[ WP ] You travel back in time only to discover that the past was a futuristic dystopian society that collapsed and we still did n't find out about it .

Time to go again. George shivered. He did every time he sat in the chair. Maybe it was the power. Maybe the nerves. Maybe the fear. 
 
 Time travel was never simple. Limiting himself to once per year, for fear of altering the continuum, George was nonetheless excited. It was always interesting. He always learned. But only from a distance. 
 
 The locals could n't spot him. They would fear. They might even kill him. Worse though, coming back might not be possible, for the further you go, the broader an effect you have. 
 
 This time though... George wanted to go further back. He'd seen the slaughter at Stalingrad. The crowning of Queen Victoria. Hannibal's elephants. The Mongol hoards. Boudica fight the Romans. All that and more, but it was n't enough. 
 
 Forget the dinosaurs. No sense getting eaten. Further back. To where the air was breathable but only just. What would he find. 
 
 With a breath, George pushed in the coordinates. The room whirled and his stomach lurched. Like always, he closed his eyes. He liked to be surprised. 
 
 To his consternation, his first sound was... music. George opened his eyes. 
 
 Had something gone wrong? It had to have. For he was in a room. A room... with no door. 
 
 Checking the coordinates, he had indeed arrived at the right time... but then what was the meaning of this? 
 
 Hesitantly getting out of the chair, George sniffed the air. It had a certain metallic smell. Almost coppery. And he felt lighter. Strange. 
 
 He'd seen some strange things, but this took the cake. 
 
 Suddenly, a voice boomed throughout the room. It was unlike anything he'd ever heard, and in no recognizable language. Yet... George understood it. 
 
 `` You are hereby placed in confinement, on account of your violation of Penal Code III, under section Delta.'' 
 
 `` What in the hell for? What's going on??'' George gasped. 
 
 `` Please wait for your prosecutioner.'' 
 
 `` Wha-'' George was cut off as a loud POP blasted behind him. 
 
 Whirling around, he saw a solid metal desk in place of his machine, and a diminutive man behind it. The man wore glasses and a three-piece suit of an unknown material. He studied George for a moment and motioned for him to sit in a chair that was suddenly behind his legs. 
 
 `` I.. what is going on??'' 
 
 Again uttering in that strange language that he could somehow understand, the man answered in an extremely monotone voice, as if he'd done the same thing a thousand times. 
 
 `` You stand accused of violating Penal Code III, under section Delta.'' 
 
 `` I do n't even know what that is.'' George spluttered. 
 
 `` How do you plead?'' 
 
 `` What in the hell is going on?!'' 
 
 `` Please, this is an official record. If you do not plead, a verdict will be sent down regardless.'' 
 
 `` Well not guilty of course!'' 
 
 `` That is not a plea. Two options exist: You may choose your punishment. Death, or hard labor. Choose please.'' 
 
 `` Wha.. am I not allowed a defense? Or knowledge of my crime??'' 
 
 `` You have been advised of your crime. Defense of yourself is unnecessary as your guilt has been determined prior to this meeting. How do you plead?'' 
 
 `` Ca n't you just explain? I do n't understand what is going on!'' George begged pathetically. 
 
 Slowly taking off his glasses, the man sighed, and pushed a button that appeared on the desk. `` I do n't have time for this, I would like to go home you know.'' 
 
 `` I'm sure, but so would I.'' 
 
 The man once again studied him for a moment. `` Do you really think that you're the first?'' 
 
 `` First what?'' 
 
 `` Traveler of course. The problem has become endemic and the policy is quick prosecution.'' 
 
 `` How am I supposed to know that? Why ca n't I just leave?'' 
 
 Almost rolling his eyes, the man sighed again. `` You think we can let you leave with that machine? So more of you can show up? We have thousands every day, from every time. The technology must be limited.'' 
 
 `` This is n't fair!'' 
 
 `` You want to know what's not fair?'' The man seemed to become agitated. `` Having your daughter's birthday party and one of *you* shows up and starts wrecking things. You are an infestation and must be eliminated.'' 
 
 `` What about justice??'' 
 
 `` Justice? You interlopers know no justice. I've seen your history. You know nothing of us and yet you think you can apply it to us. You never learn. We are far more advanced then you realize, yet we understand that our history is to die. That is our doom. We accept it.'' The man paused dramatically, and almost whispered, `` Why can you not understand our wish is to do so peacefully?'' 
 
 `` I'm.. I'm sorry. Can I help?'' 
 
 `` No. Just as our destiny is to perish, yours is to bother us. The solution is to rid the Times of this technology and live in peace.'' Pushing the button again, the man continued. `` I ask again, how do you plead?'' 
 
 George shivered, but this time for a different reason. He had a sense of impending calamity, that he knew could not be avoided. With a shake, `` Hard labor please, if there is no other choice.'' 
 
 The man nodded and disappeared before George's eyes. The room was empty. 
 
 With nothing to do, he sat down and contemplated his situation. Nothing good could come of `` hard labor.'' 
 
 In the distance, George heard a knocking sound. Like a ring against a wooden surface, but more hollow sounding. It got louder and it's pace slowed, to once every few seconds. 
 
 Just when it sounded like it was outside the room, it stopped. 
 
 And George shivered.
