The ELI Event B007R5LTNS

removed from the scene, and over his family’s—and the robot’s own—vigorous protestations, the ‘obscene device,’ as it was called by investigators, was immediately destroyed.
    “Jonan became despondent and uncommunicative in custody, and his attorneys feared he would be unable to participate in his own defense. That fear was rendered moot early this morning when Jonan was found in his cell, dead from self-inflicted injuries.
    “In accordance with statutes concerning offenses of this extreme nature, his trial will proceed posthumously. Duala?”
    “Stay with us; we’ll be right back with sports after the break.”

One
    “Gentlemen, ladies, please!” Assisted by his gravi-lite chair, Borok stood carefully and held up a hand for silence. The din subsided. “This is supposed to be a discussion, not a grudgeball match. We must not attract attention. Even in a private residence, our group is not beyond the reach of government troopers.” The elder scientist scanned his seven colleagues seated around the translucent table. “Denes, I believe you had the floor.” His chair rose to meet him and gently lowered him again.
    “Thank you, Borok,” Denes acknowledged, nodding slightly. “I was just saying that although I do not approve of the total Federal ban on time travel, I do understand their reasoning. We still don't know all the implications of upstream technology. Interfering with the past to improve the future could have sweeping, unpredictable consequences. To test our hypothesis by altering the past, particularly to the extent we are discussing, could literally destroy our present. The year 2312 as we now know it could radically change, and not necessarily for the better.”
    “It has been proven experimentally,” countered Val-Nar in her polite but no-nonsense way, “that the effects of carefully applied temporal adjustments can be controlled.”
    Before Denes could reply, Kyr took up his uncle’s argument. “Carefully applied minor adjustments, perhaps, but who’s to say what’s minor? If the effects of a change grow exponentially with the temporal displacement from its origin, then even minor changes become hugely significant over time.”
    “Ah, there’s the problem,” said Pan-Li, his almond eyes sparkling. “Of course all effects of a given event change cannot be known for certain, but the mathematical probabilities of various outcomes can be calculated with some degree of accuracy.” He reflected a moment before continuing. “To assume, however, that said accuracy is statistically sufficient to warrant such drastic action on our part is at least questionable, perhaps even dangerous.”
    Aurora’s attention drifted from the conversation. She regarded Borok, her husband of eighty-four years, with gentle eyes. She regretted their having become involved in this renegade undertaking in the autumn of their lives. She had dreamed of a quiet retirement, filled with long walks on Pacific beaches, candlelight dinners, and the occasional lunar holiday. Now she feared that dream was gone forever.
    Instead, they had become embroiled in this terrible controversy, they and some of their oldest friends and most respected colleagues, debating the merit—not the possibility, but the merit—of nothing less than changing history itself. She wished with all her heart that they could look the other way, live out their lives in secluded anonymity, ignore the problems of the rest of the world.
    But, of course, that they could not do.
    They were scientists, and Borok a humanitarian above all else. They had dedicated their lives to the betterment of mankind, and now, when mankind needed them most, was not the time to withdraw.
    When she refocused on the conversation, Pan-Li was just finishing. “Dear friends, I cannot vote with conviction either for or against, for the calculable outcome is too vague and the consequences too far-reaching.”
    Aurora leaned forward and spoke at last. “Although Pan-Li is undoubtedly correct about the mathematics of the situation, that in no way addresses the immorality of inaction.” She raised her left hand, and used thumb against fingertips to count off her points. “We have the technological ability to change the past. We have the historical knowledge to identify target events. We have the altruistic and, I dare say, the personal motivation to alter our present time frame. And we have the moral obligation to do so because we're the only ones who can.” She