was part of the fun of being with him.

True to his word, The Historian had provided an explanation of how they arrived, and they were welcomed and invited to go to the commons area and meet the others. It was still a bit nippy for Amy's tastes as she entered the room. She would have to talk to her companion about some additional things from the ship.

As Amy surveyed the room, she recognized two old friends from her past. It had been a very long time since she had seen Nick and Lanna, and after leaving the casino in Jackpot, Nevada, she'd doubted she would ever see any of her old friends again. So she was surprised when Lanna rushed over to give her a hug. I thought you were tending your father's casino, she said.

Lanna had aged well, her red hair still as bright as ever. Amy realized that their age difference might be apparent if she weren't in the hooded parka. That's a long story, she mused. What brings you here?

Nick... Lanna's voice trailed off. The tone of her voice told Amy that things were not going well between them. Amy suspected it was Lanna and not Nick that was causing the problems, but she also knew Nick better than her friend could ever know. That was a part of her life she would just as soon forget, she thought as Lanna changed the subject to a lighter topic and began introducing Amy to her friends.

The first thing Amy noticed was that most of the others were women. Nick doesn't see this as his own little harem, does he? Amy asked as they met the fourth blonde blue eyed girl in a row.

You were lucky to get as far as you did with Nick, she said. He's always been rather monogamous, switching only when it suited his pleasure.

He said you appreciated having a rest now and then.

Lanna shrugged. We'd got all of those issues sorted out when he got a call and came on this job. Lanna was about to say more when large dark haired oriental woman approached.

Lanna, you've been holding out on us.

She came with the late arrival Damon told us about. Wuanna, this is Amy.

Glad to meet you. Wuanna's hand-shake was almost too firm for Amy's liking.

The pleasure is mine, Amy lied. She could still read Lanna's body language and knew that the two didn't get along.

I look forward to working with you.

Wuanna moved off and Amy could feel her friend lower her hackles.

You two don't get along too well, do you? Amy said.

You always did have a talent for the under-statement, Lanna said.

So what is really going on here? Amy whispered. "And don't blame it on Nick. You had just as much to do with