Thomas was on his way to the Lab-Bay, as the General had told him to do so. Or, moreover, suggested.
The Lab-Bay, located in the central buildings of the base, was merely a conference room for scientists ( all general concepts of physics, psychology, geography, engineering tech, and most importantly, biology ).
Thomas makes a slow left at a T-section hallway. Just across was the Hangar and Airfield. As soon as he turns the corner a shot of confusion runs up his metal-like back, as if he had fallen on it again.
It was someone like him.
"Wait!" It was as if this word was an impulse from his confusion.
Sirius, almost towards the Lab room, stops and looks behind her left shoulder turning her body only halfway to Thomas. She clicks her radio.
"You know, our radios are connected." Sirius was in disbelief. She was genuinely happy at his moment, not merely infatuation, but mostly pure joy from her heart, making her smile.
"I was just on my way to the Lab room! I'll wait up for you." She insisted. She at least wanted a good start with this potential partner in action.
Thomas, feelings of excitement, which he mistook for anxiety, hurriedly jogs to Sirius. He stops just in front of her. Both of them looking each other up and down, analyzing for as long as a full-speed bullet train goes by at the station.
Thomas speaks, "I was just on my way there, too. And I didn't know this thing had a radio. No one told me that there was someone like me here. I was beginning to feel hopeless." Thomas spat his words rapidly. As if nervous.
Sirius replies in the same way.
"I was hinted at it, but I didn't believe them. I've.. been alone for a year now. I'm so happy to see you." She looked into his eyes.
"You won't believe this world." Sirius continued.
"What do you mean?"
"We'll talk in the bunk room."
The two walk together, shoulder to shoulder, and reach the Lab room. Number sixty-one.
Thomas opens the door for Sirius who gives a glad 'Thank you' and walks in, Thomas following. Three, apparent, scientists look to the door, a female scientist gets up immediately to greet Sirius.
"Good afternoon, Sirius! It's nice to see you!"
"Likewise, ma'am."
Thomas an Sirius are gestured to sit, just opposite of the scientists. One is a physicist, the other two are proficient in Special Relativity.
'I know what this is for.' Sirius was correct. It was in their Time-Jump. A startling question came to her at the moment.
Why would they lie about Thomas? Why wasn't he directly told? 'They're ambiguous anyway.'
"Welcome! Thomas, Sirius! You were called here to hear our advances in our research in the phenomenon of Time-Jump."
'We aren't four-year-olds.'
"Thomas, you're new, we will give previous insight's explanations."
"I would rather hear what we have now, if you will, sir."
'Very well played, Thomas.' She smiles.
"Ok, so we've found out about another eight-hundred gigabytes of data from the computer. In this case it's not too much but will tell us this much. You had to be from a different dimension to get here."
Sirius became frustrated. The same news as always. For the past year!
"We already know! How many times must you say so!"
The female scientist, who was actually Sirius's Doctor, stands up to confront her.
"Now Sirius, we can't make any large steps quite yet."
"Then quit telling me you've gotten somewhere! I'm called off of my flight missions for the same reasons! Over and over!" She stands still for twelve seconds, she counted. Then, hands clenched, turns her head to the door and walks out.
Thomas followed, then whispers. "Where is our bunk room."
She whispers back. "Follow me."
________
The housing sector, a major part of the base, was a circular building that fit around the whole base, underneath, excluding around the airfield and hangars.
Thomas and Sirius both walked down the large hallway, slightly turning right, while Thomas notices the doors. Each was metal, seemingly locked with a touch-panel. He hadn't a clue what the mechanism was.
Sirius turns left, lifts her slim-finger onto the panel and taps in a code. The door opens and she waits.
"Did you catch that?"
"Catch what?" Thomas missed it.
"I'll do the code again. If we want to be on a good hand please communicate with me." She said so, smiling again and looking at Thomas, whom she had never seen without the helmet, she thought.
He smiled back, "Of course."
The two walk in, the door shuts. Sirius throws her helmet off to the left of the room onto her bed.
"Your on the right."
Thomas throws his helmet onto the bed and sits. For a moment, he felt pressured to say something, opening his mouth and inhaling, yet decides silence is the best for now. At least until she says something.
"I don't think I caught your name."
"Thomas. Thomas Refugio Teran. And your Sirius?"
"Yes, Sirius Utsukushí." Thomas didn't think he ever heard such a name. But it seemed to fit her.
"It fits you."
"Does it? Thank you." Sirius already liked his presence. She began to feel a strong connection with him and desired to form a relationship.
"I'm going to give it to you straight." She spoke. "I don't want to be here, in this world. It's terrible."
"I haven't a clue what is happening, besides the war."
"Whatever the General said to you, ignore. Wait, what year did you come from?"
"Um..." Thomas seemed to have forgotten, until he remembered the strange Doctor incident. "Nineteen sixty-eight, Vietnam war. Tet Offensive."
'Wo---ow' Sirius had wondered. Was he a pilot, as she was?
"Were you a pilot?"
"Yes, I operated on the aircraft carrier USS Constellation."
"I was a pilot, too!"
"What year are you from?"
"Two thousand and nineteen."
"How old are you?"
"I'm twenty-three. You?"
"Twenty-three."
The two of them sat. Both equally surprised and exhausted from the day.
Thomas had realized he hadn't eaten since before he slept back in nineteen sixty-eight. If it had even counted towards his diet.
"Do we have food in here?" In the room, facing away from the doorway into it, there was Sirius's bed on the left and Thomas's to the right. Just past the beds was a living space, a table and four chairs, two on each side. Further was a kitchen and to the right another space, then the bathroom, holding a toilet and a shower, nicely spaced.
After the surprise of how they are the same age, from different times, Thomas decided to take some steps on understanding their scenario. He wanted out, too.
"So, what is wrong with this world."
"The others, their frontal lobes have been destroyed. They've become not-them. You're arrival has given me some new insight on what's next. Our rebellion."
"Rebellion? What if we destroy this government? New Russia will surely bring us down with it."
"You think they'll find us? We are biologically above them. We can run faster, focus better, listen better. All of our senses. It gives us the advantage."
Thomas felt a growing connection with Sirius. Almost a romantic connection. 'Theirs a time and place for it.' Scenario before personal issues.
"Let's help the Defense government. It may gives us even more of an advantage. A weak Russia, we should take time to plan the assassination of their leader."
Sirius broke in, "That won't do."
"Why?" Thomas missed something again, apparently.
"They're democratic. If their leader dies, they'll vote for another. Like Old America."
'Like Old Anerica? Where am I now? Is this even the United States?'
"Where are we?"
"South Vietnam. Get your helmet, look up the documents on where you were found. They keep such information open to us because they trust us. We receive special treatment for it, and for what we are."
Thomas slides his helmet on. It slowly brightens, then gives a list in the right of the screen.
DOCUMENTS
MISSION STATUS: N/A
SCHEDULE
HEALTH STATUS
Thomas chose Documents, searches his own name.
Thomas Refugio Teran
Born August 8th, 1945
Fighter Pilot during Vietnam War
Major Battle Involvement
Tet Offensive, 1968; Events to death; On-call, MIA after shot down by VPA. Body never found.
Recurring Appearances Recorded
Appearances: Only 1
Location of Appearance: Ho Chi Minh City
Year of Recurred Appearance: July 1, 2132
Recorded by: World Wide Defense Military Branches of the United Dictatorship of the Americas.
Sirius returned with saltine crackers and chicken bits. All of which Thomas hadn't noticed until he finished reading his profile on his helmet. He had eaten it all in ten seconds, exactly.
"Wow! You were hungry. Do you want anymore?"
"Yes, please. I think it's been a lot longer than a couple of hours since I've eaten." Thomas smiled at her, she returned it with a teeth-showing grin.
The strange part, Thomas thought, was that this place is a Dictatorship. There's a leader here and if he and Sirius were serious about getting out of there, zero percent effort, they were going to have to find a way to kill that leader.
'There's something more to this.'
Sirius returned once more, and with a surplus of crackers and chicken.
"Thanks."
"What religion are you?"
Thomas was quite surprised. He never necessarily practice religion, but did believe in God. 'I guess that makes me Christian.'
"Christian. Why do you ask?"
"No one else here believes in God. It's all science to them. It's quite difficult to find a bible during these times. In fact you can't."
"What happened to them?"
"It's treason here in the dictatorship. General Parkson, I believe you've met him, is the dictator. 'Anyone with the possession, memory or physical, of a bible will be executed for treason against Parkson. No rights to a Court or Lawyer.' Those are the exact words."
"I'm guessing you have one."
"I do. I find it very important, too. It's kept me through this year. Now you've shown up." She smiles, and walks to sit next to Thomas in the chair beside him. She lays her arm on his leg. "I hope we can find something good out of each other. I'll show you the road on how to get by here. But promise me you and I will continue to believe in God. Together."
Thomas promised. He lay his hand into hers and they grasped each other's hands. Knowing it will work.
YOU ARE READING
De Facto: Liberators: Version I: Part I
General Fiction"She pictured herself in a better place than she was already experiencing, yet found herself back at home. 'Futile!', she cried. Then cried hysterically, uncontrollably, tiresome, and dreadfully. Only Thomas could comfort her."
