Greece, 17

th
April 1900
Water surrounds me, cold and slippery like wet air dripping through my canvas
diving suit, threatening to leak through the seams in my copper helmet. A huge
shape looms up in front of me, and I recognize the hull of a ship. Who knows how
long it has lain down here under the sea, waiting for its secrets to be found.
I swim forwards until I come to an opening. It is almost too dark to make out
what lies within but I can see a mass of rusty metal gears. I wonder why it is
here.
My head begins to feel light, so I tug three times on the rope tied around my
waist, and feel the force of the water streaming past me as I rise.
When I reach the surface I pull off my helmet and take huge gulps of air. In
response to my coworkers questions I gasp, No sponges sorry there was a
machine metal, gears look-
Elias, what do you mean? One of the men asks.
What are you blubbering about, boy? Explain yourself, demands Captain
Kondos.
Go and look! I gasp.
The Captain mutters to himself, Brains addled by carbon dioxide no doubt.
He pulls on a suit and helmet and dives into the depths.


Assembly of the Council of the Stella System, 16
th
April 3020
Our next matter concerns the Antikythera Mechanism, Neptune says to the
nine people seated around the table.
The mechanism is a primitive time travel contraption, built in 2028 by Dalia
Hayes. I believe it was the first successful design, Neptune says, A rogue
traveller, Abaetus, stole the mechanism last night and used it to travel to 87BC.
Someone saw the mechanism and copied it, the result being that computers were
invented in the first century BC.
If I understand correctly, we must ensure that the mechanism is destroyed, lest
any time streams become muddled, Venus speaks up.
Correct, Neptune says, The mechanism was shipped across the Aegean Sea in
82BC. No one would ever know the path that was averted if that ship sunk and
the mechanism was lost.
Thats outrageous! I will not allow you to interfere with technology on my
planet, Earth exclaims.
Technology on earth is already corrupted, Uranus points out.
A vote, Neptune says, All in favour of sinking the ship.
A chorus of aye echoes around the table.
Earth is outnumbered seven to one, Neptune says, Is this acceptable to you,
Lord Aelius?
All eyes turn towards the head of the table. A single nod confirms the fate of
planet Earth.

Melbourne, 22
nd
April 2014
Dalia clicked on a link and played with the mouse as she waited for the page to
load. She scanned the page entitled ANTIKYTHERA MECHANISM. Mildly
intrigued, Dalia read on.
The Antikythera Mechanism, also described as the first computer, was built in
87BC and discovered by sponge divers off the coast of Greece in 1900. The
computer operated using a complex and astoundingly accurate design of
gears and cogs.
It is difficult to determine the exact purpose, but it is believed the computer
was used to measure the rotation of celestial bodies proving that primitive
civilizations had a much greater understanding of astronomy than previously
believed. However, the complex and precise design of the Antikythera
Mechanism leads us to wonder how such a sophisticated machine could be
created in a primitive time.
Further investigation into the origins and purpose of the mechanism will
commence later this year.
Thatll do, Dalia thought, and pressed ctrl and c on her keyboard.