Perfection

It was finished.

“He is perfect!” the Professor proclaimed, standing at the side of the impressive figure that lay on metal table in front of him. Behind the prone figure, thousands of similar bodies swam in large embryonic tanks, ready and waiting. The Professor checked the dials and lights above the single extracted body before activating the awakening procedure.

“They called me prodigy but I am so much more than that”, he called out to the large laboratory. “I have solved their energy concerns, eradicated diseases, eliminated hunger and unravelled mysteries. Now I shall bring them perfection and save this world!”

Even as a child the Professor was gifted. Through school he had trained his body and mind, becoming the captain of a multitude of sports and achieving degrees in every sciences possible. He had travelled the world, uncovering eastern wonders, solving dark mysteries and recovering undersea treasures. Then he’d returned to civilisation to share his knowledge and save the world as its hero.

His latest gift would be the ideal Man. Applying his vast understanding of human biology, he had studied the human cell, split its nuclei, manipulated its microscopic contents. He had grown another human being and here he lay, slowly achieving consciousness. Soon, this being and all the others would be sent out to enlighten the world and, eventually, to reproduce their perfection.

Applied electricity completed its energizing revitalisation. The perfect figure opened his eyes and sat up. He looked around, taking in his surroundings before turning towards the Professor, bowing his head.

“Hello Professor”, he said, his voice flawless, his manners impeccable.

“Hello to you too, Professor”, the Professor replied to his exact replica, bowing his head in return before looking up towards the tanks beyond his double.

This was only the beginning. Soon, the whole world would be saved from its ignorance and chaos.

Bend In Time

Dashing around the corner, the mysterious traveller ducked his head under the low pipe and carried on running down the industrial corridor. He glanced back at the rusty pipe, his eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean 'immutable'?" his attractive, headstrong companion cried out, just a step behind him with her head lowered so as to pass under the pipe. They'd been running for so long she was beginning to tire. Hopefully they'd stop soon.

For a moment, the traveller kept his gaze on the corridor behind them before turning toward his plucky companion.

"Unchangeable. The past. It cannot be changed", he replied offhandedly, as if this explained everything. They continued to charge down the corridor past one locked door after another, their footsteps echoing as they went.

The oddly attired gentleman studied the walls and the passing doors as they careened along the familiar looking corridor. Even though he was hurtling along as fast as his legs could carry him, he still took a strange sort of interest in his surroundings as if searching for something in particular.

"But you've gone back in time before. Many times! I've been there with you", his companion argued as she ran next to him, slim arms pumping whilst her long hair streamed out behind her. "And you've meddled and changed things", she added.

"I do not meddle", admonished her guide before continuing, "But yes, any point in time can be accessed and explored. However you can't go back and change things because, relative to the present, the past has already happened. It's in the past so, ergo, it must have already happened. See?"

In the distance they could see that the corridor they were rushing along was leading towards another corner. With a renewed effort, the traveller increased his speed towards it and his companion hastened after.

"Does that mean everything is fixed?" she asked, a little confused. "That we have no control over what happens or what we do?"

"Oh no. No, not at all. We choose what to do, what planet or time period to go to next, who to save, whether to get involved in the first place, whether to stand and fight or just run. Run towards or run away, it generally amounts to the same thing in my experience. Anyway, we choose and we try to make a difference. That's important!"

"But that doesn't make sense! So you're saying that we can change the past?" the assistant gasped as her breath was ripped from her lungs by the air rushing by.

They were now just a few feet from the approaching corner. The young woman stumbled slightly and almost tripped. The man slowed for a moment to help steady her and then together they continued to sprint onwards whilst he answered her question.

"No, because it's in the past. It all makes perfect sense. Time always does. The future is just the present waiting to happen and the present is happening everywhere and everywhen, right now. And the past has already happened so if you modify it, that alteration already occurred so you can’t have changed anything. It's fixed with respect to the present, for a given definition of 'present', of course. And every point in time is the 'present' for someone... or something".

At this, the curious man almost gave a furtive glance back down the corridor but stopped himself. What was behind them was not as important as what was ahead. And what was ahead was another corner. 

"Time is immutable", the man exclaimed as he turned and then added, "Duck!"

Dashing around the corner, the mysterious traveller ducked his head under the low pipe and carried on running down the industrial corridor. He glanced back at the rusty pipe, his eyes narrowed, suspicious.

"What do you mean 'immutable'?" his attractive, headstrong companion cried out, just a step behind him with her head lowered so as to pass under the pipe. They'd been running for so long she was beginning to tire.

Hopefully they'd stop soon.