Post by Tim on Dec 15, 2017 0:23:15 GMT -5
AUTHOR’S NOTE: While the Romanov Family, Dr. Botkin, and their other servants were real, the events of this story are completely fictional.
Tsar Nicholas Romanov looked uneasily at his wife, the Tsarina Alexandra Fedorovna. It had been nearly half an hour since they, and their five children, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei (plus Anastasia and Tatiana’s pet dogs, Jemmy and Ortino), had been moved down into this cellar of Ipatiev House. Also present was Dr. Eugene Botkin, Personal Physician to the Imperial Family, who had chosen to follow them into imprisonment, and their other remaining servants. Yakov Yurovsky, who was in charge of the guards at Ipatiev House, had claimed that they were now all to be moved to another location, before leaving the room. Supposedly he was going to see if the arranged transport was on the way. However, the delay was beginning to make the Imperial Family nervous. Nicholas looked back at the door as Yurovsky and his guards finally returned. “Well, here we all are.” Nicholas said as he stepped forward towards Yurovsky. “What are you going to do now?”
Rather than reply, Yurovsky smiled cruelly and read his prepared speech: “In view of the fact that your relatives in Europe continue their assault on Soviet Russia, the presidium of Ural Regional Soviet has sentenced you to be shot. In view of the fact that the Czechoslovaks are threatening red capital of the Urals, Ekaterinburg, and in view of the fact that the crowned executioner might escape the people’s court; the presidium of the Regional Soviet, fulfilling the will of the Revolution, has decreed that the former Tsar Nicholas Romanov, guilty of countless bloody crimes against the people, should be shot.”
“What?” Nicholas said, not sure if he had heard correctly. Had Yurovsky just said that they were all to be shot?
Yurovsky drew his gun and prepared to gun the Tsar down. However, before he could fire, a strange thing happened. All eleven of the prisoners were suddenly enveloped by a mysterious green glow. What the hell!? Yurovsky thought as he shielded his eyes from the glow. What was happening here? The glow lasted only a few seconds, and when it vanished, so had the Imperial Family, Dr. Botkin, and all the others. Yurovsky blinked his eyes, but eleven people had just vanished in front of him. Behind him he heard his men speaking.
“What did they put in that vodka?”
“It’s witchcraft!”
“It’s a sign from Heaven. We’re doomed!”
“It’s a counterrevolutionary trick!”
Yurovsky himself had no answers. Without really thinking, he drew his gun and fired at the spot where the Imperial Family, and the others, had been seconds before, his men followed suit. Their bullets thudded harmlessly into the plaster wall of the now empty space in front of them. Yurovsky had somehow lost his eleven prisoners, and he had no idea how or why.
“What? Where are we?” Nicholas asked. The Imperial Family, Dr. Botkin, and the others had found themselves in a strange glowing chamber.
“Is... Is this Heaven?” Tatiana asked slowly.
“Are we dead, Papa?” Anastasia asked.
“I.... I don’t think so.” Nicholas replied. Truthfully, he wasn’t sure himself.
“Nicholas look!” Alexandra said and pointed to where a young woman, dressed in silver, had suddenly appeared.
“Who are you? Where are we?” Nicholas asked.
“First of all, my name is Sarah Gibson.” the young woman replied. “As to your second question, you’re in Surface Teleport Station Five, located on the land that was once the city of Ekaterinburg, on the former site of Ipatiev House.”
“Once the city of Ekaterinburg? What!?” the baffled Nicholas asked.
“Yes, it’s been almost a thousand years.” Sarah replied.
“What do you mean?” Olga asked.
“I mean that this is the year 2893. Welcome to the twenty-ninth century.” Sarah said.
“The twenty-ninth century.” Nicholas said. “That’s not possible.”
“Oh, it is.” Sarah said. “You are now in the Neo-Russian Empire.”
“The Neo-Russian Empire?” Alexandra asked, looking at the rest of her family.
“Yes, it was founded after the Last War.”
“The Last War?” Nicholas said. “Is that...”
“No, that’s not the war you know.” Sarah said sadly. “Many others followed that war, unfortunately, including the Last War, but humanity finally outgrew our nasty habits for killing each other. Now we live in peace. We’ve rebuilt and healed Earth, colonized the Moon, Mars, and Venus, and are now exploring...”
“Please stop.” Nicholas said. “This is a bit much to take. Why did you bring us here?”
“Because all of you are legends here.” Sarah replied. “We felt that you deserved better than the fate you got. Those men would have murdered all of you, had we not brought you here.”
“And you brought it here because.” Alexandra said.
“Because, this is a world without war, without the
troubles of your time. I think you’ll all be happy here.” Sarah said and worked a control on her wrist. The Romanov’s and the others were treated to a sight of a beautiful landscape with floating cities in the distance. As the Tsar and his family took the sight in, Sarah said: “Today your old lives have ended, but a new one now begins.”
“But what happened!? Exactly!” Olga demanded.
Sarah turned to Olga with a smile. She had heard that question many times before. “Olga...Niko..laevna? Is that how you say your name? Well Olga Nikolaevna, we have a way to show you what happened and what your would be assassins saw at the time you all were transported here. Most new arrivals from the past are interested in seeing that. We find it helps in their adjustment. If you will all look here at the screens.” With that, a smallish rectangle appeared in the air before each member of the family and they saw themselves as they were just minutes ago waiting for, they believed, transport of another kind. But they now saw the event from a different viewpoint. It was themselves, and yet, it was also poor people who were not aware of their danger at the same time. When the cellar room door opened again, some let out the cries that there had been no time for the first time. Then they saw themselves begin to glow as a group with a green light, and Yurovsky’s confusion as the light got brighter until it was gone, along with the Imperial Family. They then saw the gaping mouths of the guards. They saw Yurovsky’s bullets cutting though plain air and thudding harmlessly into plaster walls that had been behind them moments before. The picture then faded out and the screens disappeared. “The rest you know.” Sarah said brightly.
The family stood for a few moments, they then heard a noise and turned. Nicholas was suddenly laughing so hard that he had to right himself by holding onto Maria’s arm. It seemed strangely out of place considering what they had all just witnessed . “My dear what is it?” Alexandra asked “Are you ill?”
“No!” Nicholas was able to wheeze out. “I was just wondering how Yurovsky’s report...that we disappeared in a green.... GLOW! ..was received... in Moscow!” The family began to laugh as well, until they were all shouting. It was a welcome release after months of uncertainly and insecurity in captivity.
Sarah thought a moment. “Well, I could find out for you, Nicholas Alexandrovich.” For some reason, that just made the family collapse into each other, laughing even harder.
“You can just address us all by our first names.” Nicholas said to Sarah, once he had finally gotten himself under control. Gradually, the rest of the family followed suit.
“Okay, Nicholas. Come on.” Sarah said to the Imperial Family. “I have much to show you.” She led the Romanov’s and the others out of the building and to an open topped vehicle and got in. Nicholas and the others followed, but soon were startled when the vehicle began to rise into the air.
“What is this!?” Alexandra asked, the fear evident in her voice.
“It’s a null-gravity car.” Sarah replied. “Of course, I should have realized this. In your time mechanical aviation was less than twenty years old.”
“I think it’s neat!” Maria said.
“Me too!” Anastasia added.
Olga and Tatiana said nothing, but both looked rather green in the face. Dr. Botkin and the other servants also chose to remain silent.
“Don’t worry, it will be over soon.” Sarah said. “We’re approaching New Moscow now.” She indicated one of the floating cities that was getting closer.
“New Moscow?” Nicholas asked. “What happened to the original one?”
“It was destroyed in the Last War I mentioned.” Sarah replied. “And it wasn’t alone. All the major cities of the world, London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, Ottawa, Washington D.C., New York, many others, all gone.”
“My God.” Nicholas said. “What kind of weapons could do that, destroy a whole city.”
“Weapons more powerful than you could imagine.” Sarah said. “In fact, the first of their kind were invented only a few decades after your time. After that, they just got more and more powerful, until they were finally used. Two thirds of the world population died in the Last War. So much was lost. Yet, much was also saved, including historical records. That is how we found out about all of you.”
“Us?” Tatiana asked, looking a little better.
“Yes. In the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century, after the fall of the Soviet Union, that is what Lenin and those who came after him started calling Russia, the people of Russia wanted to connect with their past, and all of you. When the Neo-Russian Empire was founded, that connection remained.”
“Yes, you mentioned this Neo-Russian Empire. Is it like my empire?” Nicholas asked.
“No, the monarch is a figurehead.” Sarah explained. “The Neo-Russian Empire operates much like the ancient British Monarchy did. The real political power lies with the World Council, in which the Neo-Russian Empire is part of.”
“So, how do we fit in?” Olga asked.
“You’ll see.” Sarah replied with a smile as they came in for a landing in New Moscow.
The Imperial Family and the others had no sooner disembarked, when a barking was heard and a familiar dog appeared. “Jemmy!” Anastasia cried as her pet came towards her.
“We reroute animals to a separate temporal transporter.” Sarah said. “It’s just a safety protocol.”
“I see.” Nicholas replied, in reality not having a clue as to what Sarah was talking about.
“Are these the new arrivals?” a middle aged man asked as he appeared on the scene.
“Yes, they are.” Sarah replied.
“Good. I’m Doctor Thomas Hatch.” the newcomer said. “My job is to check out arrivals from the past. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt.” Hatch pulled out an instrument and began to scan the Imperial Family, Botkin, and the others. When he got to Alexei, his device began to beep. “Ah, yes, the blood disorder. This should help.” Dr. Hatch then pulled out a needle like device and gave Alexei a jab on the arm.
“Get away from our son!” Alexandra said, stepping forward. “He can’t be jabbed like that. He could bleed to death and die!”
“It’s all right, Mama, I feel fine.” Alexei said. “In fact, I’ve never felt better in my life.” The boy began to run and jump up and down.
“Alexei, stop that! You could fall and start to bleed inside!” Alexandra said with worry.
“It’s okay, the blood disorder has been corrected.” Dr. Hatch said.
“What?” Nicholas and Alexandra said at the same time.
“He means that your son has been cured.” Sarah said. “The hemophilia is gone, it will trouble him no longer. Alexei can live a normal life.”
“Is... Is that true?” Alexandra wondered. “Then it’s a miracle.”
“To you, perhaps.” Dr. Hatch said. “But medical science has advanced considerably since your day. In fact, I’ll give you all some of this medicine, that will prevent the hemophilia from being passed on to any future generations.” Hatch then proceeded to inject the rest of the family.
“Well, it’s a miracle to me.” Alexandra said, once Hatch had finished.
Nicholas said nothing. He looked at Anastasia, who was playing with Jemmy, and Alexei, running and jumping like a normal boy. Was anything not beyond these people?
“Come.” Sarah said. “I’ll show you all to your quarters.”
In fact, two sets of quarters had been prepared, one for the Imperial Family themselves, and one for Dr. Botkin and the others. The Romanov’s were busy taking in their new room (except Anastasia, who was still occupied with Jemmy), when Sarah came in. “So, how are you adjusting?”
“As well as to be expected.” Nicholas said. “Look, do you do this often. Remove people from the past, I mean.”
“No, we can’t just yank someone willy nilly out of the past.” Sarah replied. “We can only do it if we’re sure they’re never going to marry or reproduce again, and thus removing them would not negate any future descendants. As I said, those men were about to shoot all of you dead. Removing you all then only had a minimal affect on history.”
“But won’t our vanishing into thin air change something.” Tatiana asked. “Those men saw it happen.”
“Yes, but the Communists, I’m sorry, the Bolsheviks, were famous for covering things up.” Sarah replied. “No doubt they will suppress what really happened. We took a scan of history, and it seems it went along as it did before. Lenin and those who followed him made sure the truth was silenced.”
“Yes, and what happened to Russia?” Olga asked.
“I was wondering when you’d ask that.” Sarah said and placed some plastic disks down on the table in front of the Imperial Family. “These are history disks of Russia. The first deals with the period from 1918 to 1991, the period of when it was called the Soviet Union. I’ll show you how to use them. And then...” Sarah broke off as the door opened and a strange being entered. “Ah, hello Cask.”
“Greetings. Sarah, I need to ask you something. They told me you were here.” the newcomer said. The Imperial Family all gaped at Cask, since he was unlike any being they had seen before. While humanoid, he had green, scaly skin.
“Sorry about that.” Sarah said to the Romanov’s. “You had immigration in your time, well, we have it in ours too, only slightly different.”
“Hello.” Cask said. “I come from the star system you call Tau Ceti. Perhaps you’ve heard of it.”
The Imperial Family was too astonished to reply. Nicholas just stared at Cask, not knowing what to say. From behind him, he heard a thud.
“Papa, Tatiana has fainted!” Anastasia said in a voice that sounded both concerned and amused.
Nicholas turned, but saw that Alexandra was already attending to the situation.
“Was it something I said?” Cask asked.
“No, it wasn’t.” Sarah said as she stepped forward. “Cask, perhaps it would be better if we talked later.”
“Very well, Sarah.” Cask said and departed.
“Forgive me.” Sarah said to the Imperial Family. “I should have prepared you better for this.” She walked over to a wall panel, punched in a few commands, and soon a glass of clear liquid appeared in a nearby slot. This she gave to Tatiana, whom Olga and Alexandra had helped to her feet. “Here, drink this.”
“What is it?” Tatiana asked warily.
“It’s a nerve supplement. It should help you feel better.”
“What was that... That....” Tatiana said as she took the liquid from Sarah and drank it. After a few moments, the colour began to return to her face.
“Cask is an immigrant from the Tau Ceti star system” Sarah replied. “In your time, people travelled from country to country. Well, in this time, they travel from world to world. The discovery of hyperspace as made the galaxy one big community. Star systems light years apart can now...” she stopped as she saw the blank looks the Imperial Family were giving her. “Sorry, did it again. You would think I would have learned after that group we rescued from Roanoke Island, talk about culture shock!”
“Well, I still think it sounds neat.” Anastasia said as Jemmy began to lick her face.
“That reminds me, what about my dog, Ortino. Did you rescue him too?” Tatiana said. By now, she was looking a lot better.
“Yes, we did.” Sarah said. “However, one of our technicians opened the door to the teleport chamber too soon, he got out into New Moscow. We’re looking for him now. When we find him, we’ll bring him to you.”
“Thank you.” Tatiana said.
“Right now you all must be tired.”
“Yes, we are.” Nicholas said and turned to his family. “We could use some sleep.”
“Sometimes the Temporal Displacement Affect does make one tired. However, the affect is temporary.” Sarah said, smiling.
The Romanov’s quarters had three bedrooms attached, one for Nicholas and Alexandra, one for the four Grand Duchesses, and one for Alexei. Sarah was now in the room given to Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. The Grand Duchesses found their new room comfortable. “You can see forever.” Maria said as she looked out one of the windows in which the green landscape could be seen below. “Does no one live down there?”
“Some do, but not many.” Sarah said. “When the floating cities were built, the surface of Earth was given over to nature, except for some teleport stations, like the one you all arrived in. Also, our population is much smaller now, since the Moon and the other planets I mentioned were colonized.” She moved over to a screen on the wall. “Programmed in here are all the movies and television shows ever made, for your entertainment. It’s all stored in the World Archives, where I downloaded them from. Similar screens are in the bedrooms assigned to your parents and brother. There is also one in the main living area.”
“Television? What’s television?” Anastasia asked.
“Well, it’s...” Sarah replied and began to explain.
Yes, I’m really going to like it here. Anastasia thought to herself.
The next morning, Sarah arrived at the Imperial Family’s quarters with a surprise. “Ortino!” Tatiana said with delight at the sight of her dog. “You found him!”
“Yeah, we did. He led us a merry chase through New Moscow, but we finally tracked him down.” Sarah watched as Tatiana happily took Ortino into her arms. Another family member reunited. she thought.
“What happened to my dog?” Alexei asked.
“He survived that night.” Sarah replied. “He was rescued, taken to Britain, and spent the rest of his days at Windsor Palace.”
“At least he made it.” Alexei said, comforted that his pet had found safety.
“I have something else to show you all.” Sarah said and led the family into the main living area. “Yesterday, you wondered how Yakov Yurovsky’s report was received in Moscow. Well, if you turn your attention to the screen, you’ll see what transpired a few days later when Yurovsky was recalled to Moscow to deliver his report in person.”
“Oh, but I was only joking.” Nicholas said and smiled at the memory. However, when he saw the serious look on Sarah’s face, he became intrigued. “Can you really do that?”
“We can.” Sarah replied. “We have probes that monitor and record time throughout history. Of course, that we how we were able to get all of you out, since we were monitoring that particular moment in time. One of our probes was present where Yurovsky gave his report to Lenin, Joseph Stalin, and Leon Trotsky, in Moscow. Here is what happened.” The screen on the wall came to life and the Imperial Family were treated to what had transpired in Moscow, almost a thousand years before.
Yakov Yurovsky trembled as he finished giving his account of what happened to the Romanov’s to Lenin himself. Sitting on Lenin’s right side was Leon Trotsky, and on his left side was Joseph Stalin. “Let me see if I can summarize this.” Lenin said calmly, once Yurovsky had finished. “You’re telling us that the Imperial Family...” he picked up a piece of paper and read the report on it. “Was enveloped in a green glow and vanished. Is that correct?”
“Yes sir, it is.” Yurovsky replied. “We all witnessed it. Myself and my men.”
“You witnessed it, through a vodka bottle no doubt.” Trotsky said with a snort.
“No sir, I was not drunk. I tell you it happened exactly as I have outlined in my report.”
“We should have him shot.” Stalin said with contempt. “Him and all those other bungling fools he calls soldiers!”
“Why so?” Lenin asked as he turned to Stalin.
“Well, it’s obvious what really happened.” Stalin replied. “The Romanov’s somehow escaped, and he has concocted this ridiculous story in a pathetic attempt to conceal his blunder.”
“Sir, I swear it’s the truth!” Yurovsky pleaded.
“Clearly there is counterrevolutionary trickery at play here.” Trotsky said. “Perhaps Mr. Yurovsky was bribed by the Whites to release the Romanov Family into their custody.”
“No, that isn’t what happened.” Yurovsky said. “I hated the Tsar and his family. I wanted them dead as much as anyone. Why would I let them go. Please, sirs, you have to believe me!”
“I’m sorry, but your story is impossible to believe.” Lenin said as he reached a decision. He quickly summoned two guards, who grabbed Yurovsky. “Yakov Yurovsky, for your failure to carry out your orders, you are sentenced to house arrest, pending a decision on your final fate. Take him away!”
“No, please, I’m telling the truth! They did vanish!” Still protesting, Yurovsky was dragged away.
“I still say we should have had him shot.” Stalin said as he turned to Lenin and shot him a look. “You were too easy on him. Why? I want to know.”
Lenin said nothing, he just traced lines on Yurovsky’s report with his fingers.
“You don’t actually believe him, do you!?” Stalin asked after a few moments of silence.
“Comrades, a liar does not make up such tales.” Lenin sighed. “A liar strives to be believable most of all. The very fantastic nature of this report causes me to wonder.”
“Wonder what?” Trotsky asked.
“That perhaps something strange did happen at Ipatiev House. Something that we may never know the answer to.”
“So now what?” Stalin barked, at a complete loss.
“So now we hope that the Romanov’s don’t return in their ‘green glow’. However, if they do, we still have Yurovsky to send after them. Who would be more motivated? That is why I spared his life. As far as anyone else is concerned, the Romanov’s were successfully executed at Ipatiev House on July 17. That is the story we’ll put out, and their counterrevolutionary allies will not have a banner to rally around.”
“I agree, for the good of the revolution!” Stalin declared, realizing that Lenin was right.
“The good of the revolution!” Trotsky declared seconds later.
“Excellent.” Lenin said. “Now all we have to do is make sure the rest of Yurovsky’s men remain silent.”
“Let me handle it.” Stalin said, an unpleasant grin coming across his face. “I have a way of making people obey.”
“Oh, and how will you collect them all?” Lenin asked.
“I’ll let it known that they are to be rewarded. I find that method very effective in gathering those I want.” Stalin chuckled.
Ekaterinburg, Russia
July 17, 1918
July 17, 1918
Tsar Nicholas Romanov looked uneasily at his wife, the Tsarina Alexandra Fedorovna. It had been nearly half an hour since they, and their five children, Olga, Tatiana, Maria, Anastasia, and Alexei (plus Anastasia and Tatiana’s pet dogs, Jemmy and Ortino), had been moved down into this cellar of Ipatiev House. Also present was Dr. Eugene Botkin, Personal Physician to the Imperial Family, who had chosen to follow them into imprisonment, and their other remaining servants. Yakov Yurovsky, who was in charge of the guards at Ipatiev House, had claimed that they were now all to be moved to another location, before leaving the room. Supposedly he was going to see if the arranged transport was on the way. However, the delay was beginning to make the Imperial Family nervous. Nicholas looked back at the door as Yurovsky and his guards finally returned. “Well, here we all are.” Nicholas said as he stepped forward towards Yurovsky. “What are you going to do now?”
Rather than reply, Yurovsky smiled cruelly and read his prepared speech: “In view of the fact that your relatives in Europe continue their assault on Soviet Russia, the presidium of Ural Regional Soviet has sentenced you to be shot. In view of the fact that the Czechoslovaks are threatening red capital of the Urals, Ekaterinburg, and in view of the fact that the crowned executioner might escape the people’s court; the presidium of the Regional Soviet, fulfilling the will of the Revolution, has decreed that the former Tsar Nicholas Romanov, guilty of countless bloody crimes against the people, should be shot.”
“What?” Nicholas said, not sure if he had heard correctly. Had Yurovsky just said that they were all to be shot?
Yurovsky drew his gun and prepared to gun the Tsar down. However, before he could fire, a strange thing happened. All eleven of the prisoners were suddenly enveloped by a mysterious green glow. What the hell!? Yurovsky thought as he shielded his eyes from the glow. What was happening here? The glow lasted only a few seconds, and when it vanished, so had the Imperial Family, Dr. Botkin, and all the others. Yurovsky blinked his eyes, but eleven people had just vanished in front of him. Behind him he heard his men speaking.
“What did they put in that vodka?”
“It’s witchcraft!”
“It’s a sign from Heaven. We’re doomed!”
“It’s a counterrevolutionary trick!”
Yurovsky himself had no answers. Without really thinking, he drew his gun and fired at the spot where the Imperial Family, and the others, had been seconds before, his men followed suit. Their bullets thudded harmlessly into the plaster wall of the now empty space in front of them. Yurovsky had somehow lost his eleven prisoners, and he had no idea how or why.
In Another Time
“What? Where are we?” Nicholas asked. The Imperial Family, Dr. Botkin, and the others had found themselves in a strange glowing chamber.
“Is... Is this Heaven?” Tatiana asked slowly.
“Are we dead, Papa?” Anastasia asked.
“I.... I don’t think so.” Nicholas replied. Truthfully, he wasn’t sure himself.
“Nicholas look!” Alexandra said and pointed to where a young woman, dressed in silver, had suddenly appeared.
“Who are you? Where are we?” Nicholas asked.
“First of all, my name is Sarah Gibson.” the young woman replied. “As to your second question, you’re in Surface Teleport Station Five, located on the land that was once the city of Ekaterinburg, on the former site of Ipatiev House.”
“Once the city of Ekaterinburg? What!?” the baffled Nicholas asked.
“Yes, it’s been almost a thousand years.” Sarah replied.
“What do you mean?” Olga asked.
“I mean that this is the year 2893. Welcome to the twenty-ninth century.” Sarah said.
“The twenty-ninth century.” Nicholas said. “That’s not possible.”
“Oh, it is.” Sarah said. “You are now in the Neo-Russian Empire.”
“The Neo-Russian Empire?” Alexandra asked, looking at the rest of her family.
“Yes, it was founded after the Last War.”
“The Last War?” Nicholas said. “Is that...”
“No, that’s not the war you know.” Sarah said sadly. “Many others followed that war, unfortunately, including the Last War, but humanity finally outgrew our nasty habits for killing each other. Now we live in peace. We’ve rebuilt and healed Earth, colonized the Moon, Mars, and Venus, and are now exploring...”
“Please stop.” Nicholas said. “This is a bit much to take. Why did you bring us here?”
“Because all of you are legends here.” Sarah replied. “We felt that you deserved better than the fate you got. Those men would have murdered all of you, had we not brought you here.”
“And you brought it here because.” Alexandra said.
“Because, this is a world without war, without the
troubles of your time. I think you’ll all be happy here.” Sarah said and worked a control on her wrist. The Romanov’s and the others were treated to a sight of a beautiful landscape with floating cities in the distance. As the Tsar and his family took the sight in, Sarah said: “Today your old lives have ended, but a new one now begins.”
“But what happened!? Exactly!” Olga demanded.
Sarah turned to Olga with a smile. She had heard that question many times before. “Olga...Niko..laevna? Is that how you say your name? Well Olga Nikolaevna, we have a way to show you what happened and what your would be assassins saw at the time you all were transported here. Most new arrivals from the past are interested in seeing that. We find it helps in their adjustment. If you will all look here at the screens.” With that, a smallish rectangle appeared in the air before each member of the family and they saw themselves as they were just minutes ago waiting for, they believed, transport of another kind. But they now saw the event from a different viewpoint. It was themselves, and yet, it was also poor people who were not aware of their danger at the same time. When the cellar room door opened again, some let out the cries that there had been no time for the first time. Then they saw themselves begin to glow as a group with a green light, and Yurovsky’s confusion as the light got brighter until it was gone, along with the Imperial Family. They then saw the gaping mouths of the guards. They saw Yurovsky’s bullets cutting though plain air and thudding harmlessly into plaster walls that had been behind them moments before. The picture then faded out and the screens disappeared. “The rest you know.” Sarah said brightly.
The family stood for a few moments, they then heard a noise and turned. Nicholas was suddenly laughing so hard that he had to right himself by holding onto Maria’s arm. It seemed strangely out of place considering what they had all just witnessed . “My dear what is it?” Alexandra asked “Are you ill?”
“No!” Nicholas was able to wheeze out. “I was just wondering how Yurovsky’s report...that we disappeared in a green.... GLOW! ..was received... in Moscow!” The family began to laugh as well, until they were all shouting. It was a welcome release after months of uncertainly and insecurity in captivity.
Sarah thought a moment. “Well, I could find out for you, Nicholas Alexandrovich.” For some reason, that just made the family collapse into each other, laughing even harder.
“You can just address us all by our first names.” Nicholas said to Sarah, once he had finally gotten himself under control. Gradually, the rest of the family followed suit.
“Okay, Nicholas. Come on.” Sarah said to the Imperial Family. “I have much to show you.” She led the Romanov’s and the others out of the building and to an open topped vehicle and got in. Nicholas and the others followed, but soon were startled when the vehicle began to rise into the air.
“What is this!?” Alexandra asked, the fear evident in her voice.
“It’s a null-gravity car.” Sarah replied. “Of course, I should have realized this. In your time mechanical aviation was less than twenty years old.”
“I think it’s neat!” Maria said.
“Me too!” Anastasia added.
Olga and Tatiana said nothing, but both looked rather green in the face. Dr. Botkin and the other servants also chose to remain silent.
“Don’t worry, it will be over soon.” Sarah said. “We’re approaching New Moscow now.” She indicated one of the floating cities that was getting closer.
“New Moscow?” Nicholas asked. “What happened to the original one?”
“It was destroyed in the Last War I mentioned.” Sarah replied. “And it wasn’t alone. All the major cities of the world, London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo, Ottawa, Washington D.C., New York, many others, all gone.”
“My God.” Nicholas said. “What kind of weapons could do that, destroy a whole city.”
“Weapons more powerful than you could imagine.” Sarah said. “In fact, the first of their kind were invented only a few decades after your time. After that, they just got more and more powerful, until they were finally used. Two thirds of the world population died in the Last War. So much was lost. Yet, much was also saved, including historical records. That is how we found out about all of you.”
“Us?” Tatiana asked, looking a little better.
“Yes. In the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century, after the fall of the Soviet Union, that is what Lenin and those who came after him started calling Russia, the people of Russia wanted to connect with their past, and all of you. When the Neo-Russian Empire was founded, that connection remained.”
“Yes, you mentioned this Neo-Russian Empire. Is it like my empire?” Nicholas asked.
“No, the monarch is a figurehead.” Sarah explained. “The Neo-Russian Empire operates much like the ancient British Monarchy did. The real political power lies with the World Council, in which the Neo-Russian Empire is part of.”
“So, how do we fit in?” Olga asked.
“You’ll see.” Sarah replied with a smile as they came in for a landing in New Moscow.
The Imperial Family and the others had no sooner disembarked, when a barking was heard and a familiar dog appeared. “Jemmy!” Anastasia cried as her pet came towards her.
“We reroute animals to a separate temporal transporter.” Sarah said. “It’s just a safety protocol.”
“I see.” Nicholas replied, in reality not having a clue as to what Sarah was talking about.
“Are these the new arrivals?” a middle aged man asked as he appeared on the scene.
“Yes, they are.” Sarah replied.
“Good. I’m Doctor Thomas Hatch.” the newcomer said. “My job is to check out arrivals from the past. Don’t worry, it won’t hurt.” Hatch pulled out an instrument and began to scan the Imperial Family, Botkin, and the others. When he got to Alexei, his device began to beep. “Ah, yes, the blood disorder. This should help.” Dr. Hatch then pulled out a needle like device and gave Alexei a jab on the arm.
“Get away from our son!” Alexandra said, stepping forward. “He can’t be jabbed like that. He could bleed to death and die!”
“It’s all right, Mama, I feel fine.” Alexei said. “In fact, I’ve never felt better in my life.” The boy began to run and jump up and down.
“Alexei, stop that! You could fall and start to bleed inside!” Alexandra said with worry.
“It’s okay, the blood disorder has been corrected.” Dr. Hatch said.
“What?” Nicholas and Alexandra said at the same time.
“He means that your son has been cured.” Sarah said. “The hemophilia is gone, it will trouble him no longer. Alexei can live a normal life.”
“Is... Is that true?” Alexandra wondered. “Then it’s a miracle.”
“To you, perhaps.” Dr. Hatch said. “But medical science has advanced considerably since your day. In fact, I’ll give you all some of this medicine, that will prevent the hemophilia from being passed on to any future generations.” Hatch then proceeded to inject the rest of the family.
“Well, it’s a miracle to me.” Alexandra said, once Hatch had finished.
Nicholas said nothing. He looked at Anastasia, who was playing with Jemmy, and Alexei, running and jumping like a normal boy. Was anything not beyond these people?
“Come.” Sarah said. “I’ll show you all to your quarters.”
In fact, two sets of quarters had been prepared, one for the Imperial Family themselves, and one for Dr. Botkin and the others. The Romanov’s were busy taking in their new room (except Anastasia, who was still occupied with Jemmy), when Sarah came in. “So, how are you adjusting?”
“As well as to be expected.” Nicholas said. “Look, do you do this often. Remove people from the past, I mean.”
“No, we can’t just yank someone willy nilly out of the past.” Sarah replied. “We can only do it if we’re sure they’re never going to marry or reproduce again, and thus removing them would not negate any future descendants. As I said, those men were about to shoot all of you dead. Removing you all then only had a minimal affect on history.”
“But won’t our vanishing into thin air change something.” Tatiana asked. “Those men saw it happen.”
“Yes, but the Communists, I’m sorry, the Bolsheviks, were famous for covering things up.” Sarah replied. “No doubt they will suppress what really happened. We took a scan of history, and it seems it went along as it did before. Lenin and those who followed him made sure the truth was silenced.”
“Yes, and what happened to Russia?” Olga asked.
“I was wondering when you’d ask that.” Sarah said and placed some plastic disks down on the table in front of the Imperial Family. “These are history disks of Russia. The first deals with the period from 1918 to 1991, the period of when it was called the Soviet Union. I’ll show you how to use them. And then...” Sarah broke off as the door opened and a strange being entered. “Ah, hello Cask.”
“Greetings. Sarah, I need to ask you something. They told me you were here.” the newcomer said. The Imperial Family all gaped at Cask, since he was unlike any being they had seen before. While humanoid, he had green, scaly skin.
“Sorry about that.” Sarah said to the Romanov’s. “You had immigration in your time, well, we have it in ours too, only slightly different.”
“Hello.” Cask said. “I come from the star system you call Tau Ceti. Perhaps you’ve heard of it.”
The Imperial Family was too astonished to reply. Nicholas just stared at Cask, not knowing what to say. From behind him, he heard a thud.
“Papa, Tatiana has fainted!” Anastasia said in a voice that sounded both concerned and amused.
Nicholas turned, but saw that Alexandra was already attending to the situation.
“Was it something I said?” Cask asked.
“No, it wasn’t.” Sarah said as she stepped forward. “Cask, perhaps it would be better if we talked later.”
“Very well, Sarah.” Cask said and departed.
“Forgive me.” Sarah said to the Imperial Family. “I should have prepared you better for this.” She walked over to a wall panel, punched in a few commands, and soon a glass of clear liquid appeared in a nearby slot. This she gave to Tatiana, whom Olga and Alexandra had helped to her feet. “Here, drink this.”
“What is it?” Tatiana asked warily.
“It’s a nerve supplement. It should help you feel better.”
“What was that... That....” Tatiana said as she took the liquid from Sarah and drank it. After a few moments, the colour began to return to her face.
“Cask is an immigrant from the Tau Ceti star system” Sarah replied. “In your time, people travelled from country to country. Well, in this time, they travel from world to world. The discovery of hyperspace as made the galaxy one big community. Star systems light years apart can now...” she stopped as she saw the blank looks the Imperial Family were giving her. “Sorry, did it again. You would think I would have learned after that group we rescued from Roanoke Island, talk about culture shock!”
“Well, I still think it sounds neat.” Anastasia said as Jemmy began to lick her face.
“That reminds me, what about my dog, Ortino. Did you rescue him too?” Tatiana said. By now, she was looking a lot better.
“Yes, we did.” Sarah said. “However, one of our technicians opened the door to the teleport chamber too soon, he got out into New Moscow. We’re looking for him now. When we find him, we’ll bring him to you.”
“Thank you.” Tatiana said.
“Right now you all must be tired.”
“Yes, we are.” Nicholas said and turned to his family. “We could use some sleep.”
“Sometimes the Temporal Displacement Affect does make one tired. However, the affect is temporary.” Sarah said, smiling.
The Romanov’s quarters had three bedrooms attached, one for Nicholas and Alexandra, one for the four Grand Duchesses, and one for Alexei. Sarah was now in the room given to Olga, Tatiana, Maria, and Anastasia. The Grand Duchesses found their new room comfortable. “You can see forever.” Maria said as she looked out one of the windows in which the green landscape could be seen below. “Does no one live down there?”
“Some do, but not many.” Sarah said. “When the floating cities were built, the surface of Earth was given over to nature, except for some teleport stations, like the one you all arrived in. Also, our population is much smaller now, since the Moon and the other planets I mentioned were colonized.” She moved over to a screen on the wall. “Programmed in here are all the movies and television shows ever made, for your entertainment. It’s all stored in the World Archives, where I downloaded them from. Similar screens are in the bedrooms assigned to your parents and brother. There is also one in the main living area.”
“Television? What’s television?” Anastasia asked.
“Well, it’s...” Sarah replied and began to explain.
Yes, I’m really going to like it here. Anastasia thought to herself.
The next morning, Sarah arrived at the Imperial Family’s quarters with a surprise. “Ortino!” Tatiana said with delight at the sight of her dog. “You found him!”
“Yeah, we did. He led us a merry chase through New Moscow, but we finally tracked him down.” Sarah watched as Tatiana happily took Ortino into her arms. Another family member reunited. she thought.
“What happened to my dog?” Alexei asked.
“He survived that night.” Sarah replied. “He was rescued, taken to Britain, and spent the rest of his days at Windsor Palace.”
“At least he made it.” Alexei said, comforted that his pet had found safety.
“I have something else to show you all.” Sarah said and led the family into the main living area. “Yesterday, you wondered how Yakov Yurovsky’s report was received in Moscow. Well, if you turn your attention to the screen, you’ll see what transpired a few days later when Yurovsky was recalled to Moscow to deliver his report in person.”
“Oh, but I was only joking.” Nicholas said and smiled at the memory. However, when he saw the serious look on Sarah’s face, he became intrigued. “Can you really do that?”
“We can.” Sarah replied. “We have probes that monitor and record time throughout history. Of course, that we how we were able to get all of you out, since we were monitoring that particular moment in time. One of our probes was present where Yurovsky gave his report to Lenin, Joseph Stalin, and Leon Trotsky, in Moscow. Here is what happened.” The screen on the wall came to life and the Imperial Family were treated to what had transpired in Moscow, almost a thousand years before.
**********
Yakov Yurovsky trembled as he finished giving his account of what happened to the Romanov’s to Lenin himself. Sitting on Lenin’s right side was Leon Trotsky, and on his left side was Joseph Stalin. “Let me see if I can summarize this.” Lenin said calmly, once Yurovsky had finished. “You’re telling us that the Imperial Family...” he picked up a piece of paper and read the report on it. “Was enveloped in a green glow and vanished. Is that correct?”
“Yes sir, it is.” Yurovsky replied. “We all witnessed it. Myself and my men.”
“You witnessed it, through a vodka bottle no doubt.” Trotsky said with a snort.
“No sir, I was not drunk. I tell you it happened exactly as I have outlined in my report.”
“We should have him shot.” Stalin said with contempt. “Him and all those other bungling fools he calls soldiers!”
“Why so?” Lenin asked as he turned to Stalin.
“Well, it’s obvious what really happened.” Stalin replied. “The Romanov’s somehow escaped, and he has concocted this ridiculous story in a pathetic attempt to conceal his blunder.”
“Sir, I swear it’s the truth!” Yurovsky pleaded.
“Clearly there is counterrevolutionary trickery at play here.” Trotsky said. “Perhaps Mr. Yurovsky was bribed by the Whites to release the Romanov Family into their custody.”
“No, that isn’t what happened.” Yurovsky said. “I hated the Tsar and his family. I wanted them dead as much as anyone. Why would I let them go. Please, sirs, you have to believe me!”
“I’m sorry, but your story is impossible to believe.” Lenin said as he reached a decision. He quickly summoned two guards, who grabbed Yurovsky. “Yakov Yurovsky, for your failure to carry out your orders, you are sentenced to house arrest, pending a decision on your final fate. Take him away!”
“No, please, I’m telling the truth! They did vanish!” Still protesting, Yurovsky was dragged away.
“I still say we should have had him shot.” Stalin said as he turned to Lenin and shot him a look. “You were too easy on him. Why? I want to know.”
Lenin said nothing, he just traced lines on Yurovsky’s report with his fingers.
“You don’t actually believe him, do you!?” Stalin asked after a few moments of silence.
“Comrades, a liar does not make up such tales.” Lenin sighed. “A liar strives to be believable most of all. The very fantastic nature of this report causes me to wonder.”
“Wonder what?” Trotsky asked.
“That perhaps something strange did happen at Ipatiev House. Something that we may never know the answer to.”
“So now what?” Stalin barked, at a complete loss.
“So now we hope that the Romanov’s don’t return in their ‘green glow’. However, if they do, we still have Yurovsky to send after them. Who would be more motivated? That is why I spared his life. As far as anyone else is concerned, the Romanov’s were successfully executed at Ipatiev House on July 17. That is the story we’ll put out, and their counterrevolutionary allies will not have a banner to rally around.”
“I agree, for the good of the revolution!” Stalin declared, realizing that Lenin was right.
“The good of the revolution!” Trotsky declared seconds later.
“Excellent.” Lenin said. “Now all we have to do is make sure the rest of Yurovsky’s men remain silent.”
“Let me handle it.” Stalin said, an unpleasant grin coming across his face. “I have a way of making people obey.”
“Oh, and how will you collect them all?” Lenin asked.
“I’ll let it known that they are to be rewarded. I find that method very effective in gathering those I want.” Stalin chuckled.
**********