He dived instinctively hoping to avoid the inevitable and swam in frantic haste. He saw the beak skim the near surface, catching a large fish before rising once more.

He surfaced at once, the warm buoyant water seeming to support him. Then he swam to the near bank and hauled himself out.

“Out of the frying pan perhaps?”

He suddenly realised his clothes had changed. The silver suit had been replaced with animal furs. Only his hair-covered legs were visible. For all intents and purposes, he looked like a caveman.

Andy shook his head.

“This is getting sillier my boy.”

He wiped his hair and climbed to his feet. The foliage was huge and strange trees grew in all directions. He noticed the absence of grass and then realised where he was. The Cretaceous period.

“That means dinosaurs. Damn it. I’ll be eaten alive.”

As he said this, a large dragonfly flew past and vanished among the plants. Andy stood up and began to wonder what was going on. Only one idea seemed to fit the facts.

“Time travel,” he shouted. “What happened to my passengers though?”

As this thought went through his mind, a loud roar ripped the air apart. He hit the deck as branches cracked within the foliage.

He managed to glance up and saw the hideous form of a Tyrannosaurus lumber past. Andy remained still, hoping it had not seen him.

The creature lumbered on and he sighed in gratitude. Being eaten by one of those would have been unpleasant indeed. When he deemed it safe, he crawled into the undergrowth and listened. The creature was far off now, and other bellows could be heard faintly.

He stood then and started walking through the plants with great care. Many of these were over seven foot high and swayed gently in the breeze. A loud crack made him dive down.

He glanced around but could not see from whence the noise came.

“Psst.”

“Who’s there?” Andy whispered.

“Over here.”

Andy looked and saw a large slim cat lying as flat as he. The bright blue eyes shone with intelligence.

“You had better come over here,” the cat advised. “That T-Rex is no fool you know.”

“Now I am going mad. Talking cats indeed.”

“Shut up you fool. Just get yourself over here.”

Despite his better judgement, Andy joined the cat and saw that it wore a yellow cloak that was closed with a throat clasp. The paws had brown fur and the animal stared at him.

“I’m Jerrix Tau by the way. And you are?”

“Andy Sarson. How did I get here?”

Jerrix looked around quickly.

“That is what I’d like to know. I crash-landed. Love the outfit by the way.”

“Not from choice I assure you,” Andy replied. You have a plane?”

“Not really. I have a ship. Now I think it is safe. Follow me.”

The cat stood upon its hind legs and calmly walked through the thickening plant life. Andy was shocked but followed anyway. This world was getting a bit too strange.

“You can’t remember how you got here?” Jerrix asked.

Andy explained himself.

“Obviously some time distortion then,” Jerrix replied. “As for your passengers well? They could have ended up anywhere.”

“Is that a fact?” Andy asked.

“I am afraid so Andy. Such things have been known you know.”

Jerrix made his way purposely through the plants until they reached a clearing. Within that space, the bloody remains of a stegosaur stank to high heaven.

“That’s a herbivore,” Jerrix explained. “Just don’t let it stand on you.”

As they inched past Andy asked, “Where are we going Jerrix?”

“Back to the ship of course. Perhaps I can get you back to Norwich.”

“You can do that?”

Jerrix regarded him coldly.

“Compared with your species I’m a genius. Now shall we continue or grow old here?”

Andy shut up as his strange friend led the way.

“So how long have you been here?” Andy asked.

“Only a few days. The time field collapsed and I turned up here.”

“You travel in time?”

“Certainly I do. What’s the problem? Feeling inferior are we?”

“Well, just a little,” Andy replied.

“So you should. Now where is it exactly?”

Jerrix stopped and stared around. As Andy watched, he walked forward and promptly vanished.

A voice from nowhere called, “This way Andy.”

He found himself inside an advanced control room that shimmered in a pale blue light. This seemed to emanate from the very floors and walls. At the centre stood four metallic cat statues, which were five foot high. A little taller than Jerrix. They stood at the four compass points and within that space, a metallic dome rose to waist height.

“What do you think?”

“No comment,” Andy replied. “Why were you outside by the way?”

“Looking for a quantum filament actually.”

“On Earth?”

“Of course. I can extract it from a diciferous nodule.”

“I don’t really want to know what that is,” Andy replied,

“Of course you don’t. Your puny mind has no comprehension of such things.”

Andy was a little miffed at the accusation but knew he was no physicist. Jerrix reached out to the south statue and pulled a fork shaped device out.

“Stand there a second.”

As the device waived at him Jerrix studied the readout.

“Oh no. I cannot take you with me.”

Now Andy was angry. He grabbed the collar of the cloak and lifted the animal up.

“Why not?”

“Violence has no place here Andy. Truth is your quantum signature is way off. If I were to take you the space-time cortex would disintegrate.”

“In plain language?”

“Eh, boom. Now put me down.”

Andy dropped him and Jerrix walked back towards the exit.

“Where are you going now?”

“Time waits for no cat you know.”

“Or men,” Andy said indignantly.
---
Outside the invisible craft, Jerrix pointed his device until he got a proper signal.

“This way friend. Keep close. Can’t have you eaten.”

“Perhaps not but you intend leaving me behind.”

“I will do such thing my boy. Trust me.” Then he stopped suddenly. “Tarra trusted me.”

“Who is she?” Andy asked.

“We travelled together. Very nice little girl but that’s another story.”

“You probably kidnapped her,” Andy spat back.

Jerrix spun round angrily.

“I did no such thing. She decided to stick around. I miss her you know.”

“We had better find your thing,” Andy reminded him.

“Of course. Not much further now.”

They cleared the plants and found themselves staring at a waterfall. Behind the wet rocks lay what Jerrix sought.

“Well. Just have to get wet then,” the cat muttered.

Andy placed a firm hand upon his shoulder.

“It may not be safe. What about spiders?”

Jerrix thought for a second. Then he smiled.

“You had better go first then.”

Andy crept forward as Jerrix followed close behind. As they entered the water, he stared into the darkness.

“I can’t see anything dangerous,” Andy whispered.

“Problem with human eyes is they are fairly poor substitutes for my own.”

“Then check yourself mate.”

Jerrix crept forward and scanned the interior.

“It’s empty. Come on in.”

Andy followed the cat into the mouth of a small cavern. He saw Jerrix waive the device across the near wall until he stopped.

“Perfect.”

Andy could only see glistening rocks as the cat fingered his device. Moments later, he smiled.

“We have enough now. I simply inject these filaments into the drive system and I’m off.”

A screeching ended the conversation.

“What the devil is that?” Andy asked.

“Just a pterosaur my boy. No need to panic.”

“As long as it flies off.”

“It probably will my boy. Now, back to the ship.”

As they stepped outside, two creatures were waiting for them. 
---
Andy stared at the huge star shaped beings. They hovered about six feet from ground level and appeared to be blind.

“What are those?” he asked slowly.

“I met those on Helos six a while back. They are sentient machines bent on conquest.”

“I take it we are stuffed?”

Jerrix stepped forward.

“No such thing in my book,” he said. “You must know me,” he called
out.

“We know you Jerrix Tau. You will surrender now or die where you stand.”

“Typical,” the cat exclaimed. “Earth is outside your sphere. What are you doing here?”

“We traced your craft to this planet. When you die, we shall take it.”

“Killing me is harder than you think,” Jerrix replied. “Surrender? You can go to hell.”

Andy was now very afraid and he said nervously, “Hold on Jerrix.
Don’t antagonise them.”

A paw lashed out and Andy was thrown to the ground badly stunned.
The cat fiddled with his device and pointed it at his enemies. Almost at once, they exploded, showering the area with debris. He brought his paw down muttering to himself, “That will confuse the palaeontologists.”

Then he slowly turned and strode towards his dazed friend.

“Don’t you ever interrupt when I am working.”

“Okay,” Andy replied sitting up. “You pack some punch. What happened?”

“I reset their nemorax matrix. Short circuit to you. Now get to your feet.”

Andy did so and followed the traveller back to his craft where he reinserted the device.

“That should do it Andy. I can leave now.”

“You’re leaving me after all.”

Jerrix turned, “Oh no my boy. I only have to reset the time projector and you are off.”

Andy watched him walking to the west statue and look at him.

“Are you ready?”

“Never more so Jerrix. Where will I end up though?”

“Certainly not in Norwich I’m afraid. Probably in a war torn trench. Take care now.”

“Wait a second. What do you mean?”

As his surroundings dissolved he heard himself shouting, “Jerrix!”

He seemed to fall forever until he landed face down in a sea of mud.

the Time travel has me intrigued, :) Ive always wondered about it...what it would be like....Thanks, :) Happy Canada Day!

Ta...Enjoy your national holiday..Get legless my dear!

;)