Prologue
Contained herein are the official transcripts of first-hand accounts of the members of ChronoGuard Mission FA7-42, field reports to the Universal Continuum Commission, indigenous records from the Paradigm in question, and the succeeding investigation.
UCC Associate Voyager Clemmons holojournal, transcript of records 25th February, 175 New Era [1]
Today is my fiancée’s birthday and I’m stuck here running down reports on this “Maxgrim” fellow. At least he’s an interesting enough subject. Apparently his last official in-situ assignment was to track records of the Ethiopian ‘Prester John,’ though by cross-checking some of the personnel logs from SO7 [2], it almost seems like Maxgrim – err, Subject 5443B-9J – may have planted those records for the Commission to investigate. But why? Oh well, doesn’t matter. I’m just an analyst and this is above my pay grade. Stevens is coming, gotta go!
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Attachment to Personnel Evaluation on Maxgrim Kolchak, Supervisor Dr. Severs to Charter Director Keys-Mason, 14th August, 171 New Era
This young gent is absolutely astounding! His grasp of Temporal Displacement is almost intuitive, thus his control exceeds that of even some of our most veteran Voyagers. With your permission, I’d like to bump him up to Commander Walkren’s stick for their upcoming trip. I know its too early to be putting one of these recruits into the field, but with all the potential he’s displayed thus far, I’d really like to see him in action. Walkren’s crew is the best we have, so they will be on hand – with special orders – to make sure nothing goes wrong. This boy could be what the Commission has been waiting for.
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Mission Log DE3-16, Commander Walkren reporting 6th January, 172 New Era
Dr. Severs was right, this kid is amazing. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he had done this sort of thing before. Our Jump looked to take us over our mark, but he modified the trajectory and we landed right on target. Not bad, especially for a new kid in a pinch. Hell, not bad for a navigator with two or three years’ experience, bloody brilliant for some FNG [3]. I’d personally agree to an early promotion for this kid, I need a new G-man.
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Universal Continuum Commission Contact Report 87G-2R, September 27th, 174 New Era
Let it be recorded that throughout his training and field excursions, Maxgrim Kolchak displayed the finest performance required of a ChronoGuard Voyager. Both his Commander and Field Supervisor recommended his accelerated advancement, as well as a personal commendation by the Charter Director. Thus when he failed to return from the field, it was not immediately clear what had become of him. The Temporal Residuals of Mission FA7-42 indicated a disturbance over the African continent of that Paradigm [4], denoted by this particular mission number. The resultant pursuit then indicated that it was Maxgrim himself which had Jumped, effectively abandoning the crew and his mission. It was at this time that Commission was contacted by Commander Walkren and appraised of the situation. The best ChronoGuard in history has gone rogue.
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Mission Log FA7-42, Emergency Transmission, Commander Walkren reporting August 30th, 174 New Era
Silver Sword! I repeat, Silver Sword! We have a Senior Class Voyager AWOL! ChronoGuard Maxgrim Kolchak has disregarded protocol and Jumped to unknown coordinates. We are currently in pursuit.
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Mission Log FA7-43, Commander Walkren reporting 2nd September 174 New Era
Mission FA7-43 has overridden our previous objectives, direct orders from Charter Director Keys-Mason. This sort of thing has never happened before, but he’s on damage control. If we don’t bring something back – preferably Maxgrim himself – we’re all on the spit. Good news first, then, I suppose. We have tracked Maxgrim’s Jump to sometime in the 14th century over West Africa. We’re pulling all the data we currently have on what this particular spot should have in store for us, but within this Paradigm anything could be altered. Hmm, this will call for some rather unorthodox tactics, but I think don't anything short of a miracle is going to bring Maxgrim back to us. On his own, anyway.
Associate Voyager Griggs has indicated that so far there’s little out of ordinary for this Paradigm, so we shouldn’t be too far afield of what our records indicate. This place is Timbuktu of the Mali Empire, sometime around 1330 AD, but without local records we can’t narrow it further. Here’s what we know so far. Bullet-form, since the Director likes bullets:
Ø Ruled by Mansa Mussa, a.k.a. Kan Kan Mussa, nephew of one Abu Bakr II.
Ø Recently captured Timbuktu, possibly in the year 1325 as by our records.
Ø Recently completed a hajj to Mecca, possibly in the year 1324 as by our records, which may have ruined the Egyptian economy, thereby putting Mali on the map.
Ø Timbuktu has possibly as many as 180 Quranic schools, and three (3) universities: Sankore, Jingaray Ber, and Sidi Yahya. These schools are amongst the foremost of this age, outstripping many other Islamic intellectual centers, which outstrip most European intellectual centers.
Ø These Universities study weather and crops, geography, astronomy, mathematics, and cultural history, drawing from afar afield as Spain and the Levant.
Ø The Mali Empire is the center of all West African trade, including vast quantities of salt and gold, as well as other varied tradegoods.
Ø The terrain, particularly the flora, is typical of the Sahel and Sudanic vegetation, characterized by low moisture content, high potential for desertification.
Ø Mali falls to a Moroccan invasion in 1591. [5]
These are the basic facts of the situation, further in-situ investigation will be required before we can determine with any certainty the extent of our knowledge of this Paradigm. All potential sources of information will be considered; it may be necessary to expand our search if we are unable to unearth any clues here. We will, of course, debrief the Director as soon as convenient.
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Karem Ibn Battama, a personal letter, Timbuktu, c.1327 AD*P [6]
…These dogs! I came here thinking that I would be honored with titles and moneys for my teachings, yet at this Sidi Yahya University, here I have traveled across the desert to be insulted! I have been deemed sub-par by these mean [7] people and am now asked to return to Marrakech to, as they say, complete my education so I may be of sufficient intellect to sit in upon their lectures – as a student! I was not asked here to teach, but to be taught. This Mussa thinks highly of his negroid scholars; true they are adept, but more proficient? Laughable! [8] My dear Farede, I will be returning in some weeks’ time, once the Sanhaja are subdued… [Here follows more personal matters and travel arrangements of ill-import to the matter at hand.]
‘Yusef,’ journal entry, Timbuktu, c.1323 AD*P
The halls are abuzz with the news – the Mussa is going north on his hajj! We won’t be crossing the desert through Ghat, but north to the salt mines at Taghaza. I’ve heard we may even be going to Andalus, but I don’t see why we would – that’s across the waters that surround, isn’t it? Preparations are almost complete. There will be thousands of us to carry the name of the Mussa all the way to Mecca. I wasn’t to be allowed to go for at least another year, but something changed and now we are going. Allahu Akbar! [9]
Ricardo Noguiera, A History of the Mohammedan Dynasties of Spain, University of Toledo Press, c.1854 AD*P
The Castilians must have been terribly disappointed when the banners of Aragon failed to arrive on the field that day, as it certainly must have appeared that not only Aragon but God Himself had abandoned them [10]. According to contemporary historians, the Crusaders were present with some 40,000 men under arms, including various of the Knightly Orders, and there before them were arrayed nearly thrice their number of Moors [11]. One anonymous author notes the following account:
Then the Crusaders rose at midnight, the hour of Christ’s victory over death, hearing the masses and receiving the Sacrament of the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, Our God. Thus were they fortified against the heathen and marched under the sign of the Cross, taking their weapons of war joyously and rushing to battle. [Further obviously biased details include the exultations of the commanding monarchs, their relatives, various nobles, friends, and vassals – and a particularly venomous comment of the ‘Lord-Abandoning’ Aragonese.] Once through the mountain passage, those lined amongst the first ranks discovered the Moors ready for battle, but determined to honor the Holy Father they attacked, fighting one against the other, hand-to-hand, with lances, swords, and battle-axes, there being no room for archers.
Some mutterance of the traitorous guide was carried back to where this God-Fearing man stood. When it was discovered that this wretch was a Jew, Alfonso hisself took the man’s head, assured that being of that race he must be in league against the Banners of Christ. Long the battle raged, neither side overcome, though pushing and being pushed alike. Then, as if the Calamity of Armageddon itself were upon us, wretched Christians threw down their arms and retreated, crying out “we are undone, overcome!” This cry of doom carried down until the power of our Lord Jesus Christ caused the very air to quake; Our Glorious and Noble King of Castile rode forward, carrying a wave upon the spears of the Moors…
This account is largely a work of propaganda and delusion, though it is more accurate than most account, giving credence to the belief that at least the author was an eye-witness to the events. What is known is that Alfonso VIII of Castile did rally the Crusaders, bringing them back from the brink of a rout. The accusations that the simple farmer was doing anything other than what the soldiers said – guiding them through Despeñaperros Pass at sword-point – is easily dismissed as a reasonable excuse for the lack of success in battle. (Although it may be pertinent to note that Alfonso was known for his mistreatment of Jews and Muslims alike, so it may have some basis in fact. [12])
The fact of the matter is simply this: the Andalusia Campaign was quite possibly the last chance for outright Christian dominance of Iberia before the advent of the 15th century [13].
Ismail ar-Mohmar, a personal letter, Qurtuba, c.1323
This Mussa of Mali is a strange wonder. Apparently he has camped the vast quantity of his followers on the African coast and made voyage to Granada to engage in some manner of business with the taifa [14] there. For such a simple trip, he brought several hundred of his servants and slaves, all laden with gold and precious goods – not for trade, but distribution as gifts. It caused some small uproar there, from what I understand, and no small amount of confusion. Apparently this was a tactical ploy – this Mansa Musa is on a mission, it seems. Ostensibly, this was a social call – a sidestep on his pilgrimage to Mecca [15] – to honor one of the defenders of Islam here on the peninsula, but there’s more to it than that. Despite the ruse, through my contacts I was able to determine the purpose of the trip. Mali is to commission the construction of several dozen ocean-going vessels. Apparently dissatisfied with the months-long round trip across the Sahara, Mansa wishes to expedite his trade. These borderland heathens must not have a true understanding of the ocean and sail.
Mission Log FA7-43, Commander Walkren reporting 11nd September 174 New Era
As notated, the world of this Paradigm is in many ways very similar to our own. The initial Divergence is not yet clear - that is, we immediately assumed it to be local, but upon closer inspection it would appear that wider influences have altered the Reconquista before our arrival - thus it does not seem to be the work of Maxgrim, but of the natural evolution of this Paradigm. Analysis will continue as we continue our search, but it seems Maxgrim has gone to ground. He is in this Paradigm, this is sure, as there has been no Residue to indicate his departure. What he is doing here, however is most unclear and more than a little disturbing. [16]
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[1] 2628 Gregorian Calendar, New Era denotes the first Temporal Displacement (i.e. time travel) and contact with extraterrestrials
[2] Special Operations Network Department 7, beyond Top Secret
[3] Colloquial Acronym: F***ing New Guy; nothing technical
[4] TimeLine
[5] All OTL
[6] AD*P = Anno Domini *Paradigm timescale; to identify any potential divergences or irregularities from OTL
[7] In this context, 'mean' simply identifies with 'base' or 'simple' in terms of intellect and culture of the people mentioned.
[8] It was not an isolated incident for foreign scholars to be asked to conduct further studies abroad; Timbuktu was an impressive intellectual center with universities as celebrated and prestigious as Oxford. These drew scholars from as far afield as Spain and the Levant. This transcript is to illustrate this largely unknown fact.
[9] Use of the Takbir I felt was warranted; surely many of the servants and personnel for the hajj would have been themselves Muslim and I wished to illustrate this fact. Oh, and yeah, that’s the beginning of Mansa Musa’s famous hajj.
[10] It has not yet been revealed why… but the King of Aragon was otherwise convinced not to join with the Crusaders against the Moors, though please note that he did in OTL.
[11] This is a fairly accurate estimation by the author, but it is still an estimation. Without the Aragonese at battle, the Crusader numbers were less and it is not unlike the Moors to gather thousands of ill-equipped tribesmen from across the empire, nevermind keeping extremely accurate records of such troop bodies.
[12] Alfonso’s treatment of said peoples did cause some rather strong resentment amongst the other Crusaders, particularly the French and German knights.
[13] OTL the Christians would go on to dominate all of Iberia except the Emirate of Granada until 1492, though Granada was a Castilian vassal beginning in 1238 after a very different result from the aforementioned Battle of Las Navas de Talosa. For the purposes of this TimeLine, it will be referred to as the Battle of Despeñaperros Pass.
[14] Islamic Principality of Iberia
[15] Mansa Musa embarked on a pilgrimage to Mecca in 1324 OTL
[16] Just wanted to clarify that the PoDs began before the Voyagers arrived; they did not cause the alterations.
