From: aa811@cleveland.freenet.edu (Terri M. Librande)
Newsgroups: alt.ql.creative
Subject: That Terrible Price part 3
Date: 18 May 1993 12:33:06 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (USA)
Lines: 64
Message-Id: <1tal22$t0p@usenet.INS.CWRU.Edu>
Nntp-Posting-Host: slc5.ins.cwru.edu


part 3

Using my PC, I hooked into Ziggy.  "All right, it's the Admiral, Ziggy."
The screen blinked once, then lit up like a Christmas tree with every single
possibility of where Sam could be in his timeline.  Every year, every
nanosecond scrolling from top to bottom at an impossibly fast rate across
my screen.  My eyes scanned for the orange blip, that mark that meant Sam
was there, in that year, living that life ... and found nothing.

ADMIRAL, I WILL NOT GIVE UP UNTIL HE IS LOCATED.  I SENSE THAT HE IS
NOT DEAD, AND CAN ONLY SEARCH UNTIL EVERY POSSIBILITY IS ELIMINATED.  IF
HE IS NOT IN TIME, THERE ARE OTHER CONSIDERATIONS.  I WILL EXPLORE ALL
ALTERNATIVES.  IT WAS PROGRAMMED INTO TO ME TO NEVER GIVE UP WHAT IS
CALLED 'HOPE'.

"Thank you."  It was seldom, if ever, that I was grateful to the number
crunching monster, but it seemed she/he/it was my only ally.  "What can
I do?"

DO NOT LET THEM TAKE DR. BECKETT AWAY.  I HAVE BEEN MONITORING OUTGOING
CALLS DR. SWANN HAS MADE, AND HE IS PREPARED TO TRY TO TAKE DR. BECKETT
TO ANOTHER FACILITY UNTIL A DECISION IS MADE.  YOU HAVE POWER OF ATTORNEY
AND THE DOCTOR NEEDS YOUR ACQUIENCE BEFORE HE CAN IMPLEMENT THIS.  IF
DR. BECKETT IS REMOVED FROM THE PROJECT, IT MAY BE IMPOSSIBLE TO LOCATE
HIM.  THE IMPLANT BEACON MAY BE DAMAGED, WHICH IS WHY WE CANNOT LOCATE
HIM.  YOU MUST TELL DR. SWANN TO EXAMINE HIM, AND SEE IF THAT IS SO.

((AUTHOR NOTE:  I am writing this in the 'soul' theory universe.  It
was written before I found that in the QL/TV universe Sam's body is 
leaping. Please bear with me.))

It was a distinct possibility, I thought. When we'd begun all of this,
Sam had designed the implant, and had it surgically placed in his head.
I was not the most enthusiastic of supporters.  Sure, let the kid use
the Accelerator, and travel around in Time, but putting something in 
your head...uh, uh, not a great idea.  Unfortuately, it was the only
way to track him, and it had become a lifeline, our only way of
tuning to his maisons and neurons so I could center on him in
the Imaging Chamber.

"I'll keep him with us, Ziggy. Just find him.  I'll talk to Swann about the
implant."

The Waiting Room was occupied by Swann and Beeks, both talking in low 
tones over Sam's body.  Like he couldn't hear them, making decisions about
him without my say so.  They froze like guilty kids the moment I entered.

I was in command here, and no decisions would be made behind my back.  "I
know you want to take Sam away from here, and I won't allow it."  I kept
my face free of emotionals, stating the facts.  "He's not dead.  Ziggy
is searching for him right now, and made a suggestion.  Dr. Swann, I want
you to check his implant for possible defects.  That might be why we
aren't able to get in contact with his signal."

more to come

sorry so short--but I have a full time job now.

Terri l.
-- 
"Girls who have glasses have lots & lots of energy!" Al--Single Drop of Rain
Terri Librande aa811@cleveland.Freenet.edu--Assistant Sysop
The Science Fiction and Fantasy Sig--Go SCIFI