South Of Bikini 2- Revelations free porn video

We rejoin the Empress of Time and Space in Reilly Research Station's Infirmary where two survivors of the ill-fated invasion force recuperate. A mysterious message received by CINCPAC causes more to be revealed about the Sisters of Kili and Alex must both hold and fold her cards with regards to members of the USS Detroit's crew. Might the recently neutralized Janelle Hathor still have an ace up her sleeve, though? The following story is just that- a story- fiction. As such, all characters are fictitious and any similarities to persons living or deceased are purely coincidental. Some research has been done for authenticity and so I didn't screw it up too bad. Just so I don't receive nasty-grams from any WWII vets, the Balao class submarine, keel number 353, was never built. No military missions of this sort actually occurred in the areas at the dates specified. Furthermore, I hold the highest admiration for every submariner- every veteran, WWII or other, for what they sacrificed, endured and accomplished. Copyright 2008-2010 R.G.Beyer South of Bikini II: Onward Episode 1 "Revelations" 2030hrs, Reilly Research Station, Kili Island, May 12th, 2028 For over an hour we watched them work- Emily and Corrine from Earth; Alexis, Melanie, Isabeau, Cassie, Reilly, Tibius, Nathan, Gailan, and Timus from Terra; and Cindy Riggby, formerly of Earth, now resident of Terra. My temporal twin, Alex Covington; granddaughter, Alexandra; and Alex Reilly stood back wishing we could lend any help at all. The four of us, the Empresses, resigned ourselves to just watching and waiting for the best healers on two worlds to save one woman's life! Cmdr. Anna Beth and her crew had crash-landed on Earth several thousand years ago- from where we now stood in 2028AD. They had been accepted among the native Egyptians in exchange for limited technology and some had even started families... Until Assistant Director, Janelle Hathor, a corrupt, renegade scientist from Reilly Research Station, disappeared into a time slipstream created when I, Alexandra Frances Steinert, Empress of Time and Space, transported Reilly out of volcanic danger and onto Kili Island of 2027BC. Apparently, she and three others magically appeared in the marketplace of ancient Memphis, Egypt after releasing their grip of the hand directly ahead of them in our daisy chain. The four women were immediately raised to Goddess status- something Janelle coveted more than Alex Reilly's director position. Once Janelle discovered the existence of other 'mystical' beings, she ordered their immediate arrest. Enslaving the most powerful of them, Anna Beth, and making use of the commander's gift, she assumed control over the minds of the others. Hathor quickly became known as the mother of the Egyptian Gods, while she and her fully controlled minions reigned supreme over the land of the pyramids! Still, an old vendetta needled at her. She continued to believe Alexandra Reilly, director of Reilly Research Station, had sent an alien lookalike back in her place to wrench control of the facility away from her! This alien resembled Director Reilly in every way, shape, and form except one. Hathor found she was captivated by the way this doppelganger spoke. Her forcefulness- her charisma- the verbal control she exhibited on everyone at the station- herself included. Within a matter of hours, she had convinced the entire population of Reilly that they were doomed- that the fusion giant they orbited would expand to engulf the facility, thereby killing everyone outright. Somehow this alien had stolen her entitled power...and her deserved position! Then a girl-child of no more than eight revolutions magically appeared in the marketplace several years later claiming to be from the future- from a far off planet called Terra. She claimed that her grandmother could travel through time and space better than she could. The child was taken to Anubis- what Hathor now called Anna Beth, but did not seem affected by her power! Hathor decided to take a different tact and asked the girl who her grandmother was and why she, being the mother of all Gods and Goddesses, had never learned her name. "My grandmother is Alexandra, Empress of Time and Space!" the child replied regally and crossed her arms in a huff. A plan for revenge quickly formed in Janelle Hathor's power twisted mind. If she could use this under-developed revision of her nemesis to transport her and a small group of soldiers to Reilly Station, she would seize control and command the alien time traveler to take her to Alex Reilly! The child, heir to the family legacy- the next and future Alexandra, Empress of Time and Space, thinking the game now over, disappeared mere seconds after depositing Janelle's mercenary forces on Kili Island in 2028AD. What they found was a preliminary contingent of women, and a few men, preparing Reilly Station for some kind of conference and totally unaware of her lecherous motives. Reilly quickly succumbed to Janelle Hathor's control, but she had underestimated her main opponent- drastically! One member of that commando team still survived as well as Hathor herself. With Tibius, Grand High Counsel of Citadel, Terra's help, I would be successfully depositing a much more docile Janelle Hathor back in ancient Memphis. Together, the two of us would spend a few days informing the families of the deceased. Another day for first finding Anna Beth's family then reassuring them that she would be returned when fully recovered. They were to be informed of her strong will and impressive resistance. We'd also tell them she was finally free of Hathor's nightmarish prison suit. Anna Beth now lay before us severely malnourished and near death- a barely living testament to the harsh, diabolical treatment any two-bit tyrant would employ to secure a successful campaign of conquest, destruction, and domination of an otherwise peaceful society. Unfortunately, Janelle Hathor chose the one 'peaceful' society on Earth more than capable of defending and defeating her pursuit of that type of greed and supremacy. 'That's exactly what she did Alex, good thing it didn't work, huh? Everything has been entered into the archives by Randi as requested, Empress,' Jacquelyn Cummins said in my mind. I mentally thanked her and returned my attention to the group surrounding our patient. "That should give her an outstanding chance for a full recovery. Ladies and Gentlemen, I thank you for your assistance in saving this woman's life." Emily praised those around her. All had been engaged in repairing the various wounds and trauma Anna Beth had received from our latest skirmish with Janelle Hathor and, unfortunately, us. "Doc, I'd like to continue repairing her cosmetically. Looking like she had before that bitch-" Corrine angrily nodded to the still unconscious woman in the next bed, "Got her paws on her might help in her recovery. At least she wouldn't feel so self conscious!" Corrine remained still and looked sadly at the hairless, pot-marked, frail individual. She knew all too well how it felt to look...different. "Um...does anyone have an idea as to what she looked like?" She looked up at those of us around her. "Lady Corrine, without her explicit permission, I cannot in good conscience, review her previous appearance in her mind. I would be disregarding Terra's primary and foremost law- personal privacy." "Well I'll just have to use my imagination then, Sir Tibius. No woman wants to look like a train wreck before her peers. What color hair shall we give her, Ladies?" Corrine asked, angling a finger to her mouth in thought. As I wiped the residual tears from my eyes, I asked the question posed to us. It had taken a while for me to regain my composure after witnessing this most humbling scene of Reilly, Terran and Earthling working together to save one individual- the likes of such an act, though repeated before, had again proved emotional for both Admiral Demmit and the Empress. Before I became melancholy over that thought again, I spoke my answer. "Dark Brown." Or not. Young Alexandra- my granddaughter- had beaten Alex Reilly, my temporal sister Alex, and me to the punch. "Maybe originally, yes, Empress, but wouldn't spending years in a region of Earth known for its consistent and damaging sun tend to bleach one's hair lighter?" I asked, noticing other heads nod in agreement. "My niece and Alex are both right Corrine, maybe start with brown then add in streaks of lighter brown, maybe some red, and blonde." Emily bartered. Corrine put her hands to Anna Beth's bald scalp. We watched as brown to blonde aggregated hair grew from the woman's skull. As she let the hair grow, Corrine fussed with it, straightening it out until it extended about ten inches. She moved her hands away. "Now for eyebrows: full, modestly well-kept, or thin and highly arched?" Corrine looked around at us again. "Since she is of Terran origin, modest and well-kept, Lady Cosmetologist," my youngest daughter, Alexis, responded immediately with an air of conceit. "Of course, M'lady." Corrine Masterson giggled slightly as she smiled. She proceeded to gently place her pre-arched pointer fingers just above Anna Beth's eyes. After a minute she removed them and the unconscious woman had a pair of well-groomed, feminine eyebrows of aggregate browns. Corrine quickly slid her hand down to the woman's abdomen beneath the standard hospital issue sheet and held it there another minute. She looked up just as quickly realizing the room had gone quiet. "I'll let her make the choice." She smiled deviously. Returning to the woman's head, she continued. "I'm going to trigger the production of melanin- she looks simply ghastly like this! Before our eyes, Anna Beth's pallid complexion became a beautiful, golden brown tan. Corrine put her finger to her mouth once more. Thinking things over for a moment, she finally spoke. "That's what's missing! How could I have missed something so obvious?" She took a hand and held the fingers between her palms for a similar amount of time then took the other hand and repeated the process. She did the same for our patient's feet. When finished, the woman sported a manicure and pedicure- but no colored lacquer. "So that's what ol' Anakin Skywalker would've looked like had you gone to the dark side, eh, Corrine?" Allie joked. "Wonderful job, Miss Masterson." "A girl should always look her best, Empress." She smiled with a giggle. "Whether she's in the hospital or not!" Emily's patient began to stir, letting out a weak moan. "Anna Beth, my name is Emily Rosen. I am a physician. My colleagues and I have repaired your wounds as well as we can. I'm afraid you must do the rest yourself, ma'am." The woman continued to moan lightly and seemed oblivious to what my sister said. "M'lady, may I try?" Tibius asked quietly. He received a nod from Emily as she stepped back a few feet and looked puzzled by the wall display above her patient's head. "M'lady Anna Beth." He pronounced it Ahna-Bith, speaking his native Terran. "I am Tibius, Grand High Counsel of Citadel, Terra. M'lady, we are refreshed to have found you alive. Your recovery shall be displayed on every social monitor across the planet! Welcome back, M'lady Commander!" To our surprise the recovering woman's tongue went into high gear! The only trouble was we had no idea what she was saying! Even poor Tibius looked at a loss as the woman deliriously rattled on and on. "Empress, I have sent for my mother. Maybe she can translate this." Melanie tried to talk over the commotion. I nodded my acknowledgement. Tish appeared at the infirmary's entrance about three minutes later. Anna Beth's continuous rant was starting to become a source of irritation all around the room. Making her way to the woman's bedside, Tish listened closely, cautiously trying to interject a word or two into the one-sided conversation with no luck. My unusually calm linguist angered after a few nonstop minutes and seemed ready to turn and walk away. "SHUT IT!" she shouted at the top of her lungs to the unstoppable woman on the bed. The room went quiet. "M'lady, she speaks a rather ancient vernacular of Terran. I'm afraid I am of little help to you." Tibius admitted sadly, looking to Tish, he bowed slightly and moved aside. "Sir Tibius, what you call an ancient dialect of the Terran language is also the rather specialized tongue used by Janelle Hathor's Egyptian friends. I was studying this very language earlier today before..." Tish let her sentence fall short; instead, she nodded to her daughter and closed her eyes in concentration. "Empress, I have asked Melanie to have Randi transfer the basics of the language as I know it to the facility's computer. Our uniforms are being downloaded the translation information now. We should be able to nearly comprehend her shortly." "You are simply amazing, Lady Takashi!" Tibius commended my petite linguist as he shook his head. "All I did was listen carefully, sir." Tish smiled. "Why can't I see? This place is filled with strange voices! Am I still confined to that vile prison? Has that horrid woman devised yet another way of torturing me? I must not show weakness! Why can't I see? I remember a man speaking to me! Who is he? Why can't I see? Any moment now the intense pain will again start! I must fight it! I must continue to concentrate my skills to disarm this confinement! Why can't I see? Those women in the field, did they do this to me? Have I been used to hurt more people? WHY CAN'T I SEE?" "Anna Beth. You are among friends. You are safe. The evil Hathor has been rendered harmless, my commander." Tibius responded, gently putting a hand on her arm. "Pharaoh, is that you?" the woman said as she abruptly stopped her rant. "No, Commander, I am not Pharaoh. I am leader of a planet called Terra- a place over a hundred units from here. I am afraid you are no longer in the land of the pyramids, M'lady. You are, in fact, several leagues and, unbelievably, several thousand years from that location at the moment." He continued to talk softly. "Several thousand years? How is that possible? Have I been drawn through another anomaly?" Anna Beth paused a moment. "The child!" our patient's mouth dropped open. "She claimed the child to have special abilities! That devious jackal, Hathor, she tricked the child!" Our patient unexpectedly started to cry. "I could not stop her from using the youngling! The prison made me do her bidding! I am as responsible as Hathor herself! I am not worth your efforts!" "Commander, it was not you! The suit encasing you was designed to force your compliance. From what we witnessed, your resistance was very apparent, but only briefly." I tried to calm her. "It must have taken everything you had- and then some- to do that!" "Commander...Anna Beth, I hold no ill-thoughts for you." Young Alexandra spoke quietly as she touched the woman's left shoulder. "You see, M'lady, I was that child- I bare you no resentment. You have been used just as I have been." My granddaughter comforted the woman. "What is your name, woman? You do not sound like the child I met personally- in fact you sound quite similar to the voice just talking? What manner of deception is this?" "Alexandra, M'lady, and there is no deception, I assure you! I am Alexandra, daughter of Alexis and Nathan, First Princess and Financier- Grand of Citadel, Terra; Granddaughter to Tibius, Grand High Consul of Citadel, Terra and Earther, Alexandra Steinert-Fleming, Empress of Time and Space." She answered proudly. "Ten years ago I was the little girl that visited the land of pyramids and subsequently coerced into transporting Janelle Hathor and her assault team to Kili Island- the place where you now recuperate." Tibius' smile couldn't get any wider as young Alexandra followed Terran protocol to the letter. Alexis and Nathan smiled to one another. "You are the granddaughter of THE Empress?" The woman suddenly looked shocked as she tried desperately to focus on the voice. "Yes, M'lady, I am- though some now call me 'Empress' as well," my granddaughter acknowledged and glanced up to the other three of us for support. "That is impossible! The Empress is but myth- a story told by the very old to the very young!" "I assure you, M'lady, the Empress is very real! In fact, there are three of us standing here before you." Young Alex sounded slightly insulted. "Thr...three of you? I know no mention of multiples in the old stories!" "In all actuality, Commander, there are four of us attending your bedside at present. I am the past-present Empress; I came from eighty years ago. I am also presently here as my temporal twin and past twin will attest." "Allie, that didn't make any sense to me and I AM the you of this time period!" "Then you explain it, Alex!" "Alex, I couldn't begin to explain the convoluted logic around that statement, even though I'm the Past Empress!" Alex Reilly replied, unsure if she was making sense herself. "Well then I'm doin' the best I kin given y'all can't come up with anythin' better!" I growled in annoyance. "Physician? I fear I am becoming delusional! I hear the same voice from four different locations! I require your attendance!" Anna Beth cried out. "You four!" Emily pointed to young Alexandra, Alex Covington, Alex Reilly and I. "Out! Now!" As we turned to leave, I noticed Tibius and Uncle Rick shaking their heads and chuckling. Mina was also stifling a bit of laughter. "The Empress- all four of us- will be in the third floor observation lounge until needed! Come along ladies!" I said regally for all of us before leaving the room entirely. "Don't take this the wrong way, Cap, but you can get a little confusing these days," Joss...my Jack admitted. "You too, Jack?" I rubbed my face with both hands. "Hey...I couldn't follow that explanation and I knew what you were talking about! Anna Beth has been away for a long time. I doubt she understands time travel at all." "Jack, that's how she and her crew got to Egypt in the first place- don't you see?" "Ummmmm....no?" Jacki- the present day Jack- frowned slightly as she and her twin looked at each other and slowly shook their heads. "I'm sorry, but Inter-dimensional, and Space-Time physics aren't among my seven degrees, Allie." "Tibius stated that Anna Beth's spacecraft left Terra before their sun entered its second phase, right?" "Ya, we got that part, Alex," Jacki said for them both. "That was over four hundred Terran years ago. How do you account for them arriving on Earth eight to ten thousand years ago?" I asked as I raised my right eyebrow, staring at her while waiting for her theory. "Maybe you go back in time when we travel to Terra, Alex," Joss quickly replied, raising an eyebrow to punctuate the statement. "I'm quite sure that isn't the case, Jack," I admitted mysteriously. "How far ahead in time do we go to get to Terra then, Alex?" Jacki raised an eyebrow of her own and folded her arms in front of her. She glared at me. Alexandra, Alex Covington, and Alex Reilly looked to me from across the table, also anticipating my answer. Jack looked at each of them in disbelief. "You mean to tell me that none of you know either?" Jacki exclaimed as her and her sister's mouths dropped open. "Look Jack, I can't get there on my own- I've tried, so why should I even ask?" Alex Reilly casually admitted to my Ex-O. "I received the coordinates from grandmother, Aunt Jackie. I've never once questioned them. I just think of home and poof, I'm there!" Young Alexandra lifted her hands into the air for emphasis. "Well I never said anything, sis- just like we agreed all those years ago," Present Alex admitted looking around at the others. She smiled deviously. "Unbelievable!" "Aren't we?" I smiled. Jack- both of them- looked so cute when they were confounded! 2030hrs, Reilly Research Station, Kili Island, May 13th, 2028 I blinked as I felt the draw on my mind easing. The memories slowed and finally stopped appearing in my mind. "Thank you for catching me up on what happened, Commander Steinert. I hope it was not too uncomfortable." "No, it wasn't, Anna Beth, but you are the first Terran I've permitted that far in. Only Jack and Cami have gone that deep...and survived." I winked at her as I giggled. "I am honored, Commander. After learning of my uncontrollable exploitation, I still wonder though, why you so freely gave your permission." "I have seen the future, Anna Beth- I do that occasionally, you know." I paused for a smile from her. Nothing. Obviously, she either didn't find my small quip humorous, or...she just didn't get it. I continued. "In it, you did not use your gift to take control of me or anyone else. That future- the one I had witnessed- has now passed us by to become history. You have lived up to your side of things as far as this timeline and vision is concerned, Commander." The woman in bed before me remained quiet for a few minutes, apparently evaluating what was given her both verbally and mentally. "So you really are the 'Empress'?" she said quietly as she looked at me. As a demonstration I phased, walked through the bed, and rephased. "Does that answer your question, M'lady?" I giggled as the woman's head suddenly snapped to my new location. "How did you walk to the other side of my bed so fast and so silently, Alexandra Steinert?" she asked. I had forgotten about her blindness and now felt completely embarrassed by my grandstanding. "I'm sorry, Commander, I forgot that you couldn't see." I paused. "I apologize again for having to disable your eyesight. At the time I deemed it necessary to save my friends, family, and to liberate this Island." "I would have assumed the same course of action if in a similar situation, Captain. I am sorry to have put you in such a difficult position in the first place," Anna Beth said sadly as she turned her head toward the ceiling. I noticed tears forming at the corners of her useless eyes. We remained silent for a while. Corrine Masterson had done her best to rebuild the woman's ruptured eyes yesterday, but was unable to go deep enough to repair her patient's shattered retinas. As a result, Anna Beth had a beautiful pair of nonfunctioning, silvery-blue eyes. I decided to pitch the option to her once more. "If you would allow us to introduce Alex Reilly's nanos into you, Commander, they might activate to repair your vision. Why won't you let us try?" I asked. "I risk losing my own talents if I acquiesce, Captain Steinert." "But you might get your sight back- and maybe a new gift or two, Anna Beth." "Thank you for the kind offer, Alexandra, but I prefer things this way. You see, it shall forever remind me of how foolish it was to ignore my instincts and avoid that devious offspring of Apep!" Anna Beth turned away from me and started crying in earnest. I noticed Emily at the doorway watching silently. The sad look on her face told me that she had heard our conversation. We both felt for the woman lying here weeping. Looking to the next bed, just recently emptied, I again questioned my decision to release Hathor back into the wilds of Ancient Egypt. Part of me wanted to find some cruel, barbaric dimension or at least an obscure, prehistoric planet to leave her in or on. The other, more rational part of me simply wanted to get her out of this time period and trust that Tibius' mental limiters would work. Still another part wanted to see her in the jaws of some hulking prehistoric creature! After a moment, Anna Beth's tears subsided and her Terran talent reappeared. "I feel your despise for that woman yet you question your decision, Captain- why?" Anna Beth asked after fully composing herself. "Sorry. What?" I asked, missing some of what she asked as I pictured some huge reptile with a tasty Janelle appetizer. 'Impossible!' I thought. Something so arrogant and evil just had to be gamey! "There was no love shared between you and Hathor, yet you remain undecided about your choice for her fate. My knowledge of your training and powers would preclude any leniency and yet, despite all your military experience, that is what you chose. How could you risk a possible repeat of this dreadful situation?" "I've seen my share of death...I've done my share of killing, Commander. We both know very well how violence, death, and destruction can humble a person. When I became the Empress, I vowed to use my gifts to help, not seek vengeance." "As wise as the stories foretold..." she mumbled. "I have yet to see any of these so called stories about me, and I'm beginning to think it all some elaborate fantasy, Commander. According to them, I alone am considered the savior in two universes. A simple farm girl from Missoura could grow one huge ego from all this hype, ma'am." I giggled. "People of this age have such strange ways of conversing. If not for this amazing clothing I would have no idea of what you just said. I would very much like to see this 'ma-zur-a' you talk so frequently about." "I'm honored, Commander, but I'd have thought you would be eager to return to Terra. Though visiting foreign worlds many times, I cannot resist the urge to return home for very long. I thought you might feel the same way." "I do wish to go home, Empress, but from what you have shown me, home is not the way I remember it. Many things have...changed. For instance, when I left Terra, it was bathed in yellow sunlight similar to your world. That world now lighted by white sunlight seems so alien! I'm afraid my home has long since disappeared, Alex." "You forget who you talk with, Commander." "I have not, Empress. I appreciate the offer, but I have grown accustom to this world and I do not wish to leave it!" "Surely life back in Egypt can't be comfortable? Why would you want to stay?" "Because, like you, Empress, I miss my husband." "Yes...I'd forgotten about that, Ma'am." "You are not the only one to choose a mate on alien worlds, Empress!" "I didn't think I was...I just didn't..." "That a Terran would mate with an Earther? This planet does have its fill of discrimination- it also has its...nuances." Anna Beth smiled as she apparently recalled some happy memory. "I take it he's waiting for you back there?" For whatever reason, I reached over and laid a hand on hers even though I knew he claimed to be holding his breath until her return. Though I knew she couldn't see, Anna Beth looked down at my hand as I held hers. "You are very intuitive...and devious, Alexandra Steinert- for a novice female that is." She giggled at her sly attempt at Terran humor. "I'm not a novice by a long shot, Commander. Remember, I may have been this way for just over two months of normal, linear time, but as I see and experience things, it's been more like six or eight years!" I said flatly. "How do you keep it all straight...time, I mean?" "I guess you could say it's part of my gift, and I'm still learning what I can and can't do. Sometimes I think my imagination is the only limit I have." I told her as I looked up to the ceiling and began to ponder the possible validity of such a statement. "Isn't that everyone's limitation, Empress?" Anna Beth asked seriously before covering a wide yawn with her hand. "I think it's time someone got some rest, Commander," Emily said as she only now approached her patient. "Our Empress can come back tomorrow after you've had a good night's rest. Would you like anything to help you sleep?" She asked in her professional voice. "No thank you, Dr. Rosen. I fear the strongest pharmaceuticals would be no match for the unspeakable horrors I have seen and committed." Anna Beth sighed heavily. "Well, if you change your mind, just let our A.I. know. RVP looks after us very well during our rest periods, and what did I say about that Dr. Rosen stuff?" "It's an old habit, Emily. Sorry." "Anna Beth, I'll drop by in the morning if you'd like," I said before I started for the doorway. "I'd like that very much, Captain." "I feel really bad that we couldn't do anything for her sight, sis," I said as Emily and I walked back to the recreation room. I had spent most of the day sitting with Anna Beth and now I needed to get my blood moving again. Entering the Rec room, I immediately picked up on the ruckus from the opposite corner of the large room. "Honestly, Brandon, I fail to see the entertainment value in this!" I heard Uncle Rick's voice complain. "It's not that hard, Admiral Demmit. Here, watch!" My future second husband laughed as Uncle Rick surrendered the strange looking controller. He began twisting and turning in his seat as he applied 'English' to his character. The screen went red. "Wait! What happened there?" Brandon cried in confusion. The four men were engaged in playing some...um...first person shooter game I think Spencer called it. Apparently, Uncle Rick was more at home with the stock of a real rifle or machine gun than a game controller. I noticed that the Van Pelt twins, as well as Random and Isabeau were laughing uncontrollably as they watched the men from a nearby Davenport. Apparently something was afoot in virtual reality! Everyone here seemed to be releasing the stress of the last few days in his or her own unique way. Tish and Melanie sat at one table conversing with Mina, Billie, and the Reynolds twins. Occasionally Billie would look annoyed, as a tiny mist would form directly over the table. The two linguists laughed uncontrollably while Mina just sat quietly stirring her tea with a straw until the phenomena disappeared. Others of my crew either sat conversing with their own temporal twins or chose some of the other entertainment Reilly had to offer. Jacki, Joss, Cami, and Cassi seemed to be engrossed in their own, specialized, version of something Jacki- present day Jack- called Jenga. This variation of the game pitted the player's concentration on stacking the various sized blocks against her opponent's strategies to combat that. As described, it sounded simple, until you realized that the initial block and its ever increasing, upward stack floated several feet above the table the four were seated around, and that the hairs on my arm nearest them stood to attention and began tingling the closer I got. "She's smarter than she lets on, Alex." One of the Jacks said to me without either turning her attention from the hovering stack of blocks. I assumed that one or both was on offense. "Who's smarter than she lets on, Jack?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "Anna Beth, Cap. She is a remarkably strong willed woman," Joss- my Jack- said. "Of course, Jack, she's a Terran. They all have strong minds," I reminded her. "She's different," she said, her concentration remaining on the game before her. "I know she's different, Jack," I replied matter-of-factly. My Ex-O's head turned slightly away from the game she was so diligently concentrating on before suddenly letting out a shrill yelp and jumping off her seat an inch or two. "Hey! That's not fair, Cassi! Jacki and I stated before we started that goosing your opponent was off limits! I win by way of technical infraction!" "I did nothing of the sort, Aunt Jacki!" Cassi said with a hurt look. I saw Cami's lips twitch slightly. "You! You sneaky..." Joss figuratively shot daggers at her sister Mind Warrior. "Ladies! We will not bring about Armageddon while in Reilly! I'm sure Alex might take offense to her facility being laid waste!" I laughed. "Now what's this about Anna Beth being different, Jack?" I smiled at them. I wanted to see how much they had learned from 'listening'. "She's starting to see light, Alex." "Okay...and?" "We estimate that she will regain her sight sometime in the next four days, Cap." "That's wonderful, Jack. Have you told Emily yet?" I asked, my smile widening at the news and that Jack had been so preoccupied by their game that neither had noticed Emily behind me. "Not yet, Alex. I have a bad feeling about her though." "Oh?" "Ya. Something's just not right, like maybe we shouldn't trust her so much yet. I don't know, Cap, it just feels...off." Jack looked back at me, squinted one eye and raised only one corner of her mouth. She looked so cute when she did that! "Well, I can relieve you of one worry, you four." I looked around the table. "Present day Corrine is receiving her third tat tonight." I fought hard not to show my enthusiasm. "She's been going in after Anna Beth is asleep hoping to reach deep enough to mend her retinas. She's with her right now." I informed them. "You four don't have the market cornered on developing your gifts, Jack." Emily interrupted as she stepped out beside me. "And I encouraged her to try." "I didn't know, Em." Jacki looked apologetic. "That's surprising! I thought the 'tabloids' would have jumped all over that one!" Emily giggled and pointed to the four women around the table before she left us and made her way over to Spencer. All four were still frowning as I decided to revisit Jack's 'feeling'. "So...given what you now know about our patient, do you still have that feeling, Jack?" I looked at both of them. "Yes." My Jack...Joss said quietly with a concerned look on her face. "Care to elaborate?" "She's going to test your trust in her, Cap." She squinted up at me as she questioned her own feelings. "Yes, Jack, she will. She will do what you or I would do...what we, as well trained officers, would do when unsure of our...'benefactors'." "Cap?" "When I first arrived at Reilly, I had no idea where I was- I had no idea who you were, Cami." I gestured to her as an example. "Everyone spoke strangely. I could barely understand the tech-talk y'all used. I figured I had been captured somehow and interrogations would begin at any moment- maybe followed close behind by torture." "You first thought us enemies, Alex?" Cami gasped as things now made sense to her. "Yes, Sweetheart, I did. That's why I invoked the Geneva Accords- name, rank, and serial number. It wasn't until y'all started that dumb Navy, Naval, Naval Orange comparison talk that I finally realized that no interrogator would be that inept!" I giggled as I recalled the incident. Cami was blushing as I looked up from the floor and my memory. "So she's going to test us, Cap? How bad will it be? Like when we arrived on Terra?" Joss inquired. "No, Jack, she's nowhere near that powerful. In fact, I'd like you four to go easy on her. She's still healing and I wouldn't want her limbs flying off in all directions." I again giggled. "So what's going to happen then?" Cassi asked innocently. "Billie gets her second tat!" I smiled deviously as I nodded to the table across the room. "Alex, the girl is so guarded I have no idea what her first gift is!" Jacki griped in frustration. "Really, Jack? She's a member of Kili's royal bloodline. She sees the future, of course." I laughed. "Does she know that, Cap?" Both Jacks raised the same eyebrow. "Maybe? In a roundabout way." My devious smile grew bigger. "You really have become a first class tease, Alexandra Steinert." Joss giggled. "Guilty as charged, Commander," I said as I noticed Alex Covington enter the room. We made eye contact and she started over to me. For whatever reason, I glanced at my wristwatch- 1911hrs. As yet I hadn't seen my Sam or Cassie today, I realized. I also realized I felt something else...something not so welcome. I winced slightly and my hand automatically went for my gut. Jack noticed immediately. "Alex, are you alright?" "Ya, Jack, I think I just started," I said, noticing that Alex had stopped in her tracks. "Hey, sis." I shyly greeted her. "You!" She pointed to me directly as her face immediately grew angry. "You stay away from me! Don't y'all dare touch me- ya hear?" She exclaimed as she began backing away. That is until she flinched a bit and looked down as her hand moved to rub her own abdomen. "Damn, not again! Alex, when are you going to learn how to count? This makes the fifteenth time!" she exclaimed as she angrily stomped over to where her Brandon sat- still perplexed at the decidedly mysterious self- modifying video game. I could do nothing but blush. Young Alexandra had been across the room talking with Melanie, Alexis, and Reilly when my present self had started to scold me. As she approached, she looked concerned- especially when she saw how red my cheeks were. "Grandmother, Are you okay? Is there a prob...?" Her expression immediately changed as she too looked at her belly. "Never mind, I figured it out! Thanks a bunch, Grandma!" She shook her head with a slight frown, turned around and retreated back to her girlfriends. A short, animated conversation took place between them and Reilly turned to meet my eyes with a smirk. My niece rolled her eyes in amusement. "Mom nature surprised you again, Cap?" Joss snickered. Good thing she's not Japanese!" I just forced a smile and walked away silently with as much dignity as I had left. Since I wouldn't be 'driving' for the next seven days, I decided to let loose and sample some of Kili's homebrew. 2230hrs, Reilly Research Station, Kili Island, May 14th, 2028 "Alexandra, I think it's time you stopped refilling that glass and turn in!" Spencer suggested as he placed a hand on my shoulder from behind. "Why? It's not like I kin go en'where!" I groused. "Emily, I think I should escort your sister back to her room." He said as he gently took my arm. "Spence, I'm not that drunk! I kin get ta mah room on mah own!" I complained, as he seemed to go slightly out of focus for a second, but only a few times. "Ya, and I'm not that irresponsible to let you do that, Alex! Let's go, time for the Empress to go nightie-night!" "Nightie-night, ever'one!" I heard myself giggle. I remember thinking that a pale pink nightie would really be comfortable tonight. "Wow! Alex, why did you do that? Emily would go ballistic if she saw me with you in that thing!" I think he said. "I better get you home before Tibius sees you!" We were standing before my door. "Open up!" I think I said. "Are you sure that's your pass code, Alex?" Spencer asked. "Ith voice operated, silly! Why won't ya open, ya 'tupid door?" "Alexandra, you have locked your door." RVP informed me. "How could ah lock the door if ah'm out here? Just let me in RVPee!" "Access granted, 'Empress'." I remembered placing a kiss on Spencer's cheek...or was it his lips...anyway; I entered my room and passed out on the near side of my bed. 1000hrs, Reilly Research Station, Kili Island, May 15th, 2028 The thick fog engulfing my mind cleared slowly as I felt a hand gently massaging my left breast. Whoever it was knew exactly how it was done. 'Tibius' I thought, but how had he gotten in my room. My fog-shrouded mind refused my feeble attempts to focus as the massage continued. I began to feel the warmth of another body against my back- it made sense- of course someone was in bed with me. Someone was in bed with me! My eyes flew wide open and I immediately felt the sting of the reflected morning sunshine as it filled the room! The fear of who was behind me kept me frozen in place on my right side. Still the soft hand gently caressed me. "Mmmmm, Gailan, you feel so soft." My voice purred from behind me as the soft hand slowly moved down to my hip and proceeded to take a slight right. Still I was frozen in place as the hand began gently searching for something no longer there. "What?" I heard Alex Reilly spit as I felt her abruptly sit up behind me. "How'd you get in my room?" I stayed still and didn't answer her. I was still trying to figure out that very same question as best my throbbing head could. A familiar face and tussled, dark blonde tresses appeared over me as my hangover suddenly abated. "Alex! What in the Goddess's name are you doing here?" She asked in a hushed, but angry tone! I said the first thing that came to mind. "Trying to sleep," I said sheepishly. "How did you get in here? I thought I disabled door access after I came in!" Rubbing my head in vain, I tried to focus on the answer. " I...I think I overrode you. I can't really remember." She pulled me onto my back and stared at me, eye to eye. I noticed her eyes drift down to my shoulders. Slowly she pulled back the cover from me. "Where on Reilly did you get that?" She exclaimed as her eyes focused lower. "Get what?" I honestly had no idea what she was talking about. "The semi-transparent, boudoir covering you barely have on, that's what!" Her face showed a mixture of shock, surprise, and curiosity. I raised my head slightly to look. "I...I...I don't know. How...how did I get into this?" "You don't know?" "Honestly...no." Alex Reilly sniffed the air over me. "You were consuming large amounts of spirits, weren't you?" "I maybe had a few drinks." My head was now clear. Thank goodness for our fast healing! Alex just stared at me in disbelief. "You had more than 'a few', honey! If my recall of your memory can be trusted, a dozen glasses of Kili's trademark distillation will never qualify as 'a few'!" Alex looked distracted for a second. "Oh, and you even brought me a present. Really Alex, you shouldn't have." Her sarcasm was overwhelming. "I'm sorry," I whispered as last night's activities flooded back. "Well..." Alex paused a moment as she noticed the tears forming in my eyes. "I guess we're all safe from the Terrans." She forced a tight smile as she turned over and exited her side of the bed. Standing before the mirror, her modest blue silk pajamas changed into a sheer pink nightie identical to mine. "I'm archiving this for when Gailan calls," she said over her shoulder. "Wherever did you dream this covering up from, Alex?" "It just popped into my head last night...I think." I looked around the room searching for the answer. "I love it!" she said as it changed color to a pale blue. "This works well also!" Alex continued as she evaluated her reflection. "What do you think about this in blue, Alex?" "I think exactly as you do, Alex. I was the one that thought it up, remember?" "Actually, I do." She winked as I took my place beside her at the mirror. I brought up the heads up display and thought about the pale blue. Alex Reilly and I now wore matching lingerie. "Alex, I thought you ought to know that Anna...Beth...is...um..." Cindy barged into the room and stopped dead in her tracks, her mouth falling wide open. Alex Reilly looked at me. "I'd guess you forgot to re-disable the door too?" She asked in a voice that didn't sound entirely happy. "I didn't mean to interrupt anything, Empress! I'll stop by later." She turned to leave. I could feel my face burning with embarrassment. "You didn't interrupt anything, Cindy. Alex and I were just trying to decide on the proper shade. What do you think...blue or pink?" Alex Reilly's nightie became pink again. "My money's on the pink, Empress. Definitely the pink." "Thank you, Miss Riggby. Alex Steinert, you always have a better sense of fashion. Why?" "Maybe because she saw us from the other perspective?" Cindy giggled as her hand covered her Cheshire smile. "I hadn't included that into my initial set of calculations, Cindy, thank you." I concentrated on my choice of clothes for the day and decided on a blue tank and a pair of short blue demin shorts. The closet in the wall to my right opened to reveal a pair of blue and white trimmed 'cross-trainers' as my present-day twin called them- a pair of white anklets were folded nicely atop them. Retrieving the shoes and socks, I sat on the side of the bed and began putting them on. "So, you were saying something about Anna Beth, Cindy?" I asked as I tied my shoes. Alex Reilly had decided to follow my lead except her tank top and shoes were pink. "The patient is acting funny, Captain. I haven't been able to get a read on her. She must have put up a defensive barrier to my gift. My natural talent tells me she's going to do something stupid though!" "Of course she is, lieutenant. She's first and foremost a soldier- just like you or I- one that is still not sure whether to trust us, and so she must try to escape. Anna Beth has just gotten a usable portion of her sight back and feels this is her chance to escape." "Why would she want to escape from Reilly? We saved her life!" "Wouldn't you fare better under interrogation if you weren't dying, Cindy?" "Oh. So, what should we do, Empress?" "Nothing. I started this whole thing, so I'll take care of it, Cindy. Just let Emily know that Anna Beth has fully recovered." I told her as I stood up and headed for the door. Alex Reilly was right behind me followed by a confused Cynthia Riggby. "Alex, are you sure you don't need help on this?" Jack thought to me as Alex Reilly and I met Alex Covington and young Alexandra at the end of the infirmary hallway. "Just stay back and do as I suggested last night, Jack. That goes for you too, Cami and Cassi." I motioned for my sisters to hold just outside the door to Anna Beth's room before I went in. Anna Beth lay on her bed quietly. Knowing better, she appeared to still be asleep. Her eyes snapped open and she stared into my eyes. "You will transport me back to the land of the pyramids! Back to the day the evil Hathor imprisoned me!" I felt sleepy, but not much more than to yawn. I decided to play along. "I require more concise coordinates, M'lady. Earth day, date, and year; time of day would also be beneficial," I droned. Anna Beth stared at me in amazement for a moment. "I wish to go back to midday, the one hundred sixth day of the three thousandth and twenty-first year before the birth of the Hebrew prophet!" She said slowly, making sure she did the math right. "A preferred location in Egypt is also needed, M'lady" I monotoned. My eyes were starting to feel dry. I needed to blink- badly. "Memphis." "You will need to stand next to me and take my hand, M'lady," I said, standing upright again and staring directly ahead. I felt her grasp my right hand. "The trip will be short and uneventful, M'lady. This way, please." I turned and walked stiffly through the doorway, still staring forward. "We have arrived, M'lady." I droned as I stopped in the middle of the hallway. RVP had photos of Egypt- specifically the Giza Plateau- displayed on the hallway walls. "What? I said I wanted you to take me back to the pyramids! We are still in the same building!" She said in an angry voice as she turned me roughly to face her. As she again looked deep into my eyes, I saw the other three Alex's emerge from a doorway behind us and across the hall. "And why would you want to go back? To act on your plan to dispatch Janelle Hathor before she can capture you?" I asked as I blinked finally. My sisters joined me in surrounding her. "You tricked me! You knew I would do this, didn't you?" Anna Beth accused in anger as she pointed to me and stomped her foot hard on the floor. I glanced around her and winked. "We are the Empress! Of course we saw this attempt at revenge!" The four of us said in unison. Anna Beth dropped to her knees and immediately broke into tears before us. "Why didn't it work? It should have worked!" she sobbed. "I'm afraid your gift still does not work on me, Commander, but if your gift had even the slightest effect, you would still be here, I'm afraid. You see...my gift does not work while menstruating. That is my biggest flaw, Anna Beth." I leaned over to offer her my hand. "Why would you tell me your weakness? I have just tried to escape!" She seemed reluctant to take my hand. "It would have been an escape only if you succeeded...and only if you were actually a prisoner- which you definitely aren't, honey! Y'all are no more a prisoner of Reilly than we are, Commander!" I smiled as she looked into my eyes before taking my hand. I helped Anna Beth to her feet. "But...you don't know me...what I am capable of!" She blinked as she sniveled. "Doesn't matter, sweetheart!" Alex Reilly cut in. "We..." She pointed to the other three of us. "We have seen your future among us and will do everything in our power to see that you remain our sister! Be it here in Reilly, on Terra, or back in ancient Egypt, you are now one of the good guys, M'lady Commander- like it or not!" Alex Reilly punctuated her statement by crossing her arms in front of her and raising an eyebrow. "Lady Anna Beth," my granddaughter started. "M'lady, we wish you no harm, only that you trust us as you would any other friend or acquaintance. You have been given no basis for distrust- only the love of people who truly care for you." "But I tried to escape by taking one of you hostage!" She sniffed again. "And just where would you have gone once outside these walls?" I motioned about us. "Have you forgotten that we are on an island in the Pacific Ocean? The nearest land is another group of islands about two hundred miles to the east- over a day's journey by boat." "Right," Alex Covington added. "By doing so you demonstrated your military training. Allie and I expected nothing less, Commander. After all, isn't a soldier's first duty after being captured, to escape?" "There you four are!" Emily sounded excited as she approached from her office at the end of the hall. "I wanted to let you know that I..." Her voice trailed off as she noticed her patient surrounded by 'the Empress'. Anna Beth turned around in response to Emily's voice. "You are they're sister?" She squinted at the still unclear, approaching figure, apparently taken off guard by our resemblance. "Of course, Alex and I are sisters- now." Emily smiled. She then looked around at the four of us. "I guess you already know that her eyesight has started to return." We all nodded in unison. "Stop that! Just stop that this instant! It's hard enough to take when there are just two of you! Four is major overkill, Alex- especially when you look like a rainbow grouped together like this!" Emily was right- as usual. All four of us had chosen the same style outfit; my blue top and matching cross-trainers; Alex Reilly's pink top with matching shoes; Alex Covington's bright yellow top and coordinated trainers; and rounding out the spectrum was Young Alexandra's red top with matching cross-trainers. Together we did indeed look like a set of quadruplets dressed in different shades to tell us apart! I quickly nudged Alex Reilly's arm. "And y'all claim we don't think the same, sis?" I giggled. She turned to me, her mouth agape in disbelief. "I claimed we...you told me that, hun!" I simply smiled and turned my attention back to Emily- both of them. My Emily...Amelia, had joined her twin. Anna Beth looked shocked and near collapse, seeing two of Emily. Under their lab coats you could see that they also thought alike, wearing identical outfits. "Emily, I think your patient needs some air. Is her vision recovered enough for sunlight?" I asked, noticing the woman's color fade. "Only if she wears these sunglasses, Allie," she answered as she reached into her right coat pocket and produced a pair of spectacles with very dark lenses. Anna Beth cautiously accepted them and carefully put them on. "Stylin', girl!" Alex Covington chimed out. "I could have used these when we first arrived on Earth!" Anna Beth replied as she looked around through them. "Now then, would you care to experience the beauty that we call Kili Island through free eyes, M'lady?" I inquired as I offered my hand. 1400hrs, Reilly Research Station, Kili Island, May 15th, 2028 Once clear of Reilly, Anna Beth and I walked the mile or so then made our way through Mina's present day village and finally out to the dock. "And right here is where we moor the Sand Dollar, Commander. Would you care for a tour?" I asked with a wide smile. "That is the strangest boat I have ever seen! What do you call it?" "That's my submarine...the Sand Dollar!" I pointed to it. "No, that vessel out there!" She pointed farther out- past the two identical boats tied up on either side to the extended dock. I turned to look where she was pointing. "Detroit! What's she doing in this close?" I gasped aloud. 'Alex, Detroit is hailing us. They need you and Alex Covington aboard right away.' Jack's voice thundered through my head. 'I'd like to oblige, but my Empress powers are disabled right now, Jack!' I thought back- hopefully with as much volume or more. 'Ya, I know. That's why they're coming in...to get you two.' There was no way possible for the huge, modern boat to tie up, so after a few minutes, we noticed a large inflatable craft speeding toward our position. Alex Covington joined Anna Beth and I. We commanded our clothing to change back to our uniforms just as the rubber powerboat slowed at the end of the dock. Anna Beth seemed amazed by the sudden change in clothing as she stared down at her very own dress whites. I was thinking Randi had something to do with that! "Admiral? Captain? CINCPAC has informed us that we are to remove you to a safe location!" Julia Masterson shouted as two of her men immediately jumped from the craft- each with a rope- temporarily securing the boat to the dock. "Jules, what's going on?" Alex Covington shouted over the engine. "We can't talk right now, Admiral, our orders are very specific though! Commander, if you would please step back?" Julia motioned to Anna Beth to step away from us. "And why would she do that, Commander?" a gravelly voice shouted from behind us. "Admiral Demmit, Sir!" Julia instantly stood to attention and saluted. "Commander Masterson, we are all going. Is that understood?" Uncle Rick growled. "But Admiral, my men...they won't understand, sir!" she said perplexed. "Commander, do the words 'top secret' still hold the same meaning today as they did back in '44?" "If not more, sir!" she answered. "Good to hear!" I noticed that the two men holding the mooring lines also heard our conversation. The two stared at Uncle Rick as if seeing a ghost. He quietly regarded them a moment. "Do you men have a problem with me being here?" He growled. Both men silently, slowly shook their heads. "Good! Let's go, Commander!" Admiral Demmit ordered as he quickly helped Anna Beth, Alex and I into the 'Zodiac', Alex called it, and we shoved off. "What's so all important about getting Alex and her sister off the island in such haste, Cmdr. Masterson?" Uncle Rick shouted over the engine. "CINCPAK has received intelligence that an unknown foreign government has embedded agents into your crew, Admiral Covington! HQ feels you would be safer onboard Detroit, Ma'am! I can say more once we're submerged." Julia Masterson explained as she kept staring at Anna Beth. Our Terran friend was desperately trying to act natural. I saw her eyes widen slightly when Jules mentioned that we would be submerging 1430hrs, USS Detroit- Wardroom, off Kili Island, May 15th, 2028 Our arrival on Detroit was somewhat less spectacular than I had anticipated. Alex, Anna Beth, and I were treated as your average everyday officers, but Uncle Rick...Admiral Demmit faced stares, gasps, collisions, and downright confusion as we were escorted into Detroit's wardroom. I noticed that the familiar faces we passed had actual smiles as the old man walked by. Still, everyone stood to attention for the Admirals- alive or ...presumed dead. "Admiral Demmit, it's nice to see you again, sir! I've missed your engaging stories these last forty or so years! In case we haven't been officially introduced yet, I'm Commander Vernon Reynolds, Captain of the Detroit, sir." Vernon offered his hand. "Captain." Admiral Demmit acknowledged him, shook his hand, and both waited until we women sat down. "So captain, what's so damned urgent that CINCPAC deemed it necessary to interrupt our conference?" Uncle Rick's tone left no question that he was now in charge, and that this was an inconvenience to us. "We have been informed that the Empress' conference may have been infiltrated by spies of some unknown government, sir. CINCPAC, having some knowledge of the Empress, has ordered us to protect her at all cost. Julia and I understand that this is not necessary or even prudent, but we are still required to follow orders, sir." "I wouldn't want it any other way, Captain." Demmit smiled. "Do we know anything more about this foreign government? How was the information obtained and is it valid?" "All we know is that the Pentagon intercepted an encrypted communication. Their specialists were able to decode some of the message, but not all of it. The brass thought it menacing enough to order your retrieval." 'Jack, are you getting this?' I thought to her. 'Aye, Cap. I'm having the Randi's run it as we speak.' 'Keep me informed, Jack.' 'Aye.' Any clues as to its transmission point, Vernon?" I asked on a hunch. "None, Allie, but Jones has a few thoughts on that...plus I expect Jacquelyn Cummins to relay information from Reilly's instruments any time now." He smiled. "Ah, I suspect Mr. Jones has a few thoughts on us as well, Vernon." I giggled as Alex's eyes met mine. "Jack's already on it as you expected." I noticed Anna Beth start to fidget. She looked slightly out of sorts- in fact she looked pale. "Anna Beth, is everything okay?" I asked. "I've forgotten how confining military compartments can be, Empr...captain." "It's okay, Commander, we're all family here." I confided. "Of course, Empress, I should have considered that." "Commander, are you a past sister or future sister? I don't seem to recall you from any of our reunions." "Both! Anna Beth is an astronaut, Julia." "So you met at NASA? I'm Julia Masterson. My mom served with the Empress in World War Two. This is Vernon Reynolds. His mom also served with Captain Steinert." "Pleasure to meet both of you." Anna Beth replied, seeming to relax a little. I could see that she was still not comfortable sitting here. "So, you were an astronaut? What program? Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Shuttle, Aries?" Vernon went down the list in child-like fascination. "Meridian. Meridian twelve, Captain Reynolds." She answered proudly and then her expression changed to worry. "Meridian?" Vernon looked confused for a moment. "Oh, I get it! Welcome to the twenty-first century, Commander!" Anna Beth looked more relieved. "You are not surprised I am not from this time period?" "Not at all! The Empress is always bringing home 'strays'- if you know what I mean." He gave her a warm smile and a wink. "So where do you call home, Commander?" he quickly continued. "Memphis, but I'm originally from Citadel, Captain." Anna Beth again toggled her expression from proud to worry. "I guess the military life never really leaves the system, huh? Funny, but you don't sound like a volunteer?" I noticed a slight twitch of Vernon's eye brow- just like his mom, I thought. "Do ah sound like um from the 'Show-Me', Vern?" Alex quickly countered. Uncle Rick winked back at her. "Admiral, I didn't mean to imply! I just...okay, they must talk differently in your time, Commander. Forgive me for any accusations, ma'am." Vernon said, backing down from his unintentional interrogation. "Vern, let's agree that Anna Beth is from a very long way away and leave it at that. We will vouch for her character, Captain Reynolds." Alex stated and we both nodded, as did Uncle Rick. "Understood, Admiral Covington." 'Alex?' Jack's voice asked in my head. It caught me by surprise. "Aunt Jacki's talking to them," I heard Julia say while asking Jack to continue. 'Alex, Reilly's high-gain antenna array picked up a message about an hour ago. Randi put it through decryption and you're not going to believe who it's from!' She sounded surprised. 'Enlighten us, Jack.' I heard a slight echo in the background. Alex and I looked at each other and grinned. 'Janelle Hathor! She apparently transmitted a very high power burst of information from Ancient Egypt that just got back here today! Are we ever going to be rid of that...?' 'Never mind that Jack, what did the message say?' I asked, again with the slight echo. 'It warned that there are several aliens in attendance at the conference- aliens that intend on killing the Empress of Time and Space so as to overtake the world governments without her retaliation! Alex, that's low...even for Hathor!' 'We'll take care of it on our end, Jack. Thanks.' I smiled as I opened my eyes. Until I noticed two marines enter the compartment. "Gentlemen, please escort the Commander here to our brig! I want Lieutenant Hilf's people watching her twenty-four, seven, understood?" Julia Masterson ordered as Captain Reynolds sadly looked at Anna Beth. "Commanders, I will not resist. I will proceed to your brig peacefully," she said dejectedly. "Jules, you're making a big mistake!" Alex growled out. Uncle Rick looked a little taken aback by her tone. "I'm sure I am Empress, but your safety is of utmost concern!" She replied in a similar tone. An almost familiar tingling followed by the hairs standing to attention all over my body could mean only one thing. Detroit seemed to lurch in the upward direction. "Jacquelyn Cummins, you better put my boat down this instant! We are only following orders!" Vernon Reynolds shouted into the ceiling. A slight rumble told me that we were at or just above the surface- probably heading for the shallows around Kili. 'Jack, what are you doing?' I thought to her in a whisper. 'Not us, Alex! Cami and Cassi are behind this!' She replied, also at a whisper. 'Make them stop or we all do time in Leavenworth!' 'No can do, Alex! They're serious about this! If we try to interfere they may just crush her back into a billet with all hands on-board!' "Captain, I know this sound impossible but...but the equipment...it says we're at plus thirty feet, sir!" Detroit's RADAR operator burst through the door. His face paled significantly at seeing Uncle Rick seated before him. He said the only thing he could, given the situation. "Buaaah." "Get in here and shut the damn door, Chief!" Captain Reynolds shouted. The stunned man imperceptibly nodded and slowly closed the door behind him- carefully making sure it was secure. "Yes, that's him, sailor! Alive and well here in 2028! Admiral Demmit, meet our RADAR and Surveillance Officer, Demetrius Jones. Jonesy, Admiral Richard Demmit. Have a seat, chief," Vernon introduced the two men. "Captain, I believe someone has a problem with your orders. I suggest..." The old man rubbed his forehead. "I suggest that we hear them out." Uncle Rick recommended in his trademark gravelly voice. Captain Reynolds touched the device on his ear. "Helm, all stop and assume surface configuration!" He paused as if listening. "Those are my orders, Lieutenant!" he groused. "Skipper?" "Jonesy, if I miss my guess, we ARE about thirty feet off the water...and heading for shore. I don't think the screws are of much good, do you?" The frightened chief shook his head. "All I can say for sure is please, do not...repeat...do not...piss these people off, sailor!" Vernon looked serious and defeated all at once. "How's that possible, sir?" He then looked at his first officer. "Ma'am?" "Captain Reynolds, I implore you, I will not attempt any escape or violence. May I be seated until this vessel has become stationary? I am none too fond of water or any sudden, related, bone shattering stops!" Anna Beth pleaded. She now looked ready to vomit. "Gentlemen, let her sit down. You two might want a seat also until we stop." He motioned for the two perplexed Marines to each take a seat as he sighed. "Admiral, would you like to handle this?" Ve