South Of Bikini 2- Danger, Developments, And Confusion free porn video

South of Bikini II: Onward Episode 2 "Danger, developments, and confusion" 1820hrs, Reilly Research Station, Kili Island, May 19th, 2028 Alex was waiting for my return from Detroit. "So, does Vern still know about Peyton, sis?" "Was there ever any doubt?" I answered with a wry smile on my face. "Well...ya! Everytime you change our future I have to wonder if we're going to sync up the next time we touch." She said defensively. "You know you could always go back to the moment. Why does it seem that I'm the only one of us that sees that?" "I'm not sure, sis! I'm still puzzling over that one." Alex paused for a minute. "Maybe you're the 'baseline' Empress- the reference point if there is such a thing." "You tell me, sis. You've had what, eighty-four or so years to ponder that?" There was a long pause in our conversation. My future self looked down as she started to answer. "Alex, we aren't going to touch until the next time we meet. We've seen that. And before you try to change that fact, I suggest you check our gift. It needs to be that way, we...we are not to touch one another!" My twin's face took on a very dismal look as she looked back up. My gift only confirmed her statement- nothing more could be seen though as to any basis. Now I was the one that began to worry- especially when the finicky airlock began moaning and groaning as I tried entering the station. Its alarm produced a very sluggish and feeble growl as I walked through. Despite all the noise, the monitors displayed nothing but a message stating that calibration was needed. One of these days I hoped Ricky Lynn could get to that. 0715hrs, Reilly Research Station, Kili Island, May 20th, 2028 Admiral Demmit completed his thorough, but unnecessary inspection of Reilly just before 0700hrs. Alex Covington's crew escorted the old man to the dock and we all said our goodbyes. Mina had remained dockside having finally convinced her four daughters of her safety and the crucial mission back on Kili Island, BC. She was scheduled to depart with Alex Reilly later today. Mia, Kayla, Lailu, and Nina were already brooding at they're stations. My future twin and Alex Reilly were noticeably absent- as were our daughters. It pained me to leave without saying goodbye to my future family. What hurt more was the news that Alexis, Alexandra, Tibius, and the rest of the Terran delegation had departed not long after I had returned from the Detroit last evening. Alex Covington had conveyed they're goodbyes and well wishes to me post-departure. Yet, that wasn't why I hardly slept last night. I was still perplexed by my failure to foresee the cause and need for my physical isolation this morning. "Captain, are we going to get the Sand Dollar back into the war any time soon?" Admiral Demmit's gravelly voice brought my attention back to our departure procedures. "I thought you would like to do the honors, Admiral. You are the ranking officer onboard Sand Dollar." I said as I tried not to meet his eyes. "I appreciate the offer Alex, but as experienced as I am, I still can't get us home from here! You might as well do your job, Empress!" Why couldn't I see the reason? "Alex?" "What? Oh...right. Jack, drop the moorings and take us out...slow astern." What was wrong with me? Except for my arrival in Reilly's original universe, my gift had never let me down. Now it remained strangely quiet. Why? "Um...Cap? Wouldn't it be better if we stowed the gangplank first?" Jack nudged my shoulder gently to bring me back from my thoughts. "Oh...oh... I thought you had done that already. By all means stow the gangplank, Commander." Jack cautiously stared at me for a few seconds before carrying out my...the orders. "Aye, Cap. Stow the plank!" She shouted to the deck. Minutes later we were under way and clear of the island's shelf. I had again retreated into my internal tribunal to assess my conundrum. Again Jack tapped me gently on the shoulder. "Cap, we've reached deep water and are awaiting your orders." "Oh...right..." I paused to actually think what to do next. Why was I so absorbed by this? "Alex, are you okay? I've never seen you this distracted. Maybe if you talked about it, Cap?" Jack offered. I looked at her and contemplated what or how much I should say. "Captain Steinert?" Uncle Rick growled. "Alex, what's wrong? I've never seen you act this way since that afternoon you appeared in my office after rescuing your brother! Should we head back to Kili and have Emily do some tests before we head back home?" "No." I said quietly still thinking only slightly about my job. "No, Admiral, I'll be alright. Jack, call general quarters please." "Aye, Cap. General quarters, all hands to general quarters." A rough hand placed itself over mine as I held onto the bridge plating. "Alex, I know something's eating at you. What that something is may or may not be any of my concern, but the well being of this crew and boat deserves your full attention. I need you to concentrate on getting us back home...to 1944, okay?" Uncle Rick's tone was gentle and kind. I looked up to meet his eyes. They showed deep concern- concern like a mother would show to her distraught child...loving concern...for me. Gathering all the concentration I could, I made my announcement. "All hands, this is the captain. At this time I would ask that everyone take hold of the pressure hull in some way and do not release that hold until I have given the okay to do so. All compartments please acknowledge when ready. Temporal transit will take place thereafter." I said into the microphone. "Aft torpedo, ready." "Maneuvering, ready." "Engine one and two, ready, Skipper!" "Con...ready." "Foreward torpedo, ready!" "Bridge, ready. Ladies, prepare for transit in three, two, one!" A familiar island appeared ahead of us. I looked astern to make sure Kili hadn't tagged along. "Ladies you can secure from general quarters. Welcome to Ni'ihau, 1944!" I felt a slight shift in my balance and a few stars suddenly appeared in my vision. Had it taken that much out of me? "Jack, take us into the grotto, please, I'm going to my quarters. I think I might be coming down with something." More stars encompassed my field of vision. "Better yet, have Emily meet me..." Time: unknown, Location: unknown, Date: unknown "So tell me, Kim, why this place again? I thought after last time, we had agreed to stay on base and hit the Officer's Club for lunch?" A woman's voice asked. Where was I? I looked around the small room with its chrome, reddish-brown, and beige veneer counter, at the large windowed wall facing the street, the matching chrome, reddish-brown, and beige veneer tables and chairs. It reminded me of someplace...someplace familiar! "Kim? Kimberly Jenson? Honey, where are you?" The same voice asked. I ignored the voice and continued my internal questioning. Where was this place? It looked like a small restaurant. "Emily's off in La-la land too, Chris! Any idea what's going on?" Another woman's voice asked. If I had to guess, I'd say they're dreaming about the two guys that just walked in." That's it! This was the place! The place where Emily and I met! I realized I was now gazing at...at...me! Not me, Alexandra Steinert, but me Alexander Steinert! Lt. Cmdr. Alex Steinert! Wait did that woman say Emily was here too? "Fletcher's even gotten into the act, Lieutenant. What gives?" "I'm not sure, but I really don't think they're that appealing! Come on girls let's concentrate on ordering!" The voice sounded agitated and insistent. "Maybe we can all have what those three are having!" Yet another voice said with a giggle followed by two others giggling. Was I really looking at myself? I noticed Steven Smith sitting across from me...the male me...at the table diagonal to where I was. Everything seemed to fit what I remembered of that day. This had to be June 8th, 1942! I thought harder to remember the faces of everyone at Emily's table that day. I couldn't remember seeing anyone else's face other than Emily's though! "Kim!" A hand grasped my right hand roughly and started to pull it, as well as me, across the table. "Ensign Jenson, wake up! He's out of your league, sweetie!" "Huh?" "Honey, he's way out of your league! I don't think Emily would have a chance with him even if she was available!" "Emily?" "Ya, hun. Emily maybe...you- not a chance!" "Why am I here?" I asked in an unfamiliar voice. "And they call me flighty! We're here to get something to eat, Miss Dreamy!" The first voice replied. "Alex?" I heard my sister ask. "Here!" I answered. Her voice sounded like it was right next to me so I turned to it. Emily Scott sat right beside me and as we looked at each other, a confused expression spread across her face. I winked in acknowledgement. Her expression shifted to ask the million-dollar question- 'but how?' My response was to slowly shake my head. I had no idea what was going on yet. "I think I need the lavatory!" I announced as I looked at Emily, silently asking her to allow me exit from the booth we were in. "I'll join you, if you don't mind?" Emily winked back at me. "Girls, I think I'll tag along too!" another unknown voice decreed. I looked to that voice, but didn't recognize the face. One thing that did catch my attention was the fact that I was now a few inches shorter than my sister. My confusion doubled. The woman's lavatory in this establishment was typical of the small civilian owned eateries in the vicinity of the base- slightly bigger than a broom closet and not really well kept! The three of us barely fit with only enough room to allow the door to shut. "I hope no one actually had to use the head!" I mumbled. Emily didn't waste any time. "Who are you two? I know who you're supposed to be on this day, but I'm not sure why I'm here!" "Well you're looking at the wrong girl, Emily! I have no idea how or why I'm here! I don't even sound like myself!" The unfamiliar girl exclaimed as she held herself from falling into the heavily stained porcelain throne. "Let's start by you telling me who you think you are, then!" Emily looked seriously at the woman. "It's me...Carroll! Who did you think it was?" "Actually, you look a lot like Ensign Donna Fletcher!" "Let me see!" The girl almost lost her battle with gravity as she tried to see her reflection in the hazy, cracked mirror above the disgusting sink. Hang on a minute! Let's get the introductions out of the way first! Is that you in there Alex?" Emily asked, staring directly into my eyes. "Ya, its me sis, but I have no idea how...or why!" I lowered my head slightly. "This is the day we met, right?" "I believe that's me sitting at the table across from you...us, yes." I acknowledged quietly. "But why here?" "Honestly, sis, I don't even remember how I got here! Last thing I remember was being on the bridge of Sand Dollar just after we returned to Ni'ihau! Maybe you can fill in the blanks?" "I'll try, but we don't have much time! I assume I still have to agree to go out with you just before you place your order?" "That's how I remember it, sis. We should try not to change anything if we can help it." I tried to sound confident, but found my mind still strangely quiet. My statement caused no reaction from my gift. Did I even have access to my gift in this body, I wondered? "Alex? Alex, we'd better get back out there. The other girls are going to start wondering then the rumors will start flying!" Emily caught my attention again. Since Emily was closest to the door, she left first and I followed. Carroll was the last one out- after checking herself out in the mirror. "Great! They still have their blonde hair, but I'm a little, round- faced redhead now!" She hissed in annoyance, having finally seen her reflection. We reseated ourselves at the table just as a waitress arrived and asked male Alex to place his order. I quickly took the menu from the Ensign across the table from me and tried to hide myself behind it hoping history would repeat itself as it should. I already feared that just our being here had irrevocably changed things! "Hi," Said a voice that was so familiar yet now so foreign to me. "Hi," Replied Emily in a voice so pleasurable that it brought back the butterflies in my stomach again. "I was...um...I was wondering if y'all have been here before? I...um...my submarine just tied up this morning for a two week leave and I was wonderin' if you could recommend anything. Ma'am, I noticed that you haven't ordered yet and thought I might buy your meal in exchange for your culinary advice. I'm Alex, by the way...Alex Steinert." God, did I really sound that nervous? "Well, I'm really not what you would call a regular, but I'd go with the burger- pickles, onions, lettuce, and ketchup. You can't go wrong with that, Cmdr. Steinert. Oh, I'm Emily- Emily Scott." "Thank you, Lt. Scott, but I prefer to be daring so I'm thinking ketchup and mustard instead. Care to join me at my table?" "If your offer to pay doesn't turn Dutch!" Five women ow'ed and ah'ed as Emily looked back at us with daggers in her eyes. So far, so good, I thought. Emily and Alex ordered, just as I remembered. After the waitress shouted out their order to the kitchen, she approached the five of us still seated at the crowded booth. "What'da ya want?" She asked rudely, as if annoyed by our presence. "Chicken soup and a cup of tea." "Vegetable soup and soda." "I'll split a tossed salad with Donna, separate sodas though." The ensign across from Carroll ordered. 'Donna' tried to keep her mouth closed and just nodded. "I guess you want us to cut that in two and serve each half on a separate plate too, right?" The older waitress asked sarcastically with a sneer. "That'd be good, ma'am, thanks!" The unknown ensign replied with a forced smile. "How 'bout you...what'da ya want blondie?" The woman glared at me with all the hate and contempt she could muster. I thought about it. This had all the earmarks of Brianna and I in St. Louis- of our treatment by that policeman at the train station. "I'll have the grilled cheese with lettuce, tomato, and a cup of coffee with two sugar cubes, please." I said as pleasantly as I could. I watched as she scribbled my order down with the others. When she was finished and as she turned away to the counter, I caught her. "You know what miss, now that I think about it, I'm not that hungry anymore! I'll have a fruit salad and a soda." I grinned as she scratched out my previous order in anger and wrote something else down. Once she turned her back again I interrupted again. "You know I'm really not in the mood for salad today. I'll just have a coffee...black, please!" "Anything else...miss?" She asked through gnashed teeth as she scratched off and rewrote my order again. "Well...you could treat us-" A less than gentle kick to my shin stopped me from finishing my real request. "No...that's all, thank you." I finished, forcing a smile. She hadn't even waited for me to finish my sentence before walking away! "Keep it up, Kim, and you're going to get us kicked out of here. She's just mad that they wouldn't take someone her age. Let it go." "I'm tired of the attitude of some people! We should get the same respect the guys do!" I argued. "Preaching to the choir, sweetie." Our Lieutenant sang. The orders for both tables came out in rapid succession. I observed Alex and Emily as I sipped my lukewarm drink. Everything seemed to be going as I remembered for them. Soon Emily excused herself and returned to our booth. The inquisition started as soon as her skirt touched the seat. "Well?" The lieutenant asked with excitement. "Well what?" Emily asked back coyly. "What is he like, silly?" "I thought you didn't like him that much, Chris?" Emily responded. "I'm just jealous." She giggled with a devilish grin. "He asked to take me to dinner tonight!" Emily bubbled over. I breathed a sigh of relief, as history seemed to have repeated itself perfectly. Our pleasant waitress appeared with our check. "Here's yer bill, you gold-digger's better leave me a good tip!" She warned as she threw down the slip of paper. "I'm buying!" I exclaimed as I searched my...Kim's purse for the tab. There was barely enough to cover, but I wasn't concerned about leaving a tip, instead I found a pencil and scribbled on the check: 'Tip: It would be advisable to treat the people protecting your ass with a little more respect!' Dropping the money and ticket, I looked around the table. "I'm finished, let's get out of this dive!" After the other girls stared at me for a minute in disbelief, we all filed out the door and started our walk back to base. Glancing back through the window, I noticed the expression sour on the woman's face as she read the check and stared out at us. I didn't know if it would change things, but I used a gesture that had become popular in the future. I flipped her the 'bird', as my future twin called it. It was satisfying even though the meaning maybe wasn't known in this time. "Kim, what did you just do?" Our Lieutenant- Chris was apparently her name- asked me with raised brows. "I was just tellin' her she was number one in my book, Lieutenant!" Emily and Carroll...Donna both choked back a laugh. "Funny it looked like some rude gesture that a New Yorker would use. I will have none of that in my squad, understand Ensign Jenson?" "Aye, ma'am." "Emily, a girl with a medal should have better manners than to egg her on!" "Yes, Lieutenant." Emily replied quietly as she slowed to walk with Carroll and I. "Sis, we need to talk!" I said, just above a whisper. "As I remember it, Admiral Demmit will see me walking back to our barracks and call the three of us aside. Carroll and I can bring you up to date on what happened to you after he dismisses us." "The three of us, sis? Why would he invite us along?" I cautiously motioned between Carroll and I. "Kim and Donna are the only ones that know about Uncle Rick and I, Alex." "But won't he think something is wrong, Emily? I don't think I'm acting like Kim Jenson at the moment." "More than you know, sis! There he is!" Emily finished by putting her finger to her lips. "Lt. Caskey, how are you and your girls doing today?" Demmit's gravelly voice sounded somewhat pleasant as he tipped his cap to us. "Fine, Admiral! We were just heading back to our quarters from lunch, sir. Is there something I can do for you?" Caskey asked as we all stood to attention and saluted. "I need to speak with your recently decorated nurse, Christine- in concern to a pressing matter she informed me of the last time we talked." "Ah-oh!" The two other ensigns in our group gasped. "Ladies, I assure you your exploits of three days ago are not the subject of discussion." Demmit laughed, then added, "I do want to talk to you two also, Ensign's Jenson and Fletcher!" "Ah-oh!" The two unknown ensigns giggled this time. Admiral Demmit eyed the two for a moment. They quieted immediately at his stare. "Yes..." The old man cleared his throat. "Well, I don't want to keep you from your duties, Lt. Caskey. I'll try to have Lt. Scott, and Ensigns Jenson, and Fletcher back before they go on duty. Ladies, if you please?" Admiral Demmit motioned for us to follow him. "Good day, Lieutenant, Ensigns." The four of us were quiet for a while before Uncle Rick looked around us and stopped. "Alright, I want to know which one of you did this and why! Alex, I know you're here! Show yourself, Empress!" He growled quietly as he looked around. Our eyes went wide! "I'm not sure why we're here, Uncle Rick! I was hoping Emily would fill in the blanks, sir." I slowly shook my head. "Alex? How?" "I wish I knew, Admiral! I haven't possessed anybody since before the PT incident." I continued to shake my head. "Well, could you at least do that phase thing so we can talk in private?" "Sir, I can't! Not one of my gifts seems to be working. Uncle Rick, right now I couldn't predict the next rain storm if I saw it on the horizon." "Uncle Rick, can we go somewhere so I can bring Alex up to speed on what I think has happened?" "You...you know what's going on here, Emily?" "I have a rough idea, Uncle." "Then you are my Emily from..." "From 1944. Yes, Uncle Rick. For some reason everyone attending Alex's bedside is here...July 8th, 1942." "But why does Alex look and sound like Ensign Jenson?" "Ya, and why am I this pudgy redhead, Emily?" Carroll cut in. "Look, let's get some place safe and I'll lay out what I think happened, okay?" "Fine. Let's go to my office. I gave my clerk the afternoon off anyway...then we can all be enlightened!" "Admiral?" I asked. "I would recommend that you try hard to remember what you did today and not stray from it or chance changing the future, sir!" "Gee Alex, I hadn't thought of that! Especially when I suddenly found myself in a meeting concerning the effectiveness of the Doolittle Raid!" His voice grew louder and angry. "I'm sorry, sir, but I have no idea how this happened." I felt a tear begin to form. "I'm sorry Alex. I was just reminded why I hated that meeting, that's all. It irked me that all Halsey and Nimitz talked about was how the attack group let themselves get discovered before reaching their target distance! I shouldn't take it out on you." Uncle Rick's tone eased. "Let's get to my office, girls." 1321hrs, CINCPAC Headquarters, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, July 8th, 1942 "Donna...sorry...Carroll, make sure the coast is clear." Admiral Demmit ordered once his young clerk had left the outer office. She opened the door and stuck her head out for a second. "All clear, Admiral." "Good, now can you please explain to me why I'm suddenly back in 1942 and why Alex is masquerading as Ensign Jenson?" "I'll get to that soon enough, Uncle Rick, but first Alex has a right to know what happened after she passed out on the bridge." "By all means, Emily." "Alex, you've been unconscious for three days now- deliriously so! You were running a temperature of one hundred and four!" "Excuse me Emily, but wouldn't that high a fever kill a man?" the old man asked in shock. "A normal human, yes, Uncle, but I wouldn't refer to us as anything close to normal, would you?" Demmit shook his head. "Alex, I can't find any way to stop this bug! I tried antibiotics, sulfa plasters, my own gift- I even tried Chief Peterson's chicken soup! Nothing, repeat, nothing worked! Carroll and I were at your bedside when you started hallucinating again this morning. You kept going on and on about how you would never see me again- how you missed me, Alex!" She sniffed. "But how did we get here? I don't even remember who was with you at lunch today! I tried, but all I remember is you! How did I know to jump into this...Kim's body? Where is the real Kim? Why can't I see the future?" I tried to keep myself calm, but I could feel my panic rising again. "That's what I'd like to know too, Alex! I wasn't even on this side of the world on this date. Why am I here?" "I'm afraid Alex isn't to be blamed for our predicament." Emily's head sunk a little. "I am." She whispered in embarrassment. "That's not possible is it, Alex?" Carroll looked at me in confusion. "Technically she is my sister, Carroll. My daughters have a portion of my gift- why can't Emily have a portion also?" I rationalized. "I have one question for you, Uncle Rick. What were we doing when you came into Alex's bedroom?" "You three were holding hands...why? I thought you were doing some kind of mystical spell or some such thing so I just joined in. Thought you could use the extra power, I guess." "That's a good one, Admiral! Us...casting a spell! Like that could ever happen!" Carroll scoffed as she looked around at our faces. Emily looked deep in thought. "In a way...maybe...maybe I did cast a spell, Carroll. Well not really, but maybe that's the closest definition that fits." Carroll didn't look happy with what my sister was saying. I didn't quite follow either. "That's clear as mud, Emily! Would you care to simplify for the old man?" "Right before we found ourselves here, I was asking my gift what I should do for Alex. Instead, I started to think about our first meeting. I guess it ties into your delirious ramblings about not seeing me again, Alex. Anyway, I started to think about how things would have been if we hadn't met- how you wouldn't be so sick if we hadn't gone through the Mahanilui. I'm not certain, but I think I wished we could do it all over again!" Emily paused a second. "Imagine my surprise when, poof, I was sitting at that booth again, staring at you!" "You weren't staring at me, sis, you were staring at the man I used to be." I whispered sadly. "Oh, I'm sorry, Alex! This must be really hard for you! I'm sorry for dragging us back here and reopening that wound!" "Its okay, Emily. Right now I'm neither one of me, am I? Question is, why am I like this and why won't my gift work?" "That's the answer, Alex!" "Huh?" "That's why you are Kim!" Carroll, Uncle Rick, and I stood there, silently looking at Emily in confusion for a few minutes. "Now I know you two are true sisters! You're starting to sound just as confusing as she does!" Uncle Rick sounded somewhat annoyed as he motioned to me. "Sorry, Admiral, I've got no idea what point she's tryin' ta make!" I apologized while shrugging my shoulders. "Oh Alex, think about it!" "What's there to think about, Emily? You jumped into your body. Uncle Rick jumped into his body. Carroll, because she wasn't here at this time jumped into Donna's body. Why didn't I jump into my body? I was right there! You saw me there in the restaurant, right? Why didn't I jump back into my own body too?" "I agree that you are here today, Alex, but you are not you!" "Honey, can we dispense with the cryptic double talk, your Uncle Rick is getting a throbbing headache!" "Uncle, Alex didn't jump into her body because it isn't here!" "But you just said that she WAS here! I don't see the difference!" "The difference is in the gender, Uncle! The male Alexander Steinert is here, but the female Alexandra Steinert doesn't exist yet- not in relative, er...normal time anyway! We are here, in our own bodies, because we were here then...now. Alex, Empress of Time and Space technically won't exist for another eight and a half months! She is physically not the same person I talked to twenty minutes ago- genetically speaking." "So, because I'm a girl now, I can't possess my old body? Who wrote those rules?" I exclaimed. "I guess I did, sis. I seem to be the one calling the shots here." Emily said as she raised her hands and motioned around the room. I just wish I knew how I was doing it." "Have you asked your gift, sis?" "Asked it what, Alex?" "Asked it how you are doing this, of course!" "You mean I should ask my gift how I'm doing this?" Emily seemed to freeze for a second. "Oh! Is that what it's like for you, Alex?" She asked with surprise. "What, sis?" "The movie-like images flashing in my mind, a complete visual explanation!" "Something like that...if I could ever get it working again! What's it saying, sis?" "Alex, you're here because it's not safe in your own body!" She told me as a few tears ran down her cheeks. "Emily, what are you telling us? Is Alex dying?" Carroll gasped out. "That's not possible, sis! If it were true then why does Alex Covington still exist?" "All I know, Alex, is that I have to keep you here until the bug has run its course! I have to keep your conscious safe and active until your body has recovered enough to put you back into it." "You can do that, doc?" Carroll scoffed. "Apparently she can now, Carroll!" I looked away from Emily to her for an instant."Why not just activate my emergency recall protocol? I'm sure Tibius could find the cure just like last time, sis." "I can't, Alex! Alexandra informed me before they left that, under no circumstances, shall anyone be allowed to activate your recall! She wouldn't tell me anything more except that you would wipeout everyone on Terra if we did!" "What is this thing, Doctor?" Admiral Demmit growled. "As near as my gift can define, it's some kind of genetically selective virus, meaning it is designed to infect people with certain gene sequences- people of the same region, ethnic group, or family. Beyond that, I'm at a loss for anything more specific." Things became quiet as each of us thought things through. "You say that my Great-grandniece told you everyone on Terra would become infected?" Uncle Rick asked as he sat down hard and adjusted his chair. "That's what she claimed, sir. It must be genetically keyed to their unique physiology." That one, simple fact stunned me! "Admiral, you need to get away from me! You all need to get away from me now- before it's too late!" I cried as I felt my heart start to race. "Alex, what's the matter? You should be safe here!" Emily looked alarmed. "You all have to get away from me back on Atlantis-Minor! You'll all be infected!" "What are you talking about, Alex?" "The Terrans! It's keyed to the Terrans!" "Alex, honey, we're not Terran. If what Emily says is true, we shouldn't be affected." Demmit calmly rationalized. "You don't understand! You and Tibius felt the tingle, Uncle Rick!" "So, we're temporal twins, as you call it. That doesn't mean I'm a Terran!" Uncle Rick argued. "No, but you do contain the same DNA as Tibius! What if this virus zeros in on that?" I was starting to panic because I was dangerously close to disclosing the Terran origins- a story I was in no mood to tell wearing this body! "Now how would I have the same...um...DNA as a man from the other side of the galaxy, Alex? I drank water from the village spring back on Kili Island- the water you told me was safe!" The tone in which Admiral Demmit's eyes stared at me made me shiver! "You were born that way, sir." Oh God, this wasn't how it was to happen! "Your genes have always been a part of you." I closed my eyes, not wanting to see his reaction or make eye contact. I was desperately trying to hold back my tears. "And just how long were you going to keep this little tidbit from your commanding officer, Captain?" His tone brought back unwanted memories of my disciplinary hearing- now less than two weeks away again. Unconsciously, I let my head tilt forward. I reopened my watery eyes to see a blurry floor and regulation men's, black leather shoes. "I didn't want to alarm you, Uncle Rick! Truth be told, you and Tibius are identical in every way save one, sir." I felt a few tears drip from my face. "And what way would that be, Alex?" That disappointed growl still horrified me! "Your undeveloped telepathy, Admiral. The very gift that allows you to look into other people's souls, sir. If you allow it to come forward, it will develop fully. Denying it only confines it to just a 'knack'." "You're one of us, Admiral?" Carroll asked in astonishment. "Not that I'm aware, Miss Sheldon, but I think Alex IS implying that I'm Terran!" "In a way we're all Terran, sir. Please, can't we just leave it at that? The only thing that matters is we have to find a way for you and Emily to get back to base and far enough away from my physical body to avoid infection!" "Hey, what about me? I didn't ask to come along on this adventure, Alex!" Carroll protested. "Alex, I'm committed now. If I release you, we both return and you conceivably die! I can't let that happen. It would conflict with my oath! Plus, I could possibly lose my sister- there's no way I'll ever let that happen either! I'm staying! I'll try to get Jack to pull you and Uncle Rick away from us, Carroll, but before I do that, we need to get out of your office, Admiral!" "Why do you need to get out of my..." Admiral Demmit's body seemed to shimmer for a split second. "So there you have it, Emily. The offer you've been waiting for! A chance to become that full-fledged doctor you've hoped for! I want you to think about it, but don't wait too long! I can't promise you this will wait for you indefinitely- I'd say three weeks tops." The Admiral's whole demeanor had changed suddenly. "Emily?" He asked in concern. "Did you get all that, Lt. Scott?" "I did, Admiral, it's just that...well...I just met this man...today, and...and I thought he might be the one, sir." "Do I know this possible nephew, dear?" "His name is Steinert, sir, Lt. Cmdr. Alex Steinert." "Steinert? I've heard good things about him from his captain. Very intelligent, strategically, and he has a good report with the enlisted men. He'll make a good commanding officer one day- might even make Admiral if he watches himself.? Admiral Demmit squinted at Emily. ?What about that Lionel? Did you break it off with him, yet?? ?No, Admiral, I?m going to, but I want to learn more about his angle before I do. I?m not so sure he likes me or is using me! Sometimes he seems a little too interested in certain commanding officers and my relationships with them, sir.? ?Well you keep an eye on him, Emily! One thing we don?t need around here is more muck-raking by the American press!? ?I?ll do that Admiral, and I?ll consider your offer thoroughly before I give you my decision, sir.? ?I would expect nothing less, dear. Oh, and I expect Cmdr. Steinert to behave like a gentleman, young lady! If either of those men do anything to...? ?You?ll be the first to know, Uncle Rick! Now, we?d better get back to our quarters, sir. Donna and Kim are due at the hospital at 1600hrs, and I have to get ready for this evening?s dinner with Lt. Cmdr. Steinert.? ?Emily, I have a feeling the future holds something special for you and Commander Steinert. Good hunting, dear.? Admiral Demmit confessed with a wink. Had he read Mina?s time sensitive report already or was he just subconsciously channeling his ?gift?? ?Kim, Donna, you two lend Emily an ear, but remember to use the utmost discretion where you talk, I don?t want our little secret getting out, understood?? ?Yes sir.? Carroll acknowledged. ?Aye, sir.? I confirmed. ?Dismissed, girls.? Demmit stood from his seat. We jumped to attention and saw ourselves to the door. ?I guess Jack pulled Uncle Rick away from us.? Emily said when we found privacy- something difficult to find on a busy naval base! ?That would be my guess, sis. Why are you still here though, Donna?? I asked, hoping Carroll was still with us. ?Carroll Sheldon?s the name, Alex, and I decided to help, so I told Jack I wanted to stay with you.? ?What happened to ?I never asked to come along, Alex??? I asked her with skepticism. ?You?re my CO, ma?am, but above that you?re my friend and I would never intentionally abandon a friend, Alex!? ?Thanks, Carroll! I really appreciate that, but can you stand to inhabit this body until I whip this thing?? ?It isn?t all that bad, Skip, I just have to get used to the extra weight around the middle- say do you think I should try to drop some of it while I?m in here- do the ensign a favor?? ?It wouldn?t matter how much weight Donna dropped, Carroll.? Emily looked to the ground having said that. ?Why? I think it could help with her health. Carrying around an extra fifty couldn?t be good for her!? ?She ships out for Rahbal in four weeks, Carroll.? Emily said sadly. ?Ya, okay, and?? ?Her ship is attacked by a Japanese sub, Carroll! Donna and Kim both drown as a result! They never see me make full Lieutenant!? ?In that case, you better hurry and get well, Alex!? Carroll turned to me quickly. ?Your concern is overwhelming, Carroll Sheldon!? Emily groused. ?I don?t mind being her for a while; I just would like to die in my own body- on my own terms, doc!? ?The Empress could help out, sis.? I raised an eyebrow momentarily. ?And just where would you put them, Alex, Terra?? ?If my gift would ever start working again I could tell you that! You didn?t think to ask yours how long we?d be stuck here, did you, sis?? ?Right now it looks like two weeks unless something changes.? ?So what do we do in the meantime, sis? I know what you?re going to be doing, but I have no idea what Kim does, who she knows, what she likes to do when off duty- you know, things like that?? ?Well, she pals around with me and Donna most of the time.? ?Good.? ?She is just your average clerk/nurse, out at the hospital, so you?ll just be typing and filing patient records- maybe bandaging an occasional scraped knee...until another ship comes in.? ?Okay, got it!? ?There was also rumor that she had a guy before shipping out. I think it was Maj. Canton, Alex.? ?You?re kidding!? I felt my mouth drop open! ?No...I think that was the rumor. She would disappear for several hours one or two evenings during the week and come back just before lights out with feathers in her mouth.? ?You mean she likes to eat live birds, doc?? Emily and I rolled our eyes. ?No, Carroll, as in the cat that ate the canary?? I corrected. ?I knew that! I was just trying to add some levity here!? ?Are you sure that?s all you intended, Carroll? Donna was a bit of a ditz. Maybe a small part of her is still in there somewhere with you?? Emily giggled. ?Maybe that?s why Carroll entered her, sis.? I smiled devilishly. ?Hey! That?s not nice, Alex! I could easily ask Jack to pull me out too, then where would you be?? Carroll pouted. ?I would still be here waiting for my body to kill off that bug, Carroll!? I said in all seriousness. ?Oh ya.? Emily suddenly put a finger to her lips as we heard male voices approaching. ?We better get back to our quarters, girls!? She motioned us to follow her. 1700hrs, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, July 15th, 1942 Working rotating shifts in a Navy Hospital was even worse than the long duty shifts we used originally on Sand Dollar! Today, I was scheduled for the evening shift. A particularly slow shift that, unless a hospital ship with causalities docked, was thoroughly mundane. A week in the body and life of Ensign Kimberly Jenson only proved one important fact. She deserved much better than this! Any primary school dropout could do her job and from what Emily told me about her friend, she had way more talent and a whole lot more ambition than required! I found out early on how women were treated here. Early in my first shift last week, a handsome doctor entered my office and began a conversation. The topics ranged from how his profession wasn?t allowing him sufficient time to tan and tone his body, to how much paperwork he had to fill out for each patient, to how time consuming it was for him to file said reports! All the while he jockeyed around my desk trying to gain some premium viewing angles of this body?s cleavage. I secretly wished Jack could be here to ?lend a hand?! Actually, I wondered if this was the very same doctor that had been annoying Cindy the previous December. Emily and ?Alex? were right on schedule romantically, which, I guess was a good thing, historically. I just couldn?t shake the jealousy I felt for that...man! I would have given anything to relive our pleasant, but doomed courtship! All week I had intentionally avoided Major Charles Canton. Unfortunately, my luck had taken tonight off. ?Kimberly, where have you been all week? I missed you kid!? ?Oh, hi, major. I?ve been busier than usual lately, sorry.? ?Major? Why so formal, honey? I thought we?d gotten past those formalities weeks ago?? Ah oh! ?The Captain must have caught wind of us. She cautioned me to stay focused, major.? ?I see. Well, I could have a little talk with her. Maybe tell her that what you and I do while off duty is none of her concern, if you?d like.? ?She may have brought the issue up with Admiral Demmit, though! I don?t want you to face a tribunal because of me.? ?Don?t worry about that, Kimmie, Admiral Demmit and I go way back. I?m sure I could get him to see my side. I?ll have a talk with him tomorrow.? ?You really don?t have to do that, Charles. I?ve been thinking that we need to slow down- lay low for a while.? I slowly cautioned. I immediately realized my poor choice of words. ?Kimmie, I just love when you throw out those innuendoes! Don?t you have some rounds to make? I hear the upper floor is quite vacant this week.? Maj. Canton almost purred. ?Gomez and Tish,? I thought, but who were Gomez and Tish? ?What was that, my dear?? Canton sounded confused. Only then did I realize I had said it out loud. ?A strange couple I knew from back home. Gomez and Mortisha Addams. They live in this creepy, old house.? I informed him, now knowing where I had heard the names. My future twin?s recollection of an old TV show! My future twin! She had told me weeks ago that she?d been watching me develop- making sure I didn?t fowl up too bad. Was she watching now, or had she seen fit to stay clear of my infection? The overall rush of emotion that hit me as I felt an old friend wake from dormancy flooded my eyesight. ?What?s the matter now, Kimmie?? Canton asked with real concern. ?Oh...nothing. I?m just a little emotional today, that?s all.? ?Oh! Maybe I should leave then- let you work through IT in private?? Give me a break! He thought that... hmmm, maybe I could use this to my advantage? ?That might be a good idea, Charles. You know how messy IT can be.? Marine Major Charles Canton actually started to turn green! Imagine... a marine that couldn?t handle a little blood! Maj. Canton excused himself in the most gentlemanly way possible. ?Um...you know...I just remembered that I have some procurement reports to finish...and then there?s that rear area inspection that the old man wants me to assist with...I might be off base for a few days...maybe a week...I?ll catch you up then. Take care of yourself, Kimmie!? He was out of the office and down the hall before I realized he had stopped talking! ?Well, that was convenient!? I said to myself with a smile. ?You know he really loved Kimberly Jenson, don?t you?? A very familiar voice informed me. ?I knew you were watching, sis! How long have you been here?? I stared straight ahead, afraid that if I looked back at her I would give her the disease. ?Long enough to remember that we played that well, Alex, or would you prefer Kim right now?? ?Like you don?t know the answer to that by now?? I turned to see me leaning against the inner office doorframe. ?You?re almost through this, Allie. Just another day and Emily will return us to our rightful place. Hang tough, sis!? ?I know it?s almost over, Empress, I found an old friend just a few minutes ago!? ?I remember.? My future twin looked relieved. ?Peyton...is she alright?? ?I forgot we had a lot of time to figure things out while stuck here. Yes, Peyton is doing well in this very hospital...several decades in the future though. Emily used the antibodies our body developed to formulate a vaccine. She administered it to the entire Terran delegation before they left Kili. Alex Reilly took enough back with her to inoculate Anna-Beth?s crew and families also. So relax, kid, this is almost over!? ?Thank you, Empress!? I said with tears in my eyes. It felt so good to see me again. ?No. Thank you, Empress!? She winked at me and smiled before suddenly phasing out. ?Hey there, Kim! How are you hanging in there?? Emily appeared in the doorway to the hall with Carroll...er Donna. ?I think I might be beating that bug, sis! I got part of my gift back a little while ago!? ?Oh, that?s great news, Alex, but I thought I heard your voice in here just before Carroll and I arrived!? ?I was talking to Alex Covington, sis.? ?What did she have to say?? Carroll asked before Emily could say a vowel. ?She told me to hang in there!? My smile grew wider as I said it. ?So we?ll be able to go home soon, Alex?? Carroll again cut Emily off. ?That?s usually what it means, Carroll. Emily, she told me that my ?antibodies? would be used to make a vaccination for this thing and that you administered it to all the Terrans and sent a batch of the stuff back with Alex Reilly. She said that Peyton is recovering here as well...I mean here in 2028, that is.? ?I wasn?t aware Peyton was sick, Alex. When did you know that, a few minutes ago?? ?No, sis, I?ve had plenty of time to think things over. In a way I was following your prescription- you know, keep my mind active? Well, I was trying to put it all together- how I caught this bug; how it was transmitted; who gave it to me; who engineered the thing, you know.? ?And there I thought you were just thinking of new ways to avoid Canton! So, how did you arrive at Peyton, Alex?? Emily looked sternly at Carroll, daring her to cut her off one more time. ?I traced my movements, sis. I realized that, before a certain time, if I had contracted this thing you, all of us Alex?, the Terrans and the Reilly?s would be sick also, but you aren?t. So, that meant that I had contracted it sometime when I was relatively alone. The only time that happened was when I transported Peyton to my private domain and again when I transported Detroit?s command crew back to their boat. After my return, you and the other Alex? stayed clear of me until we boarded Sand Dollar in the morning. The initial contact had only one common denominator- Peyton. Before that afternoon, I hadn?t seen her in or around Reilly. That?s why I rushed her off to my domain!? ?But how do you know she was infected?? Emily asked in confusion. Carroll nodded her head in agreement. ?When we were alone, she told me she had stowed away with Hathor?s raiding party. Apparently she wasn?t hidden as well as she thought! Hathor must have found out from Peyton?s mother what she planned on doing and somehow gave her the bug and made her the...the...? ?Carrier?? Emily interjected. ?Ya, carrier! It was probably her plan ?D? to get rid of Alex Reilly and I- her failsafe so to speak. I?m thinking she didn?t know about our close genetic relationship with the Terrans- not that the heartless bitch would mind killing them too!? ?So you...you figured this all out without your gift working, Alex?? Carroll asked in amazement. ?I?d like to think I was a good tactician before I received my foresight, Carroll! Are you sure Donna isn?t forcing her way back in there?? I giggled. ?You know what they say, Alex! ?Smarts are only skin deep, but blonde runs clean to the bone!?? Emily downright laughed. ?Aren?t you the funny one, doc? I?ll have you know that I?m still mathematically advanced- even in this redhead?s body!? ?I rest my case, Alex!? Emily continued laughing. Carroll...or Donna came in a close second to Jack looking so cute when perplexed. After our laughter had died down, I asked an obvious question. ?So, are you and Alex going out again tonight, sis?? I closed my eyes knowing what tonight would almost do to my military career. ?No, we hadn?t planned on going out tonight, Alex, you should know that!? ?But tonight?s the night, Emily!? I cried out in shock. ?Tonight? That?s tonight?? ?What?s tonight? What?s going to happen tonight, Alex?? Carroll demanded. ?Tonight Lionel looses some teeth, Carroll! Tonight he forces my hand by questioning Emily?s honor and her relationship with me! Tonight he almost gets his big story about civilian abuses by the military!? ?I thought that was tomorrow, Alex!? Emily stared at me. ?No, sis, it?s tonight!? Alex disagreed, as she appeared leaning against the hallway wall. ?How am I going to get there now? It?s almost 6PM! I?ll never have time to get ready! I told Alex I had something else to do tonight. What happens if I miss this date?? ?You don?t want to miss this date, Emily, trust me on that! You miss tonight and we never get to Kili! We never get Sand Dollar, and we never get to see each other again...ever!? Alex warned. ?But how do I get to the base gate in five minutes?? ?Leave that up to your fairy godmother, Cinderella!? Alex giggled then disappeared momentarily. She reappeared with Corrine Masterson and Jamie Hilf in tow. ?Ladies, one of our own needs help getting to the ball! Shall we help her with that?? Alex still giggled. Jamie held out one of our Kili uniforms while Corrine studied Emily?s face. ?It?s all charged up and ready for your big date, Doc! Better hurry though. Empress says she can?t time port ya like this.? Jamie advised her. Alex reached over and closed the office?s door then locked it. ?Privacy engaged, number one.? She continued to giggle. I looked at my temporal twin. ?I?m going to laugh when I make the connection to that, right?? ?Yes, its funny Alex, trust me.? Alex deadpanned. You two could help her out of her clothes you know! Up until a few months ago you were willing to try, Alex!? ?Isn?t this great...I?m the butt of my own jokes!? ?All in good fun, sis! All in good fun! Corrine, are you almost ready with the makeup? We have to fly in about two minutes! I told Alex I?d meet him by the guard shack promptly at six!? ?You told...Alex?? ?We sound similar, sis- especially with the excellent sound quality of these antique phones! Hurry up Miss Masterson! She has her future to catch!? ?Don?t rush me, Alex!? Corrine hissed as she held her hands across Emily?s face a few seconds then quickly gathered and cupped her hair a minute more. ?There, all done. What do you think?? ?Just as I remember it!? Alex and I said in unison, our voices harmonizing this time. ?I never thought I?d be so thrilled to hear you two do that again!? Emily said trying to hold back her tears. ?Don?t you dare ruin my work, Doctor,? Corrine scolded! ?She?s ready, Empress.? ?Then let Operation Fairy Godmother begin! Quickly, Emily, take my hand, but continue to concentrate on keeping Alex?s mind here in the past!? ?Ready, Empress.? Alex smiled and winked at me. Emily and Alex promptly disappeared. ?So, did Alex bring you two straight from 2028 or were you here already on a mission?? I asked Jamie and Corrine. ?Boy, she wasn?t kidding when she said your gift wasn?t workin?! Alex, she picked us up in 1944! We?re your crew from Atlantis-Minor!? ?But...but...Corrine...you...? ?What can I say, skipper, I took some lessons from my future twin! I?ll hide my gift from the rest if you want...until the time is right, that is.? ?You?ll do no such thing, Corrine Masterson! You know how embarrassing that would be! Besides, other?s have received their gifts earlier than planned, why can?t you?? ?That?s what I told her, Cap! I said it would be a waste if she?d do that!? ?You did not! You said I?d never develop my gift- only my bust line, Jamie Hilf!? ?I said nothing of the kind!? ?Knock it off you two!? Alex said, suddenly appearing again. ?Take my hands! We have to leave now! See you when you get back, sis, bye!? Carroll and I were left alone in my office. ?So, Carroll, what are your plans for tonight?? ?Carroll? Have you been drinking on duty again, Kimberly,? came her reply? ?What?? I took a second to ponder her response. Emily must have lost focus and Carroll lost contact. ?Sorry, Donna, this shift puts me to sleep! I think I was just dreaming. Someone named Carroll was in it.? ?Funny you should mention that name, Kim, I seem to remember a Carroll from somewhere- Carroll Shelby...Sheltie...? ?Sheldon?? ?Ya, Sheldon, That was the name! How?d you know that, Kim?? ?I bumped into a nurse by that name last December! Maybe you did too?? ?I think you?re right, Kim, I wonder what happened to her?? ?I heard she shipped out to one of the forward hospitals back in the spring.? ?We know about those don?t we, sister? I hope she?s safe.? ?I have a feeling she?s doin? alright for herself, Donna.? ?Now how on Earth could you know that, Kimberly Jenson? How could you possibly know anyone is safe out there with any certainty?? ?Hey Donna, what?s the square root of 1068?? I raised an eyebrow. ?32.6802927... Hey, how did I know that?? Her expression was priceless! ?Beats me, I was just being silly!? I smiled at her confusion. Apparently Carroll?s possession had some latency, I thought. ?Sometimes, I don?t know about you, Kimberly Jenson! I?m going to the Officer?s Club to get drunk! I?ll see you tomorrow.? She didn?t know the half of it. ?Bye, Donna. Thanks for stopping by.? I wondered how much Kimberly Jenson would remember after I left. Oh, wow, that much? I thought as another portion of my gift reawakened and another bout of joyful tears filled my vision. 1100hrs, Pearl Harbor Naval Base, July 22nd, 1942 ?...And that Lt. Cmdr. Alexander Fredrick Steinert did willfully and wantonly attack a civilian representative of the United States Wartime Press Corp. 1900hrs, 15, July, 1942 with intent to disfigure and or maim and or murder!? The balding prosecutor stated as I watched my own tribunal from an entirely different perspective. ?Thank you, counselor, but this isn?t a civilian court. This is a military tribunal to determine the validity and extent of the charges brought against Lt. Cmdr. Steinert. Should the Commander be found at fault, the possibility of punishment will be discussed at his court marshal! I must warn you counselor as I had yesterday, this is a disciplinary hearing, not a murder case and it will continue as such!? Admiral Demmit reminded the enthusiastic lawyer. Emily, Donna and I sat behind Alex awaiting our chance to testify on his behalf. If I remembered right, this being day two, none of us would still get that chance. What I did remember was that it was the longest, most stressful, two days I had ever experienced! Alex certainly had that part down as I noticed his feet and hands constantly fidgeting. Had I really been doing that? I only had to look down and see my own feet moving in a similar fashion. I had expected to be home already, but Emily seemed to be airing on the side of caution. As we watched the hearing continue, I was surprised to notice that certain parts I remembered quite vividly hadn?t happened this time. Most concerning was one section of Lionel?s testimony. In that portion, he was asked how committed he was to a relationship with Emily. Emily became angry at his response that they were intimate and stood up to let the tribunal know he was lying. That hadn?t happened this time! ?Emily, didn?t you hear what that SOB just said? I know for a fact that you never let him near you! What gives?? I whispered to her as I gently touched her hand. ?How could you know that, Kim? You?ve only met Lionel a few times. I can?t be sure we didn?t do anything- I?m having trouble remembering for some reason!? She whispered back. Oh, no! My Emily was gone and I was somehow still here! It was all up to me to keep history straight now! ?Still you couldn?t have done anything, Emily- I know you too well! If you don?t stand up and defend Alex, his career is over! Do you really want to be responsible for that? Don?t you love him, Emily?? I asked, still whispering. ?You?re right, Kim, Alex isn?t at fault here! He shouldn?t take the blame for this- he was only protecting me!? Emily suddenly stood up. ?Admiral, Lionel is lying! At no time during our relationship did we share anything more than a kiss, Sir!? She announced with more authority then I?d ever heard. ?Lt. Scott, your outburst is out of line! You have not been called for testimony nor petitioned for any response! You will please be seated, Lieutenant!? ?But Cmdr Steinert and I were setup, Admiral! This man used both of us to create a false news article for his own personal profit!? She continued. ?Lt. Scott! That is enough! You will be seated or you will be forcibly escorted from this tribunal! Sit down, Lieutenant!? Admiral Demmit ordered in a louder, angry voice. If you looked close, you could see the sweat rolling off Alexander?s face as he sat there facing our superiors-I felt it then and I could definitely see it from where I now sat! The room?s door opened with a slight creak as someone tried to enter quietly. A young, brown haired man- a lieutenant by rank- approached the desks of the five attending officers. His walk seemed nervous and unsure. ?Admiral, sorry for this interruption, but I have information detrimental to this officer?s inquest- your permission to approach, sirs?? I recognized the voice immediately! Spencer Rosen! What did Alex have in mind? Why was she trying to save this reality as the root dimension? Hadn?t it already been compromised? ?You may approach, Lieutenant...? Demmit motioned him to present the new information only after conferring with the other four officers. He stopped not knowing the man?s name. ?Lt. Rosen, Admiral- Communications Surveillance Specialist, Lt. Spencer Rosen. Sir, I have evidence in the form of transcript here that we recorded the night of 15, July, 1942- 2100hrs.? Spencer handed the folder to Admiral Demmit, who opened it and began reading. A brow rose several times during the read. Fifteen minutes passed as each member of the tribunal read and sometimes re-read the new evidence. ?Lt. Rosen, are you certain this account is accurate? You are aware of the severity of the charges contained within these pages?? ?I am, Admiral, and I am sorry for the lateness of this evidence. We were only informed of this inquiry earlier this morning, sir- barely enough time to have it typed up by our secretary, Ensign Covington. Thank goodness she is the timeliest typist on base!? ?Gentlemen?? Admiral Demmit said. ?In light of this new information, I suggest we convene for lunch to discuss the matter.? He nodded to the four other officers- each nodding their agreement. ?But Admiral, I have not presented anything pertaining to the charges against Lt. Cmdr. Steinert! The evidence I have collected is overwhelmingly specific as to the commander?s actions of the 15th, sir!? ?Counselor, I think you should have lunch with us! We have many things to discuss! This tribunal is adjourned for lunch! All parties will reconvene here at 1300hrs.? Everyone in the room stood to attention and waited until the Admiral, his four attending officers, and Lionel?s attorney filed out. Lionel, looking quite humbled and swollen, lingered a moment looking at Alexander before exiting to the hallway. I remembered that look! He knew he had just lost his gamble for a permanent by-line! I wasn?t so sure I was off the hook though. History had been changed- ever so slightly, but changed nonetheless! I wondered how it would feel to be the one being reabsorbed into the real or root dimension. ?I?m hungry, Emily. Let?s get something to eat!? Donna reached across me to tug on Emily?s sleeve. ?You know...if you didn?t eat so much, you would lose some of that belly of yours!? Emily forced a giggle. It was evident that she was still terribly concerned for Alex. ?I thought we agreed not to talk about my weight, Emily? Even so, I?m still hungry.? ?Fine, Donna, we?ll go get something at the O.C! Kim, are you coming?? ?I think I?ll just walk down the hall and get some water. You two go on without me, but thanks for asking!? I responded as cheerfully as I could, given that things hadn?t happened exactly right. After a few minutes I became the sole occupant of the room. Or so I thought. ?You understand we just changed history, Alex.? My real voice said calmly behind me. ?You know what that means?? ?It means a new dimension has been spawned and I?m the one that gets absorbed into myself this time, right?? I turned around to see my twin seated directly behind me. Her face looked so sad, yet understanding. ?Alex, I?m not so sure that can happen this time! You are the base Empress after all! If you are merged back into another dimension, we may all cease to exist, but if we don?t reassemble, we all possibly cease to exist here! This is the worst kind of paradox, sis- one that Mina would never let us forget!? ?What would make you think Mina would survive something as catastrophic as this, Empress?? ?Mina should be safe back on Kili! I have no doubt that this can?t possibly reach her that far back in time, Alex.? ?You?re forgetting one important tacit, Empress- Mina was still here on Kili in this time period! We hadn?t gone to rescue them yet! No Rescue, no Mahanilui, no Empress- remember?? ?I already thought about that, Alex, and here?s the thing. Your body is up in 1944, so technically Mina is back on Kili BC. This dimension was temporary- a device Emily created to hold your consciousness safe until you got better...? ?Wait, you said my body WAS back in 1944!? My voice had jumped a few octaves. ?Just a slip of the tongue, sis, sorry!? ?No, Empress, I want to know the truth! Am I dead? Did I expire back at base?? I tried and failed to keep the sheer panic from my voice. ?Don?t be silly, sis! If you had passed, would I be here talking to you? She smiled defensively. ?I don?t know the answer to that and neither do you! Give it to me straight...or don?t you know the answer, Alex?? ?You tell me, sis, you seem to have all the answers! I could be just a remnant of our past memories here to keep you company in the afterlife, or...I could be just spoofing you because you?re taking all of this too seriously, Alex, you decide!? ?Empress, I don?t know what to think at this point! I didn?t think Emily could hold me here without being here herself- at least that?s what she told me earlier! Now that she...Emily of 1944, has obviously left this reality, how do I return home?? ?Have you tried clicking your heels together three times?? ?Knock it off, Alex, I?m serious! Tell me, how do I get home- to my...our body?? ?I?m afraid there is no way back, Alex, the Empress of Time and Space doesn?t exist- never has! All this? She looked and motioned around then touched my temple, ?All this is just your imagination- pure fantasy! It?s all in your mind, Alex Steinert! There is no way back...or forward for that matter!? ?That?s impossible, you?re lying! I?m not caught in some kind of crazy loop! I just have to find the weakness and force my way out of this nightmare!? ?Go ahead and try, Alex, it?s your mind. Twist and bend it all you want, but you?ll still end up back here...with me.? She warned. ?No, I will not accept that! I?ll find a way out of this if it?s the last thing I do!? ?Knock yourself out, Alex! I?m just going to phase out right now since Alex?s tribunal is reconvening. I?ll see you afterwards.? Alex disappeared just as the door opened wide and men started filing back into the room. Donna and Emily took their original seats on either side of me as Alex, accompanied by two marine guards, returned to the ?hotseat?. Lionel and his attorney entered and took their seats also. ?This tribunal into the alleged allegations pertaining to Lt. Cmdr. Alexander Steinert is now in session. Cmdr. Steinert, before our lunch break this tribunal received information crucial to its decision regarding the charges of assault and battery leveled against you. We have reviewed and thoroughly discussed this new information and have made our decision.? Admiral Demmit announced. His tone was steady, but very sad. I didn?t remember it going this way the last time! Demmit?s tone was one of elation then. ?Cmdr. Steinert, it is the decision of this tribunal that you will be held to all charges including the following: Illegal communications with a foreign government; passing of confidential information to a foreign government; treason; espionage; and willfully endangering a fellow officer?s life. You will be confined to the brig until the date of your court marshal! Cmdr. Steinert, I really had expected to clear you of all previous