Date: Fri, 16 Apr 1999 16:35:08 -0600 (MDT) From: "Katherine R. Freymuth" Subject: Whale ch 13 Message-ID: Chapter 13 Sam was becoming worried. He hadn't seen Al for nearly the entire day. The end of the second day was coming and tomorrow would be August 30th, the day the Khrushchev collides with the Eisenhower in the afternoon. If what Al said was true, Sam should leap as soon as the 30th passed because they would arrive at Petropavlovsk that night. Yet, something told Sam that it wouldn't be that easy, not with Zoe in the Waiting Room. It didn't help in the least bit that Sam's memory of the last leap was coming to him slowly. He remembered Alik's determination to kill Rustov, the very person he had leaped into. He knew his counterpart could handle Alik. But what if history had changed and he was going to be killed by Alik? Or what if he had to kill Alik just as Zoe had during that last leap? Did he only have to stay in his cabin for the rest of the leap? Sam was feeling very much alone. Abandoned. He stepped into his cabin and was preparing to go to sleep when he heard the Imaging Chamber door open. "Al!" he exclaimed with a smile. "Sorry I couldn't get here sooner, Sam," Al shrugged an apology. "I had to pull a shift on Level 5." "Al, you look like hell!" Sam noted. "Gee, thanks," Al answered, rich in sarcasm. "'Pull a shift'?" Sam asked, wondering what Al meant. Al exhaled with exhaustion. "The security system is still not operating so all my men have to do sixteen hours of guard duty throughout the complex. Of course, I'm putting my own time in as well. I haven't had a decent night's sleep in almost a week!" "The security system is still down?! And Zoe's in the Waiting Room?!" He suddenly had a very bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Take is easy, Sam. I've got two armed guards at the Waiting Room door and one at the elevator. So, don't worry. She's well covered." He lifted the handlink to look at it. "Now, listen. Ziggy did some more research and she came up with something." He exhaled. "It isn't very good, though. You have changed history. The Khrushchev and the Eisenhower weren't declared missing. In fact, both ships arrived back at their ports." Sam nodded. "That's great. Now, what's the bad news?" Al hesitated. "The bad news is the Khrushchev arrived at port minus three crew-members. Captain Rustov was stabbed to death in his cabin earlier that day as also was Gregory Stevenson, both killed by Alik Roulier just before he slit his own throat." Sam closed his eyes, rubbed them upon Al's words. "Why didn't you come to me with this before?" Al frowned at Sam's reaction. "Ziggy just found out a couple of minutes ago." Sam glared at the Admiral. Al took a slight step back in surprise. "That's no excuse," Sam told him firmly. "Sam, take it easy!" Al told him. "Geez, what's the matter with you? I've never seen you so on edge!" Sam took a breath, held it for a moment, and released it slowly, closing his eyes as he did so. He looked at his friend. "I'm sorry, Al. I don't know where that came from." He hesitated, taking another breath. "This isn't the first time this has happened to me on this leap, Al. I snapped at one of the crew earlier today for no apparent reason." He lowered his head. "I've only spent one day in Petri Rustov - in Zoe - and already I'm acting differently." Al was quiet for a moment as he considered Sam's words. "Sam, listen to me," he said quietly. "I want you to focus on the leap. Okay? Just on the leap. You've prevented the Khrushchev and the Eisenhower from ramming. Now you have to keep Rustov, Gregory, and Alik alive." Sam frowned. "Al, if Alik kills Rustov and Gregory, what does that mean for me?" Al didn't answer. He didn't know how to answer that question given the circumstances. What would happen to Sam Beckett? Would he leap out of Gregory just to die as Rustov? Or would he die as Gregory and therefore never leap into Rustov? Or would he leap out of both? He hoped the last would happen. He didn't even want to think of the others. "Focus on the leap, Sam," Al told him instead. "Try to keep Alik from killing three people, including himself. Don't think of anything else. Block out any thoughts that don't have to do with your mission." Sam nodded. "Okay," he told his friend. Al nodded with approval. Sam took a breath. "Does Ziggy have any ideas on how I can do that without making contact with my counterpart?" Al shook his head. "Not really. Her best suggestion is keeping Alik confined until you reach Petropavlovsk but you'd need definite proof of intent in order to make charges against him stick in court." He looked at the handlink. "And, according to Ziggy, you're going to get it when he tries to kill you tomorrow morning. Of course, originally, he succeeded but we're not going to let him this time. Plus, Ziggy is 99% certain that he killed Gregory after he killed Rustov so, when you stop him tomorrow morning, you'll prevent Gregory's death too." Sam frowned at him. "So, you're suggesting that I just sit here and wait to be attacked?" Al tilted his head. "You got a better suggestion in getting Alik locked away safely?" Sam shook his head slowly. "No. But I'm not going to let him escape from that cabin like he did the first time, I can tell you that." Al took a breath. "I don't blame you. That guy scares even me, and I don't scare that easily." Sam smiled slightly at Al's words. Al raised an eyebrow. "What is it?" "I was just remembering how terrified you were that we were in the Devil's Sea," Sam told him. Al huffed. "I wasn't terrified." Sam's smile widened. "You even suggested that the Devil's Sea was affecting Alik's ability to think rationally." Al hesitated. He shrugged sheepishly. "Okay. So, weird things scare me a little. But people don't often scare me and Alik is one of the exceptions." He shivered slightly. "Any guy who could kill his father that callously based on anti-whaling principles... I'm against whaling myself but I wouldn't go that far." Sam nodded in agreement. "Neither would I." As he spoke, he noticed Al straighten as if he were surprised by something. "Gushie, what the hell is going on out there?" he demanded as Sam finished his sentence. "I heard gunshots!" He paused. "Gushie?" he questioned again. "Al, what's wrong?" "Ziggy, what's happening?" Al shouted, obviously deeply concerned. "Al, what's wrong?" Sam repeated with concern as Al turned pale. Al didn't answer as he quickly lifted the handlink and pressed buttons almost frantically. "Al, answer me! Something's wrong." Al stopped briefly as he exited the Imaging Chamber. He looked at Sam with fear in his eyes. "Zoe's escaped."