Ambiguity

"Death And The Knight."

Historical Fiction

"...he gripped a small crucifix that hung about his neck, symbol and source of help from beyond this world." (p. 746)

Symbol, yes. Source? Ambiguity.

Science Fiction

"'...Marlow has a miniature radiophone in a crucifix he always carries.'" (p. 750)

Now we understand that "source." But the tenses are scrambled. Marlow, discussed in 1990, had a radiophone in a crucifix in 1307. However, Manse Everard, in 1990, proposes to travel to 1307 to respond to the SOS call that Marlow had made on his radiophone to the fourteenth century Time Patrol milieu base which must then have sent a message capsule to the 1850-2000 milieu HQ in London, 1890-1910, which in turn would have messaged the San Francisco second hand bookshop in 1990 from where we already know that the Time Patrol agent/bookseller, Nick, telephoned Everard in his hotel overlooking the Golden Gate.

That Everard in 1990 can plan to intervene in 1307 partly legitimizes him in speaking of Paris, 1307, and San Francisco, 1990, as if they were two places coexisting at the same time provided that this is not misinterpreted literally. Half an hour elapsed in one century does not equate to half an hour elapsed in the other century and so on. Everard will take several days of his own lifespan to prepare his rescue of Marlow but that much time will not elapse for Marlow between his sending of his SOS message and his being rescued. Analyzing the implications becomes a fine science.