Prime Rule
“Where in time would you travel to, and why?” Needles asked his friends. Western history class finals were over, and a group of students hit the nearest brewpub for celebratory drinks. Needles gulped his beer.
“Easy,” Gretchen said, “I’d go to the late 18th century Vienna. I’d watch Mozart and Beethoven perform. They were in their prime during the 1780’s and 1790’s.” Gretchen smiled. “Not to mention, you’d get to wear a hoop skirt-“
“And you’d have your own head lice and fleas,” Martin continued, “Everything would smell. Not my kind of place or time.”
“Where would you go then?” Gretchen narrowed her eyes at Martin. “Somewhere remote, I’d guess.” She took a sip of beer from her glass and grimaced. “Maybe you could go back fifteen minutes and convince me not to order this porter. It’s gross!”
The assembled students laughed.
“I’d go to Machu Picchu before it was abandoned. See what Incan life was like,” Martin said.
“Ooh, good one!” Lakshmi raised her pint glass in salutation. “I would go to the very beginning, if I had a durable suit with oxygen. See the big bang in action. Needles, where would you go?”
“Where else? I’d take out Hitler before he could do anything.” Needles said casually.
The quartet groaned. “Everyone says that! Be original, man!” Lakshmi said, “Besides, you know we’re not allowed to alter history. We can only watch!”
“Yes,” Needles said, “But don’t tell me that it never crossed your mind that someone someday might need to disrupt the timeline. If that someone were me, I would use my powers for good.”
“Well,” Martin shrugged, “if we were allowed, sure. But why not take out other ruthless leaders from the past? More importantly, what if someone we thought was good altered the timeline for worse, but protecting a bad guy made the future better?”
“You mean like that old movie series we watched for Time Travel Theories and Myths class last year? What was it,” Gretchen mused, “Oh yeah, the ‘Back to the Future’ trilogy.”
“Yup. ‘Don’t go back in time and really screw things up!’ The rule they drilled into our heads on day one,” Martin said.
“To Prime Rule!” Lakshmi toasted.
“Cheers!”
The four students clinked their pints and sipped their beers.
“That was a fun class though,” Gretchen said, “not nearly as depressing as the history class we just finished.”
“Not nearly as depressing as the Current Events final I have in the morning,” Lakshmi winced. “If I violated the Prime Rule, I’d do something to end this war.”
“Cheers to that,” Needles said, raising his glass. Four glasses clinked together once more.
**
It was strange to Gretchen that she would now think about that night at the bar six years ago. Things had changed since their days at Academy. Prime Rule was quietly suspended about a year ago by the Chronologyx Institute, although that’s been kept secret from the public.
No one had actually gone back in time to disrupt history yet, but Gretchen and Needles would do so at midnight. They had no choice.
They weren’t going to stop Hitler or other such atrocious leaders. Their histories would remain intact, to be cautionary lessons for people in the future. Rather, Gretchen and Needles would be dispatched to 1916 New York to prevent a meeting. A ‘behind the scenes’ operation, but the fruition of that meeting would be felt here in 2026.
Everything had gone downhill since the war broke out seven years ago. Some blame lay with politicians, investors and growing xenophobia for the current state of affairs. However, historians at Chronologyx discovered that a marriage between two young New Yorkers was the ultimate cause of Earth’s downfall.
Martin’s briefing was thorough. The catalyst was billionaire Zachary Zelis, whose disdain for humanity was insatiable. It was Zelis who used his family’s wealth to bribe corrupt politicians. Once bought, Zachary whispered in their ears, and they complied without batting an eye.
On New Years Eve 2023, he convinced the President and Congress to escalate the war further while whispering in the ears of leaders across the globe that they should do the same. A red button in Washington was pushed, while another was pushed in London. Soon, other buttons were pressed in retaliation as rockets launched into the sky. The beautiful blue-green Earth was reduced to scorched lands and blackened waters.
On January 1, 2024, the 46th President of the United States cried on livestream. Realizing his blunder, he resigned, but the damage was irreversible. The Vice President was sworn in, but she had no idea how to de-escalate the war or save the Earth.
The constant barrage of missiles wiped out the Southern United States. A hefty nuclear warhead bound for Miami, missed by 36 miles. As a result, colossal waves struck the coast, and an unseasonal hurricane developed in the Gulf of Mexico. The tsunami hit on January 6, 2024, Hurricane Achilles hit on January 8th. Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama were wiped out before FEMA could evacuate. There was nothing left.
Similar stories rolled in across the globe as coastlines receded, never to return. Lakshmi was killed when a massive tsunami hit Chennai, where she was on assignment. She died three weeks before she and Martin were to marry.
This was the darkest possible timeline.
Food and fresh water were scarce. Wars continued across the globe, as more countries sank beneath the waves claiming countless lives.
Chronologyx Institute had been working hard since the repeal of Prime Rule to figure out how to save the Earth, when they discovered a clue. Ellen and Harlan, Zachary Zelis’ great-grandparents, were never meant to marry. As historians pored over their lives, they came to the conclusion that preventing Ellen and Harlan from meeting might just save the world.
Ellen, had originally been destined to marry Charles Masterson. Harlan spotted Ellen at an Easter picnic in Central Park. Utterly smitten, he decided he wanted to marry Ellen. Ellen rebuffed his advances, and Charles tried to intercede on her behalf, but Harlan wouldn’t take ‘No,’ for an answer. When Ellen’s parents received a generous gift from the Zelis family, they called off the engagement between Charles and Ellen. Harlan and Ellen were married shortly after.
Historians discovered through her diary that she never forgave her parents for this, and while she did love her son, she resented of Harlan until she the day she died. Gretchen and Needles were going to make sure she did not meet Harlan Zelis, and hope the Earth would have a better outcome.
Gretchen and Needles set up the portal at the edge of Central Park after curfew. The scientists and historians at Chronologyx wished them the best of luck before the portal activated. Within a flash, they were whisked one hundred ten years into the past.
Needles had never traveled through a portal before, so he found himself vomiting into the bushes after the shift. Gretchen, having successfully traveled through the portal twice before, had no such problem. She set about configuring the return date, June 15, 1917. The clock was now ticking, and they had six months, eight hours and thirty-three minutes to complete their task.
Gretchen and Needles settled into life in the teens quickly. Needles took a job at the university where Charles and Harlan studied, while Gretchen worked as a nurse for the Red Cross. Ellen volunteered at the Red Cross as a candy striper. Gretchen and Needles were able to keep an eye on the their charges, and by February 1917, Ellen and Gretchen had become friends.
Every Saturday morning, Gretchen and Needles would meet at the spot their portal was set to discuss tactics on preventing the meeting of Ellen and Harlan. Since Needles worked as a TA for the biology department, he had become acquainted with many of the students. Harlan, Needles observed, bullied his way to an A, while Charles was a diligent, quiet student.
Charles and Harlan were acquainted with each other, previously unbeknownst to Chronologyx. Harlan seemed to particularly loathe Charles, and would resort to bullying Charles often. Needles suggested to Gretchen that they give Harlan a taste of his own medicine before returning to their own timeline, which she vetoed.
“That won’t make him a better person in the end,” she said.
When Easter Sunday arrived, Needles and Gretchen arrived at Central Park together to keep an eye out for Harlan. Ellen immediately spotted Gretchen, and introduced her to Charles, who was a very charming young man indeed. Gretchen introduced Needles as her elder brother, Nelson. When asked if either of them were betrothed, they laughed.
“Academia is my Mistress,” Needles joked, while Gretchen stated that medicine was her only love.
About a hundred yards away, there was a skirmish. Charles cringed. It seemed that a drunken Harlan had made his entrance. Gretchen and Needles rose from the picnic blanket, and went to investigate. They arrived just in time to see Harlan Zelis kick an old man on the ground.
“What’s the matter with you?” Needles shouted. He grabbed Harlan and pulled him away from the elderly man. Gretchen went to the old man to see if he was okay. Harlan ignored Needles and leered at Gretchen.
“Why there’s a pretty lady! Let me show you the whirl- hic - world, Sweetheart!” Harlan tried to paw at Gretchen’s gloved hand, but was met with a flying fist instead.
Harlan fell flat. A policeman’s whistle sounded, and Gretchen stood.
“Thanks! I’d have punched him myself, but we’re in the Dark Ages, and I can’t afford jail time,” Gretchen said.
Needles nodded. As the police officer approached, he paled at the sight of the elderly man and Harlan’s bodies sprawled on the grass.
“Again?” The officer shook his head. “I just hauled this kid in last month. Disorderly sort!”
The elderly man had three broken ribs, thanks to Harlan. Since Gretchen was a registered nurse, she was able to testify against Harlan in court days later. Harlan Zelis was officially out of the picture.
***
Ellen and Charles were happily married on June 8th, 1917. Gretchen and Needles breathed sighs of relief that their mission was complete. During the week left, they filled out reports, sold possessions, and played tourist before they prepared to make the jump back to their own timeline.
As they reached the park bench at the edge of Central Park Friday, June 15th, they stood and faced each other.
“Pretty sure this is ‘Goodbye,’ isn’t it?” Needles said, “I mean what if I just prevented my own birth too?”
“It’s possible,” Gretchen nodded. She frowned. “Well if we both make it, let’s meet for beers at the old brewpub just like old times. Or waffles. I’d love a waffle.”
“Just no porters though, remember?” Needles smiled.
“No porters,” Gretchen said. She pressed the button, which opened the portal. As she did, she noticed a young man sleeping on the bench they were supposed to hold on to for the shift.
“We have a hitchhiker!” Gretchen said, pointing to the man on the bench. With that, there was a lurch, and 1917 was no more.
Gretchen picked herself up from the ground, and dusted her dress. The sun beat down, making her feel warm.
“Nice Steampunk threads!” someone called out. The man on the bench did not stir.
“Hey Needles, you okay?” Gretchen asked. She whirled around.
“Needles?”
She was definitely alone. Something else seemed off. Fashion seemed dated. A marquee flashed from across the Grand Army Plaza. Grabbing her gear, Gretchen set off for the plaza, and she stopped cold. An LED sign blinked at her.
“WELCOME STEAM 2017!” It read. A teenaged pedestrian crossed in front of her.
“Excuse me?” The teenager stopped.
“What’s today’s date?” Gretchen asked.
“June something? Why?”
“What year?” Gretchen began to panic.
“Uh, 2017. You high?” the teenager rolled her eyes.
“Crap! Who is the President?”
“Donald Trump, duh!”
Gretchen’s eyes widened. This was unexpected.
“The TV guy? Owns casinos in Jersey?”
The teenager nodded.
“Ever heard of Zelis?”
“What-is? Ugh, I’m in a hurry!” the teenager huffed and walked away.
“Well, this is different,” Gretchen thought.
**
Author notes: Two go back, so only two can go forward in this theory of time travel. This is the final piece to the puzzle that started in Week 18 and continued in Week 20. The sleeping man on the park bench is Artie James from Week 18.
Thanks to zedmanauk for acting as beta. Thank you for reading!
“Easy,” Gretchen said, “I’d go to the late 18th century Vienna. I’d watch Mozart and Beethoven perform. They were in their prime during the 1780’s and 1790’s.” Gretchen smiled. “Not to mention, you’d get to wear a hoop skirt-“
“And you’d have your own head lice and fleas,” Martin continued, “Everything would smell. Not my kind of place or time.”
“Where would you go then?” Gretchen narrowed her eyes at Martin. “Somewhere remote, I’d guess.” She took a sip of beer from her glass and grimaced. “Maybe you could go back fifteen minutes and convince me not to order this porter. It’s gross!”
The assembled students laughed.
“I’d go to Machu Picchu before it was abandoned. See what Incan life was like,” Martin said.
“Ooh, good one!” Lakshmi raised her pint glass in salutation. “I would go to the very beginning, if I had a durable suit with oxygen. See the big bang in action. Needles, where would you go?”
“Where else? I’d take out Hitler before he could do anything.” Needles said casually.
The quartet groaned. “Everyone says that! Be original, man!” Lakshmi said, “Besides, you know we’re not allowed to alter history. We can only watch!”
“Yes,” Needles said, “But don’t tell me that it never crossed your mind that someone someday might need to disrupt the timeline. If that someone were me, I would use my powers for good.”
“Well,” Martin shrugged, “if we were allowed, sure. But why not take out other ruthless leaders from the past? More importantly, what if someone we thought was good altered the timeline for worse, but protecting a bad guy made the future better?”
“You mean like that old movie series we watched for Time Travel Theories and Myths class last year? What was it,” Gretchen mused, “Oh yeah, the ‘Back to the Future’ trilogy.”
“Yup. ‘Don’t go back in time and really screw things up!’ The rule they drilled into our heads on day one,” Martin said.
“To Prime Rule!” Lakshmi toasted.
“Cheers!”
The four students clinked their pints and sipped their beers.
“That was a fun class though,” Gretchen said, “not nearly as depressing as the history class we just finished.”
“Not nearly as depressing as the Current Events final I have in the morning,” Lakshmi winced. “If I violated the Prime Rule, I’d do something to end this war.”
“Cheers to that,” Needles said, raising his glass. Four glasses clinked together once more.
**
It was strange to Gretchen that she would now think about that night at the bar six years ago. Things had changed since their days at Academy. Prime Rule was quietly suspended about a year ago by the Chronologyx Institute, although that’s been kept secret from the public.
No one had actually gone back in time to disrupt history yet, but Gretchen and Needles would do so at midnight. They had no choice.
They weren’t going to stop Hitler or other such atrocious leaders. Their histories would remain intact, to be cautionary lessons for people in the future. Rather, Gretchen and Needles would be dispatched to 1916 New York to prevent a meeting. A ‘behind the scenes’ operation, but the fruition of that meeting would be felt here in 2026.
Everything had gone downhill since the war broke out seven years ago. Some blame lay with politicians, investors and growing xenophobia for the current state of affairs. However, historians at Chronologyx discovered that a marriage between two young New Yorkers was the ultimate cause of Earth’s downfall.
Martin’s briefing was thorough. The catalyst was billionaire Zachary Zelis, whose disdain for humanity was insatiable. It was Zelis who used his family’s wealth to bribe corrupt politicians. Once bought, Zachary whispered in their ears, and they complied without batting an eye.
On New Years Eve 2023, he convinced the President and Congress to escalate the war further while whispering in the ears of leaders across the globe that they should do the same. A red button in Washington was pushed, while another was pushed in London. Soon, other buttons were pressed in retaliation as rockets launched into the sky. The beautiful blue-green Earth was reduced to scorched lands and blackened waters.
On January 1, 2024, the 46th President of the United States cried on livestream. Realizing his blunder, he resigned, but the damage was irreversible. The Vice President was sworn in, but she had no idea how to de-escalate the war or save the Earth.
The constant barrage of missiles wiped out the Southern United States. A hefty nuclear warhead bound for Miami, missed by 36 miles. As a result, colossal waves struck the coast, and an unseasonal hurricane developed in the Gulf of Mexico. The tsunami hit on January 6, 2024, Hurricane Achilles hit on January 8th. Florida, Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama were wiped out before FEMA could evacuate. There was nothing left.
Similar stories rolled in across the globe as coastlines receded, never to return. Lakshmi was killed when a massive tsunami hit Chennai, where she was on assignment. She died three weeks before she and Martin were to marry.
This was the darkest possible timeline.
Food and fresh water were scarce. Wars continued across the globe, as more countries sank beneath the waves claiming countless lives.
Chronologyx Institute had been working hard since the repeal of Prime Rule to figure out how to save the Earth, when they discovered a clue. Ellen and Harlan, Zachary Zelis’ great-grandparents, were never meant to marry. As historians pored over their lives, they came to the conclusion that preventing Ellen and Harlan from meeting might just save the world.
Ellen, had originally been destined to marry Charles Masterson. Harlan spotted Ellen at an Easter picnic in Central Park. Utterly smitten, he decided he wanted to marry Ellen. Ellen rebuffed his advances, and Charles tried to intercede on her behalf, but Harlan wouldn’t take ‘No,’ for an answer. When Ellen’s parents received a generous gift from the Zelis family, they called off the engagement between Charles and Ellen. Harlan and Ellen were married shortly after.
Historians discovered through her diary that she never forgave her parents for this, and while she did love her son, she resented of Harlan until she the day she died. Gretchen and Needles were going to make sure she did not meet Harlan Zelis, and hope the Earth would have a better outcome.
Gretchen and Needles set up the portal at the edge of Central Park after curfew. The scientists and historians at Chronologyx wished them the best of luck before the portal activated. Within a flash, they were whisked one hundred ten years into the past.
Needles had never traveled through a portal before, so he found himself vomiting into the bushes after the shift. Gretchen, having successfully traveled through the portal twice before, had no such problem. She set about configuring the return date, June 15, 1917. The clock was now ticking, and they had six months, eight hours and thirty-three minutes to complete their task.
Gretchen and Needles settled into life in the teens quickly. Needles took a job at the university where Charles and Harlan studied, while Gretchen worked as a nurse for the Red Cross. Ellen volunteered at the Red Cross as a candy striper. Gretchen and Needles were able to keep an eye on the their charges, and by February 1917, Ellen and Gretchen had become friends.
Every Saturday morning, Gretchen and Needles would meet at the spot their portal was set to discuss tactics on preventing the meeting of Ellen and Harlan. Since Needles worked as a TA for the biology department, he had become acquainted with many of the students. Harlan, Needles observed, bullied his way to an A, while Charles was a diligent, quiet student.
Charles and Harlan were acquainted with each other, previously unbeknownst to Chronologyx. Harlan seemed to particularly loathe Charles, and would resort to bullying Charles often. Needles suggested to Gretchen that they give Harlan a taste of his own medicine before returning to their own timeline, which she vetoed.
“That won’t make him a better person in the end,” she said.
When Easter Sunday arrived, Needles and Gretchen arrived at Central Park together to keep an eye out for Harlan. Ellen immediately spotted Gretchen, and introduced her to Charles, who was a very charming young man indeed. Gretchen introduced Needles as her elder brother, Nelson. When asked if either of them were betrothed, they laughed.
“Academia is my Mistress,” Needles joked, while Gretchen stated that medicine was her only love.
About a hundred yards away, there was a skirmish. Charles cringed. It seemed that a drunken Harlan had made his entrance. Gretchen and Needles rose from the picnic blanket, and went to investigate. They arrived just in time to see Harlan Zelis kick an old man on the ground.
“What’s the matter with you?” Needles shouted. He grabbed Harlan and pulled him away from the elderly man. Gretchen went to the old man to see if he was okay. Harlan ignored Needles and leered at Gretchen.
“Why there’s a pretty lady! Let me show you the whirl- hic - world, Sweetheart!” Harlan tried to paw at Gretchen’s gloved hand, but was met with a flying fist instead.
Harlan fell flat. A policeman’s whistle sounded, and Gretchen stood.
“Thanks! I’d have punched him myself, but we’re in the Dark Ages, and I can’t afford jail time,” Gretchen said.
Needles nodded. As the police officer approached, he paled at the sight of the elderly man and Harlan’s bodies sprawled on the grass.
“Again?” The officer shook his head. “I just hauled this kid in last month. Disorderly sort!”
The elderly man had three broken ribs, thanks to Harlan. Since Gretchen was a registered nurse, she was able to testify against Harlan in court days later. Harlan Zelis was officially out of the picture.
***
Ellen and Charles were happily married on June 8th, 1917. Gretchen and Needles breathed sighs of relief that their mission was complete. During the week left, they filled out reports, sold possessions, and played tourist before they prepared to make the jump back to their own timeline.
As they reached the park bench at the edge of Central Park Friday, June 15th, they stood and faced each other.
“Pretty sure this is ‘Goodbye,’ isn’t it?” Needles said, “I mean what if I just prevented my own birth too?”
“It’s possible,” Gretchen nodded. She frowned. “Well if we both make it, let’s meet for beers at the old brewpub just like old times. Or waffles. I’d love a waffle.”
“Just no porters though, remember?” Needles smiled.
“No porters,” Gretchen said. She pressed the button, which opened the portal. As she did, she noticed a young man sleeping on the bench they were supposed to hold on to for the shift.
“We have a hitchhiker!” Gretchen said, pointing to the man on the bench. With that, there was a lurch, and 1917 was no more.
Gretchen picked herself up from the ground, and dusted her dress. The sun beat down, making her feel warm.
“Nice Steampunk threads!” someone called out. The man on the bench did not stir.
“Hey Needles, you okay?” Gretchen asked. She whirled around.
“Needles?”
She was definitely alone. Something else seemed off. Fashion seemed dated. A marquee flashed from across the Grand Army Plaza. Grabbing her gear, Gretchen set off for the plaza, and she stopped cold. An LED sign blinked at her.
“WELCOME STEAM 2017!” It read. A teenaged pedestrian crossed in front of her.
“Excuse me?” The teenager stopped.
“What’s today’s date?” Gretchen asked.
“June something? Why?”
“What year?” Gretchen began to panic.
“Uh, 2017. You high?” the teenager rolled her eyes.
“Crap! Who is the President?”
“Donald Trump, duh!”
Gretchen’s eyes widened. This was unexpected.
“The TV guy? Owns casinos in Jersey?”
The teenager nodded.
“Ever heard of Zelis?”
“What-is? Ugh, I’m in a hurry!” the teenager huffed and walked away.
“Well, this is different,” Gretchen thought.
**
Author notes: Two go back, so only two can go forward in this theory of time travel. This is the final piece to the puzzle that started in Week 18 and continued in Week 20. The sleeping man on the park bench is Artie James from Week 18.
Thanks to zedmanauk for acting as beta. Thank you for reading!