Chapter 3: Time Will Tell

     A week had passed since the trip to the near by swamp planet. Pearl was excited to get a chance and a reason to time travel. She had always been into that kind of stuff. If only she knew why. Redd was just as eager.

"Let's do this Jack!!! I am SO ready!!" Redd was all suited up for time travel and ready to go. The uniforms they wore were all black and matching. Gloves and goggles were their main form of protection. Poor Redd was cut short though.

"Uh...Commander, we are in the holo-rooms first.You know, this door....right here... Captain Juno is first to time travel..."  Redd seemed bummed out, but agreed, he and Subrina went through the door next to the time Machine to practice in virtual worlds.  Then Pearl stepped up to the big metal monster.

 "Just give me a few minutes while I make sure the time stream is safe..." Jack was pushing buttons furiously.

 "Hurry up Jack, I am so ready to do this." She was about to start giving orders but Jack gave her the OK.

 "Finally!" She let out a laugh. She then took a step forward, pressed a few buttons in a rhythmic tune and watched the doors open. She couldn't believe her eyes. A purple vertex stood in front of her and she could feel the power of time and space throbbing and touching her skin. She gave a quick shudder then jumped in.

Jack watched the reading closely. It was his job to pull her or the others out as soon as there were signs of danger or the time stream becoming unstable. "Vitals are fine...heart is pumping...robots in future seem nice..." He was mumbling to him self when the monstrous doors slid open again.

 "AGGGGGGG!!!!" Pearl pulled on the sides of the machine as she tried to pry her self from the time stream.

 "WOW! They are feisty over there, and I can still feel the power from time jumping..."

She let out a grunt and stretched her arms out. "But not a problem. Can't wait to do that again."
"Good to hear Captain, Redd is next though."

"HAY REDD!!!" Jack shouted to the room next door, "YOUR TURN IS UP COMMANDER!!!"
"Alright, time to do this." He set the virtual goggles down and went to the time machine. 

"You ready Commander?" 

 "I was born ready Jack!" He stepped up to the beast, pushed a few buttons and felt the same power surge Pearl did. "Wow..." he gasped under his breath.

 "OK! Here...it...GOES!!" He jumped in, head first and full of fire.

 Jack watched his vitals and the time stream just as he did with Pearl. "All normal here..."

 The doors opened again and all you saw was Redd jumping out and dodging arrows.

 He stood there for a few seconds then let out a yell. "WOOOHOO!!! THAT WAS SO EPIC!!!"

"Alright, alright, will you let Subrina know its her turn?" Redd just nodded and walked through the door near by. Subrina came out a few moments later.

 Jack saw that she was nervous, and he was worried about that. "Are you... OK?" She looked back and smiled. "Yeah Jack, I'm fine. Thank you." She pushed the buttons, watched the doors open and went into the portal with clammy hands.

 Everything was normal at first, nothing seemed to different from what Jack saw with Pearl and Redd, but then something started to change.

 "OH GOD!!!" Her vitals started to go every where and the time stream seemed to be warping. Jack started pushing buttons and pulling levers as fast as he could. He finally was able to pull her out of the monster that consumed her.

She came flying out, landing with a thud. She lay there and minute as Jack rushed to her. He started yelling for help to the others. Jack had carefully dragged her to the wall to sit her up. She just sat there, like a rag doll.

 "Oh my God! Subrina!! Jack what happened!?" Pearl was freaking out. She was almost in shock as she looked at her motionless crew member.

 "I...I don't know Captain...Everything was fine, then things went hay wire. I wasn't able to get her out fast enough." He just looked down, placing a hand on hers.

"Don't worry Jack, she is still breathing," Redd was surprisingly calm, "I'll carry her up to sick bay." So he did, with Pearl following. Jack just stayed sitting for a bit.

 "I feel horrible about this Redd...If only I wasn't so eager to start this training...we could have practiced with fruit or something..." Pearl was fighting back tears. She was just laying there, no sign of life at all.

 "It's not your fault...you couldn't have know this would happen..."  Redd started to fight back tears too. Just then, Jack came in behind them and sat down in the chair next to Subrina.

 Pearl saw how upset he was and knew he was blaming himself. "Jack...you shouldn't beat your self up over this...it wasn't your fault you know...she'll get better..." He sat there silent.

 He looked at her, studying her golden hair and thin hands, completely silent.

 Pearl knew she wouldn't get anything out of him. She could tell by the way he sat there.

 So she motioned to Redd to leave him alone and then walked out the door,

Redd just nodded and followed her out. They left Jack there to watch over Subrina. Sitting alone, thinking how only time would tell...