The Mantle of Khronos

The appearance of man-made objects embedded in twenty-three million year old rock draws a motley group of colourful characters to the scenic and fascinating Caldera region of Northern New South Wales. The story is narrated by Romy, who visits the area for a week at the invitation of his cousin, Hunter, a local who believes the artefacts are evidence of time-travel. They seek advice from their friend, Jade, and her university professor, who have simultaneously made astonishing discoveries of their own.

Romy remains sceptical, even in the face of an ongoing series of inexplicable events, but finds himself drawn sympathetically into helping the eccentric Ajax, who claims to be marooned from his own far-off time zone. Jade has befriended a group of Aboriginal healers and, when one of them falls ill after coming into contact with a mysterious fluid, they draw the conclusion that it is a foreign substance from the future. Jade’s aunt, a fortune-teller from the Gold Coast who takes the paranormal in her stride, gets reacquainted with a family of Gypsies who have set up camp at the gates of Hunter’s property. Their little daughter is intelligent but prone to strange behaviour after entering trances.

The activities of a cult, whose leaders have turned a nearby farm into an experimental institute, attract the scrutiny of the intelligence agency ASIO and soon the once peaceful community is a hotbed of intrigue as opposing groups go undercover to protect their own interests. When Hunter considers the safety of his friends to be at risk from certain adversaries, he calls on support from a gang of bikers from Byron Bay, who agree to provide security until the threat subsides.

A common thread links the diverse groups: evidence supporting the existence of a living force field permeating the world, known as the Mantle of Khronos. Ajax adds to the concept by revealing what he claims are ancient secrets, but his credibility rests on the fulfilment of an event forecast to occur at the end of the week. In spite of accusations that his cousin is disloyal, Romy acts decisively to protect his companions, including the self-professed time traveller, until the story reaches its unpredictable conclusion.