Pete Lundquist

Pete Lundquist was a science fiction writer living in California in 1953. His works were frequently published in a magazine called Astonishing. He'd grown fond of a writer named Mark Gordian's writings. However, upon reading a story called "Reactions", Lundquist realized that Gordian was somehow a plagerist. The final work "Reactions" was a story that Lundquist himself was in the process of writing.

Lundquist alerted Astonishing publisher Jim McGregor by mail. McGregor, initially skeptical, until he saw Lundquist's initial ideas for the story. They agreed to meet in Gardena and track down Gordian. As Lundquist and McGregor talked before the meeting, Lundquist became convinced that Gordian was a time-traveler. When Lundquist and McGregor met Gordian, they were surprised to learn that she was a woman named Michelle. She confirmed that she was indeed a time-traveler from the 1980s, and that the stories she wrote were either variations of events from her history, e.g. Watergate, or other writers' works yet published. Gordian claimed that her primary purpose in going back in time was to prevent what she saw as a decline in logical thinking and an appreciation for science in her own world.

Lundquist and McGregor left, promising to keep Gordian's secret. Subsequently, Lundquist, intrigued by Gordian, returned to her place. Gordian surprised him by coming on to him. Lundquist, to Gordian's surprise, refused her advances.