From her station in Main Mission, Sandra Benes looked up from her controls. "Tony," she called out. "I'm getting and emergency signal from Eagle One."

"What?" Tony questioned as he looked up from his conversation with Maya. "Get them on the screen."

Sandra nodded and did as he requested. The lights were active and extremely bright, but there was no sign of Eagle One.

"Where are they?" Maya questioned.

Tony activated the radio. "Eagle One, this is Moon base Alpha, come in please." There was no response.

"John, what's going on?"

Still no response. "Damn it!" he exclaimed.

"Sahn, you better get Alan in here as well as Helena and Professor Bergman. If there is a problem up there, they need to be aware of it."

"Right away Tony,"

He continued to stare out at the big screen. What was it with these damn lights. They were so bright if Eagle One was out there they couldn't see it.

"What's up Tony?" Alan asked as he entered Main Mission. Helena was right behind him.

"We got an emergency signal from Eagle One and now there is no contact." he told them.

Alan was on his way out, "I'll get a rescue Eagle ready."

"That might have to wait for awhile, " Tony warned, "… those lights are extremely bright at the moment. You may not be able to see anything and Eagle One could be right in front of you."

Alan turned on his heel. "Maybe so, but I'm going to be ready anyway."

Maya watched Alan leave and noticed Helena standing in the doorway. She could see the concern in her eyes, and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Commander Koenig will be alright."

Helena nodded, trying her best to smile. "What exactly happened Tony?"

"I'm not sure," he told her. "All of a sudden we got an emergency signal from Eagle One , but there is no contact."

"The lights have gotten so much brighter," she stated.

Tony agreed. "Victor is on his way up, maybe he'll have an answer."

Helena watched Maya at her console trying to collect as much data as possible, then watched the screen hoping for some sign of Eagle One.

Little did they know, that the lost contact with Eagle One would only be thirty minutes. For John Koenig and his passenger Lauren, their thirty minutes would stretch out for days.


Lauren felt she was falling helplessly through a black void that seemingly had no end. She reached out desperately for something to hold onto. Suddenly she was on solid ground, her head throbbed and her left shoulder ached. She had no idea what happened to her or where she was, but she knew she was alone. Something warm and wet washed over her feet and she groaned lifting her head. There was a warm sun overhead, and her shaking hands were filled her hands. Blue water splashed over her ankles.

Feeling dizzy, Lauren lowered her head. She had to be dreaming, there was no way she could be on a beach. He head hurt so bad at the moment that she thought there must have been an accident, and she was unconscious and dreaming, The bright sun hurt her eyes and she closed them, drifting back to that black void.


It was another warm summer day and Lance Heston stood on the back deck of his beach house. The next two weeks were his and he couldn't think of a more enjoyable way to spend his vacation than down on the beach. He just wished Lauren was still with him and he didn't have to be alone. Setting his glass of water aside, he walked down the steps onto the sand.

In the distance, maybe fifty feet away, he saw something near the waters edge. As he started to walk closer to investigate, he realized it was a person and possibly hurt as they didn't seem to be moving. Quickening his pace, he jogged the short distance, stopping to study the person for a moment. It was a girl and she still didn't make any effort to move. Cautiously, he knelt beside her, reached for her shoulder and turned her over onto her back. She moaned and Lance gasped in stunned disbelief.

"Lauren," he whispered in question. What was she doing here? She left for Alpha three weeks ago, there was no way she could be here before him.

She moaned again, her eyes fluttering, trying to stay open. Lance placed his hand against her chest, feeling the faint beat of her heart. Blood was dried in her hair and on the side of her face. Her shirt was torn and stained with blood as well

Questions and answers would have to wait he realized and lifted Lauren carefully in his strong arms. She needed his medical help right now. Holding her tight, he carried her back to his house.


Dr. Helena Russell stood nervously inside the hospital ER waiting for the ambulance to arrive that carried the two crash victims. It was doubtful, according to the paramedics , if the co-pilot would make it, he had extensive injuries. The pilot, Commander John Koenig suffered injuries as well, but his chances of survival were better.

She scanned over the reports that had come in from the ambulance, contemplating the best course of action to take once they arrived. Everything was prepared, all she could do was wait. In actuality the ambulance arrived in about ten minutes, although to Helena, it seemed an eternity.

Once she had her patients inside, she directed the co-pilot to one set of doctors and nurses while John Koenig would receive her care. He was bleeding from his chest and she cut away his shirt to expose the wound. She expected worse, but he would live. His ribs were badly bruised and she ordered x-rays to see the extent of damage. He also had a cut on his forehead that needed attention.

Helena worked well with her team and once John was stable enough to move, he was taken to a private room where he would receive around the clock attention, and close enough to Helena's office, so she could be there within minutes if needed. He was hooked up to monitors and IV's that fed fluids into his system.

When he woke, John Koenig would never guess the events that were about to unfold. Satisfied he was alright for the present moment, Helena made a few notations on John's chart, then left him to rest.


Six hours later, John Koenig was falling through that same black void. His head ached but so did the rest of his body. It was an effort to open his eyes, and when he did, he saw a familiar face at his side.

"Vic...Victor?" he questioned.

His friend nodded. "Yes John, you had us worried. You've been unconscious for several hours. I'd better let Dr. Russell know you're awake."

John fought to keep his eyes open as Victor turned and walked away. Helena, he thought, figuring he was in medical. But why would Victor refer to her as Doctor. John turned his aching head slowly, noticing that the room looked different than what he remembered on Alpha. His head hurt so bad that he thought maybe he hit it hard enough to cause him to hallucinate. Needles and tubes fed fluids into his arms and electrodes placed on his chest monitored his heartbeat. Beneath his pajama top he saw that his chest and ribs were heavily bandaged.

Struggling to try and make sense of what was going on, a familiar voice nearby interrupted his thoughts and he turned his head in that direction. Helena was talking with Victor, but she looked different. In a brief moment she grabbed her stethoscope, picked up a chart and approached John's bedside.

"It's good to see you awake Commander," she said with a warm smile.

"Com...Commander?" John questioned. "Helena..."

Her face took on a more serious composure. "We can talk in a moment Commander. First off I want you to tell me how you feel."

John was clearly confused. It wasn't that hard to give her an answer. "I ache all over."

Helena smiled a bit. "I'm not surprised, you were lucky to survive that crash."

"Crash?" John questioned as he struggled to raise himself up from his bed. "What crash Helena...I don't remember..."

Helena pressed against John's shoulders forcing him to lay back down. "Please Commander, try not to upset your self. You've got some broken ribs and a chest injury. I'm afraid you're going to be in here for several days."

John closed his eyes, shaking his head. What in the hell was going on he wondered. He felt Helena's hand against his forehead, it was somewhat soothing. She removed the tiny electrodes from over his heart and placed her stethoscope against his chest.

"Try and take a deep breath for me Commander," John did as she requested, wincing in the process. "Good," she replied. "...one more." Then she mashed tenderly on his ribs watching his face as she did so.

"That hurt quite a bit I imagine," she stated still sliding her stethoscope over his chest.

"It hurt like hell." he told her.

Suddenly, he remembered Lauren and gripped Helena's arm so tight that it startled her.

"Commander..."

John interrupted her before she could say anything else. "You said I was lucky to survive that crash. Lauren Collins was on board Eagle One with me, what happened to her?"

"Lauren?" Helena questioned as she pried John's fingers from around her arm. "You were the only one on board Eagle Ten besides the pilot."

Victor had been carefully observing from a few feet away, letting Helena see to John's well being. He approached as John was becoming agitated.

John looked up at his friend. "Victor, I was on board Eagle One with a young girl. We were in route back to Alpha when we entered some kind of time warp, black hole or whatever you want to call it. The Eagle was sucked inside into total darkness and next thing I know I wake up here and I don't know what the hell happened or what is going on. Why do you look so different Helena and why does the medical center look more like a hospital..?"

John's voice was growing louder as he spoke and struggled once again to get to his feet. Victor reached for John as his feet hit the floor. "John, you have to remain calm. You are on Earth, not Alpha." he told him.

"Earth..." he stated though a painful breath.

"Yes...Earth!" Helena stated obviously concerned about the Commander.

John was looking at her as she pressed a hypo against the side of his neck. Her eyes were the last thing he remembered before passing out. With Victors help they got him back to bed. They both stayed beside him for a few minutes making sure he was resting comfortably before they left him to rest.

Satisfied he would be alright for the time being, Helena grabbed his chart and walked back in the direction of her office. Victor remained silent as he followed her. He was sure she had as many questions as he did.