Meddlers in Time

eddlers In Time- A Synopsis The story starts several years before the main tale, with two of the main characters narrowly escaping from a trip to their near future, gone wrong. They decide to create a new, and hopefully, more friendly universe, by causing a split in time back in the 9th century. In order to advance the technology of the 9th century and build a power base, they set about recruiting a team of down-on-their-luck engineers and adventurers, with the lure of large sums of money, adventure and the chance escape their lives! For a one-year tour and a return to the same time and place, they are offered information worth a great deal of money- namely winning lotto numbers and sports betting information! The reality of the mission sets in for the team, when they find themselves on another planet, Transit, hundreds of light-years from home. Here they train for the mission and learn how to use the time/space gateway. They set up a prefabricated stronghold and in their first few weeks save a local village from a terrible fate. Soon the local people start to accept these strangers, who turn out to be not as terrifying as they first seemed. Meanwhile, a more deadly game is being conducted from Transit, as the city of Rome is destroyed and the 9th century religious leaders are systematically and sometimes spectacularly assassinated. Expecting to winter over quietly, they are surprised by the arrival of a large invading army from Europe. Despite being short on numbers, they utterly rout the invaders at the outskirts of the city of Sheffield. Local workers are recruited- reluctantly at first, but they soon adapt to what is for them- a life of relative comfort and ease. Before long, working for the strangers brings high status. As the best of the local workers adapt to modern life, they are being prepared to be the next generation of leaders. Over the winter months, a local militia is equipped and drilled, while the tradesmen of the district come to learn the secrets of the strangers. The future leaders of tomorrow begin their education. Road building and mineral exploration continue and as the team get to know each other better, the stories regarding how the time/space gate generator was obtained and the effects of using it are revealed. As the end of a one year tour of duty draws to an end, most of the team have elected to stay on, while those who have decided to leave the 9th century, start to prepare to return to their old lives- and their new beginnings. Meddlers in Time Part Two This story starts with three of the characters persuading their wives to travel back in time with them. Others of the original group join up as permanent members of the group. Not everyone is happy about the arrival of the strangers and there is a shift in the balance of power with the king deposed. Now is the time for a show of power. After the fate of their enemies is settled, the story jumps back four years in the baseline time, to a camp in New Zealand, 790AD. This gives a bit of background on some of the characters, as they start the first practice run for the 9th century operation. Some of the technology not revealed in the first book is used here. A colony site is prepared in New Zealand and the story of how the gate generator was acquired is told in more detail. The colonists are more or less willingly moved around the world and the team prepares to snatch a busload of 20th century engineers who are about to die. The locally trained army prepares for two battles and there is an unexpected turn of events when a set of memories is misplaced. The narration is taken over by a newly-sentient computer and some of the 52nd century characters are revealed. Another interesting character comes onto the scene and an intricate scheme for a staged 'death' on 21st century earth is carried out. The book finishes with a wedding and the story of the third book is started at the wedding party.

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