The ELI Event B007R5LTNS

turbolift. They descended in silence to the main laboratory.
    “What did you wish to speak to me about, Vice Governor?” asked Rasel as they stepped out of the lift.
    Ever the strategist, Lokus made Rasel go first. “I’ll come to that later,” he replied. “Let’s have a look at the relocator improvements you mentioned.”
    Verbally outflanked, Rasel paused for a moment. “Actually, the improvements I mentioned are not to the relocator itself, but to the return mechanism.” He walked to a table, picked up a small, brushed metal oval, and held it out.
    Lokus took it; it fit easily in his palm. On one side was a universal adhesive pad, which allowed it to adhere at a molecular level to virtually any surface—metal, cloth, even human skin—yet be removed with a gentle pull. On the other side were two small buttons, one blue, one red, and a tiny display screen. There were no visible seams, markings, or other features of any kind.
    “This is a new remote for the return unit, then?” Lokus ventured.
    The self-satisfied smile flashed, disappeared. “No, Vice Governor. This is the return unit.”
    Lokus was impressed. The return units he had used before were portable, but bulky, much like the personal entertainment systems of his father’s era. Worn on the arm or leg, they were bulky and complex. The new unit was small, light, and thin, hardly bigger than a personal chronometer. He wondered if Borok’s team had developed anything as small.
    Rasel answered his unasked questions. “Operation, as you can see, is extraordinarily simple. All calculations and control functions are now performed by the relocator itself, or rather by its operator.
    “As you know, the real work in temporal displacement is the transmission—identifying the target point, obtaining the space-time coordinates, pushing the traveler upstream. But once the connection path is established, callback is fairly straightforward. This new unit takes full advantage of that principle.
    “The blue button signals the operator to initiate a controlled return to the point of origin based on the most recently calculated parameters. The red button forces an immediate callback, independent of the relocator’s current settings and without operator intervention.”
    “The emergency return,” Lokus paraphrased.
    “So to speak,” conceded Rasel. “The net effect, of course, is that the return unit, and thus the temporal traveler, are much less conspicuous.”
    “Indeed,” Lokus agreed. He tested the unit’s adhesive pad, trying it on the breast of his tunic, his waistband, his arm. “This would definitely be an asset to a traveler wishing to blend in with the time, to get close to the action.” He handed the unit back to Rasel. “Keep this nearby; I may have need of it very soon.”
    Rasel raised one eyebrow. “May I ask—” he began.
    “You may not. All I am at liberty to say,” Lokus lied, “is that I may need to… observe a past event.”
    The Science Minister frowned, but nodded slightly. “I understand, Vice Governor,” he said coolly, “but I will have to have some coordinates in order to make the transmission. When—if I may be so bold—did the event that you wish to observe occur?”
    “I don’t know yet.” Over Rasel’s audible sigh of frustration, Lokus continued, “Which brings me to the other reason I came.”
    “Ah,” Rasel brightened, “at last.” The egotistical smile returned. Having finally gained the advantage in their little verbal tussle, he waited patiently for Lokus to ask for his help.
    Lokus knew he had to proceed carefully. He was about to request the use of an experimental technology which had nothing to do with time travel, and to which Rasel had the only access. Tricky business, even for Lokus.
    “In order to properly identify the event to be observed,” he began casually, “I must do some historical research.” He could see that Rasel was unmoved. “Extensive research. On the Net.”
    “Of course, Vice Governor. That is what the Net is for, is it not?” Rasel asked, turning away slightly.
    Lokus seethed; he knew the Science Minister was deliberately provoking him. “I do not have time, Rasel,” he said tightly, “for conventional research. I need some specific, detailed information, and I need it quickly.”
    A spark of satisfaction flickered in Rasel’s eyes, but he maintained his innocent composure. “Yes,” he said slowly, “but the Net is freely available to all government