ELT And The Time Machine

“We’re nearing our destination,” announced the first officer to his captain. “Planet Earth is straight ahead.” “I am approaching the space pod,” reported the captain as he stepped off his elevator and entered the area of the ship where the pod was located. Inside the pod, the captain sat down in one of only two seats that were available in the vessel. “I am starting ignition sequence,” he pronounced while strapping himself in. Then he pushed a series of buttons and the space pod’s engines ignited, thrusting powerfully away. The space pod dashed off towards Earth, making sure its presence wasn’t detected by the planet’s surveillance systems. The egg-shaped pod spun its way down to the earth’s surface, broke through the clouds and headed for the town of Spring Valley. Rapidly, it spun its way to the Valleydale subdivision. It maneuvered its way over Springhaven Court and the home of one Ralph Eltison. As it landed, steam emitted from the bottom of the pod and filled the air that surrounded the Eltison backyard. Underneath their willow tree and next to the doghouse, stood Ralph Eltison and his ever-faithful superhero dog, Elt. They waited patiently for the Trianthian leader to make his appearance. The door to the pod opened. From the darkness inside the pod emerged the familiar glowing figure of Coladeus. He hopped down from the pod and walked over to both Ralph and Elt. He first shook Ralph’s hand, and then Elt’s right paw. “So good to see you both, my friends from Earth,” remarked Coladeus. Ralph’s excitement was all too noticeable. “What assignment do you have for us Coladeus? Are we going to travel back with you and save a solar system or discover a lost planet?” “Why all that and more,” assured Coladeus as he welcomed the boy and his dog into his pod. “Usually there is only room for two occupants in our pod, but we have made special arrangements in order to accommodate you both on board Trianthius I.” “That’s cool!” exalted Ralph. “When can we leave?” “Well...right now,” answered Coladeus. The three boarded the ship and fastened their restraints. In an instant, the space pod blasted off for Trianthius I, which was safely orbiting Earth. “Can we help steer?” asked Ralph. “Why sure,” smiled Coladeus. Elt’s tail wagged slowly as he watched his human take control of the Trianthian space pod. Ralph was excited yet careful in his efforts to steer the pod in the right direction. “We should see Trianthius I shortly,” stated Coladeus. “There it is!” yelled Ralph. “I’ll get us close to the ship.” Coladeus watched Ralph carefully as he guided the space pod under the belly of the Trianthian ship. “She’s beautiful!” exclaimed Ralph. Ralph’s eyes lit up brighter than ever as he took in all the wonderful sights before him. The greenish, triangular-shaped vessel welcomed the smaller vessel as the pod attached itself to Triantius I. Coladeus glanced over at both Ralph and Elt. “Ralph, lunch time!” exclaimed Coladeus. “I fixed some sandwiches.” “The fascination of time travel has enthralled many of man’s most intelligent minds,” the speaker told his audience. “H.G. Wells wrote about it, and there are scores of movies and television programs devoted to the subject of time travel.” The audience in the observatory’s auditorium sat silently, fixed upon the words of the speaker. Not one seat was empty. The speaker paused for a few seconds, picked up a handkerchief from his podium, and methodically dabbed his brow. It was the middle of summer, and the air conditioning wasn’t cooling the auditorium well. He then took a sip of water from a glass that was also situated on the podium. The speaker was no ordinary speaker. Not only was he Spring Valley’s most notable scientist, he was one of the greater region’s most scientific minds. His experiments in science were recognized as some of the most intelligent and thorough in the entire world. The speaker was none other than Professor Eric Van Hausen, whose observatory and campus encompassed about three square miles of buildings, satellites, and warehouses. One old warehouse, of course, was rented to the infamous Walter Eugene Crum and his band of miscreants. Van Hausen was an honorable man, and in no way would have knowingly rented his warehouse to any unscrupulous character of whom he could have suspected foul play. Clad in his white lab coat, his hair long, wavy, and a bit disheveled, the professor finished his sip of water and gazed intensely at his audience. His eyes were glazed with passion, his posture stern and un-wavering. “Those who have studied with and under me, know that I have a little bit of interest in time travel.” The crowd laughed. Everyone on campus knew of the professor’s deep passion for time travel. “My fascination stems from when I was a lad reading science-fiction comic books,” revealed Professor Van Hausen. “As I matured, my interest grew more and more. I attended seminars, science-fiction conventions, and even met with prolific authors whose stories mainly dealt with the subject of time travel.” The Professor paused a moment to give his next statement the weight it deserved. “Through many years, countless experiments, and exorbitant expenses,” he paused, “I believe that I have discovered a way to actually travel through time.”