From: aa811@cleveland.freenet.edu (Terri M. Librande)
Newsgroups: alt.ql.creative
Subject: The last and final part of No ESCAPE!
Date: 2 May 1993 14:09:58 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
Lines: 202
Message-Id: <1s0knm$d4s@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>
Nntp-Posting-Host: slc5.ins.cwru.edu


Here goes, gang.  Sorry for the length of time between posts.

Resplendent in his new outfit, Al strutted like a peacock into the
Sickbay.  Guinan was intuitive, he decided.  He didn't question her
means, or the nifty way the computer took his measurements, desires,
and color preferences, almost instantaneously presenting him with what
could be considered the Rolls Royce of creatively blinding suits.  The
jacket was bright blue, sparkling in the light, slacks to match, shimmering
as he moved.  Gold shoes that fit like a second skin.  If people didn't
go blind, they'd faint form the sheer beauty of it.  The shirt was of
some gossamry material, light and soft, the tie blinking wth tiny LEDS.
He was assured by Guinan that there was nothing ecologically unsafe about
any bit of the outfit.  He hoped, if they made it home, that he could 
duplicate it in some way.

Sam's face widened with a smile as he entered the Sickbay, and he was 
warmed by the way Crusher held her hands over her eyes in an exaggerated
way as he neared the bed.  "What do you think, kid?"

"I think that if you were putting out any more energy you could short
circuit whatever powers this ship."  Sam grinned, his head vastly clearer
once Crusher had removed the link.

"It's gone, isn't it?"  Al glanced at the doctor for verification of his
words, and received a sharp nod.

"It didn't hurt, not a bit, Al."  Sam reached out and motioned for his
friend to sit next to him on the bed.  Even without the link, their own
special closeness was still in place, and he could see the fear in the 
older man's dark eyes.  "Dr. Crusher was generous enough to allow me to watch
the surgery."  He grinned at the sudden whitening of his freind's face,
and pointed to his left temple.  "Not even a scar."

"Leave it to you, watching them take things out of your head."  Squeamis
as ever, Al winced at even the thought of observing such a thing.  "So," he
asked, easily changing the subject.  "When do we go home, Tonto?"

"Soon," The Captain's voice behind them made Al turn.  "We just recieved
word.  The bombardment on Earth has ceased and..."

Confusion creased Picards face for a moment, glancing from Dr. Crusher
to Guinan, not precisely sure of how he'd arrived in Sickbay or what his
purpose was there.

"Captain..."  Crusher, confused, touched the distracted man's arm.  "Are
you all right?"

"Certainly."  Bristling, he tugged down the front of his tunic, smoothing
the fabric and his uncertainty.  "I ...I'll be on the bridge if I am needed,
Doctor."

Guinan smiled, cocking her head at the exiting commander.

"Guinan," Crusher said, bemused.  "You look like the cat that ate the
canary."

"Not ate it," she replied, tucking her hands in her cloak as she spoke.
"Just shifted the feathers around a bit..."

******************

Stumbling slightly, Al found himself outside of the Waiting Room.  A wash
of strange dizziness assaulted him, spinning the walls briefly.  Holding
a hand to his aching head, he winced, wondering how he'd gotten here 
from... whereever he'd been before.  He'd been in the Imaging Chamber; that
last Leap--San Francisco, all those weeks waiting for the other shoe to
drop on that Leap...

Sam had leaped again. Sam had leaped.  To...?  It seemed he'd missed something
here.  The wave of vertigo passed as quickly as it had began and he stepped into
the Waiting Room.  It had seemed that was his destination, wasn't it?

There was only one other presence in the plain, white room, Al discovered,
and he wasn't rising in greeting.  Sam Beckett's body lay on the bed.  Not 
an eyelash stirred on the still face, just the slow rise and fall of his
chest.  Who was he this time, Al wondered.

"Admiral?"

The soft voice behind him made him almost jump out of his socks. "Damn,
Verbena!"  She had the footfall of a cat,soft and silent, always showing
up at the least likely times.

"You didn't look well out in the hall, and I thought..."

"I'm perfectly find, and further more..."  He frowned.  "How the hell did
you know?  I didn't see a soul out in the hall?"

"I was in the doorway of my office.  How did the last Leap go?"

"You can read about in in the funny papers."  Al looked at her closely,
eyes slitting.  "Just ask Ziggy."

"I'd rather be debriefed by you than Ziggy.  I assume Sam concluded the
leap successfully or you wouldn't be in here holding vigil, like you do
every single time."

"It's no secret, and I'd appreciate a little privacy." Guilt over being
discovered in his usual waiting for Sam to come home mode made annoyance
color his words.  "One thing I don't need is that psychoanalyzing garbagbe
you always seem to come up with at times like these."

"And you go right along with it, every single time."  Verbena settled her
hand over Sam's, smiling down at the peaceful face.  They'd trimmed his
hair since the last time she'd been in here and his face hadn't aged much
in the time since he'd initially leaped.  "I'd like to have a friend like
you," she said softly to Al, feeling his warm presence at her shoulder.  
"Someone that watches over me, waiting without hesitation for me to come
home, even after hundreds of disappointments.  You're holding up pretty
well, under the circumstances.  I'm not psychoanalyzing you when we talk.
I miss him, too."

"I get to see him every damned day.  You don't have to listen tohim
whine, or bitch and moan about whatever situation he's into now.  A real
pain, 'Bena."

"Not as bad as you."

"You can say that again..."

"Now is that fair?  I...mean..."  Slowly, dark eyes widening, Al wheeled
around to face the third voice, definetely not Verbena's , most assuradly
male.  For that matter, the only other person in the room.  "Sam??"

"Do I really whine that much, Al?"  Hazel eyes glittering in amusement,
Sam felt Al's arms practically lift him from the bed.  There were no words
exchanged; simply holding, feeling every bit of bone and muscle beneath his
hands, simple touch speaking volumes.

Over Al's shoulder, Sam could see Verbena, a slow, satisfied expression on
her amiable face, reminding him of another...someone he couldn't quite place.
The same impassive peace, with a touch of wit...Guinan.  Her name had been 
Guinan...

Releasing fro his friend's embrace, cocking his head to one side as he looked
at the psychiatrist.  AS fast as he tried to assimiliate the half-recalled
memory it faded, color fading and melting from the mind photo.

"Sam?"  Worried by his friend's thoughtfully stunned expression, he glanced at
Beeks.  "Is he gonna be all right?"

"Just a few tests, and he should be good as gold."  Smoothly, the woman bent
and planted one gentle kiss on the physicists' forehead, easing him back 
against the pillows.  "You're home, and for good, Sam Beckett."

"You sound pretty sure of yourself, Bena," Sam replied, his voice so low
it could barely be heard.  He felt so tired, and just from her words he 
warmed, easing down muscle by muscle.  Al
's firm grip was a comfort, his dark, joyfilled gaze more than welcoming.
"What year is it, Al?  How long have I been gone?'

"1996, Sam. You've been gone about eighteen months; about 80+ leaps,
maybe more if I do some checking," Al said, with a sense of pride.  "Handled
it like a pro. I guess, now, God, or whoever, has decided you've done your
duty, pal."

"'96?  But I thought..."

"Now, Sam..."  Smoothing the blanket over the confused man, Verbena smiled.
"It's all over. No grief, no problem; you did only good.  I'll leave you
two alone, give you a chance to talk before I send the Med Team in."

The door closed behind Verbena, the two men softly talking together, shifting
the time apart into reality.  Informing the Team that Sam had indeed come
home, and to allow him and the Admiral, a few minutes, she hurried to her
office.

The modem to her PC lit up as she entered.  With a sigh, she sat in front
of the computer, tapping a 'Hello, Ziggy' into the unit.

DR. BECKETT HAS RETURNED?

"Yes, Ziggy. Thank you for your cooperation.

MY PLEASURE, ONCE I REALIZED THE MISTAKE THAT HAD BEEN MADE.  There was the
barest hint of laughter in the female voice, making Verbena grin.  I WAS
RATHER DISAPPOINTED IN LOSING DR. BECKETT'S STRING THEORY, BUT I 
UNDERSTAND THE NECESSITY.  ISN'T TIME TRAVEL WONDERFUL?

"I know enough about it, don't I?"  Verbena's expression was warm and 
understanding, feeling a kinship with the hybrid computer, as much an
alien to this world as she was. "And, it's our little secret, right?"

OF COURSE...DR. BEEKS,  Ziggy said, sounding very pleased with their
shared secrets.  GIVE MY REGARDS TO DR. BECKETT....AND GUINAN."

She grinned at that.  "You bet.  Take care, Ziggy."  With one satisfied
blink, the computer logged off.  From the sounds coming from the hall,
it was obvious that the rest of the Project personnell were starting to
celebrate Dr. Beckett's return. Rolling her eyes, Beeks got up form the
desk to join in, knowing full well it would be yet another memorable
party, made more so by Sam's presence.

end

4/30/92

-- 
"Girls who have glasses have lots & lots of energy!" Al--Single Drop of Rain
Terri Librande aa811@cleveland.Freenet.edu--Assistant Sysop
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Sig--Go SCIFI