Message-Id: <m0siYTV-00029WC@kickme.cts.com>
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 95 19:45 PDT
From: jekel@cts.com (Julie Jekel)
Subject: "Ships in the Night" part 4

                        "Ships in the Night"
                                a sequel to "Donna's Song"      
                                        by Julie L. Jekel

                        Chapter 4: Beth

        "Donna."
        Donna's eyes flew open at the sound of her own name.  Standing
beside her bed was a pretty, middle-aged woman with shoulder-length brown
hair and kind eyes wearing an emerald green blouse and black skirt.
        "How did you know..?" she began.
        The woman smiled.  "We've been friends for a long time.  I certainly
hope I know your name."
        Donna frowned, trying to call up a picture of this woman in her
mind, but everything except her own name still escaped her. "I'm sorry, I..."
        "I know you don't remember me, but that's all right.  I'm Beth."
        "Pleased to meet you...again.  I guess they told you I've got
amnesia, huh?"
        Beth smiled.  "Well, no, not exactly.  In fact, that diagnosis
wouldn't be completely accurate.  What you've got is what we call a
swiss-cheesed memory."
        Donna smiled at the accuracy of the term.
        "It's a typical symptom of what you've been through," her companion
continued.
        "You mean being shot or whatever?"
        Beth laughed.  "No.  In case you haven't already figured it out,
you're not the one who was shot.  You're not Ferne Marshall."
        "I'm glad somebody finally noticed.  What am I, some sort of Secret
Agent surgically altered to look like her in order to catch the gunman?"
        "Well, something like that, although I'm afraid it's a bit more
complicated."
        "More complicated?  Oh, boy!"
        Beth smiled at Donna's subconscious usage of Sam's favorite expression.
        "You're right about one thing, it is secret.  So secret that I can't
even fill you in on all the details you've forgotten.  Only what you need to
do what you're here for."
        Donna nodded curiously.  
        "Your name is Donna Elise, and you're one of the top administrative
and research associates on Project Quantum Leap.  The reason you can't
remember much is the same reason you see Ferne Marshall's face when you look
in the mirror.  You've traveled twenty-two years back in time."
        Incredible as it was, the story rang a faint bell in Donna's mind.
Without any further explanation she was able to connect the two seemingly
unrelated mysteries.
        "Yes, I remember...sort of.  But then how did you...how can you...?"
        Beth held out one hand towards her.  "Take my hand."
        Donna reached for the outstretched hand and her fingers passed right
through it.  She stared openmouthed at the ghostly visitor.
        "I'm a neurological hologram, projected from your own time to help
you.  Because of this, I can only be seen and heard by you."
        "You're just a hologram?  But I thought you said we had been friends
for a long time?"
        "I'm a hologram to you, but where I am, which is what we call the
Imaging Chamber, you and everything else here is a hologram to me."
        Once again the bizarre explanation made perfect sense and small bits
of memory were coming back to fill in the details.
        "So, if no one else can see you, I guess I'd better not talk to you
when there's anyone else around."
        "That's a good policy, although sometimes we'll have to talk in the
prescence of others.  I'd suggest just trying to phrase what you say to me
in a way that they'll think it's directed at them."
        Donna nodded. "Did I volunteer to do this?"
        Beth smiled sadly.  "Yes you did."
        "Why?"
        The hologram hesitated.  "I'm afraid I can't tell you.  One of the
rules we operate under is that wae can never tell you anything about
yourself that you don't remember."
        The woman in the bed stared at her in disbelief.  "But you don't
understand how important this is!"
        "Yes I do, Donna. Believe me, I understand better than anyone, but I
can't tell you."
        "Will I ever remember?"
        "I don't know, Donna.  I hope so."
        "How long will I be here, anyway?"      
        "Until you do what has to be done here.  In the original history,
there was a second attempt on Ferne Marshall's life, and that one was
successful.  Ziggy says there's and eighty-four percent chance you're here
to find the killer and stop him.  
        "But wait a minute...what happens if I don't succeed?"
        "Then you won't Leap."
        "And I'll be the one who ends up being killed..."
        Beth smiled ironically.  "I'm afraid so."
        Donna sighed and shook her head.  "I never realized time travel was
such a dangerous pastime!"  There was a heavy pause, then she spoke again
hesitantly.  "Beth...who's Ziggy?"
                                 JJ

        "Our imaginations leap ahead to places we have yet to see."
                                     --a poster in my room