The fifth time being exploded back into a wall was the final straw for Patroclus. And possibly for his back. Which ached increasingly as he pulled himself back up, fixing his askew glasses and dusting off his lab coat. A sigh left his lips and both hands went to his head. He stared forward at the machine that had caused all of the explosions.
It was his life’s work — a machine that could use pure Khazradanium to open portals to anywhere. A powerful means of transportation without any waiting. Just in one side and out the other. The mere idea had made his name synonymous with “mud” in recent years, but he knew he was getting closer. Khazradanium would prove to be the source he needed.
Patroclus walked forward and stopped in front of the 6 foot tall machine. It’s body was once sleeker, with silver and steel completely clean. Now it was dented from Patroclus’ work, the shine gone and it’s cleanliness had waned from Patroclus’ dirty hands and the passage of time.
Time.
How much time had he spent on this? It was his life’s work, so the quickest answer was that: his entire life. But this version of the machine — the closest yet. It had been five years. Five years of Patroclus’ life had been spent working and tinkering with this very machine. The Thetis.
“This… I can feel it. I can feel everything come together,” He whispered to himself quickly. He said it every time. Words of encouragement because he knew eventually he’d be right. And Orlandia would never be the same.
Patroclus moved his glasses from his eyes and rubbed them, then refocused. He had been awake for fifteen hours. He rarely slept when an idea came to him and this one had been, in his mind. his best in some time.
Khazradanium was the power source, but what if it was also the point of reference? For years, Patroclus had fought and struggled to find a way to connect his place to another. There had to be a fixed point. An energy source to draw on. Of course there were landmarks, but buildings didn’t emit an energy that Khazradanium can sense. However, more Khazradanium did! And that was the solution. Use his Khazradanium to find more on the other side of the world. Or another country over. Whichever.
It had taken a lot of tinkering, but Patroclus had done it. The last explosion had been from his machine attempting to adjust to its new settings. It was an explosion and it hurt, but it was much less this time and he knew he was just a few steps away.
There was no light peeking through the windows — night had fallen hours ago. So in the dim laboratory, Patroclus once again started up the Thetis and moved to its location settings. “Okay, more concentrated this time. It can’t focus on too much. I wish I had that problem…” He laughed to himself. “Wait, no I don’t. I wouldn’t be me. Or like me. Unless… — Nah, unlikely. Unlikely like me. I like me. I want to stay liking me…” He switched its settings for all of his Khazradanium to focus on one. One strong field of it emitting from the first result. Not multiple pieces. Not anywhere in particular. Just grab and go. “Just grab and go,” He said to himself and flipped the switch.
For a few seconds,there was nothing. Okay, no exploding was good.
And then, there was the sound of a vacuum.
Patroclus stood in the dim light, his eyes squinting through his glasses and towards the machine. That sound was new. But he needed to remain still and watch and listen. If a problem happened, he needed to be able to identify it.
The sound grew louder. And louder.
The space next to the Thetis, between it and his work desk, seemed to… pulse. He took a step closer in its direction. His boot touched the concrete under him carefully. Had he… ?
The air became visible. It warped and shook and spilled inward in almost an instant. Patroclus sucked in his breath and prepared for whatever was to come.
What came was the very space ripping in half. There. Right there in front of him, space split open and in front of him was almost like… a rainbow. Colors swirling in front of him in various hues and shades. Amongst the colors were… images. They went by so quickly that he was unsure what he was really looking at.
He smiled. Wide. His mouth opened up in jubilation and Patroclus let out a loud whoop of happiness. Then another. Soon he was dancing around, arms moving, legs doing the same. He had done it! He had opened up a rift! The very fabric of space had been undone and now he could see to a place unknown, surely some ways away. Even if it was two blocks away from him, Patroclus wouldn’t care. He had done it!
For a few minutes, the scientist danced around, wearing himself out. Oh, he’d needed to do so since he’d hardly be able to sleep tonight. There was so much excitement rushing through him.
As he calmed himself down, he looked into the portal’s colors once more. It was beautiful in there. Vibrant in every color possible.
“I wonder where it goes…” Patroclus said to himself and took a few steps closer. It seemed safe. Nothing was being sucked into the rift or pushed out. As he got closer, he slowly picked up the sounds of… metal. Metal on metal. And there were… yells? Of joy and anger and sorrow and pain. Then gunshots.
Was it a… battle?
Where did this portal open up to?
For a few seconds, he sat and listened, trying to decipher the noise. It was as if each sound was coming through a tunnel. It was hollow and distant. But amongst the various weapons and screaming, one voice eventually was able to be heard over all others: “I have seen realities burn and worlds decimated. And I am on the very cusp of my victory! Get out of my way, or I will tear you apart as I have time!”
What anger. What ferocity. Patroclus stood still as the sounds of battle once again picked up. Suddenly the exhausted scientist felt fear. Where had this rift opened up to? A place of war and, it seemed, mad men. Realities burn. Worlds decimated. Victory. Tearing apart time.
In a moment, he flew across the floor to the other side of the Thetis and shut the power off. It got louder, it’s Khazradanium power source growing in its glowing purple and slowly the rift disappeared from out of the corner of Patroclus’ eye.
When it was gone, he stood for a few minutes breathing heavily. Only silence met with the sounds of his labored breaths. And then slowly he stepped away from the Thetis. “I have some things to work on clearly…” He said to himself and walked towards the door, suddenly more ready for bed than he had in some time.
Patroclus
Photo by Sarah Chipley