From: la095at8@csulb.edu (Michael Ejercito)
Newsgroups: alt.ql.creative,alt.sex.stories
Subject: Oval Office-part 7
Date: 13 Dec 1995 23:41:59 GMT
Organization: Cal State Long Beach
Message-ID: <4anoc7$f1p@garuda.csulb.edu>
Summary: Sam leaps into President Dwight David Eisenhower


part 7

  The conclusion of "Oval Office"


   "What do you mean you are going to shut us down?"Al asked,worried. 
   "Congress has abolished Project Quantum Leap,"Admiral St. John replied.
 "Read this." Admiral St. John handed al a sheet of paper. 
   Al read the paper. It was the law passed by Congress the previous day. One
 of the parts disturbed him. 
  It read,"The Department of Defense project,code name Quantum Leap,project
 code N-31071-1557,is hereby abolished." A number of other federal programs had
 either been cut or abolished,but Al did not care.
   "Let me introduce to you Colonel Kevin Pratt,United States Marine
 Corps,"Admiral St. John said. "He and his regiment of marines will 
collect the equipment. Now here is an order to you 
from the President." Admiral St. John handed Al another sheet of paper. On
 the bottom Al could see the seal of the President of the United States. 
  The paper read:

  To: RADM Albert Calavicci
From: The President of the United States

  By order of the President of the United States,

  >The main systems,including the quantum leap accelerator,the imaging 
chamber,and the main computer,will be shut down at 1200 hours Mountain 
Daylight Time.
  >After the shutdown,the quantum leap accelerator,the imaging chamber
 holographic projectors,and the main computer will be disassembled and
 carried away to Camp Pendleton by a regiment of marines. 
  >All civilian personell are terminated. 
  You and your staff will cooperate with Fleet Admiral Edward St. John and
 Colonel Kevin Pratt.

   "I can not do this,"said Al. 
   "You better,or I will charge you with insubordination,"replied Admiral St.
 John. He sounded serious. "Tell your security guards to cooperate with the
 marines.  
   Al could see a group of marines through the glass doors connecting the
 main lobby and the parking structure. He left the main lobby through the
 elevator to go to his office. 
   Al went into his office. On his desk was a push-button telephone,an Apple
 computer with monitor,keyboard,and mouse,and a pot full of pencils and
 pens.On the file cabinet behind his desk there were pictures of his wife
 Beth and their four children. Al picked up the telephone receiver and pushed
 one of the automatic dial buttons to call the security chief. 
   "Hello,"the security chief answered. "This is Captain Earvin
 Singleton,chief of security. How may I help you?"
   "Captain,this is Admiral Calavicci,"said Al. " I want to inform you there
 will be a regiment of marines arriving soon. The main system will be shut
 down at 1200 hours. After that,they will carry away the equipment. I want
 you and your staff to cooperate with them." 
   "Aye aye,sir,"replied Captain Singleton. He sat down on his desk. He had a
 sad look on his face,knowing that the project was being shut down.
   The marines took position in every part of the compound. They went 
into the security office,armory,supply depot,and commissary. Admiral St. 
John,Colonel Pratt,and a squad of marines entered the control room. They 
saw Ziggy and some scientists watching the computer screens. The marines 
were astonished by the advanced technology used in the control room. One 
of the scientists looked at the marines. "Excuse me,"he said. "What are 
you doing here?"
   "I am Fleet Admiral Edward St. John,"said Admiral St. John. "I am here 
to shut the main systems down."
   Donna Eleese got up and said to Admiral St. John,"You can't do this! 
We haven't retrieved my husband yet. He is still in the past!"
   "I am carrying out the orders of the President,"he replied. "If you 
have a problem,speak to him. I would like to inform you that all civilian 
staff are fired. You will all leave the control room."
   Donna went toward Admiral St. John,but Jerry Alden held her arm. "We had 
better leave,Doctor Eleese," he said. All of the scientists left the 
control room. 
   Al entered the control room as the scientists were leaving. He asked 
Admiral St. John,"Where are they going?"
   "They have been terminated,"he replied. "I will shut the main system 
down at 1200 hours."
   "I need to go into the imaging chamber to contact Doctor beckett."
   "Very well then. Make it so."
   Al opened the door to the imaging chamber. He looked at Admiral St. 
John,Colonel Pratt,and the marines in the control room before going inside.  
   Once inside the imaging chamber,Al saw Sam sitting in the Oval Office. 
"Fleet Admiral Edward St. John is here with a regiment of marines to shut 
down Project Quantum Leap,"said Al." He will shut us down at 1200 hours." 
He looked at the gold pocket watch Sharon and Maxine gave him. "We have 
about an hour."
   "Excuse me,but did you say St. John?"Sam asked. 
   "Yes,"Al replied. 
   Sam remembered that Edward St. John was the project observer after he 
changed history,causing Al to be executed for rape and murder. He had to 
prove Al's innocence before Al could return. 
   "Anyway,they are shutting down Ziggy at 1200 hours,"said Al. "Congress 
abolished Project Quantum Leap."
   "You've got to find out what I am here to do so I can leap out,"said 
Sam. "I can not take Eisenhower's place. And if they shut the accelerator 
down,Eisenhower's aura would disappear,causing historical repurcussions."
   "Sam,we installed a backup system after you first leaped. we can't 
keep the accelerator running all the time. The backup system transmits 
the host's aura through time,but it can not leap you. Fortunately,Admiral 
St. John was only ordered to shut down the main systems. 
Unfortunately,his orders include dismantling the quantum leap accelerator 
and Ziggy,so you would be stuck here."
   "Great,Al,just great."
   "I have to go see Eisenhower right now." Al opened the imaging chamber 
door and left. Sam put his hands underneath his jaws and looked down. He 
heard a door knock. 
   Sam got up and opened the door. He saw a presidential aide. "Here is 
a letter from the CIA,Mister President,"said the aide. 
   "Thank you,"said Sam. He took the paper out of the envelope. It was 
the Operation Gecko document. He sat down and read it. 
   After Al saw that Eisenhower was not in the waiting room,he went to 
the security bridge,hoping to locate him using the security monitors. 
There was a squad of marines in the bridge,armed with machine guns. Navy 
guards were watching the monitor screens. "Excuse me,I need to check the 
monitor screens," he said to the ensign watching the screens. 
   "Aye aye,sir,"the ensign replied as she left. Al was checking the 
monitor screens,which showed various parts of the compound. He looked at 
the screen marked "COMMISSARY" and saw Sam's image on the screen. 
Unhesitatingly,he left for the commissary. 
   Eisenhower was sitting down in the commissary with the other 
scientists. The scientists told him about the shutdown at 1200 hours. He 
was watching the television,which were showing scenes from the war in the 
Congo Basin. 
   "Look at the war,"said Gooshie. "Congress sacrificed the project over 
a bunch of diamonds. All the good Project Quantum Leap has done for the 
people over the past four years. They did not consider it."
   "And I will never see Sam again,"added Donna. She pointed to 
Eisenhower. "I know he is not my husband."
   Eisenhower said to Donna,"I know how you feel. I'm never going to see 
my family again. I'm going to be stuck in this time."
   Jerry pointed to the television. "Hey,Mister Eisenhower,"he said. 
"They are talking about you."
   The voice from the television said,"Did a secret CIA operation under 
Eisenhower install the current regime in Ethiopia which is responsible 
for the war? We will report on Hard Copy,tonight at seven."
   Two words flashed in Eisenhower's blurred memory. 
   Operation Gecko. 
   Al rushed into the commissary,almost bumping into a marine. "The 
project will be shut down at twelve," he said to Eisenhower.
   "I know that,"replied Eisenhower. "Go back and tell Doctor Beckett to 
stop Operation Gecko. Hurry!"
   Al looked at the clock in the commissary. It was 11:25. Thirty-five 
minutes until shutdown. He ran to the imaging chamber as fast as his legs 
could carry him. 
   In the Oval Office in the White House,Sam heard the imaging chamber 
door slide open. Al rushed through the door,panting for breath. "Al,"said 
Sam. "I know what Operation Gecko is about. It is a plan to supply rebels 
in Ethiopia for a coup."
   "I know,Sam," replied Al. "That's how the communists in Ethiopia went 
to power. You've got to stop it! Call an emergency meeting of the 
National Security Council. Make sure you personally call the national 
security adviser and the director of central intelligence." Al looked at 
his watch. It was 11:30. "Hurry,Sam. You have got thirty minutes before 
shutdown!"
   Sam already started making those telephone calls. He called the 
national security adviser. 
   "Hello,this is the national security adviser,"a voice said. "How may I 
help you?"
   "This is the President of the United States,"Sam replied. "I am 
calling an emergency meeting of the National Security Council. Go to the 
White House. Now."
   "Yes,Mister President," said the national security adviser before he 
hung up. 
   Next Sam called the director of central intelligence. "This is the 
director of central intelligence,"he heard. "How may I help you?"
   "This is the President of the United States,"said Sam. "There will be 
an emergency meeting of the National Security Council. Go to the White 
House. Now."
   "Yes,Mister President,"said the director of central intelligence 
before he hung up.
   "Okay,Sam,"said Al. "Call the White House Chief of Staff." 
   Sam called the White House Chief of Staff. The Chief of staff 
answered,"Hello,this is the White House Chief of Staff. How may I help you?"
   "This is the President of the United States,"said Sam. "Tell all the 
members of the National Security Council to come over for an emergency 
meeting immediately!"
   "Yes,Mister President,"said the Chief of staff before hanging up. 
   "Well,Al,now what?"
   "We wait,"Al replied. 
   A line of cars parked alongside Pennsylvanis Avenue. They were all 
American cars,for Japanese cars did not become popular until the late 
seventies. Men in suits walked out. They were the members of the National 
Security Council. They were talking amongst themselves. Al watched them 
walk towards the White House. He looked at his watch. It was 11:50. He 
pressed a few buttons on the handlink and disappeared. 
   In the Project Quantum Leap control room,Fleet Admiral Edward St. John 
looked at the clock. It was 11:55. He turned to Colonel Kevin Pratt and 
said,"Open the door to the main switch." The main switch was in a wall 
receptacle covered by a steel door that was locked. Only Sam and al had 
the keys. 
   "But sir,the door is locked," Colonel Pratt said as he pulled the 
handle. 
   "Then shoot it."
   "Yes,sir."
   Colonel Pratt took out a ten millimeter Glock pistol and aimed it at 
the lock. He pulled the trigger and fired. The men in the room heard a 
loud bang. The odor of gunpowder filled the room. The door was 
open,revealing a switch marked "MAIN". 
   "Do I flip the switch?" asked the colonel. 
   "No. You wait until 1200 hours,"replied Admiral St. John. 
   The members of the National Security Council assembled in the White 
House conference room. They included Vice-President Richard Nixon,the
 secretaries of state and defense,the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of
 Staff,the National Security Adviser,the director of central
 intelligence,and other people. Al looked at his watch. It was 12:00. He 
turned to Sam who was sitting down with the national Security Council and 
said,"Sam,it's 1200 hours!"
   "It's 1200 hours," Admiral St. John said while looking at the clock in 
the control room. "Flip the switch."
   "Aye aye,sir," replied Colonel Pratt. He reached for the main switch 
and flipped it from "ON" to "OFF". 
   One by one,the monitors went black. Ziggy stopped flashing. The 
accelerator stopped humming. The room was plunged into darkness. 
   Project Quantum Leap has been shut down. 
   "Open the door,"said Admiral St. John. One of the marines opened the 
door,allowing light inside. 
   "Sam!"shouted Al as he started to fade. Al faded away and disappeared. 
   "Al!"shouted Sam as he saw Al vanish. The National Security Council 
stared at him. "I'll be starting the meeting,"he said. 
   Al was cloaked in darkness. The holographic projectors must be off,he 
thought. They must have shut it down. 
   He proceeded to open the door using the handlink,but the handlink did 
not respond. Then Al realized that Ziggy was turned off. He was trapped. 
   As Sam sat in the conference room,he wondered why they did not notice 
the aura disappeared. Then he realized that the backup systems were still 
on. He could not tell how much longer they would be on,so Sam went on to 
business. 
   "This meeting is about Operation Gecko," he said. 
   "What do you want us to do,Mister President?" asked Nixon. 
   "We must abort Operation Gecko,"replied Sam. The National Security 
Council was shocked. They supported the Ethiopian rebels. "The rebels are 
Marxists. They plan to install a communist regime."
   "But,Mister President,how do you know?" asked the National Security 
Adviser. 
   "From outside sources," Sam replied. He turned to the director of 
central intelligence and said,"You will tell the rebels we will not 
support them."
   "Yes,Mister President," he replied. 
   "You all heard me,"said Sam. "Operation Gecko is cancelled. You are 
dismissed." The National Security Council left. 
   In the Project Quantum Leap commissary,Eisenhower was watching the 
news. They were showing a newsroom. A television reporter was in the 
newsroom. A small box with the words "Congo War" and a picture of an 
explosion was in the upper-right corner of the screen. The reporter said,"In
today's news. The President has decided to send additional troops to 
Zaire to provide humanitarian aid to the victims of an earthquake there. 
Eisenhower saw that the words in the box now read "Congo Earthquake" and 
showed a picture of a shaking house. 
   "What about the war?"he asked. 
   "War? What war?"asked Jerry. 
   "You know,the Congo War."
   "There's no Congo War,"said Doctor Beeks. 
   Eisenhower looked around and saw the marines were gone. "Where are the 
marines?"he asked. 
   "There weren't any marines here today," replied Donna. 
   "I think history has changed,"said Gooshie. "Our memories would change 
but Mister Eisenhower would remember because he is connected to Doctor 
Beckett through his aura. I'll go check Ziggy's memory banks to see if 
Doctor Beckett changed history." Gooshie got up and left the commissary. 
   Sam saw Al reappear in the conference room. "Al!"he cried. "You're back!"
   "I'm so glad to see you!"replied Al,although they have been separated 
for only a minute.Al checked the handlink. "The system status logs do not 
record a shutdown or startup,"he said. "You changed history."
   "How?"
   "Well,the coup in Ethiopia failed,and the leaders were executed. 
Ethiopia never invaded Zaire,and the Congo War never happened. Which 
means,Dennis is alive!" He checked the handlink. "Dennis is in Zaire 
providing aid to the victims of an earthquake."
   "I hope he doesn't die this time,"Sam said with a chuckle. He knew 
that God,Fate,or Time struggled to assert certain patterns.
   "Sam,I'm going to see Eisenhower one last time,"said Al as he opened 
the imaging chamber door and left. 
   Al went into the control room where he saw Gooshie at Ziggy's main 
console. He saw scientists monitoring Sam's condition. He did not see 
Fleet Admiral Edward St. John or the marines. 
   "Gooshie,were there any marines here?"asked Al. 
   "I do not remember,Admiral," replied Gooshie. "But Ziggy would remember."
   Dwight Eisenhower was in the waiting room. Al came inside and 
said,"Well,you were right. Doctor Beckett leaped into you to prevent the 
war."
   "Well,it seems only you,Doctor Beckett,and I remember the war. 
Everyone else forgot," replied Eisenhower. 
   "Well,I want to inform you that the accelerator is ready and we will 
leap you home.I want to say goodbye before you go. It was a pleasure to 
meet you,Mister Eisenhower,and I am going to miss you."
   "Well,I learned a lot from this experience. While I may not remember 
the details,I will always carry the feeling."
   The two men embraced each other. 
   "Goodbye,Al,"said Eisenhower. 
   "Goodbye,Ike,"said Al. 
   Al looked at Eisenhower as he left the imaging chamber. 
   Sam sat behind the President's desk in the Oval Office in the White 
House. Sam knew that this was the last time he would sit there. He saw 
the imaging chamber door open. 
   Al entered the imaging chamber and said,"I just said goodbye to 
Eisenhower. He's a really nice man."
   "Oh,"Sam replied. "You know,I was here all along to prevent a war 
which occurred forty-four years into the future. I guess there is a 
special force that guides me."
   "Uh,Sam,there is something I have to tell you.We figured out why you 
can not leap home."
   "What does Ziggy say?"
   "She says a structural defect in your brain is keeping you from 
leaping home. You see,when you leap,there is a surge in your brain which 
prevents you from going where you want to go."
   "What am I supposed to do? Get a brain operation."
   "I don't think that is feasible,Sam. But ziggy and I will figure a way 
around it. We will regain control of your leaps. And then we'll leap you 
home."
   "Well,at least knowing why I can't leap home is the first step towards 
finding a solution."
   "You're right. You know what,Sam?"
   "What?"
   "You'd make a great President."
   "I know,Al,I know."
   Al saw a blue aura of light surround Sam,and Sam leaped out of the 
Oval Office. 
   As the bnlue light and humming sound faded,Sam found himself lying on 
his back. He heard the song "Baby,Baby" by Amy Grant,indicating he was 
sometime in the nineties. And he was holding something very heavy. 
   It was so heavy,he dropped it on his chest. The weight of the object 
placed a viselike pressure on his chest. He looked around and saw he was 
in a health spa. He tried to lift the object,which was a barbell,from his 
chest,but he could not lift it. 
   He said,"Oh boy."


   This is the end of the story "Oval Office". Please mail or post 
comments.