A Viking Raid

Lodin Gudrodson stood ready at the bow of his ship, breathing in the salty air of the North sea. The wind ruffled his fur coat and nipped at his blond hair. He grasped his sword's sheath with his left hand and stroked his beard with his right.

Behind him, his men rowed without ceasing. The ship cut through the water with ease. Lodin skimmed over the horizon, checking for signs of land. After five weeks on the sea, he was eager for battle.

At last, it appeared: a dark spot at the edge of the sea, growing bigger with every oar stroke.

"Land ahead!" Lodin turned around. "Ready yourselves!" A cheer went up from the men. All the men who weren't rowing took up their weapons and strapped on their shields. The rowers steeled themselves for the final dash.

Lodin drew his sword and prepared himself to make his father proud. He'd bring back enough treasure and slaves to make Gudrod the Fearless the richest man in Maerin. Perhaps he'd even earn himself a nickname like his father's. "Lodin the Brave" would sound nice. Or maybe "Lodin the Fierce".

The coast grew bigger quickly. Lodin could see a stone building with a cross on the top. His heart leapt with excitement - a monastery! Not only plunder awaited them, but a chance to slay heathens.

The ship was within a hundred feet of the coast now. Any second, they'd strike shore and swarm the monastery. Thunder cracked in the distance, accompanied by the yell of seventy Vikings raising a battle cry.

With a jolt, the ship ran ashore. The storm of warriors loosed on the beach was matched by the storm of rain unleashed overhead. Lodin leapt ashore, coat drenched, and began charging up the beach. Then he raised his sword high in the air and bellowed: "For Buddha!" The cry was taken up by all the warriors around him, who swung their axes, swooshed their swords, and rushed towards the monastery.

About a mile away, at the top of a cliff and kneeling behind a bush, Billy Shank put a hand to his headset, eyebrows furrowed. "Did I hear that right?"

His partner, the red-haired Perry Wiggins, ripped off his headset and swore violently. "Yes, you heard that right."

"But-- I thought we'd fixed everything..." Billy sputtered. 

"Evidently not," Perry said, standing up. "Let's go." He trudged towards a rock some twenty feet from the edge of the cliff. Billy sighed and got to his feet.

As soon as Perry reached the rock, he rested his hand on it. Immediately a large metal craft shaped like a pyramid materialized next to it. Perry threw open the machine's door, glancing back at Billy.

"You coming?" He said, stepping through the door. Billy followed soon after, shutting the door with a faint slam. The words "TIME TRAVEL 008" could be seen etched on the machine's surface. With a faint whir and a pop, the machine disappeared from view and from time.