Date: Tue, 01 Feb 1994 21:07:34 -0500 (EST) From: Brian Willard Subject: A Giant Leap for Mankind - Part 1 Message-Id: <01H8DVOLTJEA94ER8Z@UNCA.EDU> Organization: University of North Carolina at Asheville "A Giant Leap for Mankind" by Brian Willard Chapter One January 14, 2001 Calavicci Residence Albuquerque, New Mexico Al and his wife, Beth, are sitting on a sofa in their living room, a small cozy room. A fire roars in a stone-lined fireplace at the other side of the room. All around on the walls are many pictures, pictures of Al and Beth, and their four children. On the mantle over the fireplace there are more pictures, of their wedding, of the childrens' graduations, etc., and one other - a large picture of Sam and Al together at Project Quantum Leap just before Dr. Beckett began his journey. Admiral Calavicci slowly rose from the couch and walked across the room to the fireplace. He took a wood iron and shifted the wood in the fire. As he put the iron back in its holder, he looked up at the picture of he and Sam. He froze, staring silently at the picture, remembering all the times he had shared his absent friend. "I have to find him, Beth. I owe it to him," he said, moving only his lips. He turned around and gazed at his wife. "I owe him everything." "Al, there's nothing we can do now. Ziggy's tried every imaginable way to locate him, but it just can't be done. Maybe someday he'll just be back." "We said that for five years, day in, day out. We tried altering the retriever so many times we could've written a book longer that _War and Peace_ on it. I know Ziggy's tried to locate him, and there's some things that even she can't do. But the bonding between he and I is much farther than even Ziggy could comprehend. _I_ haven't tried to find him, and that's what I should've done all along." "What are you trying to say, Al?" Beth's voice became noticeably tense. "Are you going to tell me that you want to go leaping around in time looking for him? After five years they couldn't figure out a way to bring him back, and what makes you think that it'll be any different with you? Besides, you don't even know where to begin looking!" "I don't, but he does," replied Al, looking up at the ceiling of his living room, "I owe Sam everything, Beth. My job, us, our daughter Kathleen's life, and besides he's my best friend. To me, that's worth at least a try. Now if you won't stand by me then I'll just do it alone." He went back over to the couch and sat down, putting his arm around her. "I will return. I promise." Beth stared blankly at the fire, watching it begin to dwindle, tears coming to her eyes. "Is that a promise, Admiral?" "Cross my heart, dear. I love you and you know that I'll be back. If I could return from the jungles of Vietnam, then I can certainly return from the grasps of time." She turned to him, uncertainty looming in her eyes, but when she saw his sincereness and dedication, her face relaxed and a faint smile began to break. She embraced him with all her might. "You come back to me. You better come back to me." "I will, sweetheart. I will." ********** January 15, 2001 Project Quantum Leap Headquarters Stallions Gate, New Mexico "If you ask me, Admiral, I think this is absolutely ludicrous!" exclaimed Gooshie as he escorted Al to the Control Room, "And besides, I'm not even sure Ziggy will do it!" "Well, then I'll just have to do it be myself. There isn't anybody that's going to stop me from trying to find Sam, so either help me or get the hell out of the way!" They rounded a corner and a set of doors promptly retracted as they entered the octagonal room. Tina looked up from the Control Bank. "Ohhhh, Gooshie! I sure hope this works!" She went back to doing the final programming for the leap. Al and Gooshie went over to the door to the Acceleration Chamber. Al leaned over to Gooshie's ear. "What ever did you see in her?" he whispered. "Well, she's got..." he exclaimed, then realizing his volume, whispered back, "Well, she's...uh...she's got the cutest pair of...why are you giving me that look, Admiral? She is my wife, you know." "That's what I'm afraid of." "I'm finished!" cried Tina from the Control Bank. "Good," said Al, "Ziggy, commence countdown of five minutes. Verbena, bring me a fermisuit, please..." "Excuse me, Admiral," Ziggy interrupted, "But I have not yet expressed my opinion on this matter." "And what might that be?" asked Al, who appeared to be getting tenser as time went on. "I think it is very foolish of you to try something that has so little chance for success. While I also wish to see my father, I know that there is nothing we can do about the situation." "Well, you're wrong there, sis! I'm gonna find Sam whether you like it or not!" roared the Admiral. "I calculate a 0.5% chance that you will be able to find Dr. Beckett, and only a 2% chance that we could retrieve you even if you do find him. And the chances of a successful simo-retrieval with Dr. Beckett are so small I won't even bother trying to tell you." "What is it with you all?" shouted Al, "Dr. Beckett would risk life and limb for any one of us, and yet we aren't willing to even try to find him! Well I for one am not satisfied with that, and I'm gonna try even if it kills me! Ziggy, start the countdown!" He stripped down to his shorts and Verbena handed him the fermisuit. "I'm with you, Admiral," she said as she gave him the suit. "Me too," Gooshie said, moving over to the Control Bank. "Count me in," added Tina, for once in a serious tone. "Ninety seconds and counting. Good luck, Admiral." "Thank you, Ziggy. Thank you all. This is going to work. I've got a feeling that I know it will all work out," replied Al, sweat running from his face, "Ziggy, open the Acceleration Chamber." "As you wish. Good-bye, Admiral Calavicci." Al stepped up into the Acceleration Chamber and held up a hand as the door closed shut. Everybody in the Control Room stood silently as the countdown progressed. Tina walked over to Gooshie and he put his arm around her. Meanwhile, Al was standing erect in the Acceleration Chamber, listening to Ziggy's voice as his time drew near. "God, if you can hear me, I really need your help now. I know you've helped us a lot in the past, out of some tough binds, but this time it's especially important that I find Dr. Beckett. He's done so much good, and we're all very proud of him, as I'm sure you are. Please God, lead me to Sam." "Five seconds," Ziggy counted, "Three. Two. One. Commencing time acceleration. Admiral Calavicci has successfully leaped. I hope." More to come... ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brian Willard | "Revenge is mine, thus sayeth the hologram!" UNC-Asheville | Dr. Samuel Beckett, "The Leap Back" bwillard@unca.edu | -----------------------------------------------------------------------------