Dr. Fiona Hall was known as the Tyrannosaurus Regina. Dr. Fiona Hall had discovered more Tyrannosaurus skeletons than any other paleontologist. Fiona’s crowning moment came 6 years ago, when she discovered in Alberta, near the Montana border, the near perfect remains of a family of Tyrannosaurus’. Fiona discovered the fossilized remains of two adults, and two adolescents huddled in a group. The remains were painstakingly excavated and were now on show at the Alberta national dinosaur park, and were known as the Mr and Mrs Rex and the Kids.

Fiona Hall was running a dig site in Alberta, near the Montana border. It was the middle of summer, and it was hot, and humid, and there were bugs everywhere.

Fiona was originally from Stratford, Ontario. She had visited Toronto as a child, and her parents had taken her to the Royal Ontario Museum. At the museum she had seen the skeletons of the Albertosaurus', and at that moment she knew what she wanted to do. Fiona Hall wanted to be a dinosaur hunter.

Fiona Hall studied hard, and studied long. She had graduated from university and taken an internship in Alberta with the famous dinosaur hunter Barry “Mac” McGreagor. Amongst the dust, and the heat, and bugs of Alberta, excavating the bones of a dinosaur that had died 67 million years ago Fiona Hall was so very happy.

Sitting around the campfire in the evening, and watching the never ending expanse of Canadian prairie sky Fiona Hall was so very happy.

Fiona Hall loved being a dinosaur hunter. She had gained funding for her first independent dig, and found a partial Tyrannosaurus. It was a huge success. Her next dig she found another Tyrannosaurus, even more intact. And then another, and then another. And then the family huddled together. Their death frozen in time, and perfectly preserved. That is why Fiona Hall was known as Tyrannosaurus Regina.

Fiona Hall was sitting in her trailer, the AC blasting.

There was a knock on the trailer door.

‘What is it?’ - said Fiona

‘Dr. Hall?’ - said a man

‘Yes, what is it?’ - said Fiona, studying a rock.

‘Dr. Hall, I was wondering if I might have a moment of your time?’ - said the man

‘Are you from the press?’ - said Fiona

‘No, I am not from the press’ - said the man - ‘May I come in?’

‘You might be able to come in if you tell me what you want’ - said Fiona

‘I wanted to talk to you about dinosaurs’ - said the man

‘I am a little bit busy at the moment, why don’t you head over to the dig office and they can give you some reading material’ - said Fiona

‘I was hoping to talk to you’ - said the man

Dinosaur groupies - wanting to talk to the Tyrannosaurus Regina and pose for a selfie, and to tell her how much they loved her, and her work, and how they should make a film about her! - thought Fiona

Fiona placed the stone on the counter.

‘Okay - just one photo and then I gotta get back to work’ - said Fiona, opening the trailer door.

Fiona stood and looked at the man standing outside her trailer.

‘Hey. I know you’ - she said

‘Dr. Hall, a real pleasure to meet you. David Sterling’

‘You are famous’ - said Fiona

‘Yes, I think I am’ - said David

‘I went to your talk in London, at the Royal Academy’ - said Fiona

‘I hope you enjoyed it’ - said David

‘I bought your book. Both of them’ - said Fiona

‘I bought your book too’ - said David, smiling

‘Come in, please’ - said Fiona, holding the trailer door open.

‘What the hell is David Sterling doing at my digg in the middle-of-nowhere Alberta?’ - thought Fiona Hall

‘What are you doing at my digg?’ - said Fiona Hall

‘Well, firsty I am a huge fan’ - said David - ‘And secondly, I was wondering if you might like to go on an adventure with me’

‘Do you want a drink? A soda or some water?’ - said Fiona

‘Yes’ - said David

‘Which is it - soda or water?’ - said Fiona

‘Soda’ - said David

‘Coke?’ - said Fiona

‘Perfect’ - said David

Fiona took a cold Coke out of the fridge and handed it to David.

‘You need a glass?’ - said Fiona

‘No, this will be fine’ - said David

‘I’m sorry. Did you just say you wanted me to come on a little adventure with you?’ - said Fiona - ‘Or did I mishear you?’

‘No, you heard me just fine’ - said David

‘A little adventure where?’ - said Fiona

‘Rome!’ - said David, smiling

‘Rome’ - said Fiona

‘Well, first Rome, and then here’ - said David

‘Are you feeling okay, Mr. Sterling?’ - said Fiona

‘Oh yes, just fine’ - said David - ‘I have never felt better’

David Sterling was famous. Really famous. Dr. Fiona Hall, the Tyrannosaurus Regina, was famous but not really famous. People who were interested in dinosaurs, or who watched National Geographic Television would know Dr. Fiona Hall. But David Sterling had saved the planet. David Sterling’s work on fuel cell technology had led to a 50% reduction in carbon emissions in 5 years. It was projected that carbon emissions would be entirely eradicated in another 10 years. Every car, every house, every office, every factory, every ship, and every plane ran on a fuel cell that David Sterling had invented, and then given to the world for free. Each cell would last for a hundred years, or maybe more. In addition to the fuel cells, David Sterling had produced new materials that were lighter and stronger to be used in the manufacturing of pretty much anything.

David Sterling’s father had changed the way we thought about the world. David Sterling had changed the world.

‘I’m sorry, is this a date? Are you asking me out on a date?’ - said Fiona

‘Sure. If that makes you feel better’ - said David, sipping his Coke.

‘So it is not a date?’ - said Fiona

‘If you want it to be, yes. If you don’t want it to be, no’ - said David

‘And why do you want to take me to Rome?’ - said Fiona

‘Think of it as an appetizer, before the main course’ - said David - ‘I have to take you to Rome, or else when I tell you where we are really going you will think I am crazy’

‘Or else I will think you are crazy…’ - said Fiona

‘Yes, it will all make sense once we get to Rome’ - said David

‘Not much about this is making sense right now’ - said Fiona

‘But it will, when we get to Rome’ - said David

‘And when do you want to go to Rome?’ - said Fiona

‘Now’ - said David

‘Now?’ - said Fiona

‘Yes, now. Is it not a good time?’ - said David - ‘I can come back later if you like’

‘So let me get this straight. You, David Sterling, want to take me to Rome right now. Or else when you tell you where we are really going I will think you are crazy. Is this right?’ - said Fiona

‘Yes’ - said David

‘And how are you planning on taking me to Rome?’ - said Fiona

‘On my machine’ - said David, finishing his Coke

‘Okay’ - said Fiona

‘Excellent’ - said David

‘No, that wasn’t an “Okay let’s go”, that was an “Okay, this is crazy”’ - said Fiona

‘Look, I know this is a bit much. And if I were in your position I would think it was a bit crazy too. But, let me ask you this, Dr. Hall. How often does the cleverest man in the world - as I am told I am - come knocking on your trailer in the middle of dusty Alberta and say to you “I want to take you to Rome!”?’

‘This is the first time’ - said Fiona

‘And I make a solemn promise to you, Dr. Hall. If you will let me take you to Rome, and when we return here you are not sufficiently impressed then I shall leave, and you will never see me again. How does that sound?’

Fiona Hall laughed, and covered her mouth.

‘Is that a yes?’ - said David

‘That’s a maybe’ - said Fiona

‘That sounded like a yes’ - said David

‘Okay, yes’ - said Fiona

‘Excellent’ - said David

David opened his bag and pulled out a pale blue full length silk tunic and a white silk wrap. David also pulled out a pair of brown leather sandals and a selection of gold rings, clasps, necklaces, and hairpins.

‘Okay - these are for you. You get changed first and then I will get changed. Now no watches, or rings, or necklaces - only what is on the table. We have to look authentic. And no cameras or phones. Or sunglasses!’ - said David, standing and smiling

‘Are we going to a fancy dress party?’ - said Fiona, holding the clothes in her arms.

‘Not really’ - said David

Fiona was already regretting this. Fiona took the clothes and shoes and jewelry to the bedroom and changed.

David changed next.

They stood in Fiona’s trailer dressed like a couple of Romans.

‘Latine Quid est?’ - said David

‘I’m sorry?’ - said Fiona

‘Your Latin. Latine Quid est?’ - said David

‘Scabra’ - said Fiona

‘Okay, let me do the talking then’ - said David - ‘Are you ready?’

‘Ready for what?’ - said Fiona

‘The games!’ - said David, smiling

David opened the trailer door and stepped out into the heat and dust.

Fiona hesitated.

‘Come on’ - said David

Fiona stepped out of her trailer, hoping that no one would see her.

‘This way’ - said David, marching off

Fiona felt ridiculous. What was she doing?

Fiona followed David away from the camp. There was a disused trailer that had been rotting in the summer heat and winter cold for many seasons about 100 meters from Fiona’s trailer.

‘Come one!’ - shouted David

‘Is this crazy bastard going to kill me?’ - thought Fiona

David disappeared behind the trailer. Fiona gave the trailer a wide berth, waiting for David to leap out and attack her.

David was standing next to a white contraption that looked like a motorcycle.

The contraption didn’t have wheels, and it appeared to be hovering just above the ground. The machine had handlebars, and a screen. The seat was long, there was enough room for maybe six people to sit on it. The front of the contraption was pointed, and had inlets and pipes and nozzles.

‘What is that?’ - said Fiona

‘My machine’ - said David, smiling - ‘Isn’t she beautiful’

‘What type of machine is it?’ - said Fiona, moving a bit closer

‘A time machine’ - said David, climbing onto the saddle and pressing some buttons and touching the screen.

‘A what machine?’ - said Fiona

‘A time machine’ - said David - ‘Hop on!’

Fiona gingerly climbed onto the time machine, sitting behind David.

‘Now you might want to hold on, okay’ - said David, pressing more buttons

‘Hold on where?’ - said Fiona

‘Well, you can grab onto me if you like’ - said David - ‘She moves pretty fast, and she can jerk a little bit when she gets going’

Fiona moved a bit closer to David, and put her arms around his waist.

‘Ready?’ - said David

‘I think so’ - said Fiona

David flicked a switch and then gripped the handle bars. He pressed a button next to his right hand and a blue light shot out of the front of the time machine. The blue light extended about 5 meters and then began forming in a disc in front of the time machine. The inside of the blue disc began turning black, and then a hole appeared. The time machine shot forward and disappeared in the hole. The hole collapsed on itself and the time machine, David Sterling, and Dr. Fiona Hall were gone.