Twissell's Leap

the Time Portal

 Time Travel. Back in 2021 I wrote a science fiction story called Old Time Gaming. Part of that story was the first chapter of a story-within-a-story called Time Portal. Here, I want to present Chapter 2 of Time Portal. But first...

Blogger date bug.

I'm always looking for ways to imagine that time travel actually exists in our universe. When I tried to publish my first blog post of 2024, I simply waited until after midnight and then pressed the "Publish" button. However, the blog post ("1924") was displayed as having been posted in December of 2023, as shown in the image to the left. I previously commented on this bug in the Blogger software back in 2021. I suppose there are some Blogger bugs that Google will simply never fix.

Figure 1. "1924" was first published at 12:51 AM on January first, 2024.

 As shown above in Figure 1, the first time that I published "1924" it was 12:51 AM  on the first day of 2024. I unpublished that blog post and quickly created "Twissell's Leap" which I published at 12:57  (see Figure 2, below).

Figure 2.   Time leap.

As shown above, the Blogger software knows that both "1924" and "Twissell's Leap" were published on January 1st 2024, but "Twissell's Leap" is indexed and displayed in the running list of blog posts under December 2023.

Time travel scene.

It seems appropriate that "Twissell's Leap" is lost in some time crack between 2023 and 2024. They key unanswered question at the end of Chapter 1 of Time Portal is: when in Time will Dr. Twissell appear after making use of his newly constructed time portal? The only clue for readers is the idea that the diary of Patty Bekom's grandmother (Francesca) provided important information to Patty about how to build a functioning time portal. Patty Bekom was also able to devise a mathematical means of estimating how far into the past an object will travel upon passing through the time portal. 

1830 edition

So, who was "Francesca" and when did she devise the 11 equations that that constitute the Pythagorean Symmetries and make time travel possible? In Chapter 8 of Old Time Gaming, readers are told that in Abigail Longfellow's 1830 science fiction story, Professor Francesca Maurolico discovered the mathematical equations that describe movement through the temporal dimension. However, the version of Time Portal that was written by Emma Phillips is a quite different story. Abigail's children passed an oral account of the original Time Portal story on to her descendants, and that was what led Emma to write her own version of the story.

time loop (see)

In Chapter 9 of Old Time Gaming, readers are introduced to David Phillips who has important gene patterns that Manny the bumpha wants to assemble into telepathic humans. I imagine that David's descendants, including Emma, all have some ability to access information in the Sedron Time Stream. Manny is rather ruthless in using Abigail and Emma as targets for the wrath of Maria Green, but by providing these human sacrifices to Maria, Manny is able to accomplish her goal of making sure that Tyhry is aware of hierions. 

By the time when Tyhry comes along, time travel is no longer possible and Maria Green is no longer struggling to prevent alterations to Earth's timeline. Tyhry can take the first steps towards deploying hierion-based technologies on Earth, as told in City on the Edge of Tomorrow. However, during the events described in Time Portal, Maria Green and Manny are still struggling to determine the future of Humanity.

Chapter 2 of Time Portal. (read Chapter 1)

Twissell in Perth, 1918

Dr. Twissell regained consciousness and gave thanks for having landed at his new point in Time on soft, swampy ground; he only had two cracked ribs. He quickly began to curse his luck at having landed in the middle of Australia's largest raspberry patch which was in the Swan river flood plane.

 Twissell was dismayed at the wild desolation of the site of the University campus until he remembered that it was not until the 1930s that the campus moved to the banks of the Swan river. After five miles of trudging, Twissell was ready to rip out his aching ribs, but he had arrived at the original downtown site of the University. Along the way, he'd found a tattered and wind-blown page of an April 3, 1918 edition of The West Australian newspaper. His target in Time had been the 1920s, and now he feared that he might have arrived long before Professor Francesca Maurolico had been hired by the University. 

After his first week in 1918, Twissell was certain that Francesca was not on campus. With the war on, at the University there were chronic shortages of technical staff and experienced academicians. Twissell started working as a mathematics tutor, but by the end of the week his talents were recognized by a University administrator and he had been hired as an instructor.

After a month in 1918, Twissell moved into a small cottage on the edge of town and drove a rickety 1910 model T to and from the campus. Having established a routine as a mathematics instructor, Twissell felt confident that he would know as soon as Francesca arrived at the University. It was just a matter of waiting. Eventually he would be able to collaborate with Francesca and, hopefully, they would learn the secret of how to travel into the future. Twissell dreamed of again seeing his wife and while waiting for Francesca, he continued to study her temporal equations.

Twissell's routine was disrupted when his Dean appeared at his office door and invited him to lunch one day. Twissell was known around Perth by a false name: Thompson. Wilson ordered lunch and then said, "Thompson, why won't you tell me where you are from? I've only known you a few weeks, but it is obvious that you know more about mathematics and science than anyone else in Western Australia."

Dean Wilson

Twissell shrugged. He had tried to be careful not to reveal any secrets from the future to people in the past, but he had found it impossible to completely hide the fact that he knew the future course of scientific and technical advance. Little things slipped out. Rumors about his abilities spread by way of gossip and what was rapidly becoming the 'legend of Thompson' and tales of the amazing things he often said kept moving from person to person in the small University community. Wild stories about his inexplicable abilities were amplified with each re-telling. Hoping to avoid attention, Twissell told his boss, "There's really nothing more I can tell you, Dean Wilson. My parents used to teach at the University of Iowa, but they retired and we moved to Australia. I like to travel... I just move around as I choose..."

Wilson complained, "You're a poor liar. Look, if you have had some kind of ugly trouble in your past, I don't care. I'd like to hire you as a professor, but you need credentials. I know a print shop that can..."

Twissell laughed and interrupted. "That isn't necessary. I like teaching students. As an instructor, I have time for my hobby. I don't want the responsibilities of a professor."

 Dean Wilson pretended to pound his head in frustration. "It is almost as if you are trying to make me angry. I need your brain, Thompson." The Dean picked up two pieces of paper off of the table. He'd already shown them to Twissell. They were letters from two students who had inquired about the possibility of majoring in mathematics. Both of the students were in the Business program, but having studied with Twissell, they wanted more mathematics course work. Wilson asked Twissell, "Will you do me a favor? Write out a curriculum for a mathematics department and three degree levels. When I get it funded, you can take charge as program director."

dimensional engineering (see)

"That sounds like work." For a time Twissell talked about his "hobby", exploring the mathematics of an 11-dimensional universe with 9 spatial dimensions and two temporal dimensions.

Not understanding anything that 'Thompson' was saying, finally, Dean Wilson interrupted. "Here's an idea. You submit your 11-dimension mathematical model as a Ph.D. dissertation and we'll quickly get you a Western University diploma. Since you abhor administrative duties, I'll arrange things so that you can have a research professorship with no petty administrative distractions. You'll be able to hire a staff that will handle the details of administering the mathematics department, but you'll provide the direction, vision and guidance. We'll both get what we want."

Twissell rubbed his chin and thought about the practical problem of creating a new mathematics department from scratch in the dismal cultural wasteland of Western Australia. "You know there are no qualified applicants to hire. If you want a mathematics department, it is going to have to be home-grown." He picked up the two letters from the two students who he had tutored. "We can start with Ruth and Frankie, but Frances needs a scholarship. She can't apply herself to mathematics in the way demanded by her superb brain if she has to continue working."

_____________

Ruth Brown

Working together, Dean Wilson and Twissell brought into existence a Department of Mathematics. Ruth Brown and Frances "Frankie" McMartin became the first two students to earn a mathematics degree from the University. In 1922, Frankie became the first graduate student in mathematics, soon followed by Francesca Maurolico.

Dr. Twissell met Francesca on September 13th, 1922. Twissell was in a classroom that had several blackboards, which he liked to use to explore the equations of the Pythagorean Symmetries. He continued to struggle to understand the fundamental asymmetry of the system of equations; why it was possible to travel into the past, but not into the future.

Having arrived in Perth just that day, after a short meeting with Dean Wilson, Francesca had spent an hour searching the campus for Twissell. She opened the classroom door and asked, "Dr. Thompson?"

He was in the midst of expanding a Fourier series representation of a hypothetical temporal symmetry equation and ignored Francesca, suspecting she was a student arriving for a scheduled class. Observing the notation that Twissell was using, Francesca commented, "How strange."

 Dr. Twissell looked at Francesca and recognized her, although she looked far younger than she had appeared in the one photograph of Patty Bekom's grandmother that he had seen. He set down the piece of chalk and said, "Not as strange as you think, Francesca. I can explain..."

Pythagorean Symmetries

Francesca chuckled, "What, did Dr. Williams send you a copy of my thesis?"

 Twissell asked, "Who is Dr. Williams?"

"My thesis advisor. I just completed my Masters thesis in Sydney, last month, but here you are, using my temporal quadraine notation."

"Let's go for a walk. I'll try to explain." Twissell led Francesca outside and then down the street towards the sciences building. It was a bright, sunny day and for a moment Twissell was dazzled by the prettiness of Francesca's fresh young face, now marred by a look of consternation. "I've never seen your thesis, but I am familiar with your work."

Francesca shook her head, "I've submitted two articles for publication. They were both rejected. Did you review one of those articles? They should have been accepted for publication!"

Dr. Twissell nodded. "Don't get discouraged. I'm probably the only person in the world who can understand your Pythagorean Symmetries. And don't blame me for the rejection of your two articles... I don't review for any mathematics journals."

"Pythagorean Symmetries." Francesca had never heard that term before. "An intriguing name, but what are Pythagorean Symmetries?"

Twissell sighed and tried to order his racing thoughts. How best to explain everything to Francesca? They were back inside and soon Francesca sat down in Twissell's office. She picked up a note pad off of his desk. "It can't be coincidence. My notation is unique, but you are using it correctly."

 Twissell was too excited to sit down. Pacing in the cramped space behind his desk, he seemed like a caged animal. "I need you to promise me that you won't discuss what I am going to tell you. This must be our secret."

Francesca asked, "You have been spying on me?"

"In a sense. No, not the usual way, I assure you. You must believe me... I'm a time traveler from the future. In the future, your Pythagorean Symmetries are what makes time travel possible." Twissell looked carefully at Francesca. "Do you believe me?"

"Well, I'm not really surprised." Francesca was only feeling somewhat intimidated by Twissell's incessant nervous pacing. "Somehow... will you believe me? Somehow, I've known all my life that I would discover the secret of Time... so hearing you say it... no, I can't really say that I'm surprised. When are you from?"

Twissell suddenly realized that this was the last piece of the puzzle. To complete this loop in time, there had to be an explanation for why Francesca had never told anyone about meeting someone from the future. Somehow, Francesca instinctively knew that in order to have a collaborator from the future, she had to keep the nature of that collaboration a secret. He muttered to himself, "That's why there is no temporal paradox."

Francesca nodded. "I think I can see the future, Dr. Thompson. Because I can see the future I know that information can move back through time. And now... I guess you are proof that physical time travel is also possible, although that raises some interesting questions, doesn't it? Why is it only you are here from the future? If time travel technology exists in the future, then why am I only now learning about it?"

Twissell shook his head. "Don't expect me to explain that. I came rushing here, to the past, just one day after my time portal was constructed."

Francesca said, "You never answered my question. When are you from?"

Twissell was reluctant to tell Francesca anything about the future. "I'll tell you this. In the future I know your granddaughter."

"Fascinating. But I suppose you are correct..." Francesca tried to think it through, then she shrugged. "I can't know my own future without creating a temporal paradox." Francesca opened her handbag and took out a sheet of paper which she handed across the desk to 'Thompson'. It was the application form for graduate study that she had obtained from Dean Wilson earlier that day. "I suppose there is a loop in time which requires me to do my Ph.D. work with you as my advisor."

Francesca

Twissell was pleased that Francesca was so quick to understand. "I even have a project for you. The other student working with me is Frances McMartin. I want you to teach her the system of equations that you invented. The three of us will work together to develop your equations and learn how they describe the dimensional structure of Time."

Francesca stood up. "Very well, Dr. Thompson. I can start tomorrow. Now, I have to meet my husband. Hopefully, he has found us an apartment."

Twissell asked, "You have a husband?"

Francesca asked, "Why shouldn't I have a husband? He got transferred here by the Army. That's why I came to Perth."

Twissell walked with Francesca out of the building. "I never learned much about your life from your grand-daughter. I do not know anything about your personal life, only your mathematics." They were on the sidewalk. Twissell asked Francesca, "Can I give you a ride?"

"Sure. Thanks. We have a room at the the Esplanade."

Twissell took Francesca down the street to his car. At this time, Twissell was driving an Austin Twenty. While Twissell drove to the Esplanade Hotel, Francesca told him about her husband's experiences in Europe during the war and his current assignment to the Army's Cantonment rehabilitation hospital. "The hospital is being closed, but the army want's to re-purpose the facility." 

Francesca outside the Esplanade

As Francesca got out of the car in front of the hotel, Twissell told her, "I'll introduce you to McMartin, tomorrow." She nodded and walked away.

Twissell watched Francesca walk into the hotel lobby and then he drove to his cottage, stopping along the way for groceries. Arriving home, Twissell was not surprised to find that Frances was there. In fact, since beginning her graduate work, she spent most of her time at the cottage, reading about systems of differential equations. Entering the kitchen with his bags of food, Twissell found Frances among a collection of mathematics journals that were spread across the kitchen table. She looked up and said, "I did not expect you back this early." She got to her feet, planted a wet kiss on Twissell's lips and then she started clearing off the table.

Twissell said, "You're fine, don't let me interrupt your reading." He set the bags on the counter. Twissell could not contain his excitement. He told Frances, "We have a new graduate student... Francesca Maurolico. You must meet her, Frankie."

 Frances had the table cleared. "Are you hungry? I'll make dinner."

Twissell began unpacking his two bags of groceries. "I'll cook. You can continue your reading. I want you to start studying with Francesca."

 Frances sat back down at the table with an open journal in front of her, but she did not read. "Who is this Francesca? Where is she from?"

Becky

For a minute, Twissell was busy cooking. He was thinking about the mystery of Francesca Maurolico. In the future, when he had first learned her name, he had gone to the University library and searched for historical records that might include mention of her. He'd been surprised to learn that there had been another Francesca Maurolico who died in 1650, also an obscure mathematician known for her book of prophecies. 

Now, Twissell turned his back on the stove and gazed at Frances. Occasionally, when they got too horny to think strait, he and Frances made love and drank wine. He'd been startled when he first met Frances because she reminded him of his wife, Becky. Again, he wondered if he might impregnate Frances and if his wife might actually by one of his own descendants. His thoughts were swirling, but Frances was waiting for an answer. "She did her masters work in Sydney. Her husband is working for the Army and got stationed here."

They discussed the system of inter-related equations that Francesca had discovered. Towards the end of dinner, Twissell told Frances, "I want you to work with Francesca and help explore the physical interpretation of the temporal equations."

Frances objected, "I don't understand why you insist on giving an absurd physical interpretation to these equations. How can there be nine spatial dimensions and two temporal dimensions?"

"I don't know." He reached out and ran a finger tip along her puzzled brow. 

She took hold of his hand. "When you look at me like that... shall I open a bottle of wine?"

He laughed. "I should never touch you. But I can't resist. It is not right for me to have my student as a lover." 

Frances took their two plates to the sink then planted a hot kiss on Twissell's lips. He said, "I'll never understand why you put up with me... a fat old man."

Frankie at the shore, 1922.

"You're not fat! I admit you are not much of a lover. Even when I get you in bed, you still talk mathematics." She opened a bottle of wine and poured out two goblets full. "You could marry me, then you would not feel so guilty about our little sexual romps."

Twissell felt lost. He was in an impossible position. He could never know what he should do. It was true... since arriving in the past he had lost weight and he regularly exercised. He was twice the age of Frances, but she seemed to really enjoy bouncing around in bed with him and discovering creative ways to achieve orgasms.

However,  as sweet and uncomplicated as his relationship with Frances was, it seemed to Twissell that he could at any moment alter the past and change the future. Maybe even erase himself or his wife from existence. But did that really matter?

The more his relationship with Frankie developed, the less concerned Twissell grew about returning to the future to be with his wife. And time was against him. He continued to age. How could he ever explain a sudden increase in his age if he did manage to travel back to the future and return to his wife? Twissell swallowed wine and gazed at Frankie's pretty face. He told himself that it was her creative mathematical mind that really intrigued him. His hope was, that even if Francesca had never solved the problem of temporal polarity, maybe Frankie could come at the problem from another direction and discover the secret of time travel to the future.

Continue to: Chapter 3 of Time Portal.

Next: Inter Ice Age 4

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