Excerpt: Displacement

No one believed him at first.

He was a scientist, so he could understand their skepticism, but he really had no cause to lie. He had no restrictions on his travel, and no reason to come up with a fantastic story to explain his presence on Mars. It was just that one day, Rhodri Acher was walking to work, on Route 29, South New Sahir City, on the Southern hemisphere of Earth's Moon, and the next day he was coming around in a hospital in Hafal on the southern hemisphere of Mars.

A waiter had found him lying unconscious in an alley behind the restaurant he worked in, with his bag still over his shoulder. He had his inter-planetary ID card but no travel documents, he was in trouble, except he'd been caught on camera just 'appearing' out of thin air. It was good evidence, enough to have him sent home completely innocent of any immigration charges, but he knew they didn't believe him entirely still. Could tell they had to accept it on one level, but in their heads, they didn't believe him.

Rhodri Acher wasn't sure he believed himself.

He was on Route 29, on his way to work once more, when it happened again. not to him, but to someone else. Not that he knew it at the time, he found out later, when two Inter-Planetary Government agents turned up at his laboratory, their grey suits impeccable but shoes covered in dirt from the path that led to the hidden building. The little logo in the shape of a semi circle pinned to the lapels made them more intimidating than the weapons at their hips.

"We need to talk to you Mr. Acher."

They did, and he almost wanted to say no, out of spite, because three months ago they didn't have a moment for his story, but he nodded and answered their questions.