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The Final Frontier Part 1 I sat on the worn, wooden, park bench staring up into the sky. A gentle breeze brought scents from fresh-cut grass and roses from the field and garden nearby. "It's you, isn't it? You're Sam Shepherd." Shaken from my thoughts, I nodded the affirmative at the little boy whose mother stood protectively nearby. "You're flying up there tomorrow?" The boy pointed towards the sun. "Yes. Maybe one day you'll be an astronaut as well?" "Not me. I'm going to change the world!" "I'm sorry if my son is bothering you, Mr. Shepherd. I'd like you to know how much I appreciate your stance on women's issues. How you answered the questions on women in space a few weeks ago was very admirable. Not only did you extol the values of women in the workplace, but you emphasized the feminine aspects as well. It's an honor to meet someone of your character." "If it wasn't for the greatest woman in the world, my mother, who cared for me and raised me right, I'd not be here today." "I'll be praying for you tomorrow, Mr. Shepherd. Come on, Billy." I watched with longing as the pair turned and walk away. While I yearned for a family, I simply couldn't put them through the constant heart- wrenching drama and fear of my potential imminent death that my work involved on a daily basis. I looked back towards the sun, pondering my fate tomorrow. My journey would take me around the far side of the sun. There would be many firsts for mankind tomorrow. The first person that far away from Earth, the first person to go around the sun, the first person to ever travel close to the speed of light, the first test of a new solar plasma rocket engine, and hopefully, not the first person to be cremated in a solar flare. You might think to yourself that space travel is as safe now as riding in a plane. After all, we've sent men to the moon and had people floating around in the space station for years. It isn't safe. Just a tenth of one percent of a degree too much towards the sun, and the news will be talking about barbecued Sam. A tenth of one percent of a degree away from the sun and you'll be listening to my radio beacon for the next ten thousand years as I drift off into space forever. If the scientists didn't calculate the speed and mass properly, I'll be the first human being to see the inside of the sun. An astronaut's life is held in the ability of a team of engineers to make sure the can of air you're breathing doesn't leak. It's a little like scuba diving. If your regulator stops working a hundred feet down, you're likely going to die. In space, however, there's no chance of making it to the surface, no boat waiting on top of the water, and no hospitals nearby. A million things could easily go wrong in space. That's my job every day, and that's why I'd never want a family back on Earth wondering if I'm coming home. I stood and stretched, feeling the sun's warmth permeate my being. As the sun warmed my body I contemplated how, from here, the sun was gentle and caressing, but any closer and it would put the flames of Hell to shame. I took a deep breath as if it was my last chance to breathe at all, and walked towards my car. Part 2 Twenty-four hours later I was breathing canned air, stuffed into a very uncomfortable spacesuit, and rapidly moving away from Earth. At this moment, it wasn't the weightlessness, the fear of floating forever through the galaxy, or even being burned alive by crashing into the sun; it was the utter feeling of insignificance that I felt the most. From my pilot seat I looked out the front viewport of the spaceship, Endeavor. The vast black nothingness of space was to my right, and the massive sun that powered all life on Earth was slightly to the left of center. Even though I was the top NASA astronaut and test pilot, hand selected for this historical solo journey, it was hard not to feel somewhat expendable. The test of the new solar plasma fusion engine would either fail miserably, or make me the first human to travel around the sun and back to Earth. I'd already shattered the record of being the furthest human away from Earth, and I was only hours into the journey. "Control to Endeavor, over." "Endeavor to Control. I am ready to initialize the solar plasma engine, over." "Control to Endeavor. We see all green on our boards here. You're a go to initiate. Initiation in ten, nine, eight..." I settled back into my chair and moved my finger over the flashing blue switch. "...three, two, one, initiate solar plasma engine." I pressed the switch and watched the sun suddenly grow larger and larger. Radio communications ceased as the spacecraft leapt forward at close to the speed of light. Oddly, the spacecraft felt smooth and there was just a hint of a hum from the engine. This is the wonder of the vacuum of space where speed isn't limited by the shape of the craft, and flight uninhibited by the friction of an atmosphere. It takes eight minutes for light from the sun to reach Earth. It would take me fifteen minutes to reach the sun. Fifteen minutes was all that the solar plasma engines needed to send Endeavor to the far side of the sun where gravity would pull the spacecraft around and slingshot it back towards Earth. The hum went quiet; the switch indicated the solar plasma engine had shut down. Twenty minutes to get around the far side of the sun and fifteen more to slow the spacecraft down enough for radio communications to be reestablished. I looked out the viewport again. At this speed even the sun appeared to blur at the edges, while oddly enough, the view straight ahead was crystal clear. I leaned forward as I strained to hold my vision steady. "What's that?" Before me, in the darkness of space I swear something was moving ahead. A shiny object, growing rapidly in size and coming straight for me. I squeezed my eyes shut and opened them again. The sun was on my left and straight ahead another spacecraft was heading straight for me. I had just enough time to place my hands in front of me as if bracing for impact would make any difference. The moment had come. There was no sound, just a blinding flash of light. Then nothing. I blinked and looked outside. The spaceship had vanished and yet something very odd just happened. The sun was supposed to be on my left, but it wasn't. It was on my right. Something had gone horribly wrong. Everything else was the same as before. I checked the voice recorder to make sure it was still on. "This is Sam..." I stopped short. This wasn't my voice coming from me. My voice sounded feminine. I looked up to a small mirror and froze. Looking back at me in the mirror was a woman's face in a helmet. I put my gloved hand to my helmet and the image in the mirror did the same. I pressed my hand to my chest and felt unmistakable bumps through the spacesuit. I tried speaking once again. "This is Sam Shepherd..." I faltered for a moment at the foreignness of my voice. "At 0307 hours, as I began moving around the far side of the sun I saw an object flying straight for Endeavor. It appeared to be another spacecraft. When the spacecraft collided there was a blinding flash of light. When I opened my eyes I realized the sun was on the wrong side of the ship. I believe the Endeavor passed through a parallax event horizon. It's possible I'm now in an alternate universe." It was all I could speak. I looked back at the mirror. The face looking back was beautiful with large blue eyes and sensual full lips. Could it be that this was myself in another universe? I looked out the viewport and watched the sun beginning to recede from view. The solar plasma engine kicked on automatically and the hum returned. I continued to stare at myself not even noticing the engines had stopped. I was startled when the radio crackled with static. "Control to Endeavor. Control to Endeavor." "Endeavor to control. I'm here, over." I knew I still needed to get back to Earth if I ever wanted to get home again, if that was even possible. To accomplish that I would have to do everything I needed to do, regardless of what body I was in or what person I'd become. "Control to Endeavor. Welcome home Samantha and congratulations. I don't think anyone down here even breathed for that last fifty minutes. Let's get you home, over." "Endeavor to Control. I'm more than ready to get home, over." Wherever and whenever home was. "Control to Endeavor. Make sure you're strapped in tightly. We'll initiate the landing sequence in thirty seconds, over." I adjusted my straps when suddenly the spacecraft began shaking violently. Alarms started ringing and lights flashed. Smoke filled the cabin and everything went a dull gray. Part 3 I opened my eyes slowly and let them adjust to the light. I appeared to be in a hospital bed. How did I get here? I raised my hand to my face. This wasn't my hand. It was small and delicate. I looked down to see two large breasts on my chest pushing my hospital gown away from my chest. It wasn't a dream. "There you are. You had us all worried, Samantha. Lucky thing the Endeavor had so many fail-safes and we were able to bring you down safely. Looks like you bumped your head a little. How do you feel?" I looked over to see a man in a military-like uniform. His badge read 'A Bronson, Major.' "Sir. Something happened up there." "The solar plasma engine burned a whole through an oxygen tank causing major system failures." "No, sir. Before that. Something happened on the far side of the sun. There was an event. Possibly a parallax horizon." "I'm sorry, Samantha. Most of the records were destroyed. I'm sure whatever you saw was a result of light bending as you neared the speed of light. Whatever sensor readings we did recover indicated no anomalies. You'll need to stay here overnight for observation. We have a news conference in a few hours. I'll let the doctors check you over once more. If they give the all clear, you'll need to get dressed so I can take you down to the conference. You've just made history, Samantha. As we discussed before, the world will want to know all about it and your Particular perspective." That last sentence seemed laced with hidden meaning. The Major left and a few minutes later a trio of male doctors came into the room. They were quick and efficient. My blood pressure was taken, temperature, eye response, heart rate, brain wave activity, and autonomic nervous system checked. I felt like I'd been run through a Jiffy Lube. The doctors quickly left and moments later a pretty young woman rushed in looking rather scattered and carrying a wardrobe bag. "I'm sorry for the delay, Ms. Shepherd. Here are your clothes for the conference. Major Bronson will be with you shortly. Is there anything at all I can get you, Ms. Shepherd?" "No. I think I'm fine. Thank you." "No need to thank me, Ms. Shepherd. This is what I'm here to do." With that said, she quickly gave a small bow and closed the door after her. "That was a little odd," I said to myself. I lifted off the bed covers and slid my legs over the side of the bed. The hospital gown freely slid up over my smooth thighs and legs as I did so. I looked down at a pair of very sexy legs. I ran my hand along them and marveled not only at their silkiness but also the sensual feeling of them. I stood rather shakily at first, but quickly gained my center of balance. I moved over to the door to my room and silently locked it. I then walked to a full- length mirror to look at myself for the first time. At first glance everything seemed surreal. My mind was struggling to comprehend what happened. I finally focused on the mirror and before me stood an extraordinarily beautiful woman with flowing long blonde hair. She was approximately five foot eight, weighing maybe one hundred twenty pounds. Large blue eyes that made her appear sexy, intelligent, and inquisitive blinked back at me. High cheekbones and lush moist full lips added to her erotic beauty. Raising my arms to the hospital gown ties, I watched as the woman in the mirror did the same thing. I was aroused by the woman in the mirror and urged her to drop the gown to the floor, even though subconsciously I knew she was me. Slowly, almost painfully, I stared as the woman pulled the strings that held the gown on her body. As the gown slowly slipped over the woman's frame, bit by bit of her wonderful body became exposed. Ample breasts appeared and I let out a gasp of wonder and awe. The woman gasped as well. The falling gown exposed the woman's stomach that was flat, lightly muscled, and smooth. The gown finally slipped over the woman's hips and dropped soundlessly to the floor. The woman in the mirror was truly flawless and captivated my vision. Her smoothly shaved vagina seemed to beg to be caressed. I watched the woman turn slightly so she could show me her perfectly shaped buttocks. I saw all these things as though I was watching from a distance or watching a woman on television. Fully mesmerized, I reached for the woman to see her hand also reach for me. When I touched the cold glass of the mirror, reality finally came back to me. I looked down on my naked body. My breasts, swaying slightly with my movement, blocked some of my view. I ran my hands over this foreign body I now wore. My slight, feminine hands causing sensual pleasures wherever they touched. I placed my hands over my breasts, cupping them, yet my hands could not fully hold them. My thumbs brushed over my nipples causing waves of pleasure to roll through my body and my nipples to become erect. I slid one hand downwards between my legs. The void very noticeable to me, however, one light touch of my fingers across my vaginal lips caused me to gasp aloud. Looking back at myself in the mirror I had to wonder what my counterpart must be feeling right now. I stared at myself knowing that I may never return home again. I reluctantly turned towards the wardrobe bag left by the woman and unzipped it. Cringing, I pulled out an elegant dark blue skirt suit, lacey blue panties, and an almost see through blue bra. Sighing to myself, but knowing I had no choice, I slipped on the panties and struggled a little with the bra. Catching a brief glimpse of myself in the mirror didn't help my arousal which continued to climb. I felt warmth and wetness between my legs. With concerted effort, I put on the remaining clothing, a light blue blouse, which showed altogether too much cleavage, a skirt, and a dark blue blazer-type jacket that accentuated my figure. I also found a pair of dark blue pumps in the bottom of the bag that I slipped on, thankful my new body seemed to have muscle memory for walking in such things. I found a hairbrush and stroked my long, soft hair, taking out the tangles as best I could. Looking once again at the mirror, I was caught breathless by the beauty I saw. Picking up my nametag, I carefully looked it over. Samantha Shepherd, NASA. I even recognized the employee ID number as my own. I clipped it onto my blazer lapel. A knock at the door startled me. I sighed, and unlocked the door. The pretty woman that had brought the wardrobe bag to me and Major Bronson were there when I opened the door. The woman had a name tag, Jill Burton, Administrative Assistant, and she was carrying a clipboard. There was something very submissive in her attitude and the way she walked behind Major Bronson and me as I was guided to the news conference. Part 4 The conference room was large with nearly fifty journalists that all stood and applauded as I entered. I'd been in news conferences many times before, but here, in this universe, I was amazed there were only men in the room. Major Bronson indicated that I should move to the podium. "How are you feeling Samantha?" came the first question. You mean, aside from the fact that I was now a woman? I repressed my agitated thoughts keeping them from my tongue. "I'm feeling fine, just a slight bump on the head. The doctors seemed suitably impressed I was in one piece. Next question." "As the first woman in space, how would you describe your experience?" That was an odd question. Why would I be the first woman in space? Trying not to miss a beat, I replied, "It was exhilarating!" "You mean you weren't frightened?" "There was a sense of isolation, but frightened, no. Not at all. The risks are what I signed up for." Major Bronson coughed and I looked his way. He didn't seem very happy. "What would you say to other women who think they could do something similar?" "I'd tell them, go for it! There's nothing they can't do." Major Bronson pushed me rather roughly to the side and took over the podium. He spoke to the journalists, "It's clear that Samantha sustained more injuries than diagnosed. I've notified the doctors to reassess her brain function. We'll end the conference now so that she can recuperate properly. You'll be notified if any subsequent conferences are scheduled. Unfortunately, we'll not let you take any footage shot today and you'll not be allowed to quote anything that she said. Thank you and good day." As soon as I was in the hallway, Major Bronson forcefully grabbed my arm. "What in the hell do you think you were doing in there?" "Let me go, you're hurting me!" "How dare you, you little tramp!" He turned and backhanded me across the face. The force of the blow momentarily stunned me as I fell back against the hallway wall. "We had a deal!" He was yelling. "We selected you, the most beautiful, athletic, and intelligent woman in the world, to do this mission for one reason, and one reason only! To prove to the world that women aren't capable of handling stressful situations. By doing so we would put those rebellious women around the world who think they ought to have a higher status back in their place. We, you and me, had a deal! Regardless of what happened, you were to say you were frightened and unfit for the task! I only wished you hadn't survived the explosion! You'll think upon what I just said and seriously consider if you want to go to prison or worse. Get your head back in the game!" He stormed off. I was stunned and unable to fathom what kind of world I found myself in. Jill, looked at me with wide eyes. She whispered, "That was the bravest thing I've ever seen anyone do. What you said in the conference gave me hope! I only wish the rest of the women in the world could have heard that. I fear for your life Ms. Shepherd." With that she ran off as the guards came and grabbed me by the arms and dragged me back to my room. This time they locked the door from the outside. Part 6 I went straight to the sink and grabbed a small towel and wet it down with the coldest water I could get from the tap. My cheek was swollen and red, but no permanent damage was done and it would likely be fine by morning. I held the cloth to my face and thought over what I'd seen and heard. The submissive assistant, the all male set of doctors and journalists, the violent behavior of the Major. Women are supposed to be submissive in this universe. I was being threatened with prison or worse, whatever worse was. On a positive note, they wouldn't have gone through all of this trouble if there wasn't a cultural wave of change threatening the patriarchal society. I looked at myself in the mirror again. In a female body, in this society, did I have the strength to do what I knew was right? About thirty minutes later a light knock came at the door. Jill stepped inside with some food. She made sure she closed the door behind her. "I've got ice for you, Ms. Shepherd." "Jill, please call me Samantha." Jill beamed a smile at me. She took the cloth I was holding to my face, placed ice in it, and very gently held it back up to my cheek. I winced slightly at the cold. "There's something different about you since you returned. I must say I like the changes very much. I want you to know that no matter what happens, you're my hero. I've never seen any woman do what you did. Oh my gosh, I'm flustered just being in your presence! I tasted the food for you. If they poisoned it, I didn't want you to die. I'm sorry, I'm rambling." Jill leaned forward and kissed me. "Oh my gosh! I can't believe I just did that! If the guards weren't waiting for me I don't think I'd be able to keep myself from ravaging you. I think I'm in love!" Jill rushed straight out the door leaving me even more baffled and surprisingly more tantalized than I was before. I sat on the bed and slowly picked at my dinner, barely tasting the food. If this universe were anything like mine, the likelihood of another spacecraft flying anytime within the next few years would be remote, especially after a system failure. To think that I could be on the next spacecraft, or that the parallax event would be there, or my counterpart would be at the right place at the right time, would be extremely unlikely. Like it or not, I'd come to the conclusion that I was stuck here forever. When I finished my dinner I placed the tray of empty plates on the nightstand. A light knock sounded again and Jill came into the room. She smiled brightly at me. "I came for the dishes and to bring you a nightgown. These sheets are so rough and I couldn't think straight imagining you sleeping, alone, in the nude, on those rough sheets." "Thank you, Jill. I greatly appreciate your taking care of me. I was just thinking of having a shower and climbing into bed." Jill bit her lower lip. "Mmmm. I'd like to take care of you all right. I wish I had time to help you in the shower, but Major Bronson wants me to file some paperwork tonight and I shouldn't keep him waiting." She grabbed my hand and leaned close. "I hope I didn't come on too strong before." "Umm. No, Jill. I found it sweet." "Good!" She pressed her lips much firmer against mine this time and slid a hand to my butt for a squeeze. "Oh my gosh! You are making me so excited! I'll see you in the morning!" She grabbed the tray of dishes and after a quick pause to fan herself with her free hand, left the room. Now I really wondered about this universe. Were all the women here so forward and wanting sex with other women? I admit, Jill was very pretty and her intensity caught me off guard. I felt guilty and excited at the same time. A cold shower might help. I stripped out of my clothes and took another look at myself in the mirror. I'd have to say that back in my old universe, this body I was now in, would definitely be one of the most beautiful women in the world. I noted my thighs were moist. I reached down with one hand and slid my finger into my vagina. It was more than moist and my clitoris was swollen. I stroked it gently and almost fell to the floor from the incredible feelings that poured through me. I adjusted the temperature of the shower water and stepped in. At first I was shocked at how hard the water felt against my body, but I slowly adjusted the pressure to a point it was more comfortable. The hot water against my breasts was invigorating. I lathered my hands with soap and moved them over my breasts. The feeling was beyond description. My nipples stood fully erect and were so sensitive that the slightest touch would cause me to shudder. I almost felt I could orgasm just by massaging my breasts. It was clear I needed a release from my sexual tension so I slipped a finger between my vaginal lips and began slow ministrations of my clitoris. As I gently rubbed back and fort, my body took over and my hips pressed against my hand. The feeling of having a finger inside me was amazing. With some pressure on my clitoris, and my other hand squeezing my nipple, I began to shake until my entire body exploded in ecstasy. My first orgasm as a woman was so powerful that I collapsed on the shower floor, unable to move for several moments. Although I wanted more, I also knew my body needed rest. I focused on washing myself as best I could and cleaning my long hair. After drying my hair I put on the nightgown, which, by the way, was very revealing and mostly transparent. I crawled into bed and was instantly asleep. Part 7 There were no windows in the room, so when I woke I was unsure as to what time it might be. I got up and relieved myself and noticed my body felt very refreshed. A light knock came and the door opened then closed behind Jill. She took one look at me in my nightgown and was unable to move. Her mouth hung open as she stared at my breasts through the almost transparent, gossamer fabric. "Good morning, Jill. At least I think it's morning." "Oh, yes! Good morning, Samantha. You look amazing!" Jill moved over and hugged me tight so our breasts pressed against each other. She slid one hand up so that it brushed against my breast before moving it behind my neck to hold me in a lasting kiss. "You're so delectable, Samantha! But, as much as I know you want me right now, I've got to find a way to get you out of here. Take a look at the paper from this morning." She handed me the paper and the cover headline read, 'Samantha Shepherd Dies after Complications from Explosion of the Endeavor.' "NASA told the media that you died last night. The article said your female constitution was not capable of the things men do. You better get changed!" Just then Major Bronson burst through the door. He leaned back to the guards and whispered something before turning and locking the door from the inside. "It's too bad, Samantha, that you didn't do what you were told during the news conference. I tried to persuade the board to give you another chance, after all, it would be a shame to waste such a beautiful woman as yourself. The doctors will be arriving in about an hour to euthanize you. That gives me an hour to get what I've wanted from you since I first met you." "No!!!" Jill yelled at him. "Shut up, Jill. You get yours next." I started to back away from him as he began to remove his pants. "This can go one of two ways. Either you can be the perfect submissive and do as I ask, or you'll be beaten until you can't stand, and I'll still get what I want." "You can't do this! I have rights!" "You have no rights!" His pants dropped exposing his erect penis. Somehow, within me I dug up some courage. I stood tall and held my chin up. "You're not even a man at all! That thing is so small your more like a woman than a man." Bellowing with rage he grabbed me and threw me on the bed I began to realize just how much weaker I was. I was terrified. Jill made herself as small as possible in the corner and was weeping hard. Major Bronson grabbed my nightgown and ripped it to shreds as he climbed on top of me. I was shaking and screaming, fighting him off with my fists to no avail. He leaned over me, his one hand holding both my wrists over my head, his other cupping my face roughly to force it towards his. With all my strength I thrust my knee into his balls and bucked up throwing him off of me and onto the hard floor, very thankful this body was as fit as it looked. While he was moaning on the floor and still holding onto his penis, I kicked him in the face, grabbed a steel bedpan, and smashed it over his head. He was out like a light. I ran over and grabbed Jill. "Jill, I need you. We need to get out of here!" I could see her shock wear off as she got to her feet and rubbed the tears from her face. "I can't believe you did that. That was so amazing! God, I wish I had you safe and alone. You're naked. Mmmm." "No time for that now, Jill, but I promise you, if we get out of here and someplace safe, the first thing I want to do is to get to know you much better." "Now that's motivation! You better get dressed!" Jill went over and grabbed Major Bronson's security badge and kicked him in the stomach and hit him again on the head with the bedpan for good measure. I smiled at her as I pulled on my skirt and top. With Jill's help we tied his hands and feet with the old hospital gown and stuffed the remains of the nightgown into his mouth. We then dragged him into the shower. "This next part will be harder. I need you to get the guard in. I'll hide behind the door and grab his weapon when he comes in." Jill went to the door and opened it. She told the guard that Major Bronson needed him in the room right away. The guard came in, obviously not expecting anything from two women, and was taken completely off guard when I grabbed his gun from his holster. Putting it to the back of his head I said, "Make a sound and I'll blow your head off." Jill grabbed the now dented bedpan and smashed it down on the guard's head. I smiled and kissed Jill on the lips. "Did you know that seeing you do that gives me a warm feeling inside? Grab his handcuffs, keys, and security badge. I'll tie the handgun under my skirt in case we might need it. I need you to cuff my hands behind my back." "What? I can't do that unless I was to handcuff you to the bed!" "It's okay, Jill. People within the building will likely think I'm just being led to the doctors to be put down. If I wasn't handcuffed, they'd be suspicious." "Okay, but can we keep the handcuffs for later?" Jill handcuffed me but made sure they were very loose so that even without keys I could get my hands out if needed. We opened the door and walked out into the hallway. Jill led me down the hall and we passed several people. None seemed bothered by what they saw. We reached some stairs and went down until we reached the basement level. From there we moved into the parking garage. "Do you have a car, Jill?" "What are you talking about? You know only men can drive and own cars." "Oh, right, I forgot. Let's take the handcuffs off and see if we can rent a car the hard way." Jill removed the cuffs and asked, "What do you mean 'the hard way'?" I spotted a man further in the garage getting into what appeared to be a very nice, fast, sports car. I walked up behind the man as he was opening his door and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and I could see the look of lust in his eyes as he looked me up and down. "Excuse me, sir, but I seem to have a problem with my skirt. Can you help me?" I reached down and started lifting my skirt a little, then grabbed the gun and pointed it at him. "I'll take your keys, wallet, and parking pass please." He looked like he wanted to hit me. The nice thing about all of this was that men just assumed women weren't going to do anything in this universe, so it made it easy for me to pistol whip him across the head with the side of the gun. He slumped to the ground unconscious. "Get in, Jill!" "But you can't drive!" "Just make sure you buckle up." Part 8 I was glad the technology and cars were pretty much identical to where I came from. I put the keys in and started the car and drove out of the parking lot. "That was easy so far. Where can we go to be safe?" Jill, who was amazed I was driving a car, had a mischievous grin on her face. "My father owns a cabin on a lake a few hours from here. Just head north on the highway and I can direct you to an exit. How do you know how to drive?" "It's pretty simple. I'll have to show you." "Oh, no! I'd be put in jail!" "Like you won't be put in jail for breaking me out of NASA and beating up the Major and the guard?" Jill looked down pensively. "I never thought about that. I guess I don't have a job anymore." "Jill, you're a lovely person and you need to know that I am attracted to you in many ways. I do however, need to confide something to you." "You're married? You have a girlfriend already? You're dying? Oh no, please don't tell me you're dying!" "It may be worse than all of those put together. It just wouldn't be fair to you not knowing. Have you ever read or heard about the possibility of parallel or multiple universes?" "Not really." "Have you ever had a dream that felt so real that you felt you were actually there? Or perhaps experienced Deja-vu?" "Yes, quite a few times. I had a great dream about you last night that was so exciting!" "Okay. Some people believe that there's not one universe, but many of them, and that in some of our dreams, we actually see glimpses of events that happen in another universe. In theory, you exist in multiple universes at any given point of time. Since these universes are beyond our capability to see due to time and space limitations, it's really only a theory." "So you're saying that there could be another me in another universe that made love to you last night? I wish I was in that universe. Why are you telling me this?" "This will sound crazy and a lot like I am just making up a story, but I'm not. When I got to the far side of the sun and as I approached the speed of light, something happened." "Yes, the ship had a failure." "No. That was after I'd come back around and was close to Earth again. When I was at the far side of the sun I saw another spaceship heading straight for me. It thought I was looking at myself in a mirror. When we collided, there was a bright flash of light." "You didn't tell anyone at NASA about that. How come?" "Because there was no way to prove it happened and it might put me in jeopardy." "Why would it put you in jeopardy?" "Because, Jill, I believe I passed through what is considered a parallax event horizon. I moved from one universe to another." I sighed, not really wanting to share the next part. "In the other universe, I was Sam Shepherd. When the event took place, my counterpart in this universe and I exchanged places." "Let me get this straight. You flew the same mission, at the same time, in a different universe and somehow managed to jump into this one when the two missions collided in space-time?" I nodded slowly, impressed by how perceptive Jill was. "I started out the mission as Sam and finished the mission as Samantha." "Oh my God! You're saying you were a man in the other universe and Samantha was your counterpart and you both traded places?" "I'm so sorry, Jill. I know you dislike men and how poorly this universe treats women here. I'd understand completely if you want nothing more to do with me." "That explains it then. The change in your personality. How you know how to drive a car." Jill looked thoughtful for a moment. "You know, I never said I disliked men. I have to work with them and all. I was physically attracted to Samantha before, I mean, who wouldn't be? Just look at you. But I didn't like her personality. She was rude, aggressive, and ignored me completely. When you came back, you were so kind to me and humble, and I was so proud that you stood up to Major Bronson. What was it like? Being a man and having all that power?" "In my old universe, men and women are equals, at least in most of the world. I never thought of women as being inferior in any way, as a matter of fact, I encouraged women to go into space. Women could vote, be president, drive cars, be CEOs of companies, and, in some ways, had more rights than men." "I can't imagine what the world would be like if it were that way. This may sound strange, but perhaps you were meant to be here. To help this universe change its ways. How do you feel about suddenly being in the body of a woman?" "I'd often wondered what it must be like to be a woman. I guess now I have that chance. I've come to realize I'm stuck here in this body. It does me no good to moan or complain. The reality is I can't go back. I don't know what Samantha was like before, but I do know that I'm still attracted to women. The actions of Major Bronson trying to rape me earlier, scared me to death. I felt so weak." "I'm glad you're still attracted to women, because I'm even more attracted to you than I was before, if that's even possible. In a way, I can be the first person to ever make love to you as a woman. That's so exciting!" She placed a hand on my leg. "Can you speed up? I'm not sure how much longer I can restrain myself." The cabin turned out to be quite the place. It was waterfront in a beautiful forest and with no other people or buildings around. Jill led me inside and pulled me straight to the bedroom. Part 9 I stood on the deck overlooking the morning mist as it came off the lake. The sun was just rising over the trees. I'd found a robe to wrap myself in and I smiled thinking about last night. If it wasn't that NASA was trying to kill me, I could simply and truly be content. Jill was a remarkable woman, someone I could see myself with long-term. I was wondering if Jill thought of me as just a one-time fling. "Good morning, lover." I turned to see Jill coming up behind me wearing nothing but a see- through nightgown. Her hair was tousled making her look even sexier. "Good morning, Jill. You were incredible last night and you look absolutely delectable this morning." "Nice to know I have that affect on you. Come, sit with me on the bench." She sat back and opened her arms for me to snuggle into. "I was surprised to see how permissive and tender you were last night. I've always tended to be more passive, but last night was so wonderful. I think seeing you in action and hearing that women are much more equal to men in the other universe just makes me want to be more like that. I hope you didn't mind?" "Not at all. If I'm honest, I enjoyed being under your control and even now, feeling your arms around me in a loving, protective way, makes me feel secure. Perhaps it's just these female hormones that I am not accustomed to." "Have you ever thought that perhaps parallel universes hold our opposites? In my dreams I tend to be more aggressive, but in reality, I've tended to be more submissive. You were a man in the other universe, and here you're a woman. Sort of a yin-yang thing." "That's very astute of you, Jill. In my universe, as a man, I was expected to be the provider and protector of a woman, even though I found that role tedious and straining. It wasn't that women were submissive, rather that men being larger tended to be the protectors. I can see how here, in this body, I could default to my natural condition. If Samantha was much more aggressive while here, she could very well have been my opposite." "What if the universes were out of balance and the event happened because of that? You'd thought about being a woman before and would've liked to have been more in a submissive role, and I know Samantha would've loved the chance to be a man and be more aggressive than she already was." "As long as you like me the way I am, right now, happy to be cuddled in your arms, I'm pleased if the universes balanced the way they have." "I don't like you, Samantha." Obviously the female hormones were getting to me. I felt myself tense and a knot in my stomach suddenly form. I started to get up, feeling like a complete and utter fool. "I..., I'm sorry, Jill. I know I'm new here in this world and I obviously misread the situation." I tried standing but Jill pulled me tighter against her. I turned my head away from her not wanting her to see my embarrassment. "As I was trying to say; I don't like you, Samantha, I think I love you. I don't know what things are like in your world, but here, women have few opportunities to choose their partner. I see something in you I don't want to let go of. Female partners are not unheard of here, it's almost a necessity. Women, in general have no rights and men can take any woman that's not in a male-female partnership to their bed. But I'm getting ahead of myself. I've no idea how you feel about me, after all, you've only known me for a day." At that moment all of my yearning and longing came to a focal point. I felt Jill's arms around me, holding me tight, and the desire to stay in that position forever was so strong. I turned my head and kissed her. "Everything is so new and strange for me at the moment, and it would be unfair of me to yield to my current desires and emotions and tell you I love you. I can say however, I've never wanted anything so much in all my life than to be with you." "I understand and I like the sound of that. If nothing else, Samantha, I have faith in your new character. I'm more than willing to wait for your declaration of love for me, I just hope that we can still have fun while you make up your mind. Do you realize what a temptation you are with your robe open at the top and me having such a great view?" "You mean like the temptation of you walking out here in a see-through nightgown?" Jill smiled and started kissing me. Part 10 As I lay wrapped in Jill's arms I began to formulate a plan. Somehow I needed to get myself in front of as many people as possible to expose, not only that I wasn't dead, but also the lies of NASA and the reasons behind them wanting me killed. "Jill?" "Yes, love?" "Do you know where Samantha lived and whether or not we could get in there?" "Yes, why?" "I've no clothes and no idea what resources she had that we could use." "What resources?" "Money, for one. We might need access to funds for travel, to buy food and provisions, or even buy our freedom." "That's a good idea. What are we going to do about NASA wanting you dead?" "The good thing about that is they wouldn't want to create a huge manhunt for me as that would involve people outside of NASA. They'd want to keep a close eye on who knows I'm still alive. That gives us some freedom and time. What I want to do is go on live TV or in front of thousands or millions of people. If we could show the world I'm alive, then NASA would have to back off. Of course they might still want me dead and make it look like an accident, but it would put us in the driver's seat." "I like the way you think. Samantha's place is about an hour's drive further north from here. I actually have her keys as I was her personal valet when she was getting ready for the space trip. We could go to her apartment. Hopefully no one would be there, but if we go late at night, it might be safer." "Once we know what we have to work with we can start contacting news agencies to see who would want an exclusive live report. In the meantime, I can show you some martial arts that I learned for self defense and, if you like, we can find more bullets and teach you how to shoot a gun." Jill pulled a few stray hairs from my face and tucked them behind my ear. "You're so sexy when you talk about getting physical. I'd love that." "Let's go to the apartment so I can get some clothes. Do you think my clothing would fit you? Do you need to get some things for yourself?" "I've got a few clothes stored here at the cabin and I think most of what I have would fit you. You're breasts are larger than mine. I think that with the exception of bras, we could wear each other's clothing. Samantha had much nicer clothes than me. She was a bit of a celebrity." "We have a few hours before we'd need to leave. Let me start showing you some martial arts. We'll just need to get dressed." "Only if we have to." Part 11 Jill was enjoying this too much as she launched herself at my back and wrapped her arms around me. I grabbed her wrists, twisted, turned, and pulled her around so that my leg was behind hers and she was falling to the ground with me on top of her. "Mmmmm. That was fun! Can I try that on you now?" "Let's go through it again but more slowly so you can see what I did." Jill giggled as she wrapped her arms around me. "Look over my shoulder and watch how I'm grabbing your wrists." Jill was pressing herself against me and slowly rocking back and forth. I was having a hard time concentrating. "Twist down, throw your hip back, pull, and slide your foot around... Okay, your turn." "All right. Attack me, sexy." I grabbed Jill from behind and it was clear she learned very well. The next thing I knew I was on the ground with her on top of me. Her hair fell across my face as she kissed me. "I like that move. It puts me in complete control." Strangely, I knew I was far from vulnerable, yet I was enjoying the feeling of being under Jill's power. It could be that I felt comfortable with her. "Help, help. I'm being attacked." I whispered. "I'll let you go on one condition." "Anything!" I giggled. I was a male astronaut and I was having fun playing the part of a helpless female. What was wrong with me? "You have to wear something sexy for me and let me take advantage of you tonight." I nodded and Jill pulled me up and into her arms. She began stroking my hair gently and put my head on her shoulder. "You're so beautiful and wonderful, Samantha." "Something is happening to me, Jill." "You're falling for me. I knew it." "Yes, but that's not what I'm concerned about. I'm hoping that this is just because I'm with you, but I feel myself becoming more and more submissive. I'm enjoying you having control over me. I don't understand it and I'm worried I won't be able to do what I know I have to do." "Don't worry, sweetheart. I'm sure it's just that you feel safe. You've never been a woman before. You naturally feel weaker than your old self. As for me, this is the first relationship I've had with another woman. I have a strong desire to protect you and keep you safe. In this universe, it's quite normal for one woman to take on a more dominant role. That doesn't mean the other is a pushover just that seems to be how things balance." Part 12 As the sun began to set we drove further north until we came to Samantha's apartment building. We parked outside when and we felt secure no one was looking snuck into the building. The top floor was Samantha's apartment. We entered slowly and quietly just in case someone was inside. Everything was all quiet as Jill led me through the luxurious suite. In the bedroom we found some suitcases and I began tossing clothes in. There wasn't a pair of pants in the entire place. I asked Jill about that and she told me no woman would ever dare to wear men's clothing. We found Samantha's purse and identification. Jill opened the drawers by the bed and squealed with delight. She turned towards me holding up something in each of her hands. There was a strap-on penis and what looked to be a large dildo. I'm sure my face turned pale. "These are black market and illegal. I'll put them in your suitcase." I was about to protest but the look of happiness on Jill's face was something I couldn't take away. At least, not at that moment. "They always say there's nothing two women can't do that a man and a woman can do." "Where do they say that, Samantha?" "I guess they only say that back in my old universe." "It's a great saying! I'll go grab some food. Why don't you see about money?" I dug through Samantha's purse but found little of use there. She had a laptop computer. I turned it on and it asked for a password. I used my old one from work and was surprised to see it work. Once online I found her bank accounts. Assuming the dollars were equivalent, I had a lot of money. I grabbed as much as I could and stuffed it into the suitcases. We were about to leave when we heard cars pull up outside. Looking down we could see the NASA logo on the vehicles. "We've got to get out of here." We each grabbed a suitcase and started running down the stairs. At the bottom we spotted a NASA guard posted by the side door, right where the car was located. We'd have to go out the front. We snuck to the front doors and pried them open. It was dark and quiet outside. We stepped out and were about to go around the corner when I heard my name. "Samantha Shepherd?" I turned to see a woman with flowers standing by a miniature shrine of flowers and candles with my picture in the middle. "You're not dead! You're such an inspiration. I came to leave something to remember you by." "I'm not dead yet, but NASA wants me dead. We're planning on letting the world know I'm alive." "How can I help?" "NASA just arrived here. Around the corner is a NASA guard. Can you distract him? We need to get to the car." "I'll do anything for you, Ms. Shepherd. Wait, you have a car?" "It's a long story. Please, we don't have much time." She nodded and walked around the corner. We watched as she spoke to the guard then pointed inside the building. The guard ran inside and she waved us towards her. We tossed the suitcases into the car, thanked the woman, and slowly drove away and back towards the cabin. I pulled out the laptop once we returned to the cabin. "What's the largest news media organization or perhaps the one that's most sympathetic to women's issues?" "CNN is the largest, but they are anti-women. Fox News is the one you'd probably want." I laughed at that. "What's so funny?" "In my universe CNN is pro-everything. If you felt like your hamster deserved rights, they'd be the one to support you. I'll try to contact Fox News. Where is a good place to meet them?" "You'd want to be somewhere public. In the same city that Samantha has her apartment is a large public square. It's called Freedom Square, named after the speech for freedom that led to the freeing of the slaves. That might work." "Jill, look at this." I turned the monitor to face her. News articles from around the world as women mourned the loss of Samantha Shepherd. Conspiracy articles suggested that Samantha was deliberately killed by NASA. "Samantha really was a celebrity. What's the political climate like, especially in regards to women wanting more rights?" "There's been forays going on for decades. Some countries like Iran and China have introduced more rights for women, but they are ostracized by the rest of the world. A central figure will periodically arise in the women's movement, but it's usually short lived, or she winds up dead. Women want the right to vote, to drive, civil rights to protect their bodies, and to own businesses." "Do you think Samantha was popular enough to galvanize a global population of women?" "Yes. But I must say I'm not interested in you getting killed. I'm being selfish, I know. We could just go hide out somewhere for the rest of our lives." I looked Jill in her eyes, my heart was beating quickly. I wanted that. My conscience kicked in. "I would like that, Jill. I keep thinking about what you said. How maybe I was here to help fix this universe. I think I should do what I can and if that does no good, then we'll go hide away somewhere." Jill nodded and wrapped her arms around me. "I don't want to lose you, but this is bigger than both of us. Just don't die on me. I don't think I could survive your loss." Part 13 Fox News had been more than anxious to get an exclusive. They began advertising a live public event in Freedom Square at 2:00 pm in two days' time to celebrate the life of Samantha Shepherd with expectations of several hundred thousand participants. A stage would be set up. Cameras would cover the event. Guest speakers would be there. Fox News would expect me to arrive at 2:30 pm sharp to 'unexpectedly' take the podium. Two days later Jill and I dressed in the best clothes we had. We took one last look at the news and social media before we left. According to statistics, the live event would be one of the highest viewed events of all times. Social media sites were abuzz with activity. My hands were sweaty and my foot was tapping until Jill's kiss calmed me. "You'll do great, Samantha." Getting close to Freedom Square would have been a problem, but Fox News had agreed to meet us and provide and escort to the front of the stage. The windows of the car I'd stolen were tinted making it hard to see inside, helping us to get away with the fact that I was driving. At the stroke of 2:30 pm our little convoy pulled up in front of the stage. I took a deep breath and opened the car door and stepped outside in front of thousands of people. Timing couldn't have been more perfect as Major Bronson had just stepped up to the podium and was speaking with feigned sadness over my loss. As soon as I stepped out of the car people started screaming my name. The cameras panned from Major Bronson to me, showing me as I stepped out of the driver's seat which elicited gasps and cheers. Jill and I walked up to the podium. Major Bronson's face was red and his veins bulging. He tried to hit me but Jill blocked his arm. Screaming with rage he grabbed Jill from behind. I almost smiled knowing what was about to happen to him. Jill grabbed his wrists, twisted, threw her hips back, and Major Bronson fell flat on his back in front of her. She put her spiked heel to his throat and stood proudly, giving me a little wink. I took a brief moment to kiss Jill, much to the delight of the crowd. I whispered to her. "I love you, Jill." Jill was beaming from ear to ear as I stepped up to the microphone. I'd thought a lot about what I might say and even did some searching on the Internet to confirm that the most important speeches from my universe hadn't yet been used here. I took a deep breath and raised my hand for silence. The crowd hushed. "The rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated. I'm here to ask the women of the world to forgive me for I made a terrible mistake. In my zeal to be the first woman in space I brokered a deal with NASA. I agreed I would tell the world that as a woman I was unfit for space travel. I was to tell all of you to accept your lot in life. I'm sorry that I even considered betraying you that way." Jill still held her heel to Major Bronson's throat, reached over and took my hand in hers. That touch was all the support I needed to continue. "The day I travelled around the sun was the day of my revelation. Upon my return to Earth, I was transformed. Not only was I a woman just like every one of you, but I was an empowered woman. At the news conference at NASA the next day I was asked a question. What would I say to other women who thought they could do the same as me? I told them that these women should go for it! There's nothing a woman can't do." "When NASA heard what I said, Major Bronson here slapped me and locked me in a room. The next morning NASA announced to the world I had perished overnight as a result of the Endeavor explosion. They feared the truth!" "And what is that truth? Biology teaches us that the primary difference between men and women is a single chromosome. We have an XY and men have XX. We share the same nervous systems, bone, and muscular structures. While we may be on average physically weaker than men, our constitutions are actually stronger. We have a higher pain threshold than men. How do you think a man would cope with giving birth? We have faster reaction times than men. And for you men out there that think you're superior to women because you have some bits dangling between your legs, you wouldn't exist without us women." The women in the crowd were cheering. "We stand here today in Freedom Square, the same square that the slaves were given their freedom. Yet there are more slaves in this world that haven't been released. We women are slaves! We have no rights! We toil at the whim and will of our male benefactors." "I have a dream! That one day a person would not be considered unworthy because of their sex but they are valued by their character and contribution to mankind. I have a dream that women would be allowed to vote, to drive a car, to own a business, and to have inalienable rights to protect their bodies. Will men simply allow these things without a fight? I can tell you now, they won't. Will fighting for these changes take a toll on women around the world? Absolutely! We must stand for our rights! We must stand together! We must..." I felt the searing pain before I heard the shot. I fell to the podium floor and gasped for air. Jill fell over me protectively and had her hand on my shoulder where the blood was flowing freely. She was screaming for help, help I wouldn't get. Police flooded the stage and pulled me roughly to my feet. I almost passed out from the pain. The cuffed me and Jill and dragged us away. At some point I passed out. Part 14 I woke in a dingy cement cell. I looked at my shoulder, which had been tended to, but not overly well. My hands were free so I pulled at the bandage to see the bullet had passed clean through the top of my shoulder muscle. It was painful and oozing, but not life threatening. I slowly stood to find my foot was shackled to the wall by a chain. "Jill? Jill, are you there?" "Shut up in there!" "Where's Jill?" "You'll see her very soon. Now shut up traitor." "So I'm a traitor now? I was a hero once. Hard to believe speaking the truth makes one a traitor. How would you feel if..." A cattle prod jammed through the bars and hit my side causing me to writhe in pain. "I told you to shut up." That was the first day of several. I was given no food. Water tasted like it came from a urinal. I was hosed down, shocked, and tormented. By the end of the third day I curled myself into a ball and crawled to the corner of the cell. I started to cry. My bravado was gone. I wanted only one thing. To be in Jill's arms. To feel the warmth of her body protecting me one last time." I was fitfully sleeping when the police jerked me roughly to my feet and tore my clothing from my body. They cuffed my hands and led me outside. I was broken, surprised by how little it had taken. I was naked, afraid, humiliated, and utterly dejected. I started to hear yelling as I was led to a huge open courtyard. The light of the sun was blinding and I squinted and held my hands to block the sun from my eyes. I was yanked hard by the guards, my body wincing in pain as my shoulder wound reopened. Blood began trickling down my arm and chest. I saw cameras pointed at me. CNN's logo proudly displayed everywhere. Men filled the courtyard and hurled insults and rotting vegetables at me. They led me to a raised platform. It was then I saw Jill. Her dress was torn and dirty, she had a fire in her eyes. She looked at me with love as she screamed bloody murder at what they'd done to me. I mouthed the words to her, "I'm sorry. I love you." They stood me in the center of the platform and shackled my feet to it with a chain. "We are gathered today to pronounce judgement on Samantha Shepherd and Jill Burton. For aiding and abetting a known criminal, Jill Burton, you are hereby sentenced to life in a work camp." I wanted to shout 'no!' but I couldn't. I fell to my knees and wept. "Samantha Shepherd. For speaking high treason, for attacking multiple men, for stealing a car, and for driving, you are hereby sentenced to death to be carried out immediately and on live television. You can however save your own pitiful life, living for the rest of your days in isolation within prison walls. You only have to renounce your public statements." I looked over at Jill and drew an ounce of courage from her resolute strength. That ounce was an ounce more than I had left. I stood to my feet and looked at the camera. "I will never renounce the truth of my words!" "Then so be it! Rifles ready!" This was it. I came all the way around the sun, crossed the boundaries of the universe, only to die in an uncivilized world. "Aim!" I thought back at the little boy, Billy who was going to change the world. I looked at Jill and held my chin up. She was struggling with her cuffs and screaming that she would have her revenge. "Fire!" I squeezed my eyes closed as I heard the shots ring out. I felt nothing. No pain. I opened my eyes to see the guards with rifles lying in their own blood. A military helicopter flew over the wall. I turned to see soldiers lining the courtyard walls with their rifles trained on the men inside. The helicopter pushed the crowd back, landed, and fully armed men rushed out from within. Within moments my chains were cut, a blanket thrown over me, and Jill and I were rushed into the helicopter. Minutes later we were flying out towards the ocean. I curled myself into Jill's arms. Part 15 Everyone stayed silent for the flight. I was happy to not be dead, but who knows what we now were going to face? Jill stroked my dirty and matted hair and held onto me. When we landed we were taken from the helicopter and led into a building. A beautiful Asian woman with raven dark hair met us. "I'm so glad we reached you in time. I'm General Jin Yenko of the Chinese Republic. You are currently on one of our advance bases. Once you rest, get treated, and cleaned up, we will continue to the Chinese mainland." "What will happen to us?" My voice was harsh and dry. "You will be safe in China, far from the forces that want you dead. The Chinese see you and Jill as national treasures. Your live broadcast spanned the globe and has started a revolution. Women around the world are denying their husbands and demanding rights. There's been riots in the streets. China went through a quiet revolution a few years ago, giving women more rights than they ever had before. I'm living proof of that. China will stand with the women of the world and we believe with you as our leader of the revolution we will see the world change. "I hardly feel like a worthy leader. I don't want women to be hurt because of me." "Change often comes with a price, Ms. Shepherd. I want to show you both something." She led us to a table and held up a flag. It was a simple flag, white with a black silhouette showing two women holding hands. One woman had her high heel on the neck of a man. "This symbol has spread worldwide. Women and some men are carrying it everywhere. The Internet almost shut down with the activity around your speech. When you were shot, it was like the final straw. Women saw you as willing to die, and so they are now willingly putting themselves in harm's way to see change. We need you to spur them on. If this movement fails, then women will be set back a hundred years." "Of course I'll do whatever I can." Jill, who hadn't let me go since we entered the helicopter interjected. "We will do everything we can. I'll not put Samantha at risk again without being by her side." "Ms. Burton, you may be excited to know, that your name has become a verb around the world. Women have been analyzing your moves with Major Bronson and are tweeting that they just 'Burtoned' a man that attacked them. Men around the world are running scared. They've relied on women to cook and clean and women are refusing to do this anymore until change happens. Women have stolen cars and, it turns out, they are pretty good drivers. You both have had a rough few days. Let's get you taken care of." Part 16 The last six months was a whirlwind of activity. NASA had publicly apologized for their lie. They didn't, however, admit to that they were going to murder me. Instead they concocted a story that my brain had been infected by an alien virus and they hadn't expected me to survive. One by one, countries around the world adopted new laws granting women rights. The world economy had been practically shut down as women ceased to do their work. The death toll was in the thousands, mostly women, but they proudly went to their deaths for the sake of their daughters. There were a few holdout countries, the United States being one of them, but international pressure and trade embargoes was causing a crumbling of their resolve. There had been several attempts on my life, but none had come close. A new era had come to this world. I stood out on the balcony of our Shanghai penthouse apartment and admired the view. I pondered the universe I was in. China and Iran were the good guys. China was pristine and beautiful. I took a deep breath, looked towards the setting sun, and smiled. A pair of arms wrapped around my waist pulling the silk fabric of my dress against me. I sighed contentedly and turned into Jill's arms. "How's my beautiful wife doing?" "Now that your arms are around me, I'm great. I was thinking about balance between the universes." "You were wondering if the changes here are having a negative effect on your old Earth." "I doubt you'll ever cease to amaze me. That's exactly what I was thinking." "There's only one thing that I care about with your old universe." "What's that?" "That is what we do here has to be balanced in the other universe, that