The hamster conundrum has been playing on my mind somewhat I can tell you. I had no sooner decided to pay another visit to the research department team, than a slightly apologetic Debbie Shorttail from the Temporal Experimentation Team turned up in my office to personally hand me her report on the latest developments. About time too I say! Can’t have multiple unidentified rodents about the place without a decent explanation.

Before I tell you about the contents of the report, let me tell you a little about Debbie Shorttail. She is one of our leading lights in the Temporal Experimental Team she is an expert in quantum physical history, which is an obscure variant of Quantum Physics which concentrates on historical exploration. I believe that is what she said anyway. She is a very personable little otter and I am glad it was her who came to deliver the report not Brian Russetcoat. He is a very fine physicist, top of his field I am lead to believe, but he will keep looking wistfully off into the distance and musing about stars and the like. He is a very difficult chap to have a coherent conversation with at times.

Right then, lets get down to the business of these hamsters. Some time back a contingent of rodents volunteered to help us out in some of our experiments. This was during the early stages of the practical temporal displacement research (I am told that means time travel). According to the report these experiments were largely unsuccessful. Some of the fellows involved flickered a little, one claimed he had seen the lights go on and off.

Lights going on and off? I wouldn’t say that is conclusive evidence of time travel! That could just be a result of blinking for too long. It all seems a little inconclusive and it seems that the temporal team agreed with me. They decided to refocus their experimentation on a more otter specific method of moving through time. Wetter, I understand, something to do with time flow and water flow sycronising and speeding or slowing the flow of water can change the progression of an otter through time.  There is a lot about it in the report, it is damn complicated and I made the mistake of tracking Brian Russetcoat down and asking him for an explanation. Fine chap, always so chipper, can’t understand a word he says.

Where was I? Oh yes, the rodent volunteers were informed that they had been a great help but as they weren’t otters they could play no further role in the experiment; too great a risk of drowning you know. When they all turned in their badges, one chap was missing. Happy little fellow he was, always poking things apparently. According to his colleagues within the team he had gone for lunch.

Well, what do you know, I was right about him. This missing hamster is the one who materialised on the transport pad. just sitting there, eating a seed. He caused great deal of commotion I can tell you, that pad hadn’t been used since last June! Curiously, he claims he had only been sitting there for a matter of moments. He had gone to get his lunch, saw a flashing light and poked it once or twice then sat down on the pad to eat his snacks.

Mighty strange business this, it seems that he has somehow traveled a good 13 months into the future quite by accident. How these things can happen by accident is beyond me. What makes it even stranger is that some 10 or so minutes after the appearance of Cedric (yes…the hamster is called Cedric), a second hamster appeared. He was dripping wet and said he had been sitting watching the temporal team at work when he over balanced and fell in the time flow tank. He says he is also called Cedric, and they do look mighty similar, almost like twins.

I have a feeling there is more to this. Come to think of it Debbie did mutter something about a follow up report… she seemed very concerned with getting back to the hamsters who were carefully placed one on each side of the room to avoid any annihilation mishaps.