"We are alive, aren't we?" Bruce asked.

"Yup," Michael said. "We made it."

"And Ralph and Elise?"

"Green light, kid, remember?  They made it, too."

"Good," Bruce said.

Michael stood over Bruce, staring down at him thoughtfully.

"Okay, it's time to talk business, kid," he said.

"What kind of business?"

"Getting you home."

"Home?  But we're Voyagers."

"I'm a Voyager, kid.  You're only here by accident."

"But----you can't," Bruce said. "You told me your Omni can only be set as late as 1970."

"That's not quite true," Michael said.  "I've got an adapter to bring it up to the 36th century.  I didn't have much faith in the adapter, because the Omni was fouled up.  But it's been working perfectly the last few times."

"But, Michael," Bruce pleaded. "I don't want to go home."

"I know, kid," Michael said tenderly.  "And you must know by now that I don't want you to go.  But rules are rules."

"What rules?"

"You have to be called to be a Voyager, kid.  You have to be plucked out of time and assigned to the job."

"How do I get called?" Bruce asked.

"I don't know," Michael said. "But I do know one thing.  When I turn in my report, your name will go to the top of the list of candidates.  They won't even have to train you."

"You think they'll call me?" Bruce asked.

Michael smiled at him. "They'd be fools not to," he said.

They stood there smiling at each other.  Then they heard a booming sound from far off in the distance.

"You hear that?" Michael said. "It sounded like a cannon."

There was another explosion, this time much closer.  Then they heard the sound of hundreds of hoofbeats.

"Where are we?" Bruce asked, looking around.

Michael checked the Omni. "England," he said.  "1066.  Pearl Harbor."

More explosions.  "They didn't have cannons in 1066!" Bruce said.

"They had plenty at Pearl Harbor," Michael said uncertainly.

Another explosion.  "The Battle of Hastings!" Bruce said.

"What?"

"England, 1066!" Bruce said excitedly.  "The Battle of Hastings!  There aren't supposed to be cannons here!"

A cannon shell exploded twenty feet behind them.  They fell to the ground and covered their heads.

"No cannons, you say?" Michael asked.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbnq5eUKeLp

"That's right!  We have to get rid of those cannons!"

They stood up and looked at the top of a nearby hill.  There, heading for them at a fierce pace, rode William the Conqueror and his Norman army.

As they scrambled for cover, Michael yelled, "Looks like your return trip is going to be delayed a little, kid!

Bruce ran for the trees, grinning and giggling all the way.179Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLdTbcTdGiZ