77.

Odd as odd can be. The Pathfinder has been instructed to travel back through the wormhole to the side from which they came. This wormhole is one which they came across by chance and it is one which shortens their mission by decades. The instruction comes from a future version of Maria's daughter ... Cindy, and it comes with the intention of closing the wormhole and in turn the numerous time fractures the wormhole's presence is creating.

On the way through the Wormhole Mandy Anand vanishes momentarily and returns with the tale that she had found herself back on Earth in a place and time when two versions of Badger McCall come together. It can be assumed that a time fracture is what took Mandy to the past and the incident she witnesses from a distance is one she had no direct impact on.

It has not been all so long since Badger had his moment in time, well at least the second part of it. He had as of yet not disclosed his moment in time with anyone, including Angus, and it could be thought his moment too came via a time fracture, possibly a little less likely given the distance The pathfinder had been from the wormhole at the time though in a linear sense he had been the first of four to have an encounter with time. Sheila and Sylvia have had their moments too. Four doubles to eight to include the fact that Robert, Jeff, and Dan are all well as well can be off in a time and place in the future and of course there is that connection between Simon and Dan.

Indeed too, Samar has come from the future to currently be on The Pathfinder and Simon is the only other person aware of this. Sylvia had a three-week moment in the past of a foreign world. Sheila has had her moments. Then there are the dreams Mandy has been having throughout her life. Had she been prepared in some way or another for an adventure in time? If so, then by who or what?

The moment Mandy witnessed between Badger and a young man for all Mandy may know could have been one which occurred not so long before The Pathfinder first set out on its mission as she is unaware of who the younger person is, despite his resemblance to Badger, an actual younger version of Badger. Badger would be asked to come to the command center and when he does arrive to the currently overcrowded room, he does reluctantly tell of his time travel story also stating that if it weren't for that moment, it would be quite likely that he may never have come to be on The Pathfinder.

Time travelling aside, finding a new home aside, there is the instruction to close the wormhole via using an energy pulse in order to prevent any and all time fractures from creating complete and utter chaos. Before such a thing can even have a chance to be discussed let alone put into action, Mandy falls to her knees and vanishes for a second time.

When Mandy Anand's knees hit the floor, it is clear straight away that the ground beneath her knees is not that of what is or should be on The Pathfinder. It is dark, very dark. Mandy is outdoors somewhere back on Earth; she is at the side of a road in the midst's of a blustery storm. A man possibly of Asian ethnicity or descent aids her to her feet.

'Are you alright?' he calls out to her.

'I think so' she says after a moment or so.

With the strength of the wind blowing quite strongly in this moment, it is difficult for Mandy to catch her balance. Her companion wants to ask as to what has her out where she is by herself and at such a time as it is though the same could be asked of him. A van soon approaches travelling at speed. Its headlights are blinding. The Asian man flags it down and it does come to a halt. Mandy has seen this van before; she has seen it in a dream and it is only when she can get a decent look at it she realizes something.

On The Pathfinder, Mandy knows of the Owens brothers though she never has had cause to interact with either of them but on this roadside, she cannot help but believe that the Owens brothers are within that van which has come close to where she so happens to be. If anything, she is sure they are. The Asian man asks of the two men as to if he and his lady friend could get assistance though when he looks, the lady he aided to her feet is no longer within his field of vision.

He wants to search for her, but the Owens brothers have only just escaped a twister. They fear that they may not be out of danger, they need to move on. The Asian man joins them, and they are on their way wasting little time. Mandy Anand is returned to The Pathfinder. The roadside Owens brothers are quite some time away from joining anything called Pathfinder and along their road trip a conversation arises with their new associate that involves a certain discipline known as Tai-Chi.

Maria moves to Mandy's side. 'Are you alright?'

'Yes ...'

'About that energy pulse ...?' inquires Leo Bridges as shuttles and ships begin to appear on this end of the wormhole. 'Shouldn't we be doing something about that?'

'Mandy?' Maria asks, making an inquiry of her own as if Mandy might have the answer to Leo's inquiry.

'Not yet ...' speaks Mandy.

'Are you sure?' asks Leo.

'You heard her' states Maria not intending to come across as being crass.

'I need to speak to the Owens brothers' Mandy says.

A com link is opened, and the Owens brothers respond. Maria looks to Mandy.

'Mandy Anand here, may I ask you guys, have either or both of you ever owned a camper van?'

'Yes ...' answers Kyle.

'How could you know that?' asks Jinder.

'Have you guys ever belonged to a travelling community?

'... Eh this would be something we would not be comfortable discussing especially over the com system but yes, we have been.'

'My condolences ...'

'How ... how ...?'

'You guys ever pick up a man possibly of Asian ethnicity?'

There is a pause, a moment of silence, silence over the com, silence all through the Command center. Then there is the one-word response. '... Yes.'

Ships and shuttles are resting still, but slowly, appearing out of thin air on this side of the wormhole, all presumably from the future.

'Erm guys ...' speaks Leo. 'As interesting as all this is ...'

Sheila speaks next and she directs her words towards the room as a whole at first and then directly towards Mandy. 'She's not done yet ... you're not done yet.'

'I can't ...' says Mandy.

'You can and you must ...' insists Sheila.

'Must what?' asks Maria. 'Do I want to know?'

'I have been to the future. I know the stories. I have seen an alternative. There is only one hope. Mandy needs to travel to Afghanistan, a place south of Kabul on May 26th, 2086.'

'No ... no ... no, you don't' speaks Brandon and of course only Maria can see and hear him.

Maria knows the significance of this date for Brandon. She has read his diary; she has heard what Stanley Holmes had to say about that day. Indeed, Stanley is no longer here but what is being spoken of cannot be what it is assumed it may be.

'I have never fired a gun in my life ...'

'Gun?' asks Simon.

Brandon moves right in front of Mandy. 'You? ... No, you can't do this. No ...'

Maria hears Brandon and is not sure if she should speak for him.

'It is what brings us here' speaks Sheila. 'If it doesn't happen then Brandon never comes aboard The Pathfinder, Stanley Holmes does not come aboard The Pathfinder. That psycho murderer stays active longer. We would not be where we are right now. And we will not reach our destination.'

'How can you know that?' silently asks Brandon. 'You cannot kill my son' he says to Mandy, and of course ... Mandy cannot hear him.

'Erm ... we won't get anywhere at this rate' says Leo. 'At that as well, if we do our job and close that wormhole then we are still on the wrong side of it ...'

There is no more discussion, not right now, for Mandy falls to the ground and vanishes for a third time. An extremely loud alarm bell sounds and wakes Mandy. She is on her back on a bed within a very large room. Whistles soon follow, accompanying the bell. There are many other women in this room. They all exit their beds, move on front of them and stand to attention.

'What the hell?' speaks Mandy out loud.

'Mandy' speaks the next lady over.

'What is this?'

'What is wrong with you? It's a surprise inspection. What do you think it is?'

Mandy can see out a wire mesh window. 'The military, I am in the Military ...?'