Date: Thu, 29 Aug 1996 16:47:00 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Slide Before You Leap - Part 21 Message-ID: Part 22 Three Days Before the Congressional Hearing .... "I think I found something," Sam said aloud to the Sliders. "What is it, Dr. Beckett?" Quinn asked as he went over to Sam and looked over his shoulder at his calculations. Professor Arturo followed. Sam pointed to his calculations. "Take a look. Given these calculations, we should be able to find out the exact time you need to open the wormhole to your home world." Quinn frowned. "But according to this, we'd have to wait another five months." "Five months!" Wade exclaimed, overhearing Quinn's comment. "In this reality, yes," Sam told them. "In another reality, maybe less time, maybe more. Sorry I can't do better." "It appears we need to make a decision," Arturo stated. He looked at the other three Sliders. "Do we reset the timer for the calculated opening and wait five months or do we slide four days from now?" Rembrandt took a breath. "Is there a chance that this window will take us home?" Sam looked at him. "I based my calculations on the possibility that the upcoming window isn't going to take you home. That doesn't mean it couldn't. I can't even guarantee the window five months from now will get you home." "Well, guys?" Quinn asked. All looked thoughtful. "I say we slide this week," Wade finally answered. "Like Dr. Beckett said, we might have better chances in the next world and there are no guarantees." "I agree," Rembrandt said. "Thanks for your help, Dr. Beckett but I think I'd rather take the chance now then five months from now." Sam smiled. "I don't blame you. I don't think I'd want to wait either." "I guess we're sliding four days from now, then," Quinn commented. Sam nodded. "I'll arrange transportation back to San Francisco for you. I don't think sliding out here in the New Mexican desert would be such a good idea." "Most certainly not," Arturo added. "Dr. Beckett," Alpha's baritone voice put in. "Yes, Alpha," Sam replied. "Senator Harlow has arrived with two others," Alpha told him. "Here? Now?" Sam questioned. "The hearing isn't for another three days." "Nevertheless, Dr. Beckett, Senator Harlow wishes to see you immediately." Sam exhaled. "Tell her I'll be there immediately." He turned to the Sliders. "I'll return as soon as I can." *************************** "Senator Harlow," Sam greeted. "It's a surprise to see you. Gentlemen," he nodded to the other two. ""This is Senator Cline and Senator Roberts. We're here to investigate the four unauthorized personnel in this complex." Sam was confused. "I'd thought Senator Weitzman and Admiral Calavicci..." "Senator Weitzman should never have made that deal with Admiral Calavicci. He has stepped down from the chair and, until election, I will be acting as chairperson. We need to speak to everyone who is involved in this: Admiral Calavicci, yourself, Dr. Arturo, the four people, and anyone else who may know about them, including military personnel. We'll start with the four, each of them separately." Sam nodded. "I'll let them know." "We'll interview them in one of your Staff Lounges," Harlow added. Sam escorted the three senators to Staff Lounge B. He then went back down to the eleventh level, at which elevator access had been restored, and back to the lab. He explained the situation to the four. After about five hours, all four returned to their quarters after being questioned. Harlow and the senators then questioned Sam and Al and all the guards who encountered the Sliders. They also wuestioned Tina, whom they learned had helped Al, and Max, who was nearly completely in the dark about how the Sliders got into the complex. "Do you believe them?" asked Roberts. Harlow exhaled. "I don't know. It's obvious that everyone else believes those four. But travelling between dimensions!" "Is it so unbelievable as time travel?" Cline pointed out. "That is what Dr. Beckett is proposing." "Whether or not we believe their reasons for being here is not the question," Harlow told him. "It's obvious that Admiral Calavicci and Dr. Beckett brought them here without their knowing where they were going but still with their consent. Is that a crime on their part? And what do we do about Dr. Beckett and Admiral Calavicci?" "And Dr. Martinez-O'Farrell," Roberts added, referring to Tina. "Gentlemen," Harlow said, "this will need some thought. I'll have the interviewed transcribed so that all of us, including those not present, can review this." "The hearing for the project's funding would be a good time to relay our decision on this," Cline suggested. Harlow nodded. "I agree. Let's inform Dr. Beckett. Meanwhile, we must remain objective and separated this from the project's funding as best as possible." *************************** Al leaned back into his chair in his quarters. "So, what did they say?" he asked Sam. "They want to confere with each other," Sam told him. "They'll give us their decision at the hearing." "And our guests?" "They slide the day after the hearing." "If they're allowed to," Al commented. "And the project?" Sam smiled. "Its' ready." Al's eyes widened. "Already? You still have a couple of day." "Well, Max, Quinn, and the Professor helped a bit. Take a look at this." He took out the newly created timer and gave it to Al. Al accepted it. "Very pretty," he commented, "but what is it?" "It's the retriever," Sam told him. "Retriever?" Al asked. "With this, I'll be able to insure returning to this time after I leap." "Kinbd of looks like the handlink to Alpha," Al commented. He looked over the small object. "Based on Quinn's timer, huh?" Sam nodded. "And your DNA and brainwave patterns are encorporated into it to make sure it goes with you?" Sam smiled. "How did you know?" Al grinned at him. "Alpha told me." "You mean I told you all of that for nothing?" Al nodded. Sam laughed. "When do you leap?" Al asked. "Tomorrow morning," Sam told him. "Before the hearing. I'm going to try to convince Harlow to allow Quinn and the others to go back to San Francisco tonight." Al shook her head. "She won't listen." "I don't want them to have to find their way back to San Francisco," Sam told him. "Neither do I," Al told him, a mischeivous glint in his eye. "Al, Sam warned, seeing the glint. "It's four hours round trip to San Franciso, maybe more, and Harlow has declared my deal with Weitzman null and void, including my house arrest." "Al..." "I'll talk to Harlow, Sam," Al told him firmly. "Trust me." Sam sighed. "I'm going against my better judgement but... okay." He smiled. "Meanwhile, haven't you seen enough of this room?" Al laughed slightly. "Lunch is on me." ---------------------------------- Part 23 coming soon... Kat