"Captain, may I have a word with you? In private?" asked Kowalsky. Anthony looked at his first officer with surprise but said nothing. He simply nodded and turned to his ready room.
"You have the bridge, Commander," he told Liana Rex, who moved swiftly from her science console to take the central seat. The two senior officers disappeared in the captain's small office at the rear of the bridge.
"What is it, Jerry?" Anthony asked as he sat down at his desk and gestured for Kowalsky to take a sit himself. He, however, chose to remain standing as he spoke.
"Captain, permission to speak freely?"
Anthony sighed. He hated the phrase. He knew it was always an introduction to complaining, questioning the orders or simply criticizing the commanding officer. On the other hand, such request could not be dismissed, otherwise he would never find out what his people really thought.
What is it this time? he mused. Aloud, he only spoke one word: "Granted."
Kowalsky looked at the captain and began, still standing in front of the desk. "With all due respect, captain. Do you really know what you're doing?"
"I beg your pardon?" Anthony raised an eyebrow.
"With this woman from another dimension. I strongly believe she should have been put in stasis."
"Joanna? May I remind you, commander, that she disagreed?"
"I think we shouldn't have asked her in the first place, sir. She doesn't belong here."
"And why do you think so?"
"Captain. All of us here, graduated Starfleet Academy with the highest recommendations. Hundreds of people never make it through the entrance exams. Out of the graduates only about ten per cent get starship assignments. The deep space exploration missions are among the most desired ones. We are all best from the best here. She simply doesn't belong."
Anthony looked at his first officer thoughtfully. He had always known that Jerry was a bit aloof. He never mingled with the crew and had made no friends aboard the Explorer. Yet, such an opinion was harsh even from him.
"She asked, and has been allowed, to undertake the whole training the Academy provides for its students. She will be taking the cadet course in holodeck with Pierre supervising her education. What makes you think she doesn't deserve the chance?" he finally asked.
"I don't think she would have ever passed the entrance exam, had the circumstances been different," replied Jerry obstinately.
Anthony sighed. "That remains to be seen, commander. I have placed you personally responsible for Miss Joanna's education and you will have every chance to prove your point, conducting her examinations. You may choose whomever you wish to accompany you on the examination board. I expect your full report in three months. We will come back to this discussion then. Dismissed."
He watched Jerry leave the ready room with sadness. He had realized long ago that the choice of the first officer for this crew wasn't the best one. He had no option, however, than to let it continue since there was no chance of replacement this far from Federation space. It wasn't the first time, though, that he wondered why admiral Janeway, the grandson of the famous Voyager captain, had insisted on Jerry joining the crew. His instinct had told him to refuse then, and now he was sorry not to have followed it.
* * *
The Explorer was cruising silently. Nothing on the ship indicated the unimaginable velocity, since during the transwarp travels, no stars were visible. They seemingly were just hung up somewhere in space. The crew went about their usual tasks. Those off duty engaged in different activities to keep themselves busy.
Private Joanna Kruk woke up in a great mood. She always woke up in a great mood. At least since she became a member of the USS Explorer crew, over two weeks ago. With the very first moment of consciousness there came a happy thought: I'm on a starship from Star Trek! And she woke up smiling broadly.
This morning, when she opened her eyes and grinned at the usual thought, she was startled to see someone else in her quarters. For a long moment she was just gaping at a perhaps 7-year-old boy sitting on the floor beside her bed. He was a blond sweet. Joanna knew there weren't supposed to be any children on a deep space exploration starship as the Explorer was. There were married couples but they had been given a temporary infertility treatment until the end of the mission. With the average life span for humans of about 170-180 years, even a 20-year-long trip was not a problem in the 25th century. They could always have children when they came back.
"Who who are you?" she finally managed to say. "What is your name?" she was even more surprised at the boys answer.
"My name is Chris, don't you remember, Mommy?"
Mommy? She never had a child! She was 32 when she suddenly found herself in this totally different and fantastic world, but even back home, in her 20th century, she hadn't even been married. Sometimes she thought about maternity but it just never happened. She used to tell herself that she was yet to meet the right man to start a family. The boy looked at her with his big, blue eyes and smiled sweetly.
"Will you hug me?" And he didn't even wait for her to answer. He simply threw himself over her in the bed and started kissing her on both cheeks. Suddenly she had her arms full of the tiny, delicate body of this mysterious child. She stroked his head and then he looked at her the way that made her eyes wet for some reason.
"I love you, Mummy. Say you love me?"
For a moment Joanna was lost. She didn't want to disappoint the boy but there had to be some explanation for what was happening to her. "I'm sorry, kid. I'm not your mother. Where did you come from?"
The boy laughed wholeheartedly and looked at her in a wicked way. "You know, I used to be in your belly and then you gave birth to me. Remember?" He obviously though it was all a joke.
Pierre? Joanna thought.
Good morning, Joanna. Did you sleep well? came the prompt reply from the ship's computer.
Yes, thank you. Pierre, who is in my quarters?
Scanning. There is no one but you.
"What about this boy? A human child of about seven?" She was so disturbed that she said the last sentence aloud and was interrupted by an apparently offended boy. "I'm eight already!"
Did you hear that? she asked in her mind again while smiling apologetically at the child.
Pierre replied: Yes, you said: a human child of about seven There is nobody in your quarters except you.
Joanna kept on hugging the boy since he was there, demanding it, and she started thinking. Obviously Pierre wasn't lying. He wasn't capable of lying, that much she already knew. If the information she asked for was classified, he would simply tell her so. Unless this was some kind of a joke. Was he capable of jokes?
Of course I am, Joanna, you should know this by now!
She cursed mentally. Of course she knew that. And she also knew that Pierre wouldn't stop listening to her thoughts unless specifically asked not to do so. He was usually very tactful, but it still bothered her sometimes. The people on board were used to this. They had been specifically trained to maintain the link with a telepathic computer and learned to maintain some level of privacy every human required. Joanna found it possibly the most difficult part of her education here. Not that she often complained. It was a new experience for her and she really came to like Pierre. It was nice to have somebody so caring and helpful always around. Now, though, he wasn't being very helpful.
Pierre, right now I'm cuddling an eight-year-old boy, who calls me Mummy. Is this a joke?
Perhaps you're hallucinating, Joanna, his mental voice sounded concerned.
I repeat, there's no one apart from you in your bed.
Can it be a hologram?
I'm not detecting any holographic activity in your quarters as well. Maybe you should go and see Dr Darek about it?
Joanna didn't particularly like this idea. After all she saw Darek everyday, since she had been assigned to work in the sickbay. Perhaps you could scan my brain to see what's wrong?
You overestimate me, I'm afraid. I can hear your thoughts and, to some extent, I am aware of your neural activity but I do not possess proper equipment to do a brain scan. All I can say is that you're a bit agitated right now and you definitely believe in what you're telling me. Otherwise everything appears normal. I suggest you talk to Darek.
Oh, all right, sighed Joanna.
During this mental exchange, the boy was simply lying in her arms, comforted by her hand still stroking his head. However, when she moved, he reacted instantly. "Where are you going Mom?"
Joanna backed off gently. "I have to go and see somebody. Will you stay here and wait till I'm back?"
"Can l go with you? Mommy, please!" The boy looked up at her hopefully and suddenly she felt very reluctant to leaving him behind.
"All right, just let me get dressed." When she saw the boy smiling, she thought: It's so easy to make children happy. She gave him another smile and went to the bathroom. She didn't even have to ask, since, as usual, her blue bodysuit was already laid down for her. Pierre always remembered about such details.
She took a quick shower and dressed up. It took her only about five minutes, but she found herself already wondering what the boy was doing in the room. Once that thought struck her, she realized, she wanted him to be real. Suddenly, the perspective of becoming a mother to him didn't seem such a bad idea. He was so cute...
He was waiting for her, when she left the bathroom. When he saw her, he immediately ran to her and hugged her again. "Are we going to have some breakfast?"
"That's a good idea," laughed Joanna, glad of any excuse to stay with the boy a little longer.
"What would you like?"
"You know what I like!" the boy looked at her disappointed.
"Don't you remember?"
And Joanna suddenly knew. It came so naturally that she wasn't even surprised. She just said: "Pierre, give me my usual breakfast and three cottage cheese sandwiches. And a glass of warm milk."
She took the boys hand and they headed to the table. Before they sat down, the milk and sandwiches were already there. And Joanna's favorite plate of scrambled eggs and, of course, a steaming cup of black coffee. While they ate, Joanna kept on looking at the boy.
Chris, she thought. It may be the name I would give to my son. I've always liked it. And he's got my mother's eyes. Could he really be my son? There were always strange things happening in Star Trek. Maybe there was another time loop or something and he really is my son from some alternative world?
Except that he's not even really there, Joanna, reminded her Pierre.
So who is eating the sandwiches? she asked, glancing at the boy finishing the second one already and still smiling playfully at her. He certainly was a very happy child.
No one's eating them. They are still there on the plate in front of you.
* * *
Commander Jerry Kowalsky, the first officer of the USS Explorer, was indeed a very unusual character. Nobody really knew him. Unbelievable, as it may sound, after their six years' journey, he was only known professionally. Not that people hadn't tried. He used to be asked out, invited to private parties, asked to participate in many activities the crew usually undertook in their leisure time. He never came. The only social gatherings he has ever been seen at were the captain's birthday parties. Even there, habitually on holodeck designed to look like a typical Vulcan premise, he would only appear for a short while, have a drink or two and disappear in his quarters. As a result, after the first two years of the mission, the crew came to respect his privacy. And to that extent, that nobody even bothered to talk to him while off duty. Kowalsky seemed satisfied with this. He simply stuck to himself and was left alone. Therefore he was genuinely surprised to hear the door to his quarters chime suddenly so early in the morning.
"Come in," he said. And was even more surprised when the door opened to reveal a Klingon woman in Starfleet uniform. There were Klingons onboard the Explorer but she wasn't one of them. Kowalsky had never seen her before. She was tall and slender for a Klingon and very attractive also by human standards. The ridges on her face only added to her predatory look as did the sharp teeth, natural for her race.
"Who are you?" asked Kowalsky, unable to take his eyes off of her. He had always been fond of Klingon women. It's just that he has never had courage to approach any of them.
"I am K'tah," the amazing woman replied.
"Are you going to stand like this or will you invite me in, Commander?"
Kowalsky felt embarrassed. "Yes, yes, of course. Do come in. But how did you get here? I mean, you're not a member of this crew"
"I am not. But does it really matter, Jerry? At least, as we get along with each other?" She smiled in a seductive, Klingon way and moved closer to Kowalsky.
When she started growling at him he found himself in a state of pure sexual arousal.
* * *
Captain Mark Anthony was strolling down one of the corridors of his ship. He was looking at the spotless gray carpeting and black, shiny computer panels at the walls. The lightning was maintained at the comfortable level for humanoid eyes and everything looked just perfect. He only thought about it briefly, since his stroll was not meant as a ship inspection. He simply tried to focus on something different than the aim of his passage. And, involuntarily, he slowed his pace as he got closer to it. Finally, he came to a stop in front of one particular doors. He stood there for a long while before he hesitantly raised his hand to put it on the signaling panel. When he heard the chime, he fought the sudden temptation to turn around and walk back to where he came from. Instead, he braced himself and, as he heard Aleyah reply: "Come in," he entered her quarters.
She was sitting there on the couch with her usual appearance he found so attractive. It wasn't her appearance, obviously, that made him so reluctant to meeting her.
"Sit down, captain," she smiled invitingly, shifting a bit on her couch as if to make room for him, but he chose to sit in one of the armchairs around a small table as was his habit in the counselor's office.
"Is there anything in particular you'd like to talk about?"
It was a usual opening of their counseling sessions and Anthony hated it more every time he heard it. He was aware that, on such long missions, everyone was scheduled to meet the ship's counselor on a regular basis. After all, they were all in exile for some fifteen to twenty years and were forced to rely strongly on each other. Despite all the advancements in technology, human nature hadn't changed much throughout centuries. People still needed healthy relationships with each other to remain mentally stable. And the post of ship's counselor had never before been that crucial to maintain such a stability.
"Not really," Anthony replied reluctantly. "Everything is just fine, counselor."
Aleyah looked at him carefully. He could have sworn she was able to read his thoughts or at least his emotions but he knew better. Apart from Pierre and Vort, there were no other telepaths on the Explorer. Except the three Vulcans, of course, but they were merely touch-telepaths. The whole mental traffic was maintained due to Pierre who not only reacted to the crew's thoughts by also allowed them to communicate with each other by simply relying their messages if required. Now, as Anthony was well aware, Pierre had no access to certain areas of the ship, due to safety protocols, and it included this office. Aleyah was simply well trained in human and many non-human psychology and it allowed her to guess things correctly. Especially when she knew somebody as well as she did her captain.
"You're not telling me the truth, Mark," she said plainly and sat there waiting for him to bear the grunt of the conversation. There was no way out, so Mark decided to speak his mind and get it over with as soon as possible.
"I don't like to discuss my feelings, as you are well aware, Counselor. I consider them irrelevant. It is the facts and actions that matter, not the subjective and illogical emotions. I am still working with my meditations and I think I've made sufficient progress."
"Define 'sufficient progress', please." She certainly wasn't going to make things easier for him.
"I was working on my visible impatience and I think I'm better now in restraining it. I still feel it at times but I manage to stifle it and act accordingly."
"Accordingly to what, Mark?"
"To what is expected of the starship captain, what else?"
"And what do you think is expected?"
Mark honestly loathed this unending string of questions he heard from her. She seemed to doubt everything he told her, as the subject of their current conversation was his patience, he was striving to show it.
"Making decisions based on facts and not hastened or biased by emotions, is it not, Counselor?"
"Mark, it's not working," she defied, looking at him with a warm smile.
"What isn't?" Anthony knew very well that Aleyah could be many things and not only, being a changeling, in her physical appearance. They used to serve together long before their current mission, when Mark was still a first officer. Right now, he knew that she was not acting as a counselor but as a long time, close friend. It didn't make things easier for him, though.
"Your Vulcan mask," she replied calmly. "It doesn't fit you all that well. I know about your culture and I admire your constant struggle, but you're not really a Vulcan. You're a human. Emotions are indigenous for you. There is nothing wrong in showing them."
"Aleyah, please. We've been through this already." Anthony pleaded. He stood up and started pacing the room.
"I am what I am and I will not change only because you tell me to. You keep on saying that the meditations are not good for me and that I should let it go and show my feelings freely. I disagree. There are many humans who are not willing to reveal their personal feelings, it's not only the Vulcan trait."
"No, it's not. But you are different. You're not like that by nature, you're only trying to be." Aleyah had to turn her head around to look at him as he was walking around the room faster and faster. "And that's not healthy. I'm not saying that Vulcan techniques of suppressing emotions are bad. I'm only trying to tell you that they're not doing you much good. You're tensed, the tension is rising and one day it might overwhelm you. And it may be a moment critical to our mission, to the safety of the ship. Why can't you see it?"
"The Vulcans' emotions are more violent than human's and yet they are able to contain them. Why do you think I can't do the same?"
"Again, because you're a human. You have a different psyche. You cannot deny it no matter how hard you try."
"Are you trying to tell me that I should actually yell at people whenever I'm angry?"
"I'm trying to tell you that one day you may start yelling at people with no reason at all." She paused. "Look at yourself now," she added. "You're tossing around the room like a wild animal in the cage. Do you honestly consider it a cold, unemotional behavior?"
Anthony stopped abruptly, realizing that for the better part of the conversation he had been restless. He looked at Aleyah with some surprise and then smiled.
"Right. You're making me nervous. All these counseling sessions make me nervous. But I've been working on impatience and not nervousness recently."
Aleyah shook her head with resignation and smiled at her captain. He was a difficult case. Having been born on Volcania, inhabited by people of different races who were fascinated by the Vulcan ability to control the violent emotions, Anthony was simply the son of his fatherland. He couldn't see the danger he was bringing on himself. And Aleyah suspected that he wasn't even aware of his own failure.
Anthony was a man in his prime and with hot temper. Only Piete, the Gurlan helmsman, was probably more emotional than the captain. And yet Anthony seemed to think of himself as a cold blooded, unemotional Vulcan. Sometimes he behaved like a little boy, who hides in a half- open closet and is convinced that nobody can find him. Aleyah knew she couldn't help him until it was too late. And she was worried.
* * *
After breakfast Joanna finally decided to take Chris to sickbay. By then she started wondering if Pierre wasn't malfunctioning. She knew there were safety backups to prevent accidents in the environment where the computer's well being might be crucial to the safety of the whole ship. Nevertheless, this was the only explanation that came to her mind. Chris was so real to her, how come Pierre could not confirm his presence?
She took the boy's hand and lead him out of the quarters. As they headed to the nearest turbolift, she noticed lieutenant Tanaki, the tactical officer for the first shift. She wanted to say hello, but Tanaki didn't notice her. She was walking along the corridor, gesturing and laughing widely as if to someone accompanying her. Only she was alone. And it was not a behavior Joanna expected to see in the tiny Japanese woman. Tanaki was usually very silent, almost shy. Joanna only saw her a few times in the mess hall and the two women hardly exchanged a few sentences but Joanna knew a lot of ship's gossip already and had realized that Tanaki was not a very outgoing person. Laughing excitedly in public was definitely not characteristic to her. And who was she talking to?
"Mommy, why is this woman behaving so strangely?" Chris reminded her she had something to do, so she squeezed his hand and resumed walking to the turbolift.
"Mom, please, do we have to go? I want to play!" The boy obviously didn't want to go anywhere and Joanna could understand why. She herself felt very reluctant to share her experience with anyone. After all, having a son was a private matter.
* * *
"There is nothing wrong with you." Darek's voice sounded flat and unemotional as usual, but Joanna had a feeling that he was a bit impatient as he stopped waving the tricorder over her head and put it immediately back as if he couldn't wait to return to his office.
"Your brain is functioning within normal parameters, at least for humans, that is," he explained, turning his back on her. "You're a little agitated, that's all. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have other things to attend to." Without even looking at her for a second time, he simply walked out of the sickbay and left Joanna alone, staring at the door. He hadn't noticed that Chris was there all the time.
These people are behaving strangely, she thought. First Tanaki, now Darek. Of course, he had never shown much concern to his patients. As a Vulcan, he rejected the concept of compassion as irrelevant. Nevertheless, he should have at least shown some interest. Joanna decided that something was very wrong here.
What am I supposed to do? she mused.
What would a Starfleet officer do in a situation like that? Notify the commanding officer, she immediately answered herself. She turned around to her alleged son and said:
"Let's go, Chris. We have to visit someone else."
The boy looked at her unhappily. "Why, Mommy? Can't we just go and play? I want you to play with me!"
Joanna felt suddenly guilty. She knew they boy needed her and she had this urge to leave everything as it was and simply comply to the boys demands. After all, he was her son and he needed her.
No! She stopped herself. He's not my son. There's something wrong here and I have to find out what!
With that thought she simply took the boys hand and led him out of the sickbay and to the nearest turbolift.
* * *
She had never before been to Commander Jerry Kowalsky's quarters. She also had a feeling that he didn't like her. However, this was not a good moment for personal preconceptions. She saw a problem and she had to deal with it. Since the CMO, Dr Darek was unable or unwilling to help her, she had to find someone else. The first officer seemed to be a logical choice. She kept on repeating all this to herself as she was waiting for him to answer the chime. It was a long while before the door opened in front of her and she was trying not to look at Chris by her side. She knew she would see reproach in his blue eyes and she wasn't sure she could take it. Apparently, something was affecting her feelings as well. Finally she could enter Kowalsky's quarters. She did so to find him sitting behind the desk in his office. Just as the counselor, all of the senior staff had some official space as part of their quarters.
"What is it, Private?" she heard not a very inviting question. He didn't even look at her but kept himself busy with some padds in front of him.
"Commander, I believe something is on the ship," she began only to be interrupted.
"Something" doesn't say much, Private. Can you be more specific? And keep it short, I am busy."
"Well, I have a boy here with me who claims to be my son, but I suppose you can't see him. Pierre says he's not there either. I also saw a few members of the crew behaving strangely, as if they were in somebody else's company. At least Tanaki was apparently talking to someone I couldn't see, and Dr Darek was unusually preoccupied."
She said all this without a break to breath afraid of being interrupted again. Instead, Jerry half turned his head as if to listen to somebody behind him and then smiled.
Oh no! Joanna thought. Not him, too! .
Finally Kowalsky turned back to her and said sarcastically: "So there is a boy here with you? In that case I suggest you go back to Dr Darek and ask him to help you. Being preoccupied as you put it is hardly a sign of a problem in case of the senior officers. We all have things on our minds, you see. Now go and stop bothering me, Private. Dismissed."
There was nothing Joanna could do except turn around and leave. When she found herself back in the corridor, she had a very unpleasant feeling of being left completely alone. She had nowhere to go and no one to talk to. She was afraid of going to the captain about this. Not that Anthony had ever been impolite to her but she suspected the result would be the same. He could have also had been affected. By then she seriously started considering some mysterious alien intrusion and was getting really scared.
"Let's go back and play, Mommy, please?" The boys voice startled her.
"I want you to draw a starship for me and then we'll color it together?"
Pierre, she called as she took Chris's hand and walked along the corridor. Can you scan the ship for all the crewmembers?
I don't need to, Joanna. I always know where they are, apart from a few shielded places on the ship.
All right, then. Can you tell me what they are doing?
What, all of them? Joanna sensed a smile in Pierre's voice.
She knew her request was unclear, so she specified it. I want you to look for any sign that they are experiencing something similar to myself. That would be talking to themselves in empty rooms, laughing with no apparent reason and the like.
Scanning, replied Pierre dutifully. Out of sixty four members of the crew, only two didn't show such behavior within the last three hours. He added after a short while. Now that was telling something.
Who are they? asked Joanna.
That's me and Vort.
Vort! She almost cried out with relief. For the past two weeks she and Vort got rather close. Not that she could call the alien a friend exactly, but they began to understand each other much better. First of all Joanna noticed that Vort had been a little uncomfortable on a ship full of humanoids many of whom showed a little apprehension in personal contacts with her. Nothing consciously voiced, just a little instinctive fear of insect,s common for humans. And Vort was a lot like an insect in both her appearance and behavior.
They began spending more time together and when they spoke, Joanna felt comfortable knowing that Vort was a very warm and understanding person, quite contrary to the first impression she had made. They even spent some time on the holodeck when Joanna was amazed by the images of Vort homeworld and the colorful, fluidic space of her dimension. Now she felt relieved that it was Vort who hadn't been affected by this strange phenomenon everyone else seemed to experience.
Vort, are you there? she said, directing her thoughts to Vort. She knew Vort would hear her and respond even without Pierre's help.
Almost immediately, she heard the alien in her thoughts: What is it, Joanna?
Can you meet me... she looked around and found herself on her way to the main observation lounge on the ship, located directly under the bridge. On Deck two, right now?
I'll be there, came the swift reply.
Now there was nothing for Joanna to do but wait. She entered the lounge, still leading the boy with her. They went into a big room consisting only of a piece of floor with some tables placed on the outskirts, virtually hung in open space.
"Mommy, where are we?!" cried Chris, frightened by the unexpected view. There was no ceiling as well as it had been turned into a huge viewscreen. Nothing hindered the view of the vacuum around them. The ship was in transwarp, so there were no stars streaking outside, just a yellow light ahead of them as if they were travelling towards a single, not very distant sun. Joanna, almost against herself, cuddled the frightened child and started murmuring to comfort him.
"Don't worry, honey, it's just screens. I'm here with you, it's OK."
She felt the trembling, tiny body and as she stroked his back, she could feel him slowly relax. After a while he even felt brave enough to lift his head, pressed next to her stomach, and take a careful look around. His behavior caused a very strong reaction in Joanna. The woman felt proud and happy to be able to calm the child and at the same time she felt she wanted to protect this little being from any outside danger.
She led him carefully to one of the tables at the edge of the floor and sat down. The boy sat himself on her lap, still clutching trustfully to her but already curiously looking around. Joanna embraced him and started rocking softly in her chair to reassure him. It was then she thought she really didn't want to do anything about it. Exposing the nature of the phenomenon, whatever it was, was likely to take the boy away from her and that was exactly the last thing she wanted right now.
Fortunately, she didn't have much time for her musings since that moment the door to the lounge opened and Vort literally streaked through the room and appeared right in front of them, startling Chris even more. Joanna held the boy closely, allowing him to hide in her embrace and looked at Vort thoughtfully.
"What is it?" hissed the Scythiaan. "You sounded urgent."
Joanna sighed. She had to try. "Who's in here, Vort?"
The alien was surprised. Nevertheless she swiftly looked around and replied. "There's you and me. Why?"
Joanna nodded, as she had been expecting this answer. "Vort, can you 'sense' anybody apart us in this room?"
"No," Vort replied instantly."Is something wrong?"
Joanna gestured for Vort to sit down on the tool devotedly materialized for her by Pierre and started explaining the whole story. After half an hour they were still sitting in the observation lounge. Joanna had let Chris go and the boy was exploring the space among the tables. She had just finished relating the events of that morning to Vort and was waiting for her to answer.
"What do you want to do about it?"
Joanna sighed sadly, looking around only to find Chris sitting at a nearby table staring back at her.
"To tell you the truth, I don't want to do anything. This thing is affecting my emotions." She swallowed hard, feeling something in her throat. It was becoming difficult to even talk about this. It alarmed her. She managed to compose herself, avoiding the boys stare and focused back on Vort.
"I feel like I'm a mother to this child and I need to protect him, Vort. Whatever I do it will hurt the boy. I still feel this although I know he isn't real. Something or somebody is playing with me. With all of us. Yet it's so hard to fight this urge."
Vort looked at her sharply with her strange yellow eyes. "There's no use in contacting the captain. He's been affected too."
"How do you know?" asked Joanna.
"I can hear his thoughts. He thinks he's in a meeting with a Vulcan advisor. He's meditating at the moment."
"That's just great. Is there anything we can do? And how come you don't have a 'guest' like that?" Joanna felt a sudden shiver. "That's it! If we can decide why you're left out of this, we may find a way to free the rest of us!"
Vort half closed her eyes as she always did when thinking. Despite her better judgment, Joanna thought that the Scythiaan looked like a predator waiting for her pray in moments like this. Then, in a flash, she opened her eyes again and looked at Joanna.
"I do not dream."
It was so out of order that Joanna didn't understand at first. "I beg your pardon?"
"I don't have dreams. I never dream when I sleep and I don't desire anything to happen to me. As far as I know, it's unique among this crew."
Now Joanna started to understand. "Our subconscious or even conscious wishes. I must have been dreaming about becoming a mother so a son came to me. Captain Anthony has always wanted to be more like a Vulcan and now he is with a Vulcan counselor. Tanaki? She may have longed for having friends to have fun together and laugh out loud That's it, Vort, you're a genius!"
Had Vort been able to smile, she would have done so this very moment. Be that as it may, she gave Joanna a slightly amused look. "I am no genius, Joanna. I can simply think. Besides, what does it give us? We still don't know what, how and why is happening. And, what's more important, how to stop this. Pierre doesn't know either.
I don't. Pierre had been listening to their conversation for the whole time but only now he decided to speak. Although your analysis is logical. I also do not desire anything and I certainly don't dream.
Joanna, still trying not to look at the boy, propped her chin with her hand and looked into the empty space. Somehow it seemed even more dangerous now. And her thoughts were correspondingly darkened. Here she was, a member of this crew for just a few days, unfamiliar with most of the things around her and she had to face the unknown.
She wondered why she had been able to resist something that had overwhelmed almost all of these highly trained Starfleet officers. Vort and Pierre were a different story, but why she? Was there anything special about her? After all, she also had this 'guest'. She felt bound to him, she didn't want to lose him. And yet she was sitting there, plotting how to get rid of him along with the rest of the beings that must have possessed other crewmembers. Why?
You're happy to be here, she heard Pierre responding in her thoughts. It's all a new experience for you. This emotion may be stronger in you than in the rest of the people onboard who are used to their situation if not bored with the long trip and their routine tasks. You want it to continue possibly more than anyone else here.
She thought about it and then she said aloud, knowing that Vort had also heard this exchange."You may be right. However, it doesn't help us much. How can we stop this?"
"Pierre," said Vort. "You have scanned the ship for any telepathic activity, right?"
I have scanned the ship for any unusual activity, Vort. I have found absolutely nothing.
"Yet you believe me now, don't you?" said Joanna.
I do. You're not hallucinating. Though I still cannot determine any other presence in this room apart from the two of you.
* * *
It has been the most extraordinary encounter of his life. At least that was what Jerry thought after he stumbled from the bed in his quarters. The bruises and lumps all over his body were aching but it only added to the experience. He looked down at the amazing Klingon woman still laying there. She too was a bit worn out but smiling lustily at him.
"Well, you weren't at all bad for a human male, Jerry." she snarled, getting up. "Now, shall we go about the other business?" That caught Jerry off guard.
"What other business?" he asked.
K'tah growled at him still looking for pieces of her garment scattered all over the floor. "Are you going to continue to be a man or will you just sit there moaning about your pitiful life? Let's go to the bridge!"
Jerry became suddenly suspicious. "Why would you like to go there?"
This time K'tah stopped fuming about and faced him, glaring defiantly."Do you want to command this ship or not?"
Jerry was taken aback. It was one thing to fanaticize about having sex with Klingon women and commanding a starship which, he believed, he should have been given a long time ago. It was quite different though, to have a chance of realizing these dreams. The sex part was OK (Even very good, he admitted), but the next step seemed a little too far.
* * *
"Very well, Captain, I am pleased with your achievements today." The sound of the Vulcan's voice was as flat and unemotional as one could expect. For Captain Anthony, though, it bore the greatest appreciation of his endeavor. For the past three hours he had been trying to please his new Vulcan friend and now it seemed he managed to focus enough to earn these words of approval.
"Thank you, Murak." he bowed slightly and stood up from the floor where they had been sitting. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go to the bridge."
Murak, very dignified in his long robes raised his eyebrow at this statement. "Why would you do that, Captain? We still have a lot of practice ahead."
Anthony looked quizzically at his advisor. He was happy to have one to be there for him and help him to achieve some inner peace. He didn't like to be kept from his duties, though.
"I have my obligations, Murak," he said. "I still have this ship to command, you know."
The Vulcan didn't give up easily. "You cannot be distracted if you want to achieve something. I recommend two more hours of meditation."
Mark was getting impatient at this exchange. "We will finish this when I return from the inspection," he said and left his office before Murak managed to utter another word.
When the door closed after him, Anthony started thinking that something was wrong. Where did this Vulcan come from, in the first place? They were far away from the known space, in fact further away than anyone had ever been before. Still in the turbolift, he reached for his commbadge to contact the bridge. It chirped quietly when he tapped it but nobody answered. Anthony tapped it again and repeated:
"Captain to the bridge. Please respond."
There was only silence. Before he had time to get really nervous, the door of the lift opened and he was released onto the bridge of his ship. An empty bridge, as there was nobody there.
"Pierre!" The captain exclaimed. "What's going on? Where is everybody?"
Most of the crew chose to remain in their quarters, the computer replied calmly.
"Why wasn't I notified? This is most unusual, where are the bridge officers?"
There is no need to worry, Captain. After all I am perfectly capable of steering the ship on my own.
"I am aware of that Pierre, but it's not a standard procedure. Why wasn't I informed that the bridge officers had chosen to ignore their duty shift?"
There was a moment of silence, as if the computer hesitated a while. Then he replied: I was trying to contact you, Captain. You have turned off my access to your terminal and commbadge and closed your thoughts. Barring my physical appearance, there was little I could do.
The captain realized that something was definitely very wrong."Can you contact any of the crew?"
But before Pierre replied, the turbolift door opened again and when Anthony turned around, he saw his first officer virtually rushing in onto the bridge.
"Captain!" he was apparently surprised to see his commanding officer alone on the bridge.
Anthony looked at him and asked simply. "Where have you been, Commander?" And, after a closer look at him: "What have you been doing?"
Kowalsky was confused. After running off from his Klingon lady, he too realized that something was happening on the ship. He had already contacted Pierre on his way there and was just beginning to think how to explain this to the captain. Fortunately, it was Pierre who decided to answer all the questions.
In the middle of this mental exchange, Vort and Joanna, notified by Pierre, also appeared on the bridge.
"So you're saying that there's a boy here that only you can see?" Anthony finally asked Joanna.
"In fact he's standing right in front of you, Sir," she said smiling at Chris who was actually trying to get the captain's attention by making funny faces.
"Captain," said Vort suddenly, startling everybody present. "I am sure that none of us could see Murak or this Klingon woman who visited commander Kowalsky, either. It appears that everyone on the ship, apart from me and Pierre, is experiencing some strange presence. It is possible that they are all one identity."
"What makes you think so, Lieutenant?" asked Anthony.
Vort answered immediately. "First of all, there has been no intruder revealed on the ship. So many people, and we should consider at least one for each of the 62 members of the crew - me and Pierre excluded - couldn't have sneaked on board without Pierre being aware of their presence. He also doesn't detect any holographic activity, apart from the usual crew requests. The most plausible explanation would be some telepathic influence on humanoid races and that could be easily done by one person. Only neither Pierre nor me can sense anything unusual as well."
She clearly wanted to say something more but was interrupted by Joanna who had been intently staring at one place for the past few minutes.
"Look! Can you see him now?" she exclaimed, pointing her finger at the front of the bridge.
Both Anthony and Vort looked in that direction and actually started seeing something. It began with a slight blur of sight, only limited to a spot roughly the size of two humanoids. It then cleared slowly and solidified first into a cloud of gold shimmering cloud and then into some other form.
Intruder alert! thought Anthony to Pierre but said nothing aloud, waiting for the phenomenon to fully appear. By then it shrank visibly and began forming into a clear shape. Only this shape was different for all four of them. Joanna again saw her Chris, only this time a bit older; Anthony recognized Murak and Kowalsky was irritated at the sight of K'tah. Vort saw, what she thought was the true appearance of the alien - not much more than the initial shimmering cloud of golden fog with some unclear shape of facial features in the center. The creature had huge, gleaming eyes dominating its otherwise blurry, darker "face" and something small in the way of a mouth below them.
"It's you!" they all exclaimed in unison. And they all saw the being turn to face them. The words of the alien, though, sounded the same for all of them. Only this time both Pierre and Vort could hear them as well.
"I am Yagla."
"But how did you do this?" the questioning began shortly after all the crew due to the shift appeared on the bridge. Anthony dismissed all the apologies for their negligence for now and ordered Vort and Joanna to remain on the bridge along with the rest of the crew.
The alien replied compliantly. "It was simple. I scanned your dreams while you were sleeping and enhanced the images so you all could see them while awake."
"So how come Pierre hadn't detected any telepathic activity?"
I couldn't, answered Pierre, sounding apologetically as if he felt guilty about the situation. What Yagla did was receiving, not transmitting, I had no means to determine his activity.
"How about later? Surely you should have realized we were dreaming."
No. I am not allowed into your dreams. That would be too much of violating your privacy, they are blocked form my senses.
"Then at least you should have been able to determine that we were still dreaming, by reading our brain activity?"
The reply was very soft. I haven't considered this. In fact Joanna asked me to do just that, but I didn't. You were seemingly awake, with all your other brain functions normal. I simply tried to find the cause of your strange behavior elsewhere.
"And why Darek didn't tell me that after the brain scan he did to me? He must have noticed at least the serotonine level or anything that is to indicate the person is sleeping," wondered Joanna.
"I guess he was too preoccupied with his own dreams to have even noticed"
"Why are you doing this to us, Yagla?" The captain turned to face the creature whom he still saw as a Vulcan male in long robes.
"I'm merely responding to your feelings. I haven't done anything you didn't want, have I? I was only learning as I had been told to."
Anthony sighed. Before he started explaining to this alien the complicated nature of humanoid's psyche, there was one more thing he wanted to find out.
"How old are you, Yagla?"
"By your terms I would be three thousand years old."
The answer wasn't exactly what Anthony had expected but something in the creature's behavior made him ask one more question. "And how long do you expect to live?"
"The oldest of my race were over a hundred thousand years old but on average we live about seventy to eighty thousand, Captainanthony."
"He's just a three year old child!" exclaimed Piete from his station but nobody paid much attention. Everything was clear to them now.
Anthony sat back in his central seat and asked his last question. "So you were left here alone to learn?"
"I was. And I've learnt much from you," answered the alien child. "You have helped me a lot, now I can help you too. I know of different things, just tell me what you want."
"We want nothing from you, Yagla. We just want you to leave us alone," replied Anthony. "We came here to explore, to find new lives and new civilizations. We are also learning but we do not interfere with others the way you do."
This last remark went unnoticed as the child answered excitedly only to the first part of Anthony's speech.
"I can show you everything that's in this galaxy! If you just open this computer of yours to me, I can download all the data"
"Thank you, no." Anthony interrupted.
Yagla sounded disappointed. "Why?"
Now this required a longer answer. Anthony shifted in his chair to make himself comfortable and started.
"We need to find the knowledge ourselves. We are explorers, it's in our nature. We want to learn things, just as you do, but we want to learn them by ourselves. To see things, to touch them and not to be given them. Do you understand?"
"I do. I can give you technology instead. You will be able to transport instantly wherever you want to go. You can have weapons capable of destroying every power in this corner of the universe. I can leave all the persons I created with you forever, I can take Joanna back to her dimension with her son. You will have Murak to advise you forever I..."
"Yagla!"
"Yes?"
"We don't want any of these things. We just want to be left alone to seek them out for ourselves."
"I don't understand, Captainanthony. I was able to hear your thoughts. I felt your emotions. I did everything you wanted. I even helped the Martikaans"
"What?!" Anthony felt nervous. "What exactly did you do to them?"
"I told the Martikens, that's how this other race calls themselves, about the ways of their oppressors. They learned all about the technology and how they had been denied the fruits of their own work. By now they have destroyed all the technology and started a war with Martikaans. Once it's over, they will again be a one society, will they not?"
The whole bridge crew was speechless. They were simply sitting at their respective posts, gaping at the individual in front of them. The information was too much to sink in immediately. Even Piete remained silent. Finally, Anthony managed to say.
"Why did you do that, Yagla?"
"It's what many of you wanted, is it not? You simply had no means or courage to do it. So I did it for you." The being's voice sounded proud, thanks to Pierre's ability to convey emotions in his translations.
To that it was difficult to find an answer, although Anthony was sure there was one. How can he possibly explain to this alien child that people sometimes wanted things and, at the same time, they didn't want them? After all, it wasn't only Joanna who wanted to help these strange people on Martika. The temptation obviously was there, their inner feeling of justice demanded they did something. Yet they chose not to act, and although it was ultimately his order, Anthony knew his crew well enough to appreciate that they had agreed with him. They only thing they could do was to retreat, leaving these people to solve their own problems. And so they did, though not without some personal doubts.
The next half an hour was rather straining. Yagla had been escorted to the brig, although he had means of freeing himself had he wanted to, yet he promised to obey 'Captainanthony' for some reason. Not that Anthony trusted the creature, but there was little more he could do, so he sent the security team to watch the alien child. In the meantime, he called the meeting of the senior staff in the conference room. He also included Joanna and Vort and surprisingly, Commander Kowalsky didn't protest this time.
* * *
"What do you think we should do?"
The question, opening the meeting, was directed at nobody in particular. It was the usual way Anthony allowed his crew to express their opinions and suggestions. Now was one of such times, however, there was a long pause as nobody wanted to speak first. Joanna looked at the faces of the officers around her and found out that they were avoiding her glance. When the silence continued, she decided to speak.
"Captain, if I may..."
"Yes, go ahead," answered Anthony without a hint of surprise at the fact that she, of all the present, broke the silence.
"There is one thing I donut really understand about this..." she hesitated for a moment. "This thing that creature did to us. I see now why Pierre had been unable to detect the alien's presence aboard the ship, but how come that none of us was alarmed?"
"You were," Liana looked at her from across the table. "It was you who was trying to stop it and eventually, it was probably you who alerted Yagla, so that he stopped controlling us and decided to reveal himself."
The tension in the room seemed to loosen up a bit. After Liana voiced her opinion, other officers started nodding their heads and expressing their appreciation for Joanna's action. Only Kowalsky kept his head down as if busy studying the surface of the table in front of him. Still, it wasn't what Joanna was aiming at.
"No, it's not that," she shook her head. "I mean I knew something was wrong, but Pierre explained to me why. Because I wanted to be on this ship more than anything else. Therefore having a child..." she hesitated again and added softly: "Having Chris as my son, wasn't my greatest wish. I still had these moments, though, when I was tempted to leave everything as it was and just enjoy his presence. I was wondering, what Yagla did to us all that we weren't immediately aware of the awkwardness of the situation. Why didn't we ask ourselves where this people came from in the first place? We just seemed to accept they were there for us and at first saw nothing wrong with it."
"Most of us asked that question, Private," replied Kowalsky, looking at her for the first time in this meeting. He had taken the time before the gathering to listen to a few of the crewmembers. As there was no time for the full reports, he just asked them to tell their stories.
"Most of us were shocked at first but then suddenly something happened. I can't explain it differently than the telepathic influence of Yagla must have interfered with out judgment. Such things have happened before."
"I don't think so, Commander."
Everybody looked at Aleyah. Being one of the senior officers, she of course was present at most of such meetings, however she rarely spoke. This time, apparently she decided otherwise.
"Pierre had already assured us that there was no telepathic activity beyond what is normal on a ship with a telepathic computer. I think it's something else."
Knowing that the meeting was held more to establish further course of action as far as the Martika was concerned, she glanced at the captain, before she continued. Anthony knew that whatever they decided to do had to be based on their knowledge of the alien's behavior, so he simply nodded for the counselor to continue.
"When we dream," she began. "We are rarely surprise at the turn of events. We often find ourselves in weird situations, such as could never happen to us in reality and we just go and deal with them like it was natural. For example, when people dream about flying, they do not begin to wonder how come they suddenly have wings but they instantly know how to use them. In most cases, they simply start flying and enjoy it immensely. I suppose that's what happened to us. Yagla scanned our dreams, and, as he said, enhanced them and brought them to reality. Don't ask me how he did that, but our reactions confirmed that we had been dreaming."
"The people on Martika, though, had not..." remarked Vort, directing everybody's attention back to the main cause of the meeting.
"It must be a terrible war going on down there now. Imagine the uneven number of the people on both sides, plus the technology owned by the few."
"Is there anything we could do about it?" asked Kowalsky, his tone of voice clearly indicating that he was not expecting an answer.
"We perhaps cannot..." said Joanna thoughtfully. The first officer looked at her scornfully, but remained silent.
"What do you mean?" asked Aleyah.
"Well, I thought about what Yagla told us about all his abilities. Apparently, even very young, he is a very powerful creature. Since he did wrong, maybe he can repair it somehow."
This time Kowalsky sneered at her. "And what is he supposed to do? Go back there and tell them he was joking? Try and convince them they should seek peaceful coexistence? What good would it be?"
Joanna was too deep in her thoughts to notice the snigger. "I don't know," she finally said. "It's just that he's more powerful than us and he may be able to somehow make it up for them?"
She looked around and wasn't encouraged by the faces she saw. Everybody was thinking how to solve the problem, but she didn't seem to be getting anywhere with her ideas. They all felt there should be something they could do. Upon their first contact, the decision had been made to withdraw and let the people solve their own problems. Now, however, the situation changed. They had been tampered with and the crew of the Explorer wanted to do something to reverse the situation. For a long time nobody moved. Suddenly, Vort opened her yellow eyes and quickly glanced around.
"What if..." she started. "What if he is able to make a time travel? Perhaps he can go back to the past and somehow prevent himself from doing this?"
"I thought that time travel was not encouraged by Starfleet?" asked Joanna surprised.
"Generally, no," replied Anthony who had been only listening up to now. "However, in cases like this, the situation is different. Here, there was a mistake made and if it's possible to correct it, we should take every opportunity to do so."
"And let this reckless kid out?" asked Kowalsky incredulously. "How can we be sure he won't mess it up even more?"
"We can't," Anthony admitted reluctantly. "Nevertheless, it seems the only logical course of action. I can see no way we can do anything about it ourselves. Of course, we could go back there and offer our services as mediators, but somehow I don't believe it would be appreciated. Besides, the damage has already been done. A lot of people must have been killed already. There is no way for us to reverse that."
Anthony remained unusually calm throughout this meeting. Aleyah was observing him and wondered whether the short contact with Yagla as a Vulcan counselor had done that to him. Perhaps he really needed some guidance in his struggle for internal peace.
"And you believe Yagla can do it?" Kowalsky wasn't giving up.
"If there is a chance, we should try and ask him."
"Or perhaps we could go out there and look for his parents to contain him?" Liana meant this remark as a joke but, strangely, nobody laughed. Apparently, they didn't think it was a good idea, either.
"We know too little about the beings such as Yagla." said Aleyah. "Up to now he didn't really demonstrate violence. All he did, he did it because he thought we would like it. However, we do not know what the common behavior for the adult forms like him is. Besides, for all we know, they may be in a different corner of the universe."
"You're right, Aleyah," said Joanna. "He really behaves like a child. It's as if he wanted to give us a surprise gift and then wanted us to stroke his head and tell him that he's such a good boy. I don't believe he meant us any harm. If we ask him, he will do everything to please us."
"And you will be stroking his head?"
This time Joanna looked at the first officer directly. She knew very well that he didn't like her from the beginning. And that was OK, not everybody had to like her. But this time it was just too much. Disliking somebody was one thing and harassing them was quite another. Her voice was calm and very cold when she answered.
"I would rather do that than go to bed with him."
"That's enough!" Anthony slammed his fist against the table.
"We're not going to discuss it in such a way. Liana, I want you to go to Yagla and ask him if and how he could do something in the way of reversing what he had done on Martika and then report it to me. Aleyah, you'll go with her and try to assess the mental and emotional state of this being. Everybody, dismissed."
So much for his emotional control, thought Aleyah, raising to go. When they all stood up and started leaving the room, Anthony said."Commander, I'd like you to stay a while."
Kowalsky didn't seem surprised. For quite some time now he has felt the tension growing between him and the captain. Not that he didn't respect Anthony. In fact, he thought highly of him and that was the only reason why he accepted his assignment on this ship, even thought he thought he should have already been given a command of his own.
When the rest of the officers left the room, Kowalsky looked at the captain. He was only a few years older than the first officer and was already an experienced captain. That was simply unfair.
"What is it, Sir?" he asked without waiting for Anthony to begin the conversation. It was not exactly a breach of protocol but it was still impolite enough. Anthony decided to ignore this for now.
"What was that all about?" he simply asked.
Jerry decided to play innocent. "What do you mean, Sir?"
Anthony was beginning to feel anger builing up dangerously inside him, even though he was sure trying to keep calm.
"I thought we have already discussed the problem of Miss Joanna's role aboard this ship. Is there still a problem?"
"It wasn't anything I said, Captain. It was her..."
Anthony didn't have the patience to continue this conversation. After all they had other problems that required their immediate attention. And they were more serious than some petty resentments among the crew. "I cannot justify her behavior, Commander. She is totally new here with no training nor experience yet she's doing her best to fit in and adjust herself. In fact she has done even more, at least contributing in solving the latest problems. She deserves everyone's respect. One more instance of such behavior towards her and you will be officially charged with conduct unbecoming. Is that clear, Commander?"
To that there was only one answer, so Jerry reluctantly said. "Aye, sir."
He expected to be dismissed immediately but Anthony had something else to say.
"Has it ever occurred to you, Jerry," he said in a more subdued tone, "that it might be exactly why you still haven't been promoted to captain?"
It was almost as if Anthony could read his thoughts, so Jerry simply stared at him, unsure what to say.
Anthony sighed and said: "You will never have your own ship unless you learn to respect people under your command. Think about it, Commander. Dismissed."
* * *
"I can do it!" said Yagla excitedly after listening to Liana's explanation of what they wanted from him.
"Yes, but how?" asked Aleyah who was very reluctant to trusting this alien child with such a mission.
"I can communicate with myself from the past and tell me not to do any of these things. So it will never have happened when I'm finished."
"I'm not sure about it..." Liana managed to say before suddenly the bright white light flashed and overwhelmed everything around them. In a fraction of second Yagla disappeared from the brig he had been contained in and so did the security officers and both the science officer and the counselor.
The Explorer was cruising silently. Nothing on the ship indicated the unimaginable velocity, since during the transwarp travels, no stars were visible. They seemingly were just hung up somewhere in space. The crew went about their usual tasks. Those off duty engaged in different activities to keep themselves busy.
Private Joanna Kruk woke up in a great mood. She always woke up in a great mood. At least since she became a member of the USS Explorer crew, over two weeks ago. With the very first moment of consciousness there came a happy thought: I'm on a starship from Star Trek! And she woke up smiling broadly.
This morning, when she opened her eyes and grinned at the usual thought, she thought that something was wrong. Not with her being on a starship but with this very starship.
Pierre, she thought as the computer had already become her closest friend in this environment.
Good morning Joanna, did you sleep well? he answered cheerfully.
No, not really. I had this wild dream about an alien interfering with our dreams and...
It was not a dream, Joanna. Yagla in fact has messed up a bit here, but you saved the ship.
Me?! Everything started coming back to her, slowly.
In fact it was you who startled him so that he decided to talk to us openly. And he restored everything to the previous state.
The Martikaans? Joanna wasn't sure if she remembered everything.
Yes, the Martikaans.
But how can we be sure that he actually did it?
We're just heading back there to confirm the status quo. Now, you need to get up as you're due to holodeck two for your Academy classes. I hope you haven't forgotten?
To that Joanna smiled broadly.
"No," she said jumping out of her bed, "I haven't forgotten."
Only heading to the bathroom, she glanced briefly at one spot on the carpet near her bed. Chris wasn't there. She knew he had never been there for real, but suddenly she felt a little sad.
