Meddlers 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 to acquire all manner of equipment, from desiel to trains.
Training completed they jump back in time to 9th century England, landing in the Derbyshire area with a huge store of supplies and equipment. They set up a prefabricated stronghold and in their first few weeks save a local village from sure destruction. Soon the local people start to accept these strangers, who turn out to be not so terrifying as they first seemed. Fields are being ploughed, timber milled, wells drilled and even telephones are installed. Trade flourishes, thanks to the new roads and a few bloody executions of robbers and bandits.
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.
Another stronghold is established, in a more remote area out of sight of the locals. Here more material and reinforcements arrive. They set about improving the basic facilities of the original stronghold and adding a few home comforts! The district warms more and more to the mysterious travelers as they build roads, provide medicine (compliments of a medical team rescued from a Afghan jail) and bring law and order to a wild time and place.
Word reaches the King, who sends men to investigate these stories from the north. This band of soldiers are meet by the time-travelers and left in no doubt that the stories of their power are true. The Kings men are feasted and sent back loaded with gifts of swords and tools, having also had some spectacular demonstrations of 20th century weaponry.
Appeased by treasure but also made all the more curious, the King decides he must see for himself. He rides forth with his horsemen to see the steel fortress and ‘thunder bows’ with his own eyes. He has decided that an alliance would be the prudent course of action and readily grants the request for all lands ten miles around, in exchange for protection from the north.
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. Roading 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- A Synopsis
This story starts with three of the characters persuading their wives to travel back in time with them.other of the original group are signing up a 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- with 20th century weaponry and the devestating use of gate technology.
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.
In the next part, an ambitious plan to hijack a ship at sea is carried out and a new crew member is gained. A colony site is prepared in New Zealand and the story of how the gate generator was acquired is told in more detail.
A brief covert mission is carried out in the 21st century, to deal with a personal problem, with unpleasant consequences for an unwanted boyfriend. The second engineering team arrives and a spacehip makes its first appearance.
Loose ends are tied up back in the 21st century, as team members travel back to the time and place we first proposed the mission. Meanwhile, colonists are selected for the one-way trip to 9th century New Zealand and their leaders are shown their new home. Along the way we find time to build a holiday home- in a most unconventional way.
The new technology is taking hold and the nearby citys are benefiting. Wayne tell the story of how he destroyed a world and a local worker joins the team.of travellers and visits the 21st century. More high tech equipment is coming into use, with memory implants being used on talented locals.
The colonist are more or less willingly moved around the world and the team prepares to snatch a busload of 20th century engineers who are plumetting over a cliff. 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.
Bodies are cloned and an unexpected price is demanded for this service.
The book finishes with a wedding and the story of the third book is started at the wedding party.
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