Time Travelers Never Die Part 36

IT would be an overstatement to say that Aspasia and her plays were getting substantial attention from the ma.s.s media. Sophocles was not exactly a subject to boost ratings, but the mystery surrounding the appearance of plays thought lost for two thousand years did interest a couple of the cable news show hosts. Mich.e.l.le Keller on would be an overstatement to say that Aspasia and her plays were getting substantial attention from the ma.s.s media. Sophocles was not exactly a subject to boost ratings, but the mystery surrounding the appearance of plays thought lost for two thousand years did interest a couple of the cable news show hosts. Mich.e.l.le Keller on Perspective Perspective observed that it sounded as if a real-life Indiana Jones was charging around out there somewhere, and Brett Coleman, a guest on observed that it sounded as if a real-life Indiana Jones was charging around out there somewhere, and Brett Coleman, a guest on Down the Line Down the Line, commented that the world had been greatly enriched by the discovery, although he seemed to think that Achilles was a Trojan Trojan hero. hero.

But if the world at large took little notice, the academic community became embroiled almost overnight in debates over the validity of the texts. Some argued that the style could not have been duplicated so effectively by someone perpetrating a hoax, while their opponents maintained that computer a.n.a.lysis was insufficient for the task of measuring genius. Most scholars came down in the middle: They would not weigh in until the source had been revealed and explanations offered.

Reputations, of course, were at stake. No one ever ruined his career by remaining skeptical, but anybody who buys into a new idea that turns out to be silly has a hard time walking away from it.

Shel and Dave made a few more visits to Alexandria, during which the third converter tested out. They collected more plays from Aristarchus, who always treated them as VIPs, and sent them to Aspasia. Dave was especially impressed when he watched her, during an interview with Keller, divert all credit "to the person or persons who made the work available."

"She's just trying to protect her rear end," said Shel. "In case it doesn't turn out well."

"Is there any real doubt in your mind?" asked Keller. asked Keller.

"Of course there is."

"But everyone seems to agree that the work is at the level and in the style of the cla.s.sical playwrights."

"That proves nothing, Mich.e.l.le. We just don't know what we have."

"But a hoax of this magnitude-who could do it?"

"We'll have to wait on that one."

"You really don't think they're legitimate, do you?"

"Mich.e.l.le, I'd love to know where these plays have been for two thousand years. If whoever sent them is out there now, watching this show, I wish he would step forward and answer some questions. It would help the process immensely."

"Have you asked them to do that?"

"Yes."

"And they've refused."

"I haven't heard a word."

"Nothing at all?"

"No. And to be honest, Mich.e.l.le, I can't imagine a good reason why that would be. If the plays are what they claim."

"NO." Shel was adamant. "We don't do anything like that. Let them sort it out themselves." Shel was adamant. "We don't do anything like that. Let them sort it out themselves."

Dave was frustrated. "Look: We've been saying all along that eventually we'll destroy the converters. Okay, we can admit our part in this and do a demonstration. Then throw them into the Atlantic."

"No."

"Why not? The stuff we brought back is priceless." They now had more than forty plays, histories, speculations, philosophical doc.u.ments. They were piling up. "But what good are they if n.o.body accepts them?"

"I'll tell you why not. Right now, everybody thinks time travel's a fantasy. So we prove them wrong, and every physicist on the planet's going to try to figure out how it's done. No. If they decide to declare everything a hoax, then so be it."

"But what's wrong with it? If they figure it out, and a few of them try to abuse it and end up in the ocean, so what?"

"That's nickel-and-dime stuff, Dave. Whether there's really a cardiac principle, I don't know. It certainly seems as if there is. And if so, and hundreds of converters show up, it might be subject to overload."

"You're talking black magic, Shel."

"Am I? Okay: We're also talking about a world in which people can travel into the future and bring home the news. Tomorrow's news, today. What happens when people find out in advance when they'll die? What their lives are going to amount to? What happens to science if we can just ride into the future and bring back all the answers? What happens to the Phillies when we know in advance what the pennant races will look like for the rest of the century?

"No. We leave it alone."

They were in the town house, and Shel was seated on his sofa with a collection of cla.s.sical architectural drawings in his lap. It was a copy of the original plan for the Temple of Zeus at Olympia. The doc.u.ment, later stored at Alexandria, had been signed by Libon, the architect. The plans marked off the s.p.a.ce reserved for the majestic statue of Zeus, which would be done by Pheidias.

"So what do we do now?"

"Send the lady some more work. Why not one each from Aeschylus, Euripides, and Aristophanes? And we might include one or two of Hero dotus's commentaries. n.o.body's ever seen those before."

"I'll tell you," said Dave, "what'll blow their minds: The memoirs of Thales of Miletus."

"The scientist?"

"More than that, Shel. He was the guy who invented invented science. Not much is known about him except that he wanted people to look for rational explanations for everything. But n.o.body realizes he'd left behind a series of journals. They might be the most valuable thing we have." science. Not much is known about him except that he wanted people to look for rational explanations for everything. But n.o.body realizes he'd left behind a series of journals. They might be the most valuable thing we have."

"Okay," he said. "Let's send them to her. And you know, there's someplace else I'd like to visit."

"What did you have in mind?"

Outside, there was a squeal of brakes and angry voices. Somebody yelled something about kids in the street.

Shel paid no attention. He was still looking down at the schematic for Zeus at Olympia.

THAT weekend, they went back to Alexandria and spent a couple of hours talking with Aristarchus. They expressed their appreciation for his a.s.sistance and told him how grateful the future world was to recover so much of Alexandria's treasures. Ultimately he asked the question that must have been on his mind since the beginning: "Do you visit other times and places, as well?" weekend, they went back to Alexandria and spent a couple of hours talking with Aristarchus. They expressed their appreciation for his a.s.sistance and told him how grateful the future world was to recover so much of Alexandria's treasures. Ultimately he asked the question that must have been on his mind since the beginning: "Do you visit other times and places, as well?"

"Yes," Shel said.

"Ancient Egypt?"

It seemed odd to be sitting in Alexandria in 149 B.C. listening to someone bring up ancient Egypt ancient Egypt as if it were a remote time. But of course, he was thinking one or two thousand years before his own era. "If we wished, we could go there." as if it were a remote time. But of course, he was thinking one or two thousand years before his own era. "If we wished, we could go there."

"Where else do do you go?" you go?"

"This is the earliest time we've visited," said Shel, whose Greek had improved considerably.

"I see. But you could could go back earlier?" go back earlier?"

"Oh, yes."

"And, if I may-"

"Yes, Aristarchus?"

"I must confess I'd like very much to visit your your world. Is that possible?" world. Is that possible?"

"Let me think about it," said Shel. "It would require some preparation."

"I would be extremely grateful."

"Of course," said Shel. "We'll try to arrange it."

"I wonder, also, whether any of our dramas have been staged yet? In your time?"

"Not yet," said Shel. "Unfortunately, we're having a problem getting people to accept the authenticity of the doc.u.ments."

"How could that happen? Surely they know where you got them."

"No, they don't." Shel tried to explain, but it was too complicated for his Greek, and Dave took over. When he'd finished, Aristarchus sat quietly stirring the herbal drink he'd ordered.

"So the future is not quite as welcoming as you said."

"No," said Shel. "I may have exaggerated."

Aristarchus laughed. "Take me there, and I will vouch for their authenticity."

Dave broke into a broad grin. "You'd be the hit of the season on Down the Line Down the Line."

"And what is that?"

"A forum."

"I can see that the action is not practical."

"Probably not."

"I could give you a signed statement." This time all three laughed. "So what will they do with the books?"

Dave was reluctant to answer. "Ignore them, probably," he said. "For the time being."

Aristarchus sighed. "It's almost as if the Library will be destroyed a second time."

"No." Shel's eyes blazed. "The books will survive. One way or another, they will. You have my word."

The director looked out his office window at the sky. It was night, and the Lighthouse cast its beam out to sea. "Before you came, it is what I thought, too."

CHAPTER 27.

Rejoice! We've won!

-PHEIDIPPIDES, BRINGING THE NEWS FROM MARATHON

ATLANTIC Online Online carried a story by a prominent Greek scholar stating that the Kephalas Papers, as the plays had become known, were clearly a fraud. carried a story by a prominent Greek scholar stating that the Kephalas Papers, as the plays had become known, were clearly a fraud. "It is impossible to imagine that anyone," "It is impossible to imagine that anyone," it read, it read, "could confuse these pathetic impostures with cla.s.sical drama. (Dr. Kephalas), no doubt, has allowed her enthusiasm to cloud her judgment. One can only hope that she will soon step back and allow reason to prevail." "could confuse these pathetic impostures with cla.s.sical drama. (Dr. Kephalas), no doubt, has allowed her enthusiasm to cloud her judgment. One can only hope that she will soon step back and allow reason to prevail."

Others were similar in tone. The New York Times New York Times thought the plays had no merit, and one " thought the plays had no merit, and one "had to be an idiot" to think seriously that the hand of Sophocles had produced "such mundane nonsense."

The Washington Post Washington Post agreed, calling the plays imbecilic. The agreed, calling the plays imbecilic. The Inquirer Inquirer said they were simply " said they were simply "sad impersonations."

Aspasia was roundly criticized for promoting the hoax. "It boggles the mind," "It boggles the mind," said the said the Wall Street Journal Wall Street Journal, "that a scholar of Ms. Kephalas's reputation could be so completely taken in." "that a scholar of Ms. Kephalas's reputation could be so completely taken in." That Aspasia had been skeptical from the start was not mentioned. That Aspasia had been skeptical from the start was not mentioned.

She had left English translations of the Achilles Achilles and the and the Leonidas Leonidas up at her Web site, along with a plea for the person or persons who had provided the plays to come forward. up at her Web site, along with a plea for the person or persons who had provided the plays to come forward. "If these are genuine, you owe it to the world to establish that fact." "If these are genuine, you owe it to the world to establish that fact."

THE commotion had died down somewhat when Shel called Dave with another project in mind. commotion had died down somewhat when Shel called Dave with another project in mind. "I want to take a look at the Temple of Zeus. At Olympia. Can I talk you into coming along?" "I want to take a look at the Temple of Zeus. At Olympia. Can I talk you into coming along?" Dave had known the invitation was imminent. Dave had known the invitation was imminent.

"When?"

"How about tomorrow?" It was a Friday afternoon. It was a Friday afternoon.

"Sure," he said. "What time?"

"About nine. We'll leave from my place."

"I'll be there."

He had a date that night with Marie Rendell, a dark-eyed beauty that he'd met in a bookstore. He took her to a high-school concert, at which one of Marie's cousins, a twelve-year-old whose name was also Marie, played the piano competently. David went to the event expecting the worst and was surprised at the abilities of the kids.

Afterward, they had a drink, and she charmed him with an electric smile. "What do you do in your spare time, Dave?" she said. "When you're not teaching?"

"I read a lot. And I enjoy live theater."

She looked at him curiously. "You're laughing, Dave."

"No, I'm not."

"What is it, really? Are you a hit man? Do you work for the CIA? What?"

"No. I lead a quiet life." Though tomorrow I'm going to drop by a Greek temple. Though tomorrow I'm going to drop by a Greek temple.