72.

It's about time – such a common phrase, one which most anyone could possibly hear on a regular basis. We, being members of the Human race, see time as something which is linear, but what if it isn't? What came first, the chicken or the egg? – a popular conundrum. Things of wonder which could make the mind hurt – when did time begin? What existed before time? Does space have boundaries? If it does then what can be beyond those boundaries?

Sheila Ryan is back on The Pathfinder. She had taken a trip through time in more ways than one and she is not the first person aboard The Pathfinder to have had a trip into time, in fact another member of cleaning crew thirty-two has as well. From The Pathfinder Badger McCall travelled through space and time to pay himself a visit on Earth in the past. Robert, Jeff, and Dan are all on a foreign world sometime, fifty years at least, in the future.

Time travel may have its importance, the most important of which may yet to occur, may already have occurred, with its importance being such that The Pathfinder as it is, and the success of its mission may depend upon it.

Maria Flores and Mandy Anand had reason to be in the medical center at the same time. Simon is asleep and has begun to revert to his regular self. Cindy is also sleeping and is no longer with child. The suggestion is made that should go grab a bite to eat together in the mess hall and this is exactly what they do.

'How is Cindy doing?'

'Cindy is hardheaded, just like her mom. She will be fine, thank you for asking. So, you and Simon, you guys are ... err...?'

It took Mandy a moment to realize what Maria was asking, so distracted she is with all which has come her way. But when she did her eyes opened wide.

'Oh, me and Simon, no, no' giggles Mandy. 'But maybe if things continue to improve or even if they don't there still might be a maybe, who knows?'

'You really like Simon, don't you?'

'Yeah, he is a nice guy.'

'It would be nice to have him back on the team.'

'I think it would be nice just to have him back.'

'He had been a bit down in himself before this transformation came about; I think you will bring him back to himself in more ways than one.'

Maria sits back and smiles. It was a pleasant moment to see someone who seemed as happy as Mandy does. For Mandy it was a pleasant moment to feel this happy. Finally, she felt she was a part of something, something real and special. It is important to feel important and important is what Mandy has become.

'I have something to tell you. It may sound ridiculous; actually, it will sound ridiculous ...'

Maria sits up and forwards, 'alright ... what is it?'

***

Friday the seventeenth of January, everything is ready, and everything is in place. The Pathfinder is about to enter the first spatial wormhole ever encountered by man. Every station was being manned and anyone who not had anything in particular to be doing would stand ready by a view port or by anywhere else whereby they could have a good view of what would occur outside the ship. This was and is a big moment not only for The Pathfinder or the ships that follow but for all of humanity.

Leo sits at the main piloting station. Simon, feeling a lot more like himself, has made a huge improvement in such a short period of time, but he was nowhere near ready to take up his position at a piloting station, not even the second piloting station. He sat in a chair in the medical center being able to take in a little more light than he had been used to in recent times and he even began to read a book, a physical book, not something which had been downloaded onto a word pad, a book which Mandy had picked up for him.

It, this book, made him smile. She made him smile. She made him feel good. Sitting at the main pilot's station would make him feel good too, but he knew he was a lucky guy to be doing as well as he is, and it would only be a matter of time before he would be back in action.

Simon's experience, his transformation has changed him in a way which would not revert to a previous state. Sure, Simon would once again look just like he did prior to the transformation and sure there would be no lasting ill effects or damage, but the experience itself will always stay with him. The knowledge he gained, that Robert, Jeff, and Dan would do just fine where and when they are would have more than a calming effect on Simon's soul, so much so that it alters the path he is on, not that he will ever know of such.

The future that Simon's future grandson knew as a past no longer exists. Now his grandson will certainly still exist, that won't change but change itself is most definitely in the air in more ways than one.

***

The coordinates are set; the wormhole is stable and as stable as testing proved it to be, it was time, it is time to once again make history. Once everyone is ready and in position, Leo takes The Pathfinder forward, and into the wormhole the ship goes.

At first it was like travelling sideways in an elevator with flashes of squared shaped light passing by as if they were passing different floor levels. There was nothing to do now but sit back and enjoy the ride. A ride that went so smoothly and without a hitch that it almost felt too good to be true.

Forty-seven seconds, that is what it took. Forty-seven seconds, which covered a journey which may otherwise have taken forty seven years, for that is how far it would be thought they had travelled. A journey that without this wormhole may just well take The Pathfinder close to fifty years to complete. It takes a couple of moments upon exiting the wormhole for anyone and everyone to realize that that was it, a trip through a wormhole had been made, successfully and once that realization has come to be, there would be a ship wide cheer accompanied with clapping and joy. Simon smiles where he sits, the sounds he could hear tells him all he needs to know.

It is time to seriously find a new home, they are so close. Mankind via The Pathfinder are so close. The star charts which had been downloaded from the space station equated to the region of space The Pathfinder now found itself in, Maria herself has confirmed this so the existence of the star charts are one secret which can be removed from its secretive status.

As it is it looks quite likely that a new home may only be a matter of a few weeks or so away. A journey which up to now has seemed to take an eternity but in reality, and actuality has only taken a few months is nearing its end.

The cheering lasts so much longer than the journey through the wormhole did, and it indeed was accompanied by tears, laughter, joy, happiness and even a little bit of sadness too for there had been so many special bonds created in such a short time. Those bonds will continue, it's the thoughts of a different environment, a new environment maybe throwing a spanner in the works that take over, sure after all The Pathfinder's mission is to find a new home for all of mankind.

The Pathfinder itself had become home to everyone on board, but realistically it was only the moving van taking so many from a former home to a new place of residence. Brandon had returned to see this moment and he stood in the command center clapping along with everyone else while giving a respective nod to Maria. She smiled and nodded back while a tear or two began to roll down her face.

Her tears are mostly joyous but there is potential sadness too, for if what has been put to her is true then if one person pays more a price for the future of Mankind then that person is Brandon and Maria knows he does not deserve, has not deserved that price.

***

Brandon fully expecting to move on, vanished into what he thought would be the afterlife with the intention of moving on, to go wherever ghosts or spirits move on to, never to return to those he leaves behind on The Pathfinder. Maria could hear his voice say once more 'if only I was still alive and a few decades younger' and that would once again make her smile. Intentions may be one thing and actuality is something else entirely. Moving on whether spiritually or physically may not just be as easy as it may seem, well maybe not quite yet anyway ...