The ancient woman peered at them over her glasses. “If I go back in time with you, can we visit my sister?”

The young physicist shifted. “Research on the alien ship must be the priority, and I can’t promise anything else. However, since we would be using your memories to calibrate the time portal, perhaps it could be arranged.”

She snorted, startling him. “Perhaps? I’m the last one alive who watched the aliens land; if you can’t use my memory, then you can’t go at all. Perhaps I should just take my memories to the grave.”

“I’ll make arrangements, ma’am.”