As part of his guard duties, Mike had to check the animal pod at least once a day. There had never been any trouble reported of course, cats are such sociable animals.

As he stepped from the lift and started his walk through, a loud meow attracted his attention. Gazing up at the top branches of a small tree, he spotted a jet-black cat that was apparently stuck.

“Whatever are you doing up there Christine? Can’t you get down? It’s only five feet you know.

As the cat watched, he walked over and reaching out, brought the cat safely down. As he did this, Sammy entered.

“Morning Mike.”

“Sammy.”

“I see the cat has been climbing again?”

“Cats will be cats,” Mike replied.

The young boy placed the food bowl upon the grass and watched as the happy moggy bounded over.

“Any more trouble from Frazer?”

The boy shook his head.

“He keeps away from me now.”

Mike grinned.

“The trainer came to see me this morning you know.”

The guard had expected this.

“He obviously agrees with me.”

“I’ve signed up to the training programme. Do you really think I could make it as a professional?”

“After your performance in that ring, I don’t doubt it.”

The wall began to vibrate and the trees swayed a little as a weird sound drifted through the air.

“What do you think that is?” Sammy asked nervously

“I would not worry about it. The bridge staff will have it sorted out in no time.”

The commodore was resplendent in his green uniform as the underlings tried to figure out the cause.

“Anything on scanners yet?”

“No sir nothing at all.”

“How is our trim?”

“A1 sir.”

The vessel suddenly shook and a crewman reported, “It’s an intense gravity field sir. It appeared from nowhere and grabbed us.”

“That’s not possible,” the commodore said. “This is the middle of nowhere.”

“Impossible or not it’s here.”

A crewman called him over.

“I don’t like this sir. Our chronometer is running backwards.”

This development worried the officer.

“That means time travel. Reverse thrust, ten percent.”

The order was carried out smoothly and he watched as the chronometer slowed before moving forward again.

“All stop.”

The great generation ship slowed until it sat motionless within the endless void of space.

“How much time have we lost?” the commodore asked.

“It’s difficult to say sir. Could be minutes, days, or even forty thousand years.”

The commodore rubbed his greying hair.

“We are nowhere near a star you know. Gravity fields just can’t do that.”

“This one did sir.”

He was about to reply when the image of a yellow world suddenly appeared upon the screen.

“Where the hell did that come from? Is it actually there?”

“According to our instruments sir it’s sold alright.”

“Run a scan right now.”

“Atmosphere breathable, pressure E 1,”

The commodore knew what that meant.

“Just like Earth then. Any sign of industrial activity?”

“Absolutely not sir. Surface temperature eighty-two Fahrenheit. That indicates a tropical environment.”

“Well I suppose we had better check it out. It might explain its sudden arrival. Landing team at the double.”

Mike responded to the call and soon reached the landing pod. Along with the commodore, and he, two others joined them.

“Everyone ready?”

“Yes sir.”

They stepped into the large metallic tube before it was literally dropped through the floor. It safely hurtled through the atmosphere before thrusters brought it safely to the surface. Stepping out, the commodore fingered his sonic blaster nervously.

“I’ve always wanted to visit a jungle,” Mike commented.

“This is certainly one of those Mike.”

They stood within a small clearing with huge trees all around. Midges buzzed everywhere as liquid dripped from the thick leaves.

“We had better go this way,” the commodore said.

They fought their way through the thick growth, as tendrils wrapped around their feet. They finally stopped as a huge statue came into view.

“I don’t believe it,” a crewman whispered.

Mike gazed upon the grey cat like statue with undisguised wonder.

“Who built it?”

“I seem to remember something similar on old Earth.”

They crept forward and Mike ran a finger over the smooth, warm stone.

“It must be centuries old.”

They walked around it, noting the lack of growth.

“This really does not make sense,” the commodore said. “This should at least be covered in moss.”

“I agree sir,” Mike commented.

As they pondered this puzzle, the front of the statue rolled upwards and a figure stepped out. The travellers pulled the blasters out automatically but did not fire.

“I mean you no harm,” the stranger said in a high pitched voice.”

Mike gazed upon the cat like being who stood around six foot high. A long tail swished from the rear as the paws held an obviously sick child.

“We need your help.”

The commodore re-sheathed the weapon and examined the youngster.

“I know nothing about your species but she has a high temperature.”

“She ate the glory plant, despite being told not to.”

“Put her down and I’ll check her over,” Mike suggested.

He knelt and checked the pupils carefully.

“Her breathing is a little raspy and she is borderline coma.”

He glanced up.

“Looks like alkali poisoning to me sir.”

The commodore nodded and contacted the ship.

Five minutes later a second pod arrived and a droid marched over. He ignored the creature and examined the sick child.

“Will she live?” the father asked.

“A simple remedy will sort this out,” the droid said. He applied a short injection and watched for signs of improvement. A moment later, the breathing returned to normal and the child sat up.

“Don’t be alarmed,” Mike said. “We mean you no harm.”

The child ran to the parent and held him tight.

“You should take more care of her,” the commodore advised.

“How can I thank you?”

The commodore had a thought.

“Try explaining your sudden arrival. It really shook us up.”

The father pointed at the statue.

“Our community lives beneath this obelisk. We have done now for centuries. We detected your craft and drew you to us.”

“That explains the gravity field,” the commodore muttered.

“Such a method was necessary,” the father explained. “We ensured that no damage would occur.”

As the commodore thought this over, he suddenly realised something.

“The time change. Your world exists in the remote past.”

The father nodded.

“Around a million of your years to be exact.”

He saw the shocked look upon their faces and put that to rest.

“When you return to your ship, everything will be reset.”

Mike smiled.

“You are really that powerful.”

“Sometimes too powerful,” the creature said sadly. “Now you must go back. Holding your ship here is a drain on our power.”

The commodore wished them well and led his men back to the pods.
When he reached the bridge, there was a violent jolt.

“We are caught in a repulsion field sir. The chronometer is whizzing forward again.”

The image of the strange world faded, to be replaced by the darkness of space.

“Reverse thrusters,” the commodore ordered.

The great ship drew to a halt as a crewman said, “All stop sir. No reports of damage.”

The commodore smiled with relief.

“Let’s get on our way then.”

As the craft began its voyage once more, Mike was standing within the observation pod gazing at the darkness. Sammy joined him for a moment.

“What was it like?”

Mike sighed.

“Beautiful my boy. Probably gone now. Such a shame.”

The young boy was puzzled.

“I really don’t understand.”

Mike gazed down.

“We visited a ghost from the ancient past. Where is your mom by the way?”

Sammy smiled.

“Would you believe learning to swim?”