The reports on the table in front of John Koenig astounded him. The first report by Victor Bergman gave a glowing report of some rather unique mining techniques that had netted the Alphans an abundance of vital transuranic metals. Bergman estimated that even with extravagant use by the Alphans the current haul would last nearly five hundred years, and there was much more to mine.
Alpha and the runaway moon it clung to were travelling through a dense nebular region. Instead of a black sky outside the windows in Koenig's office, the sky was a combination of blues and deep purples with areas that looked like thunderstorms. Occasional streaks of lightening enhanced the illusion. It was the kind of nebular cluster where stars were formed, and although it was still a hard vacuum as far as human beings were concerned, it was dense and heavy matter compared to most of deep space. There were eddies and currents, areas with differing electro-potential and chemical composition; spots that ran hotter or denser with radioactive materials. Bergman had fitted teams of Eagles with gigantic mylar nets which had collected an amazing array of chemicals including hydrocarbons and transuranics. His report was euphoric from the success of the endeavor.
Bergman sat next to Koenig at the large round conference table in Koenig's office, explaining the details of the operation including separation and refinement of the resources. Much of the process was automated, a necessity with a population of only 300 people on Alpha.
Helena Russell stood by the window watching the constantly changing cloud formations. She was only half listening to Victor's glowing reports. Her report had already been read by Koenig, but no one else, not even Victor. She glanced toward the table, noticing Koenig's growing impatience. Victor was probably the only person on Alpha that John Koenig would hesitate to interrupt. He had been John's advising professor at MIT, then friend and collaborator for many years. The mentor relationship ran deep. She met Koenig's eye for a moment and gave him a bemused smile, then turned back to the view at the window.
Despite Bergman's enthusiasm, it was time to move to other things and Commander Koenig was about to cut him off. Koenig glanced at his CMO and recognized her own signs of stress and impatience. She had retreated from the conference table to the window and her fingers impulsively twisted the ring she wore on her right hand. Her smile was elusive as quicksilver. She met his eyes, smiled her support, then retreated again to her own thoughts. He wished-- not for the first time-- that things could be different here on this disaster area they called home. That he had just a little bit of time to call his own. Helena Russell was everything he wanted in a woman, intelligent, beautiful, independent and brave. Unfortunately, there had never been time to pursue a deeper relationship, and according to her report, there never would be.
He picked up the short report, neatly typed on mylar and covered with the red "Eyes Only" security transparency, a leftover from their days in Earth orbit.
The warning label had been well chosen by her, and it caught Bergman's eye. He paused, after a year in deep space he was more comfortable with Alpha's more open information policy. Security folders had become a rarity. Koenig took advantage of the pause to move the meeting along.
"Your people have worked miracles, Victor, but Helena's status report is not nearly as cheerful." With a glance from Koenig, Russell returned to the table, sliding gracefully into the molded seat on the other side of Koenig.
She took the floor, speaking mostly to Victor, knowing that Koenig had already read the information. " John asked me to do a thorough check of life support, hydroponics and our food supplies," she said in her soft contralto. "After the power loss while we were at Arkadia we needed to re-evaluate our capabilities and reserves.
"The numbers are quite grim," she continued. "Although power has returned to normal, it took three weeks to clear the dead matter from the protein tanks and vegetable farms. Fruit trees have been pruned severely to remove the damaged portions. We've cut rations and dipped into stored reserves, but the protein tanks are not growing fast enough to keep up with our usage. Some of the vegetables will be ready to harvest again within two months. The fruit trees may take years to recover, and forced growth of new trees will take nearly as long to reach bearing age. According to my calculations, the stored rations will last us two months with careful rationing. The protein cultures will not recover for more than three months."
Bergman had thumbed through the report while listening to her summary. He looked up in surprise as she stopped abruptly. Her eyes were focused on the center of the large conference table. Koenig placed a supporting hand on her forearm. She was the bearer of bad news; it was not her fault.
"We need to find another source of protein within the next two months." She said couching the conclusion in the most positive words she could manage, but her tone was desperate.
Bergman watched her carefully, his hand rubbing his jaw as he considered and rejected possible solutions for the problem. He was spared making any sort of response when the comm panel beeped.
Paul Morrow's face appeared on the Commpost in the center of Commander Koenig's spacious office. A familiar sequence of tones called attention to the announcement. "Commander, we're picking up some fluctuating readings in the clouds directly ahead of us."
Bergman stood immediately and headed toward the wall separating the office from Main Mission. Koenig pulled his commlock from his belt and pointed it at the wall, clicking the appropriate button. As Bergman approached, the wall opened, allowing him entry to the bustling area of Main Mission. Koenig and Russell followed, eyes drawn first to the large screen, which currently showed a magnified view of rolling clouds of various shades of purple and blue with occasional flashes of orange as lightening discharged. Koenig and Russell exchanged worried glances. The flashes reminded them vividly of the nuclear accident barely a year ago. Russell headed for the life sciences console to check radiation levels. Bergman veered to the far left of main mission under the observation balcony. The computer bank was already pouring out data for him on the thin thermal paper he preferred.
Russell caught Koenig's eye as she looked over her technician's shoulder and shook her head. "Harmful radiation well within acceptable levels," she reported quietly. He nodded with relief and focused his attention elsewhere.
Bergman was deep in thought as he walked back toward Koenig. The thermal paper trailed around him like confetti. He rubbed his hand across his balding head. The data before him showed a puzzling change in the cloud ahead. As Russell had confirmed, the external radiation levels had not changed significantly. However, there were particles in the cloud moving in an unpredictable manner. "We seem to be approaching a vortex of some kind. No radiation, but particle motion as if we are in some kind of a wake. Much like I would expect to see behind us."
"So, there might be something ahead of us?" Koenig asked.
"It's a possibility that we are overtaking another object."
Koenig glanced at Morrow. "Paul, I want two reconnaissance Eagles launched to move ahead along our projected path. Have them pace us, staying at the edge of our sensor range and scanning ahead using their own equipment."
Morrow nodded, contacting the pilots and launching the Eagles with his usual efficiency. Koenig remained behind him, hands on hips, staring at the main screen as if waiting for something to show itself. Bergman continued to review the data by his side.
Knowing their meeting could be resumed at any moment, Dr. Russell remained in Main Mission with the others rather than return to Medical Center, but she disliked hovering behind her duty officer, and she knew it would be a while before any new data was available in any event. She was drawn again to the window, and the unusual light show it provided. This allowed her to be the first to see the whirling, sparkling particles approaching Alpha from an azimuth of about 35 degrees. The glowing particles looked like sparks from a Fourth of July sparkler swirled by a gigantic invisible hand. It was breathtakingly beautiful. "John," she called, more fascinated than alarmed. "I can see it."
She pointed up and out, and Morrow took the direction from her, aiming Alpha's camera's to allow a view. Impatient, as usual, Koenig was at her side in a few quick steps, neither considering the approaching particles more dangerous than raindrops during a thunderstorm. His first reaction was to grin in delight at their beauty.
Sandra Benes called Bergman to her station, shaking her head with confusion. "I'm not picking up any mass at all, but the spectral analysis is extremely powerful."
Bergman nodded, concentrating with Benes on the data, not the view. "It's radiating both above and below the visual band, but something must be fueling it."
The shimmering whirlwind continued to approach without any change in direction. Koenig drew his arm around Russell's waist and pulled her a step back from the window. Neither of them believed the approaching storm would breach the building, but as the funnel of sparkles arrived it passed through the window and wall as if they were nonexistent.
The sparkles passed harmlessly through walls and windows, still on their original course. When Koenig turned to Paul with orders to evacuate Main Mission no one had to be told twice to leave.
Dr. Russell was fascinated. Standing in front of Koenig, she was the first to be touched by the sparkles. They neither bounced off of her nor pierced her skin. They merely passed through her. She held out her hand and watched as they entered her palm and exited through the back of her hand. She experienced no pain or any other sensation as they touched her. When she looked behind her at Koenig, she realized that he was shouting at her to leave with him. She had been so focused on the phenomenon she hadn't heard him.
The sparkles were swirling through both of them now. She found that watching them penetrate someone else was much more difficult than observing them pass through herself. She nodded with difficulty. Moving seemed to take more effort than usual. The particles were swirling faster now, in a tighter vortex. The storm of sparkles seemed to center on Russell and Koenig. The sparkles became streaks of light, entering and leaving their bodies, darting around them so fast they could be seen entering and exiting simultaneously. Russell looked past Koenig's shoulder and noticed that she could no longer see the rest of Main Mission. Her arms went around his waist, and he held her close. The effort it took to move just that short distance was almost overwhelming. The light became more and more intense. Even with her eyes closed tight she could see the sparkling lights that were entering her eyeballs. If Koenig were trying to speak now she could no longer hear him. There was a roaring in her ears like an auditorium full of screaming people. Both light and noise grew to an unbearable intensity.
Then, suddenly, it stopped. Light, sound, and all other sensation ended so abruptly her system couldn't handle the strain. Her mind retreated from consciousness to avoid the stress.
John Koenig finished an unsatisfying shower, longing for a long steamy relaxing shower, rather than the short luke-warm bursts necessary to conserve water and energy. He toweled dry and headed for his closet to dress. He needed to pull on a clean uniform and head for Command Center.
The grey jumpsuit with gold braid was draped across the sofa, and Helena Russell sat curled up on the other end of the sofa. Her shapely legs showing through the slit in her skirt. "You know," she said, the light tone hiding the agony she had been through in recent days. "You look quite attractive in that."
"I think I'm still mad at you," he said in the same joking, half-serious tone she had used. They frequently spoke that way to each other, especially when events around them had become too serious to deal with. "You kept me in quarantine for a week."
"It would have been longer if Alibe hadn't had the presence of mind to get you to collect those samples before you left Elna."
"Didn't you miss me?" He asked flippantly, pulling on his clothes.
"Desperately," she sighed, still in jest, but unable to completely hide the concern behind it. She sat sideways, elbow resting on the back of the sofa, chin in her hand. She watched him dress, soaking in the image of every move he made. "But I wouldn't have let you back on the base until I was certain you didn't bring that plague with you."
He stopped, tunic halfway on, and met her eyes, reading the steely resolve in the wide-set green eyes, moist with tears that he knew would remain unshed. Once again, he thanked whatever gods seemed to be watching over them on this crazy journey for keeping Helena with him. She was his rock. She kept him grounded. She kept him human; and he could too easily imagine the kind of hell Alpha would be for him without her beside him.
She held out her hand and asked softly, "What are you thinking about?"
John shrugged into his tunic and walked over by her, leaning against the back of the sofa. He laced his fingers with hers and smiled. "I was thinking of that little Bed and Breakfast in the Lake District."
"The one where it rained all weekend long and we never went outside?"
"That's the one," he brushed his lips against hers. "It was undoubtedly the most wonderful weekend of my life."
Helena reached up and caressed his cheek. The teasing tone returned to her voice. "Then you can't be mad at me anymore. You never think about that weekend when you're angry."
"You know I can never be angry with you for long."
The next kiss lasted longer, was deeper, and threatened to overwhelm them both. When they parted, Helena said, "I thought you had to go to work."
He sighed and leaned his forehead against hers. "Yes, I do." He stood and turned back to his closet for belt and boots. "Why did you come by, anyway?"
"On business, really. Getting to watch you dress was just a bonus."
"Glad to accommodate. What's up?"
Helena pulled a disk from the pocket of her navy blue jacket and handed it to him. He took it and headed to the desk. She remained curled up on the sofa, drawing her knees tighter to her. Koenig glanced back at her as he called up the file, pulling on his boots and waiting for her explanation. Helena had long ago taught him to read body language, and her withdrawn posture as well as the fact she was giving him this report in private was setting off all sorts of alarms.
As he began to glance through the spreadsheet she spoke. Her voice was distant, and much more business-like. "When you first started sending data back from Elna, we were all delighted. Everything looked good. We were ready to pack and leave when you gave the word. Then you reported a plague of some kind."
She paused, shaking her head with the disappointment. "We adjusted again to staying here -- it's gotten to be habit, finding a planet, and having it not work out. Maya began calculating the distance to the next likely planet. I suppose, mostly to keep my mind off of you, I began to make sure we had the resources we need to stay alive that long.
She gestured at the info on the screen. "That's the results of the inventory."
Silence descended as John scanned the data. She had sorted the list by projected remaining time before each resource was used up. It painted a horrifying picture of soon-to-occur shortages. Helena came and stood behind him, hands on his shoulders. She'd had a week to recover from the reports of his death, but she had been unable to touch him during that interminable week of quarantine. She savored the chance to be near him. He leaned his cheek against the back of her hand, but continued to scroll through the list. Helena had been extremely thorough. He interpreted this correctly as a sign of the anguish she was feeling over his presumed death. She had combined the reserves of various departments and made physical counts rather than depend on estimates.
"Who else knows about this?"
She shook her head. "No one. Everyone wanted to give me some space, and I took it. Most of the work I did on the computer in my quarters. I guess I'm not very good at grieving."
He reached up and patted her hand. In a distant voice he said, "I think you're terrific." He was still focused on the data. He put an arm around her waist and pulled her into his lap. Moving back to the top of the list he began marking some of the higher priority items and adding them to a second list. Others he placed on a third.
"You're not going to like this, but I'm activating all the mining teams immediately." He said this firmly in a tone that invited no argument. "We'll have to take our chances with green sickness for a while."
Helena nodded reluctantly. "If we don't find some of these items soon, none of us will be around long enough to develop it."
"I'm giving them this list." He indicated one of the lists he had created. "I want you to get with Pat Osgood and see if you can come up with alternatives or synthetics --- something we can make ourselves."
She glanced at him, knowing that he didn't want to hear that it couldn't be done, and nodded again. "We'll do everything we can."
"I know you will." He stood, pulling her to her feet as well. "Authorize all mining teams for active duty immediately." He pressed a button, saving the various files so that he could access them in Command Center. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, saying softly, "I'll meet you back here tonight."
He pulled his gray jacket from the closet and left his quarters without a backward glance. Helena smiled as she watched him go. With John close by, his optimism and energy were contagious. No problem seemed insurmountable. She pocketed her disk and followed him out.
The day was full of numerous tasks that had piled up while John was in quarantine. He attacked them with his typical energy, occasionally impatient with someone who should have notified him while he was in quarantine. He mobilized four mining teams, and recalled two others for re-supply. He had just returned to Command Center from a meeting with the mining teams when Maya's sensor board began to receive unusual signals. Maya asked Sahn Benes to scan the area of space ahead of them again. John walked up behind Maya. "What have you got?'
"I'm not sure," Maya answered. She shook her head in frustration and queried the computer again. "There's no mass, but some form of energy is approaching fast."
"A collision course?" John asked, concerned.
"No--" she said. She looked up at the main screen. The forward scanners were showing a point of golden light, moving straight towards them. Maya changed the view to a different scanner. From this direction the light seemed to swirl and swarm, thousands of points of light rotating quickly around a central axis in a small column. "Yes." Maya changed her mind. "Commander, it's heading straight for Alpha, but there is no mass. We can't collide with something that has no mass."
"What is it then, some kind of weapon?" Koenig asked.
Verdeschi was following the lights on his own screen. "Nothing we've experienced before. It's not a beam, and I can't find an origination point that would have concentrated energy in that way. There's nothing else out there."
"It is just energy, " Maya sounded frustrated. "Radiation covering the spectrum from ultraviolet to well past the infrared."
During the short discussion the object had moved alarmingly closer, headed directly for Alpha. John glanced at the recon desk, manned today by Bill Fraser. Fraser was waiting for the signal to launch an Eagle, but John had already realized that at the speed it was travelling, no Eagle could intercept it before it arrived at Alpha. He shook his head and Bill acknowledged with a nod.
They waited and watched the screen, expecting an explosion as the energy reached the surface. Surface buildings on Alpha were all labs and industrial facilities that could be safely teleoperated from below the surface. Other than at the widely separated landing pads few Alphans spent time in the surface buildings. Before the disaster of Breakaway this design protected workers from solar radiation during the lunar day. Now it protected the Alphans from the numerous dangers of deep space, alien attacks to micrometeors. The Alphans themselves lived and worked deep below the surface in a well-protected airtight complex including living quarters, labs, recreational facilities and tunnel farms.
As the light approached the surface they braced for impact. John had Sahn ready damage control teams. The light passed through the wall with no explosion, no damage, no sign it had been there at all. They could no longer see it with external sensors. Sahn scrambled to tune in an internal camera in the correct area. She tried three different levels before they again caught a glimpse of the swirling cone of light. It was bright enough that the camera couldn't properly focus on it as it moved quietly and purposefully downward. Sahn caught it again several more floors down and no one was surprised to see the swirling cone of light pass through the ceiling and into the Command Center. As it settled to the floor, the swirling lights began to slow, expanding slightly. Figures could be seen in the middle of the column of light. The streaks of light became points of light, almost like sparks. Then they vanished.
Everyone had remained still at the arrival of the column of energy. There had been no sound, simply the brilliant cone of light, swirling and separating into thousands of tiny sparks. The sparks seemed to surround two people, the beige of their clothing familiar to the Alphans in Command Center. When the sparks vanished, the two people collapsed.
Alibe was manning the life sciences desk and was closest to the area where the lights had deposited the two people. She was next to them in seconds, and John was right behind her. They saw a man and woman, both unconscious. Even unconscious, the man was holding tightly to the woman. She lay on her back, face covered by a fan of platinum blonde hair. The man was partly on top of her. Alibe checked the man for a pulse, then nodded at John and together they rolled him over and gazed at an extremely familiar face.
"Get a medical team down here," John called.
"Two stretchers," Alibe chimed in.
John pulled blonde hair away from the woman's face, to confirm his suspicions. Tony was standing behind him, as confused as John and Alibe. He held a hand laser at the ready but felt foolish doing so.
Alibe took the woman's pulse and glanced at her Commander. "I'm not getting a pulse and she's not breathing."
The two wasted no time, beginning CPR before the medical team could get there. John could hear Tony using his commlock to update the medical team, but didn't pause the counting and breathing until he felt a familiar hand on his shoulder and Helena took over with a respirator.
Having her there where he could see her alleviated some of John's fears. Her team stabilized their familiar looking patient. John accompanied them to Medical Center, signaling for Tony to stay put, but send a security detail with them.
Koenig didn't remember losing consciousness, but as he came to he remembered the lights, the danger and the red alert. He realized immediately that he was in Medical Center, the smells and sounds cueing him in before he opened his eyes. His first thought was of Helena.
"Helena?" he called, sitting up and opening his eyes.
"Easy, Commander," a familiar voice said. Bob Mathias placed his hands on Koenig's shoulders and eased him back onto the bed.
The moment Koenig opend his eyes he knew something was terribly wrong. The room contained familiar equipment in unfamiliar configurations. It was smaller. There were no windows. Mathias' uniform included a white turtleneck. "This isn't right," was his immediate reaction.
"You're correct in that," said an oddly familiar voice from behind Mathias' shoulder.
Koenig relaxed slightly to let Mathias know he didn't need to be restrained. He looked into his own face, noticing the differences. The man's hair was longer, not much, but enough to tell the difference from the face he had seen in the mirror this morning. He was wearing a gray jacket with white trim over the familiar beige and black uniform. Koenig wasn't sure if it was the jacket or if the other man really appeared heavier. His major concern was not this man, however.
"Helena Russell was with me. Is she all right?" He looked from Mathias to this other-Koenig, wanting an answer from anyone willing to give it. He wasn't quite braced for the shock when the woman stepped up beside the other Koenig.
Her hair was a golden blonde and a bit longer. She wore a sleeveless lab coat over a tunic similar to Mathias' white turtle-necked uniform, but with a knee-length skirt. She glanced at the man next to her but held out a comforting hand to the man on the bed. "She's all right. For some reason, she was more effected by that field than you were. She wasn't breathing when we found the two of you, but she's stable now."
That made him breathe easier despite the strangeness. He smiled at the woman. "Thank you." To the man he asked, "What has happened to us?"
John shook his head at the familiar stranger. "I don't know."
A nurse walked up to Helena with a clipboard. She took it and nodded. "Thank you, Debbie." She looked at the report, holding the board so her Commander could read it over her shoulder. She looked up at his duplicate lying on the bed. "The two of you are almost identical. A genetic scan has yielded no differences in your DNA or blood enzymes." To her Commander she added, "Maya is running some more esoteric tests. She wants to compare the ion balance to determine if they are from this universe."
"Have you ruled out some kind of time travel?" the man on the bed asked.
She nodded. "You are also identical in age, from what we can tell, and there are small differences that don't jibe."
Mathias elaborated. "You have a scar from a scalp wound that our John Koenig never had, and your right wrist was broken within the last six months to a year.
Koenig remembered Piri, and the Eagle crash that had resulted in that strange out-of-body experience of Zenno. He nodded. "And you don't have those?" he asked his counterpart.
The Commander of this base shook his head. "So you can't be from our past. And you can't be from our future either."
Mathias explained, "He had an injury to his right shoulder three months ago. It has healed, but there will remain quite a scar."
"The same yet different," the man on the bed observed. "We've encountered an alternate reality before. It proved hazardous to all those who came into direct contact with their counterparts."
Dr Russell looked alarmed. She placed a hand on her Koenig's arm. "We haven't had any problem so far. How long did it take? Was it a cumulative effect?"
Koenig shook his head. "It effected different people in different ways, but the problem was immediate and unpleasant. This doesn't feel the same."
John's commlock buzzed, he lifted it from his belt and clicked it on. "Yes, Maya?"
"Commander, I would like to run some additional tests that will require both you and the-- duplicate. Would that be possible?" John looked at the man lying on the bed who responded to the unanswered question.
"The sooner we resolve this, the better. I feel fine."
John glanced at the two doctors who both gave their consent. "He just regained consciousness. We'll be down shortly."
"Thank you." The voice said and clicked off.
"Before we go, can I see Helena? Just for a moment?"
It was the other Helena who answered him, "Of course. This way." She led him around a corner to another alcove. The equipment was again familiar even if the room was not.
'His' Helena lay on the bed, surrounded by beeping equipment. Silver blonde hair fanned out around her. Her face was pale. The last time he had seen her like this was aboard Captain Zantor's ship under suspended animation. It disturbed him a great deal. In two steps he was by her side. He took her hand in his and she awoke at his touch.
He watched her face as she regained consciousness. Her eyes focused on their surroundings as her hand gripped his. Her mouth formed a question as her eyes darted around the partially familiar, partially strange room. She met Koenig's concerned gaze, putting all her questions into one word. "John?" she asked puzzled.
She couldn't see the pair standing behind him and Koenig knew they were standing back to let him orient her to their surroundings. "We're on another Alpha. Somehow those lights that surrounded us brought us here. You were knocked out pretty bad."
She tried to sit up, but he put a hand on her shoulder. "Just relax. I think their doctors want to check you out before they let you up." He glanced behind him and the other Dr. Russell stepped forward. Helena gripped his hand harder, but the woman standing at the foot of the bed smiled, using her best bedside manner.
"Your Commander told us that you've experienced a parallel universe before and there was some contact that was dangerous. I've been treating you, but I've decided to turn your case over to Dr. Vincent."
A young black man with long loosely curling hair stepped up to the instruments. Russell noted the differences in uniforms and was amazed that this Alpha had a staff member she didn't know. A duplicate Commander also showed up at the other Helena's side, and placed a hand on her shoulder. He spoke to 'her' Commander Koenig. "Maya's waiting for us in the lab."
"I need to go," Koenig said, giving her hand a squeeze and a look that said everything would be all right. She nodded, scared but willing to trust these people as long as he did.
The other Koenig moved his hand from the woman's shoulder to her waist and drew her aside. He spoke to her softly for a moment, then with a look at his duplicate he left the room. The intimacy between the man and woman had been plain to see and it left Russell feeling--envious? Wistful? -- she wasn’t sure. Dr. Vincent asked her a question and she focused on him, shutting out the distractions and overwhelming strangeness of the situation.
The two Koenigs strode along the corridor at a fast pace. Although the halls had a familiar look they were laid out in different patterns. They entered an elevator and Koenig noted that they were on the third level of ten. Above ten there was an additional button which required a key and was labeled 'ground level'. He had to ask. "All of Alpha is underground?"
"Most of it. We have a number of labs and factory facilities on the surface, connected with horizontal travel tubes. Launch facilities are reached from there as well."
Koenig nodded. "I remember seeing a design like that before our Alpha was built. In a lot of respects it was a more efficient design."
"Your Alpha is all on the surface?"
"Mostly. We have some unfinished sections below the surface. We use them as storage areas and deep shelters when necessary."
There were obviously a number of differences between the two Alphas and little time to explore. They entered a lab occupied by two people. Koenig recognized the dark haired man as Verdeschi. He had recently been placed in charge of weapons control. The young woman with him had red hair in an upswept design and the most unusual eyebrows Koenig had ever seen. His duplicate was introducing her.
"Do you know Maya? She's from the planet Psychon."
"No, there's no one like that on my Alpha. You were on Alpha at the time we left Earth?" he asked, not sure about this alien presence.
"No," she replied hesitantly. "The moon passed by my planet. Psychon was destroyed and Commander Koenig saved my life and invited me to live here."
"I see. We've not been to a planet called Psychon," he said. Her voice, soft and correct with a low melodious tone sounded vaguely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.
The Koenig belonging to this universe went on to introduce Verdeschi as his second in command and security officer. Verdeschi offered his hand and Koenig shook it.
"Is the doctor all right?" he asked, concerned.
"Yes, she is. She regained consciousness just before we came here," he replied.
Verdschi nodded. "Perhaps we should have the two of you review our logs. You've obviously had different experiences from us. It might help if we can pinpoint where you were and what was happening." Koenig agreed with a nod and Verdeschi addressed his C.O. "I'll issue both of them identity cards and quarters. It would be easier on everyone if we don't have two people in Command black." Turning back to Koenig he asked, "Will a recon yellow uniform be all right with you while you're here?"
The two Koenigs exchanged a look and nodded their agreement. Verdeschi's Commander replied, "That sounds like a good idea, Tony. Given the circumstances of their arrival, they may be here a while."
"I'm sure my people will also be working on trying to find us. Victor is probably trying to track down the source of those lights right now."
Both John and Tony paused, and Tony appeared to be watching his commander closely. "Victor Bergman?" John asked.
"Yes, he's my science advisor-- hard sciences. Dr. Russell is in charge of life sciences."
"Here," John responded. "Victor died in a car crash before we left." It was obvious they had been friends and this was not easy for him to discuss.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Our Victor was also in an accident. He has an artificial heart because of it."
"An artificial heart?" Tony picked up on that, looking extremely interested. "And it works all right?"
"Yes, it works fine."
John added. "That's great. We-- haven't had much success with that here."
Maya interrupted. "I know there's a lot to discuss, but we need to take these measurements as soon as possible."
Tony Verdeschi excused himself and left the three to their business.
Koenig put in a long day, with the tests Maya ran, a visit to the astrophysics department with Verdeschi and ending in the records section. Verdeschi treated him with cautious respect, doing a better job than Koenig felt he would do handling familiar strangers on the base. The working dinner-- a dinner with more fresh foods than Koenig had seen for a while-- included more comparison between the two Alphas. It was more than halfway through the second shift before Verdeschi led him to the dormitory level, and left him at the door of the quarters loaned to him.
Koenig was looking forward to a hot shower and a few hours sleep before donning the yellow-sleeved tunic that Verdeschi had provided him and heading back to the records room. He looked around the room as the door closed. It was smaller than he had anticipated. There was a small sofa, two of the familiar molded plastic chairs, a desk area with computer access, and a table in the corner containing sculptor's tools and a partially finished clay sculpture of a horse. The maker was obviously quite talented, as the little horse was startlingly life-like.
A door opposite the hallway opened, revealing a small bathroom and Helena Russell walked out slowly. She was brushing platinum blonde hair that was still damp from the shower. Barefoot, she padded across the sleeping area to a dresser. She was wearing only the top of standard issue pajamas with the belt tied loosely at her waist. She opened the top drawer and put away the brush, then turned and noticed Koenig standing in the living area of the room.
"John?" She asked, puzzled. What are you doing here?"
"Helena? I was told I was assigned to these quarters. There must have been a mistake."
She looked at him with wide green eyes for a moment, then blushed, remembering what her counterpart had said as she left her here. When the other Helena had left her in her quarters she had commented that she wouldn't be using them tonight anyway. Helena had interpreted that to mean she was on duty, but now she realized that the other woman had plans to spend the night elsewhere. "Well, no. I expect they did this on purpose."
"Why?"
"Because they think we're together."
Koenig still hadn't figured it out. "Together?"
She nodded, "A couple."
That puzzled him. "Why would they think that?"
"Because our counterparts here are."
He looked at her with surprise and dawning comprehension. "Oh, I… see. Look, I'll just call Verdeschi and let him know we need another room--"
"John," she interrupted him and held her hand out. "Would you mind terribly staying here? You can have the bed and I'll take the sofa." She paused, looking frankly into his eyes and speaking softly in a low voice. "I'm scared, John."
The two of them had been through some extremely rough situations and Koenig had long ago realized that the cool-thinking doctor was one of his top choices to guard his back in a crisis. She had not admitted her fear easily. He crossed the room quickly and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Hey, it's ok. We've been in worse places."
"True," she sighed, giving him a small shaky smile as she pulled herself back together.
"I don't mind staying here, but I'll take the sofa."
She shook her head. "Don't be silly, I'm smaller than you. I'm taking the sofa." She turned and took a pillow from the bed and a blanket that lay across the foot of the bed. "There are pajamas and clothes that will fit you in the left hand drawers," she told him, indicating the dresser.
She set about readying the sofa and he headed for the shower. She had given him a lot to think about.
When he returned, pajama clad, to the living area, she had already settled on the sofa, but was not yet asleep He walked over and knelt by her. She gave him a sleepy smile and entwined her fingers with his. For a moment, they simply touched, enjoying the moment. Koenig smiled and said, "You know, Victor and Paul have probably already come up with something to bring us back."
"I'm sure you're right," she said softly.
"Don't worry. It's going to be OK."
She nodded, obviously unconvinced but willing to humor him. He leaned over to kiss her cheek softly, but her lips got in the way. The soft kiss felt very good, and he reluctantly pulled away. "Goodnight, Helena."
"Goodnight, John," she replied with a smile.
He made his way to the bed, mind reeling with question about whether this was unprofessional behavior, or simply inevitable.
In another section of Alpha, their counterparts were also preparing to sleep. Helena lay curled in John's arms, making every effort to ensure the maximum amount of her bare skin touched his. She yawned, tired, but reluctant to end their evening alone.
"So," John asked her. "What do you think?"
She smiled sleepily, deliberately misinterpreting him. "I think I've had a wonderful evening. I don't want it to end."
"That's not what I meant," he replied, flicking her wrist with his finger. She moved to entwine her fingers with his. He savored her touch, but was not to be distracted. "What do you think about them?"
She laughed and leaned back, propping herself up on one elbow. "Personally, I find it kind of creepy. Professionally I’ll admit I’m rather intrigued by the differences." She shook her head, her thoughts returning to the personal. "She seems so scared."
"Can you blame her?" John asked. He looked at his love and fingered a stray lock of hair.
"No, I suppose not. Has Maya made any progress in finding out how to get them back?"
"Not yet. Your hair hasn’t been that color in ages."
She caught his fingers and kissed them. "Perhaps he hasn’t told her he prefers it this way." She replied with a twinkle in her eye. She leaned forward and kissed him, but sensed that he was more interested in talking at the moment. "You’ve found out something else," she prompted.
He sighed. "Victor Bergman is his science advisor. He mentioned that Victor would undoubtedly be looking for them."
"Victor? He’s alive?"
John nodded. Victor Bergman had been his close friend and mentor. They had worked on numerous projects together. Bergman’s death in an automobile accident had hit Koenig hard. The accident had happened during a time when Bergman was on Earth because he had fallen out of favor with the Lunar Commission over a failed mission. Koenig had blamed the Space Commission for his death and had even considered quitting the Space Program altogether. It had been Helena who had convinced him not to throw away his career because of a senseless accident. In some ways, leaving Earth had been a relief to both of them, removing them from the political games that governed Earth’s space program.
"He said there was an accident, just like the one in our universe, but they were able to save Victor by giving him an artificial heart."
"Really?" Helena was intrigued. Her own attempts to make an artificial heart had been less than stellar, although she had finally been successful. Michelle Osgood now had a working artificial heart, but it had been a horrible struggle. "I’ll have to find out about that tomorrow."
"If Victor had been with us—" Koenig started, but was unable to finish. He was rather surprised that Victor hadn’t found a way out of their initial problems at Breakaway—and he obviously had not in the other universe.
"It would have been wonderful." Helena finished. "Think how much he would have enjoyed meeting Maya."
"He might have understood more than half of what she’s telling us about science."
"They would have been fascinated with each other."
John had to smile at that. Helena was right. He still missed his old friend bitterly, and blamed the space program for Victor’s death. But there was no sense dwelling on the past. He yawned. It was late and there was a lot to do tomorrow. Their unexpected visitors only added to the problem. Helena reached over him and touched the button to dim the lights. They settled in for a few hours sleep, but there was one other thing he wanted to share with her.
"There was no war there."
Helena stayed quiet, her head resting on his shoulder.
"It’s one of the reasons they could afford to build a more elaborate moonbase."
"Your wife?" she asked softly, afraid to open old wounds, afraid to hear the answer.
He shook against her, and she wasn’t sure if it were a laugh or a sob. He turned and drew her tighter against him. Speaking softly into her ear he said, "A car crash. While on vacation in Switzerland." He paused. "Ironic, isn’t it?"
She held him close. His wife had died during the war. It had been a terrorist’s bomb in Geneva. "I’m so sorry," was all she could think to say.
He shook his head in the dark. "No, I’m supposed to be with you," he answered. His hand traced the curve of her cheek in the dark. He kissed her softly and they escaped into the oblivion of sleep.
The following morning John gave Helena a list of things to ask her counterpart about. Many had to do with the shortage of resources and how the others had coped. Helena was especially interested in that heart.
Russell and Koenig ate breakfast together in the cafeteria. Koenig’s yellow sleeve and her own collarless tunic set them apart as different. The others in the room were polite, but not sure how to treat them. They were left to themselves. When their counterparts arrived Russell again noticed the bond between the two. They always seemed to be touching; his arm around her shoulder, or his hand on her arm. When they spoke, even to others, they exchanged glances, not to secure favor or support, but more as if the two were constantly sharing a private joke or intimate conversation.
When the two joined them it was interesting to note that the women had both chosen fresh fruit and a rice-based hot cereal. The men had both chosen the homegrown coffee and soy substitute meat patty with pancakes and something that looked like butter, but wasn’t.
"How can you stand to drink that stuff?" Helena asked as the John Koenig wearing the yellow sleeve poured a fresh cup from the pot John had brought to the table.
He smiled. "Well, habit mostly, but this is really better than ours."
"Which should only be used for medicinal purposes," Russell added. She was joking, but a flicker of concern or distress registered for a moment. Helena made a mental note to ask her later.
"And you thought ours was bad," John said to her. He continued to the others, "She hadn’t been up here for a week before she was calling me to ship her own supply of coffee to her."
"I rationed the last batch he brought with him for more than six months, then gave up drinking coffee for good."
The conversation drifted on to other topics until the two women finished. They excused themselves and headed for medical center.
"How long have you two known each other?" Russell asked, curious.
Helena stuffed her hands in her pockets, and smiled. "We met about a year before Breakaway. I was assigned to Tony Cellini’s case after the Ultra Probe returned." She shook her head, remembering. "If it hadn’t been for John, I would have insisted that Cellini was completely unstable and had done something to the other members of the crew. John had come to visit him, and ended up acting as a kind of liaison between Cellini and myself. The commission was so intent on finding a scapegoat for the mission, the debriefing actually caused more damage than the mission. I take it you didn’t meet him then."
"No, we met when he was appointed Commander, just before Breakaway." Russell frowned and wished she had taken the jacket her counterpart had offered to lend her. The temperature on this Alpha was cooler than she was used to. "I know John visited Tony, but he was called back to the States almost immediately. Victor was in an accident. He was given an artificial heart…"
Her host stopped and touched her arm. "That’s one of the things John mentioned. I have a number of things we need to talk about. Let’s go back to my quarters. I do have a little bit of real coffee stashed away, and my staff will be less likely to interrupt us there."
Real coffee, Russell thought. It had been over a year since she'd had any. "That would be wonderful." Koenig had asked her to find out all she could about this universe, and this appeared to be a perfect opportunity.
Helena set about making coffee and explained, "Our Victor was also in an accident then. They tried to contact John, but he hadn’t gone back to his hotel." She smiled sheepishly. "He was with me all weekend and no one knew that. By the time we returned to the hospital on Monday morning he was too late to see Victor alive again. Our success rate with artificial hearts isn’t as good as yours obviously."
Russell enjoyed the aroma of the coffee rising from the mug in front of her. Across the table from her Helena asked softly, "So tell me, did you find him as irresistible as I did? I mean, it’s not something that’s ever happened to me before. I woke up one morning missing Lee, like always, and by that night I had met John and taken him home with me."
Russell smiled at her, not surprised by her confession, but not sure how to respond. "Meeting him on Alpha—" she began slowly, taking a sip of the precious bitter brew. "Created complications. But I certainly understand how it could have happened that quickly on Earth. In the other universe we told you about? We—- they—- were married.
Helena rolled her eyes. "Marriage—we’ve talked about it a thousand times. If we found a planet, a real home, it would be different. Here, he’s married to Alpha. I’m only his mistress." She smiled. "We would both choose differently if we could, but right now our survival depends on him being totally devoted to Alpha."
Russell nodded. She and Koenig had never really talked about it, but she knew the attraction between them was very real, even though they had never acted on it. He was her commanding officer, and neither wanted to be accused of any improprieties. If they ever managed to find a new home there would be time to consider their future together -- if they lived that long. She frowned, remembering her Alpha’s troubles.
"What’s wrong?" Helena asked her.
Russell sighed and began describing the current crisis on Alpha. Their hydroponics section had barely survived the cold of the black sun and the protective foam of the space brain. The Alphans had been depending partially on stored rations since those encounters. Then they had come across Arkadia, a planet that held them in orbit seemingly by the shear willpower of its long dead inhabitants. It had drained them of power, making it impossible to keep Alpha warm enough. They could not survive on the planet, but were dying on Alpha since Arkadia refused to let them go. The pull of the planet had been even stronger for the landing party. Koenig and Russell had been able to resist, carrying the responsibility for all the Alphans had hardened their will to do what was best for their people. Two others from the landing party had obsessed about moving to Arkadia, stolen vital protein stores and kidnapped Russell to keep Koenig from following them.
Russell shook her head. "If they had kidnapped anyone else, I don’t think he would have negotiated with them, or let them go. I feel as if that’s my fault."
"And you needed those protein stores." Helena surmised.
"Yes. We thought we would be OK, but there have been difficulties getting some of the tanks back into production, and it wasn’t evident at first how much some of the more established plants, fruit trees and such, were damaged. We can grow new crops, but will run out of food well before new crops are ready. Any further problems will simply hasten the end."
The two women spent most of the day talking. The Alpha they were on had its own share of problems and shortages. Russell could offer a few suggestions that might work with some of the less critical shortages, but admitted they also depended on similar resources that simply weren’t found on the moon.
The day passed quickly and Helena explained that this evening was the weekly dinner for senior staff members. As a morale booster, uniforms were not allowed. Helena chose a dark blue dress of crushed velvet with one bare arm and a daring slit up the side. She loaned Russell a short dark green silk blouse with a Chinese collar and frogs to fasten it in black and silver. Flowing black silk pants completed the outfit. It set off both her green eyes and lighter hair color.
They met the men in the smaller dining room along with Alpha’s other senior officers: Tony Verdeschi, Maya, Sandra Benes, Alan Carter, Pete Garforth and Pat Osgood and his wife Michelle, the recipient of the artificial heart Helena had made. Dinner was pleasant and despite the casual dress a good deal of work was done as the staff members caught up on each other's projects and departmental news. These Alphans seemed a bit more relaxed and informal; quick with a joke as well as helpful suggestions. They seemed to enjoy each other’s company and were quite willing to help out other departments and expedite difficulties. When Pat brought out a list of items he needed to discuss he was greeted with good-natured kidding but the others all dutifully noted his concerns and offered assistance, suggestions or made notes of their own to take back to staff members.
Russell had a chance to speak briefly with Michelle about her new heart. They discussed her recovery, which had been rapid, and some of the difficulties Victor had encountered. Russell also was delighted to be gently teased by Alan Carter. It was nice to know that some things were constant in any universe. Carter was still the clown. Maya took a moment to comment on the fact that she was tracking down a promising lead from one of the scans she had taken, and assure her that every effort was being made to send them home.
Maya also complimented her on the borrowed outfit. Helena joined them at that moment and Maya turned to her. "Helena, I’ve never seen you wear this outfit."
Helena smiled, "I haven’t worn it in ages. It doesn’t go with this hair color."
"You could always change it," Maya suggested.
"Not as easily as you can," Helena laughed.
Russell joined in the laughter. During their conversation earlier Helena had explained Maya’s unique talents.
Helena turned to her. "It does look great on you. Maybe you should keep it."
"Oh, I couldn’t," Russell replied reluctantly, fingering the silky material on the sleeve.
"You should," Helena insisted. "If you stay you’ll need something."
"Well, I’ll wear it while I’m here. Once we go back…" She drifted off, unable to continue. A look of despair passed through her eyes and was quickly banished. She didn’t expect to live long once she returned.
Helena laid a comforting hand on the other’s shoulder. "It’ll work out," she said quietly. "John is very good at pulling off miracles." She glanced across the room at him where he stood speaking to Sandra and the other John Koenig. Both men wore dark slacks and turtlenecks. ‘Her’ John glanced up from his conversation and smiled at her as she looked his way. "With two of them collaborating, how can we go wrong?" she asked, smiling back at her love.
As the dinner party broke up, the Osgoods asked Koenig and Russell if they would like to join them to watch a movie in Alpha’s small theater, but the scheduled movie was a slasher flick which Russell didn’t care for. Koenig declined for them both and the two found themselves strolling down the corridors towards their quarters, absorbed in their own discussion of their activities for the day.
Some time during their stroll Koenig took her hand and they continued to stroll hand in hand. Russell liked the way her hand felt, encompassed firmly by his larger one. She was commenting that she missed ‘their’ Alpha’s windows when a handball bounced around the corner they were about to turn.
Koenig stepped forward and caught it quickly. Bill Fraser followed the ball a beat later. He was wearing gym shorts, sneakers and one of the ever-present blue jackets. It was a shock to see him. The last time Russell had seen the pilot was a few days before Breakaway. His Eagle hadn’t returned when Area Two had blown up.
"Sorry about that Commander," Bill flashed the two of them a smile. "I’m waiting for Annette. If she takes any longer to get ready we’ll lose our court time."
Before he finished the sentence the door across the hall opened and a young woman with long ash-blonde hair and wide blue eyes walked out. She was also dressed for the gym. Russell recognized her as Annette Jennings, one of David Kano’s data technicians. "Hello Helena, Commander. Come on darling. We’re going to miss our court time."
Bill winked at the other couple, deftly caught the ball Koenig tossed back to him and took the girl’s hand. They rushed off.
Koenig smiled as Russell opened the door to the quarters they were sharing and he followed her inside. "You know, if we have to stay here, I’m going to have to grow a beard or something so people will be able to tell me from the real Commander here."
She turned and looked at him closely. As the door slid shut she reached up and caressed his cheek. "I’ve never kissed a man with a beard before," she said thoughtfully.
He reached out and put his arms around her waist and gently pulled her against him. With his lips barely brushing against hers he said, equally softly, "If you don’t think you’ll like it, we’ll get him to grow the beard, because I intend to kiss you every chance I get."
He gave her a few seconds to protest or pull away. Instead, her arms crept around his neck. He pressed against her, kissing her slowly, gently.
She gave a low moan of pleasure deep in her throat, which seemed to inspire him further. His hands caressed her through the soft thin silk and then found their way under the blouse to the bare skin on her back. She understood completely now what the other Helena had said earlier about finding him irresistible. If he had kissed her this way on the first day they had met she wouldn’t have been able to resist then either. She didn’t want this kiss to ever end and could think of nothing better than to stay here on this Alpha and have him wear a yellow sleeve and come home to her each night to touch her like this. One thing she was sure of, she was not sleeping on the sofa tonight!
The intercom woke them the next morning. Koenig reached over and touched the button to respond without sitting up or turning on the lights. He reached to caress the woman beside him as he answered "This is Koenig."
"John," Maya’s deep precise voice responded immediately. "I have an idea that I think might work, but we’ll have to get the Commander’s approval. Can you meet me in the conference room across from Command Center in about thirty minutes?"
"Of course."
"Bring your commlocks with you."
Russell caught Koenig’s hand and held it still. "Maya," she said. "You told us our commlocks wouldn’t work here."
"That may work to our advantage in this case, Helena," Maya answered. "See you shortly."
A beeping sound indicated a closed connection at the other end. Koenig turned over and gathered her in his arms. "Good morning," he said, kissing her softly.
"Good morning," Russell smiled and drew her hand down his chest.
"We should have done this a long time ago," Koenig murmured into her ear.
"Well, we’ll just have to make up for lost time," she replied seductively.
He drew her closer but she pushed him back. "Later," she said. "We have to meet Maya."
She was smiling, despite her refusal and he had the feeling that he could reverse her decision with a bit of persuasion, but he knew she was right. He sighed reluctantly and rolled off the bed. Behind him, she yawned and stretched, making him want very badly to return to bed, but he turned and headed for the bathroom.
Russell was sure she had never been happier.
Koenig showered quickly and thought about last night. He certainly hadn’t planned what had happened between himself and Helena but he had no regrets. He did have concerns. He had never been able to fully deny his attraction to the lovely doctor, and others seemed to find it obvious—- like Gwent and Simmonds. Even his friend, Luke Ferro had used Helena in order to influence Koenig. Koenig was still regretting that incident and was aware that it may have cost all the Alphans their lives.
Last night it had looked like they might be staying here; that he might become just one of a group of Eagle pilots. He really had no problem accepting that and knew it would give him the freedom to pursue a relationship with Helena. That was one outcome that had occurred to him quickly upon coming here. Last night when she had touched him and mentioned kissing him he had been unable to continue resisting the attraction they both obviously felt. She had been too beautiful, too desirable, and too available.
There was no way he could make things return to their previous platonic state, and he had to admit he really didn’t want that; but if they returned to their own Alpha and someone hurt her just to get to Koenig he would never forgive himself.
She interrupted Koenig’s sober reflection to hand him a clean uniform, a smile lighting her face and brightening the room. She had never looked so happy, and he had to admit, he’d never been happier in his life.
They made it on time to the early morning meeting, arriving at the same time as this universe’s Helena Russell. She was carrying a tray from the cafeteria with a coffeepot and a teapot as well as sweet rolls. She explained that Maya’s accustomed day was longer than Earth’s and she frequently woke staff members with ideas she came up with while the others slept.
The Commander arrived next, then Tony Verdeschi and Ben Vincent. Maya was the last. As they took their seats Maya asked Koenig for the commlocks. He handed them to her and the others waited for her to explain her ideas.
"I believe we can use the resonant circuits in your commlocks to establish a link with your Alpha."
"What kind of link, Maya?" her commander asked.
"One using neutrino transmissions."
The reactions around the table were varied. To Russell and Koenig from the other universe the term meant nothing. Vincent looked intrigued. Verdeschi and the Commander looked skeptical. Helena’s reaction was explosive.
"Absolutely not!" she slammed her hand on the table. She turned to John to appeal. "We were nearly killed using that thing." She turned to Maya. "You cannot be serious."
"The equipment itself didn’t endanger you," Maya said mildly. "It functioned perfectly."
"It sent us to Scotland in the middle ages!"
Maya patiently began an explanation of how earthquakes on Earth had effected the calculations, throwing off the setting.
"I don’t care!" Helena had no intention of listening to reasonable explanations. "It’s too dangerous."
John put his hand on her shoulder, doing his best to calm her. He was well aware how devastating their experience with a neutrino transmitter had been to Helena.
It was Helena’s counterpart who finally got through to her. "If this is a viable possibility, we must try it," she said, leaning forward. "Our people need us." She glanced at Koenig who put his hand on top of hers. She smiled at him, but no one here found the gesture unusual.
"She’s right. We have to try."
The Commander agreed. "Helena, we’ll use every precaution. If it looks like there is any problem we’ll cancel. Maya, what’s your plan?"
Maya took the floor again. "We modify the commlocks and link the two together electronically, much like your medical device was linked to our medical monitors. Then we send one commlock using our transmission device. Once we’ve established contact we instruct them in building a transference dome like ours and link them together. They should receive anything we transmit. If a problem arises we can reverse the process and they return here." To the visitors she added, "The process is painless, you don’t feel anything more than a slight chill."
John stopped Helena from responding with a gesture and spoke to Maya and Ben. "I want everything set up and readied. I’ll make the final decision once we’ve made contact and tried several test packages back and forth." He gripped Helena’s hand. "Their people will be worried about them. At least we can contact them and let them know they’re all right."
He continued speaking to the group. "Ben, Maya, Helena, the three of you assembled the equipment before. I want you to do it again. Maya, concentrate on linking the commlocks. I’m sure John here can assist." He turned to his guests. "I know you’re anxious to return, but I’ll take the responsibility of determining whether or not we send you." His tone brooked no argument. "Tony, make sure they have the resources necessary. Use my authorization code if there’s anything on the restricted list."
Tony and the others nodded. They stood and began to file out. John caught his counterpart’s eye and he remained behind.
"Assuming Maya can make contact—and if she says she can I’d put money on it—I was thinking some of those test packages could be the food supplies you need."
Koenig grinned. "Perhaps we could work out a trade. We could send Victor a copy of that critical list of yours, see how much of those minerals we can send your way."
"Every little bit helps. I think I’ll get Sahn to see how much of our protein store we can spare."
Sandra Benes was fighting fatigue with another cup of horrid Alphan coffee. She had been in Main Mission for most of the last eighty hours since she had seen Commander Koenig and Dr. Russell vanish along with the sparkling lights that surrounded them.
She and Paul Morrow had been the last two to evacuate Main Mission. As Paul took her arm she had turned back and seen the lights fully encompass her two friends and turn to vanish, straight up, like a comet streaking across the sky.
They had been looking for some indication of what had happened ever since. Professor Bergman was also concerned about something being ahead of them. Alan Carter had two Eagles scanning ahead of them, as Commander Koenig had ordered just before he vanished. Paul Morrow was keeping everyone as busy as possible with the cloud mining operations to keep their minds off the mysterious disappearance of the Commander and Dr. Russell. That left her and Kano to follow any sensor leads they could find to determine what had happened to their vanished colleagues. So far, their search had been completely negative.
She stood and stretched, eyes burning from staring at her computer screen. It was third shift and quite in Main Mission. Kano sat at his station in the center of the large room. He never seemed to tire. Winters was monitoring the Eagles on search duty. Paul was catching some much-needed rest. Professor Bergman stood behind her on the platform next to computer’s output station whistling softly to himself. The noise was a soft clatter in front of her. No one was across the room. The sound came from over by the windows, near where Helena and the Commander had disappeared.
She walked around the U-shaped bank of desks toward the windows and saw a commlock lying on the floor. Sandra frowned and glanced back at Winters. "Where did that come from?" she asked.
Winters glanced her way, "Where did what come from?"
Sandra reached down and picked it up. When she turned it over to see the ID label she nearly dropped it again. "Professor!" she called, turning toward him. "This is the Commander’s commlock!"
Bergman looked up slowly from his printout at the device Sandra was holding. "Hmm," he asked absently. "Where did you get that, Sandra?"
When the commlock beeped in her hand she gave a small startled screech and almost dropped it. She recovered quickly and pressed the answer button before Winters or Bergman could reach her side.
Koenig’s face appeared on the screen immediately. "Sandra, can you hear me?"
"Commander, is that you?" she asked stunned.
Bergman arrived and peered over her shoulder. "John! Where are you? Are you all right?"
Koenig grinned. "Helena and I are both fine. We’re on a kind of alternate Alpha, a parallel universe. This commlock link is tenuous, and we won’t be able to try it again. Sandra, I need you to hook my commlock to Main Computer for a high-speed download. The information will tell you how to build a device that will allow us to communicate and hopefully transfer back to you."
"Right away Commander," Sandra headed briskly back to her desk to begin the process. Kano had heard the instructions as well and moved to assist.
Koenig continued. "Victor, there’s also a file with some further instructions and a more complete explanation. I’ve also included a file specifically for you that should confirm that this transmission is genuine."
Bergman nodded energetically. As usual, his friend had thought of everything. "How did this happen, John?"
"I don’t have an answer for that, Victor, but however it happened, I think it may have been in our best interest. You’ve continued the mining effort?"
"Yes, we have, do you think your predicament had something to do with that?"
"Unlikely, but keep it going at full strength. "You’ll see why when you read the file."
"We are ready, Commander." Sandra said. "The circuits in the commlock are not really meant for high speed data transmission. It may burn out."
"Understood. This was the best solution we could come up with. Victor, if you don’t get the full transmission with enough data to build the transference dome, we won’t be able to contact you again." He glanced off camera and smiled, then quickly looked back. "We just want to assure you that we’ll both be OK here, but we’d rather come home."
"We’ll make every effort, John."
"I know you will. We’ll be waiting for your transmission."
Victor nodded, and took his usual optimistic approach. "We’ll talk to you again soon, John."
The screen went blank as Koenig smiled and nodded.
Sandra began the data exchange and watched closely. She glanced at David.
"It’s a highly compressed file, and extremely large."
Sandra tapped her fingers impatiently. "David," she warned. "We do not have much time."
There’s nothing I can do about that Sandra," David replied in his calm melodious voice.
Bergman patted her on the shoulder as he watched from behind. They noticed at the same time that the commlock was beginning to smoke. "David, we’re out of time," Bergman said, reaching for one of the small fire extinguishers attached to the desks.
"Twenty seconds," Kano replied without turning around.
"We may not have that much time." Sandra said intensely.
"Ten seconds," Kano replied.
The smoke was becoming more evident. Sandra reached to disconnect as the small device burst into flames. Bergman was ready with the extinguisher. "David, did you get it?" he called as Sandra shut down her console and he covered her desk with foam.
"I believe so, Professor. Give me another moment."
The others waited, hardly daring to breathe.
"Got it!" David said triumphantly.
The next two days were tension filled for Koenig and Russell. Maya felt sure that all the information was sent before transmission was lost, but that didn’t mean it had been properly received, or decoded and interpreted correctly.
The tension made Koenig irritable and snappish. Waiting patiently was not his forte. He haunted Maya’s lab the first day after the transmission. The second day Alan Carter checked out an Eagle and practically dragged Koenig aboard, saying that he wanted to evaluate the skills of his newest pilot.
Russell talked Helena into giving her a task in Medical Center that would keep her focused and her mind off the anticipated transmission. Helena obliged her and kept her too busy to worry, much.
By the end of the second day Russell was tired and agitated. She was eating a fruit salad in the cafeteria when Carter slid into the seat across from her.
"He’s a helluva pilot, but he’ll be even better once you two know whether you’re staying or not."
She smiled at Alan. "This hasn’t been easy on him."
"He told me how much was riding on this. I think he has every right to be uptight."
She nodded.
"But hey, you have Professor Bergman there, plus my duplicate. How can they possibly go wrong." He grinned at her.
Helena had to laugh. "Oh, Alan. What would we do without you."
"With any luck, you’ll never find out." He grinned again and noticed Koenig coming toward the door. "Here comes your guy now and I expect he’s the jealous type, so I’ll head out." He winked at her and made her laugh again.
Koenig had barely joined her when they were paged to return to the lab. Both abandoned all thoughts of eating and hurried out.
They arrived in the lab to find Maya engaged in an animated conversation at the large viewscreen on one wall. The screen showed a delightfully familiar sight: Victor's lab. Koenig walked up beside her. Victor noticed him and stopped in mid-sentence. "Ah, John. As you can see, we've managed to assemble the required equipment. This is a fascinating field of study. I'll have to look into it further." He indicated the transference dome behind him. He looked at his friend more closely, "Are you wearing a pilot's uniform?"
Koenig grinned. "It makes things less confusing around here. They only need one commander."
Russell looked at Maya, "Has Helena been notified?"
Maya nodded. "She and the Commander were having dinner together. They'll be here shortly."
Russell nodded and began readying the test package. Ben Vincent arrived to help her, and moments later Helena and this Alpha's Commander arrived.
There was no doubt who was in charge and things moved quickly once the base's commander arrived. Victor's commander asked if he had prepared the list of items in containers that would fit the booth.
"All ready John."
The other John Koenig stepped up. "We'll send the first package now."
Victor nodded, "All set on this end."
John glanced back at Maya, then continued to watch Bergman on the viewscreen as he readied his own instruments. "Begin transference now." As he heard the whine of the neutrino transmitter he felt a hand creep into his. Helena was beside him and fighting her own demons as she gave a glance behind her at the dome where the silver-haired duplicate was watching and conferring with Ben Vincent. He put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder. Behind them the test package, plus the first box of protein stores disappeared. On the screen they watched the box appear inside the other dome. Helena shivered slightly.
Bergman and their Alpha's Sandra Benes approached along with Bob Mathias. Bergman let the other two check out the test package. Both approved of the readings, and Bergman stepped back to the screen. "Everything arrived fine. We'd like to try one from this end now." Bergman noted the other Alpha's commander standing with his arm around a woman who was obviously the other Alpha's Helena Russell but did not comment on it.
John nodded and turned to his own people. Once he was sure they were ready he gave the ok. The test package was returned along with a carton of minerals. Helena left his side to check both the test package and the cargo. Everything was fine.
The process became a routine of moving crates in and out. After about five hours all the resources had been exchanged. Koenig went to his counterpart-- this world's commander. "It's time to send us home now. The process is working smoothly."
John nodded. "I do understand Helena's reluctance to use this again with people, but you're right." He turned to Maya. "Maya, prepare for one more transfer."
Helena had slipped out earlier and returned with a package. As their counterparts prepared to leave she handed the package to the other Helena who knew immediately what it was.
"It really does look better on you," Helena told her. "I wish you could stay."
Her counterpart shook her head. "They need us. Like you said, John is good at making miracles happened. They certainly pulled off this one."
"Still, I'll be monitoring this transmission closely. If there's any irregularity, I'm calling it off," she said fiercely.
Helena smiled. "I feel safer, knowing that." She gave the other woman a hug then turned and took the hand Koenig held out to her.
They stepped into the dome and waved goodbye. Helena began to feel a slight chill as everything around her vanished. Then she was in Victor's lab, stepping out to welcoming friends.
The neutrino device continued to work for another forty-eight hours. Maya and Bergman took advantage of the link to compare notes and theories. It appeared that Bergman's suggestion before Breakaway to disburse the nuclear waste at Area Two had given their Alpha a different trajectory than the other Alpha. That's why they had encountered few of the same planets or aliens. The two spent hours together exchanging ideas. Then the link began to degrade inexplicably. Alpha was finally moving out of the cloud region, but that didn't seem to explain the decreased signal strength. The two Commanders, both wearing black sleeves now, conferred and decided to shut down the link. Good-byes were said and the two Alphas parted company.
The following day Helena was again in Koenig's office, enjoying the view from his windows while he read her report on the new supplies that they had received. This report was much more optimistic than the last one he had read.
Koenig closed the report and joined her at the window. He put his arms around her and rested his cheek against her silky blond hair. She smiled. "Someone might walk in on us."
"Let them." Koenig replied. "They're all going to have to get used to the idea that I'm crazy about you."
She leaned against him. "Do you think the other Alpha will be all right?"
"They have a better chance than they did before, as do we."
"Did we just get a helping hand from … someone? Or something?"
Koenig sighed. "That's the only explanation I can come up with. It's not the first time that's happened," he added, thinking of the way she had returned to Alpha after the moon had survived it's encounter with the black sun.
"I guess we'll never know for sure. Anyway, it's good to be home."
He kissed the side of her head. "Yes, it is." The Alphans in both universes would be facing new challenges. For the moment he was content to stand here and enjoy a moment of peace with the woman he loved.
Maureen J. Long
January, 1999