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any other parameters for us?”
    “Just this; be careful. It is a long jump, longer than we have ever tried before.”
    Captain Reordan smiled as she stood. “The Wells can handle it, Sir.”
    Lord Devero nodded and smiled in return. “Very well, Erica. Safe voyage. Dismissed.”
    * * *
    Captain Reordan made her way to the shuttleport and boarded the first shuttle bound for the L5 Dry-docks. The Wells was in for minor repairs, and her crew should all be reporting back within the next five hours. They were due to leave dock at 2200 Zulu, just twelve hours away.
    The Wells’ Chief Engineer, Lieutenant Commander Jarred Williamson, met her as she boarded. “Just about ready, Captain. All systems are in their warm-up phase, and we will begin testing in three hours.”
    “Very well. Keep me informed of any important developments. We have a long jump ahead of us, Jarred. Make sure your babies are up to it.” She grinned at him as she spoke. Like many engineers, Jarred considered the engines to be his personal property.
    “We won’t let you down, Captain.”
    * * *
    The CSS H.G. Wells , TCH-1, left dry-dock precisely on time, her sleek form drawing appreciative looks from sailors on dozens of other ships as she passed. She continued on, leaving the plane of the ecliptic at a right angle as she traveled toward galactic north. Finally, as the temporal circuits began to fold space-time to suit their makers, the Wells disappeared.
    * * *
    The Wells shook and heaved like an ancient sailing vessel caught in a storm as the swirling chaos of the temporal flux buffeted the small ship. Her captain and crew rode out the violence with the calm demeanor of experienced sailors until the ship suddenly quieted, the vibrations stopping in an instant.
    “Status, XO?” Captain Reordan asked softly as the Wells swung down toward ancient Earth.
    Commander Kellin Frazier swung his chair around and examined his status board. “All systems on line and functioning normally, Captain,” he reported, turning back to share a grin.
    Captain Reordan nodded and turned to the opposite side of the control room. “Temporal status?”
    The Temporal Systems Officer didn’t turn to speak, keeping his eyes glued to his readouts instead. “Preliminary analysis of the star field indicates approximately 5500 BCE. We will have to make a detailed analysis over the next few hours to determine exactly when we are.”
    The captain nodded. “Very well, keep me informed. The historians want a detailed record of the period between April and September, 5532 BCE. We may need to make a few micro-jumps to reach the right year.”
    The Wells sped toward ancient Earth, shedding velocity as she fell into Sol’s gravity well. Her crew was beginning to settle into their normal orbital routine when the lights in the control room suddenly shifted to red and the emergency klaxon began its incessant shrieking. Captain Reordan immediately turned to her officers for answers.
    Lieutenant DeBaron, the Sensor Officer, was crowded over his operator’s shoulder, looking at the readout and shaking his head. “We’ve been scanned, Captain. High power gamma sweep. Seeking the source now.”
    The captain nodded, even though his back was turned toward her. “There is no one on Earth during this time period that should possesses that level of technology. I want to know who that was.” And what they are doing here.
    The crew of the Wells turned to, using all of their considerable resources and skill to find their captain’s answers. Minutes passed into an hour before Mister DeBaron turned to her, shaking his head. “No trace, Ma’am. Whoever it was is either gone, or hiding exceptionally well.”
    Captain Reordan shook her head in disappointment. “This is not good, people. Someone out here is visiting Old Earth and I don’t think that it’s one of our ships. The Temporal Directorate is far too cautious to send two ships to the same coordinates. Even if they are from our future,