Broken Arrow Revisited

FOREWORD

First and foremost, I would like to apologize, to all of you history buffs out there. It will be apparent to you as you read this book that I moved the time frame of the Bascom Affair. I did this, as they say, for dramatic affect. I moved it from February to the middle of the summer. As you read, you may understand my reasoning for this, and forgive me. I take solace though, in the fact that Jeffords until his dying day, said that Cochise told him that the Bascom Affair happened in 1859, not 1861. This is just one of many discrepancies I found, when researching this book. Let me tell you of a few others.

A couple of the most glaring were of photographs of the time and who they were purported to be. One stated that the photograph was of Cochise. In fact, the photograph was really of Eskiminzin, a chief of the Aravaipa tribe of the Western Apache. As far as we know, Cochise was never photographed. Another stated that it was a photograph of Thomas Jeffords. That one made me laugh. It was obviously General Oliver Otis Howard. How they could make that mistake, is beyond me.

Another discrepancy that I found as I researched, fell into the area of chronology. This supposed authority, stated that Taza died in Washington D.C. two years before Cochise, from pneumonia. That Cochise, had sent Taza to Washington D.C. as an emissary. While true that Taza did indeed die in Washington D.C. from pneumonia, it was actually two years after Cochise’s death.

These discrepancies emboldened me as I wrote. I will go on record that the linear chronology of my story is fairly accurate, barring the Bascom Affair. The names, locations, and occurrences are as accurate as I could make them, given the ambiguity that sometimes the historical records related. I feel that I did my best, but it is your option to decide.

E. L. Glenn

BROKEN ARROW REVISITED

PROLOGUE

Kirk stood in front of the Omni Productions building, wondering what he was doing there. He looked up at the multi-story glass and steel building with a feeling that something was about to happen. Something, that was going to forever change his life.

Kirk was a newly appointed professor of cultural anthropology at UCLA. His specialty was the aboriginal natives of the American southwest, circa 1500-1900. Neuman, his department chair, had come into his classroom this morning and stood there until the session ended. Neuman’s presence made Kirk feel nervous, but Neuman didn’t do anything until the last of the students had left the room. With their departure, he approached Kirk and said, We need to talk.

Kirk was stuffing his materials into his briefcase feeling concerned, wondering what this was all about. This was his first professorship, he had no tenure, and desperately needed the job. At twenty-eight, he didn’t want to start all over again from scratch. Looking at Neuman and trying to assess what was going on, Kirk finally just gave up and asked, Is there a problem?

Neuman leaned back against Kirk’s desk, eyeing him for a moment. No. I don’t think so, but you may be in a position to help out your department financially, significantly. There is a production manager over at Omni Productions by the name of Silva, who has asked for you by name. He said that if you will do some collaboration work with them, they would make a grant to the department. The size of the grant that he was talking about was big. Real big. Do you know him? Neuman finished by looking at Kirk with a questioning look in his eyes.

Kirk looked away, trying to remember if he knew anyone named Silva, let alone some big wheel in a company like Omni. He was drawing a blank. Can’t say that I do. What does he want with me? Kirk asked looking again at Neuman in confusion.

Neuman looked at Kirk a little suspiciously in return, but then just shrugged and said, Don’t really know. He didn’t really go into it all that much with me, just said he wanted to see you, and talk to you before he made up his mind. So, whatever you do, don’t piss him off. That grant could fix the department for years. If you get it for us, trust me, your position here is solid. Also, if whatever this Silva is talking about, causes you to have to take a leave of absence, don’t worry, I’ll cover your schedule, and your position will still be here when you get back. Speaking of which, how many more classes do you have today?

Two. Kirk answered.

Okay, I’ll get a grad student down here to cover them for you. Get over to Omni ASAP. With saying that, Neuman bounced off the desk, and left the room. Kirk watched him leave, wondering what the hell was going on.

So, here was Kirk looking up at the building. Taking a deep breath, he slowly let it out and went into the lobby. Approaching the reception counter, still trying to bring his nerves under control, he said to one of the receptionists, I’m here to see a Mr. Silva.

Giving Kirk the polite impersonal smile that never seemed to reach the eyes that all receptionists seemed to have perfected, she asked, Name?

Kirk Iglesias. Kirk answered.

Turning to her computer display, the receptionist started scrolling through it and suddenly stopped. Looking back up at Kirk with a stunned look that she was trying to control she said, Mr. Silva left orders that whenever you showed up, you were to be sent directly to him. He is in suite 6601.

Turning to the printer that was just then running because of her command, the receptionist took a security badge that now had Kirk’s picture on it and handed it to him. You’ll need this. Then pointing across the lobby towards the elevators she said, You have to use the express elevator. The badge will authorize it. The other three elevators only go to the Sixty-fifth floor.

Stunned himself, Kirk took the badge and headed for the elevators. Whoever this Mr. Silva was, he was somebody important. There were only sixty-six floors to the building. Like all things corporate, whoever was on the top floor, was the most important.

Coming off the elevator, Kirk saw by the office directory sign on the wall, that there were only three offices on the top floor, and that 6601, was the first one on the left. Going to its door, Kirk hesitated for a moment, wondering whether he should knock. Considering it for a second, he decided that he was just meant to go in. Turning the knob, he went in.

Not knowing what to expect, Kirk was still a little surprised to find a pot-bellied, middle aged man, sitting in his pajamas on a sofa, enjoying the view from the windows of his office. Without turning his head, the man said, Isn’t life grand. Is there anything better than this view? Kirk didn’t know what to say and then the man turned his head and looked at him. I knew it. You’re perfect. Don’t ever bet against the Silva man, you lose. Kirk was even more at a loss. He didn’t understand anything that this man was saying.

Sorry, couldn’t help myself. Whenever I prove myself right, I just can’t help but be impressed by me. Do you know why you’re here? Kirk numbly shook his head no. This man was really strange. Do you know what I do most of the day? Again, Kirk found himself numbly shaking his head negatively at the man’s question. I watch movies and TV shows from the twentieth century. You would be surprised about how they can create ideas in you. Ideas that create money. Look at you. You look just like Clint Walker in the movie, The Dirty Dozen. Posey, that’s you. Kirk had no idea what this man was talking about, but again, just nodded his head numbly.

The other day, I was watching a movie called Broken Arrow, and then I watched the TV series of the same name. I realized they could make a great docudrama if I had the right vehicle. You’re that vehicle Kirk Iglesias. Finally, Kirk could make some sense of his rambling. The Broken Arrow movie had been about the life of Cochise. Cochise, the great Apache chief of the Chiricahuas. The man who his own mother had vehemently said that she was directly descended from.

Kirk finally broke his silence, Alright, you’re talking about Cochise. If you’ve done research on me, you know that my mother claimed that she was directly descended from him.

That’s what makes this so perfect. Not just your looks, but that you are related to the man we will make the docudrama about. It’s perfect.

Kirk saw fervor in Silva’s eyes. What has that got to do with me? That was over four hundred years ago. Kirk asked, still confused.

Silva’s eyes gleamed. We’ll send you back. You’ll be able to meet your great-great-great…whatever, maternal grandfather, one on one. You’ll be able to relate to us why he did what he did and tell us the story. When you come back, all the mysteries will be solved. We’ll know everything. It’ll be stupendous. We’ll make billions.

Kirk saw the intensity in Silva’s eyes, You’re saying time travel is possible? I thought the physics guys were still working on it.

Kirk saw a slyness in Silva’s eyes, We’ve got it and we’ll pay for the ‘mints’ you’ll need too.

Mints?" Kirk asked, not understanding.

"Enhancements. We’ll make you stronger, faster. Able to see farther, and in any light condition. You’ll have an internal computer that will be a part of you to record all your observations and that you will be able to relate to at all times. Because, once you return that second or nanosecond after leaving, we’ll want all that info for the docudrama. You can stay one year. Ten years. It doesn’t make any difference. When you return to us, it will be like it was the next moment.

That’s why I don’t have any problem in investing this much money in the project. From our perspective, it is going to be almost instantaneous. You’re the only one who is going to have a time problem. Silva finished in almost a gleeful manner.

Kirk nodded his head in understanding. He would age, but no one else would. It was something to consider, but another thought occurred to him. What difference does it make what I look like? There is not going to be any cameras back then, and I will be the one recording everything. I won’t be in the picture.

We’ll CG you into the scenes that matter when we edit. The computer guys call it third removed, whatever that means, but you will be in some of the scenes. Then Silva canted his head a little as he looked at Kirk and asked. I know that you’re not married, have you got anyone your serious with. A girlfriend, or maybe a boyfriend? I really don’t know what your persuasion is. Anybody who might find it strange when you seem to age almost overnight?

Kirk noticed that Silva asked the question as if he already knew the answer. He also realized that if he accepted Silva’s offer, Silva was expecting him to spend more than a year or two in the past. No. I don’t have anyone close to me like that. A few friends, that’s about it. I get the impression that you already know that both of my parents are dead.

Silva looked at him with a little smugness in his look as he heard Kirk’s answer. Yeah, I checked you out. Just making sure, just to be certain. You’re perfect for this.

Kirk wasn’t so sure. On one hand, this was an incredible opportunity to actually be able to go and study first-hand the culture he had spent his whole adult life studying. On the other hand, there was a lot of risk. The culture he would be immersed in, were completely tribal. Anyone not of their tribe was considered an enemy. He could die there in the past.

What if they kill me? What if I were to die there in the past? Kirk asked Silva as it occurred to him.

We’ll know that immediately, if you don’t return right after we send you. If you agree to it though and sign a contract with me, your department at the university will still get their grant. It’s a risk I’m willing to take, because I think that you’ll make it. Silva then looked at Kirk like he was sizing him up, I think that you think you can make it too. You haven’t asked though, about how much you’ll get paid. Don’t you care? Silva asked with curiosity.

Kirk hadn’t thought about it. His mind was still trying to come to grips with what Silva was saying. That he was going to be given the opportunity to actually see first-hand, a culture that he was passionately enamored with. That he could possibly meet in the flesh, Cochise, Mangas Coloradas, and maybe Geronimo. Money for himself hadn’t entered his mind and he said as much. I figure you’d pay me what you thought it worth.

Silva’s eyes grew round. My God, am I in the presence of a non-larcenous soul? I truly didn’t know that one existed.

Silva with a shrug and a look, conveying that he couldn’t believe that Kirk was real continued, With that attitude, I could really cheat you, but I won’t. I’ve prided myself on always looking out for my people. You come in on this with me, I’ll make sure that when you return, you will have enough wealth, that if you’re careful with it, you’ll be able to make it last the rest of your life. Or you could augment it with that little professor-ship and really be on easy street. The choice would be yours. Do we have a deal? With that Silva stuck his hand out for Kirk to shake.

Kirk looked at the proffered hand and thought that he should think for a moment, but his mind was already made up. He couldn’t pass up the opportunity to actually meet those individuals he had spent years in studying. Taking the proffered hand, he said, Deal.

Great! Silva said as he shook Kirk’s hand. Let’s get legal up here to draw up the contracts. Once we’re done with that, I’m sending you to a special unit in the UCLA medical building where they will graft the ‘mints’ into you and the computer systems. They’ll probably want you to have at least two weeks of physical therapy to get comfortable with the ‘mints’ and the computer interface, then we’ll be good to go. I’ll take care of everything else with your department chair while you’re doing that.

Kirk was feeling a little uncomfortable again. This was too fast. He felt the need to adjust. What do you mean, physical therapy, what are you talking about?

Silva could see Kirk’s tenseness, Easy boy. It’ll be okay. How much can you bench-press?

Kirk was taken back a little by the change in subject, but just said, About 450. Why?

Because once the ‘mints’ are in place, you’ll be able to double that, maybe even do an even thousand, but your body won’t be used to it, and how fast you will be able to move, will also take some time for you to adjust to.

Kirk was again having a sense of unease when Silva finished. If these ‘mints’ can do this, why don’t others, especially professional athletes, have them grafted on? What’s the drawback?

Silva looked a little uncomfortable, Well…uh…they age you faster too.

How fast? Kirk asked with some suspicion in his voice.

No one knows for sure. They don’t know if it’s just from the grafting or the usage. It’s new, and hasn’t been studied that much. Look though, you’re going to need them. Where you’re going, you’re going to need every advantage you can get. Kirk just grunted in reply to what Silva said, but had a picture in his mind of returning as a very old man.

The next few weeks were a whirlwind for Kirk. He was compliant in his physical therapy and was amazed at how strong he had become, and how quickly he could move. Where Silva had been concerned about the changes in his physical aspect, Kirk had found his vision to be the real obstacle. He had found it hard to maintain focus on his immediate surroundings. His new-found ability to view something afar with his telescopic vision, and with any change in the brightness of his environment that would cause his night vision to kick in, he had found it hard to maintain his focus. Finally, though, he seemed to have it under control.

Today, they were releasing him, and Silva was there to pick him up. Getting into the back seat of the limo with Silva, Kirk gave him a nod. You ready? Silva asked.

I hope so. Won’t know until I really need to use everything. Silva just nodded.

Well, this is it. Next stop, 1860 southeastern Arizona. Kirk nodded in reply.

Kirk looked out the limo window and noticed that they weren’t headed back to the Omni building, but further into the UCLA campus. Giving Silva a questioning look, Silva replied, You didn’t think that we would have the time travel capability at my office, did you? Kirk just shrugged. He really hadn’t thought about it at all.

The limo stopped in front of a fairly non-descript building on the campus. There was nothing on the outside that gave any evidence of what its purpose might be. Going in, the two of them were confronted by security. Silva showed them something that Kirk didn’t quite make out, but it seemed to satisfy the security people and they let them pass. Entering another room, Kirk saw a large, silvery, metal sphere, isolated from the rest of the room behind thick plated glass. On this side of the glass, there was an array of computer consoles.

Getting up from one of the consoles a man approached them. Putting out his hand he shook Silva’s. Silva turned to Kirk and said, This is Arvin, he’s in charge here.

Arvin looked at Silva and then at Kirk, then back at Silva again. This our test bunny? He asked.

At Silva’s nod, Kirk asked with some concern, This has never been done with a human before has it?

Silva looked a little uncomfortable and said, No, it hasn’t. So, you need to pay special attention to whatever Arvin tells you. Kirk nodded. He was starting to get used to the gaps in Silva’s level of communication.

Arvin held his hand out for Kirk to shake. With Kirk taking his hand, Arvin said, "Don’t worry. We’ve run ten tests with chimps. They’re all alive except the first one. When we were doing the empty runs, we never thought to take a thermal reading of the interior of the shell. We sent the first chimp a thousand years into the past. The poor bugger froze to death. Apparently, the further back in time you go, the sphere gets colder and colder.

You’re only going back four hundred years and you’ll be wearing a backpack that has an automatic heating and cooling system that is in tandem with your on-board computer. It’ll sense your body core and give you sufficient heating to make it through.

Kirk, still felt uncomfortable. The little bugger froze to death! He thought to himself while shaking his head.

Arvin then motioned Kirk to follow him. Let me show you the sphere. He said.

Kirk followed Arvin into the next room towards the sphere and saw the backpack that Arvin had talked about leaning against it. He saw what appeared to be a Henry repeating rifle that the cavalry of the 1860’s was just beginning to be armed with, and a Stetson hat sitting on top of it. The rifle was in a sleeve built for it on the side of the pack. Turning to Arvin, he asked, Aren’t you guys afraid that I might kill somebody in the past that could cause repercussions here in the future? What do you call it, the butterfly effect?

Arvin noticed Kirk’s observation. Don’t worry. The rifle and the two pistols in the pack, look and sound like the real thing, but they only shoot a tranquilizer. If you shoot somebody, it’ll knock their ass out and they’ll wake up about 3 or 4 hours later, feeling hung over. As for the butterfly effect. Who knows? Maybe you’re supposed to be there. That makes as much sense as anything else. Arvin said with a shrug.

Kirk could only shake his head, How fast does the tranquilizer work? He asked.

Almost immediately. Closer to the heart and lungs the better, but even if you hit them in the butt, they’ll be out in seconds. You shouldn’t have any trouble hitting what you want though, your computer tracking system will automatically target what your eyes are looking at when you shoot either the rifle or the pistols. Just point them in the general area.

Arvin then took Kirk into the sphere. Pointing out two areas marked with symbols on opposite sides of the door he said, These are the sensors. The one on the right opens and closes the door. The one on the left is the recall sensor. Don’t get them confused, okay. Kirk nodded. Arvin then pointed out two circular light panels above the door. One red and one green. While the red light is on, don’t touch either sensor. When the green comes on, you’re good to go. Got it? Kirk nodded again. It’s a no brainer, even the chimps could do it. Arvin finished dismissively. Kirk felt a little offended as he followed Arvin out of the sphere.

Arvin then headed over to a table nearby, that looked to have a scale model of the sphere on it. I’m going to show you how to stow the sphere with this. I don’t want to use the real thing for this. Arvin said as he picked the scale model up. See this? Arvin asked Kirk, as he pointed out a symbol on the outer, left side of the door on the model. Kirk nodded, looked at the real thing, and saw the same symbol just left of the door on it.

Using his thumb to cover the symbol and with his index finger on the other side of the door’s edge, Arvin held the model as it began to fold into itself clamshell wise, until both sides of the door were almost touching each other. The doorframe had telescoped down at the same time, until it was perhaps a third of its original size. The big one works the same way, and when it is folded up, it’ll be small enough to put into your pack. To reverse the process, just take your thumb off the symbol and put it back. With that Arvin raised his thumb and reapplied it to the symbol, the model opened back up and resumed its shape. Got it? Arvin asked. Kirk nodded.

Speaking of your pack, Arvin said, you’ve got provisions for about a year, five gallons of water, which you can replenish as need be, five replacement cells for the rifle and ten for the pistols. Each cell is good for a thousand shots, so make each one count. The pack’s got a nuclear-powered energy source, that’ll probably last around a thousand years. The damn packs heavy though, especially after you will have put the sphere in. It’ll weigh well over a hundred pounds, but I’m told that should be no problem for you. Arvin then nodded towards the pack, The hat on top is in tandem with the heating and cooling system, it’ll keep your head warm or cool, whatever the case may be.

Kirk nodded again and then asked, What’s the range for the rifle and pistols?

Rifles good for about five hundred yards, the pistols, only a little over a hundred. Arvin replied. Arvin then looked critically at Kirk, We need to get you dressed right. Turning he yelled across the room. Henry, get those clothes for our volunteer. In response, a man came into the room carrying a buckskin shirt, coat, pants, and Apache style moccasin boots. After the man handed them to Kirk, Arvin gestured to what appeared to be a restroom door and said, You need to change. Kirk nodded.

As Kirk headed towards the door, Arvin said, "One more thing. We’re going to