Date: Sun, 10 Apr 1994 15:49:37 -0400 (EDT) From: Brian Willard Subject: A Giant Leap for Mankind, Part Six Message-Id: <01HB0KEVF8XU9FMFXO@UNCA.EDU> Organization: University of North Carolina at Asheville A Giant Leap for Mankind by Brian Willard Part Six August 6, 2133 The Prowell Estate Glendale, Colorado "So let me get this straight, Al. You came looking for me because I didn't return." "That's right Sam. The last time I saw you was outside that...was it a bar? Damn it, my mind is swiss-cheesed!" "Al's Place." "Yes, Al's Place. How did you know that?" "I'm not leaping into people anymore, so therefore there's no swiss-cheese effect with my memory. I remember everything, all the leaps, all the times you helped me...why did you come after me? You know that the chances of retrieval are slim to none!" "I had to. I thought about all the hard times you had helped me through, and how you saved my marriage, and I couldn't just sit back and watch my best friend disappear forever." Anna watched this strange scene from her cell, not knowing exactly what to think. It was obvious that the cell guard was not his normal self, and she wondered how Sam could possibly know him. Finally, she broke in. "Would somebody mind telling me what's going on here?" she shouted. "This is making absolutely no sense!" "I'm sorry," said Sam, turning to her, "This is going to be hard to explain, and even harder for you to understand..." "Sam, I'm not sure this is such a good idea. We don't want to jeopardize the future of the..." "Al, this is the future. We won't be jeopardizing anything." He turned back to Anna. "My name is Dr. Samuel Beckett, and I'm a time traveller from the year 2001, and this is my assistant and best friend, Admiral Al Calavicci. I have leaped into this place in time to put right what once went...will...would've gone wrong." "But it seems like I've known you forever," replied Anna, "How can that be?" "That's just the way it works. I don't know why, but it seems like I've known you forever too." "Then why don't I remember him," she said, pointing to Al. "Well, Al is a different kind of leaper. He leaps into other people's bodies, and sort of...well...maintains the identity of that person. The only ones who can see him as Admiral Calavicci are me and somebody who's using the Imaging Chamber back at the project, who can appear as a hologram and...Al, do they know you're here?" "I don't know. Theoretically they should be able to find me because there is a guy in the Waiting Room, but it may take a..." Suddenly Sam and Al heard the familiar sound of the Imaging Chamber door. A weary-looking Gooshie appeared. Anna observed as the two leapers looked over into thin air. Gooshie walked over to Al. "It is you, Admiral! Oh, Ziggy, I've found him!" Gooshie yelled, then began punching keys on the handlink, "The date is...oh dear...August 6, 2133." "I know I'm in the future Gooshie. Does Ziggy know why I'm here?" "With all due respects sir, I'm afraid that's quite impossible. There is no way to access future history. I do fear that we will not be of much use to you." Gooshie's eyes wandered around the jailroom, then began to punch more keys on the handlink. "That's odd," he said, "Ziggy says that she is picking up Dr. Beckett's brain waves from within this basic vicinity." "Boo!" said Sam, peering over the observer's shoulder. Gooshie let out a yelp and then looked around. "It is Dr. Beckett! Ziggy, they're both here! This is wonderful!" "What _is_ going on?" asked Anna in an alerting tone. "Gooshie's here now," answered Sam, "he's the hologram observer from our time." "You mean from the past? How come I can't see him?" "Because the Imaging Chamber is only tuned to the brain waves of Admiral Calavicci and myself, though sometimes children and animals can see him too." "Oh." "Does Ziggy have any idea on how I was able to leap in here?" asked Al, "Theoretically we can't leap beyond our own lifespans." "I did," added Sam. "Yeah, well you're you. I'm some big, burly prison guard." "Ziggy has traced the DNA sample from the man in the Waiting Room. She thinks he is probably your great-great-grandson." Al's eyebrows raised and he looked over at Sam, who began to chuckle. Pretty soon they were all laughing, minus Anna, who still couldn't quite grasp the situation. ---------- Meanwhile, down at the main jail for the city of Denver, the rest of the Crusaders were being escorted in, after having been caught under the bridge back at the Prowell estate, where they had last seen Sam. Olin and Johannes were led in first, and were brought up to the desk of the main clerk. "You guys again," she said, "I should have figured. Will you ever learn?" She motioned to one of the guards, and he came over and released their handcuffs. "I'm going to release you this time. Now that your leaders are gone, maybe you'll just think twice before attempting any other stupid acts." "What have you done with Sam and Anna?" shouted Olin, his large face turning bright red. "Oh, I'm sure that the President has already gotten what he wants from them. I wouldn't be surprised if they're dead by now. Treason is an act punishable only by execution. Do remember that. Now get out of my prison, you're dirtying up the place." "You haven't heard the last of us!" yelled Olin, as the guards escorted him and the rest of the group out of the building. Once they were all outside, Olin called them all together. "Okay, they killed Sam and Anna, now they're gonna pay." "Yeah!" they all shouted. "But what are we gonna do?" asked one of the members. "Well, I was thinking..." "Oh, what do you know," interrupted Johannes, "You couldn't devise a plan if your life depended on it!" "Shut up, runt! It just so happens that I do have a plan! We'll discuss it when we get back to headquarters." Part Seven will be here Tuesday... -------------------------------------------------------------------- Brian Willard | "Revenge is mine, thus sayeth the hologram!" bwillard@unca.edu | Dr. Samuel Beckett, _The Leap Back_ --------------------------------------------------------------------