From: Ann Marie Tajuddin Message-ID: <80257376.36426bb7@aol.com> Date: Thu, 5 Nov 1998 22:23:35 EST Subject: POV-prologue Ann Marie Tajuddin Point of View Prologue and Teaser ------ [Author's Notes: This is being written from the other end (i.e. after completing the story) and I now realize just how many ways the copywrite guys could get me. So here's my official disclaimer that the characters of Quantum Leap and the script for "M.I.A." are all creations of Donald Bellisario and property of Universal. No profit was obtained in the creation of this story. Thanks. -amkt] "Point of View" - Prologue Theorizing that one could time travel in his own lifetime, Dr. Sam Beckett led an elite group of scientists into the desert to develop a top secret project known as Quantum Leap. Pressured to prove his friend's theories or lose funding, his partner and friend, Admiral Albert Calavicci, prematurely stepped into the Quantum Leap Accelerator - and vanished. He awoke to find himself in the past, suffering from partial amnesia and facing a mirror image that was not his own. Fortunately, contact with his own time was maintained through brainwave transmissions with Sam, acting as Project Observer, who appeared in the form of a hologram that only Admiral Calavicci could see and hear. Trapped in the past, Admiral Calavicci finds himself leaping from life to life, putting things right that once went wrong and hoping each time that his next leap will be the leap home. [Author's Notes: If you're confused, you ought to be. Recently, I had a dream about "M.I.A." in which, instead of Sam leaping into Jake, Al had. The dream consisted mainly of a rather interesting game of checkers between Al and Beth while Sam stood by and watched and the song "I Know You're Out There Somewhere" by the Moody Blues played in the background. Very odd. But the dream stuck with me and I couldn't help but wonder just how different "M.I.A." would have been if it had been the other way around. Just take a look at "Starcrossed"! So this is my version of that. Enjoy!] [Author's Notes: The beginning of "M.I.A." has Sam leaping in in drag. For those of you who don't like the idea of Al in drag (I'm one of them and I feel fairly secure in saying Dean's probably another...), what can I say? You could close your eyes... ;-)]] "Point of View" Teaser As Admiral Albert Calavicci felt himself pushed from one realm into another, the first thing he was aware of was the distinct scent of cigarette smoke. An instant later, he felt it being inhaled into his lungs. He spit out the offending object in disgust. "Geez, just once can't I leap in with a quality cigar?" he muttered, wiping his mouth to erase the flavor. He stared at his hand in dismay. It had lipstick smudged on it. "Oh, _man_!" The irony of the statement dawned directly after. Looking down, he saw a pair of high heels, a short skirt, a tight-fitting top, the edges of curls around his shoulders, and... *Wait just a minute!* Al backed up mentally. *Granted it's been a while since I've seen my reflection, but I don't ever recall having a figure like...* Stumbling clumsily on the heels, he turned around the deserted alley, taking in his surroundings until his eyes rested upon a cracked mirror at just below eye-level. He swung his purse- *Oh, not a _purse_!* -around as he turned to look into it. A rather bad wig sat on top of his head and, in addition to some extreme make-up on a definitely male face, gaudy earrings hung, swaying gently and brushing his cheeks. "Great," he groaned. "Don't tell me I'm a-" "Jake!" came a crackly voice. Al glanced around himself. "They're on their way out - I'm going over the roof. Do you have them, partner?" the voice said again and he glanced down into his - the purse. "Jake, you got them? Jake?!" A sharp click reached Al's ears. It was a sound he knew very well. Too well. He looked up to see two men staring at him as if waiting for him to make the first move. *Gun. I've got to have a gun here somewhere.* Al started to rummage past the walkie talkie desperately, hoping to close in on something he could use. Seeing he was momentarily helpless, the two guys raised their guns and turned to each other. "Narc," they said together. In an instant, Al knew he was in trouble.