Trance Gemini stood in front of her bonsai tree, watching it shimmer with a golden glow. "Andromeda I need privacy in Hydroponics."
"Privacy mode engaged," Andromeda's voice informed over the com system.
With a deft hand Trance moved aside one of the bonsai's branches. Trance intently studied the branch gently cradled in her hands for 15 minutes, accompanied by the hum of the misting machines in hydroponics. The golden alien bit at her lower lip as she took a deep breath.
"Be patient, we can't rush anything," Trance whispered, as if talking to the bonsai tree. "The Perseids have almost finished so you need to act now, but be careful."
The golden woman kept her gaze fixed on the bonsai in front of her for a few minutes before closing her eyes. Anyone had walk into Hydroponics would have thought Trance was in silent meditation.
After opening her eyes and giving a brief forward nod of her golden head Trance spoke up. "I know there are some who have suspicions, but right now you must counter those suspicions and lead them to the perfect possible future."
The bonsai tree's shimmering light changed from gold to purple and back to gold. Trance relaxed her posture slightly, as if satisfied at the reaction of her bonsai. The golden alien continued her conversation in front of the bonsai for several more minutes while the tree's glowing colors continued to alternate between gold and purple.
"I hope we're both right about this Little Sister, we can't afford to make a mistake," Trance remarked before turned her back on the bonsai. The golden alien grabbed a mister on a shelf to her right and began spraying water on violet-colored orchid.
Lieutenant Gem Tracy entered S.H.A.D.O.'s medical facility and sat next to Seamus Harper's bed in Medical. The lieutenant began reading the engineer's medical chart, when Harper's eyes fluttered open.
"Hi there Mr. Harper," the lieutenant greeted cheerfully. "You gave us a scare."
Harper frowned at Gem. "I scared myself too," he croaked out. "What happened?"
The lieutenant put a reassuring arm on Harper's left shoulder. "Don't try to talk too much. We don't have the tests back yet, but it looks like you had an allergic reaction. Your throat and tongue swelled up, restricting your breathing."
The engineer sighed as his eyes rolled back into his head. Harper's mouth opened as if about to speak before quickly shutting his mouth, as if he remembered the lieutenant's advice.
Tracy gently patted Harper on the shoulder. "That's it," she said. The lieutenant reached over to the nightstand next to the bed and picked up a small chalkboard and a piece of white chalk. "You can write on this little chalk board" Gem informed as she handed over the items to the engineer.
Harper quickly wrote a note on the chalkboard before holding up the message for the lieutenant to read. Gem Tracy read the message and chuckled.
"No you can't see Lieutenant Ellis right now," Gem answered firmly. "She's still stationed away from here. Besides, you don't need the excitement right now."
Andromeda's engineer immediately began writing another note. Gem waited patiently for Harper to show her what he had written. The Lieutenant shook her head in response to what she had read. "Mr. Rhade appears to be quite bored and intent on getting out of his confinement cell. I believe Colonel Freeman is having a talk with the General right now about giving your friend something to do while you're convalescing."
Harper nodded his head before placing the chalkboard and chalk on his lap.
"You've had a rough day so try to get some rest."
A scowl formed on the engineer's face. Gem faced the engineer, folding her arms across her chest. "Now don't pout like a child. You'll be out of here soon and then you'll be back in your own time before you know it."
"Fat chance!" the chalkboard practically screamed in big bold letters as Harper held it up facing Lt. Tracy.
"Now don't talk like that Mr. Harper," the lieutenant gently chastised. "I'm sure your friends are working on a way to get you back to your time. Don't you have some smart scientists in the future?" The engineer carefully nodded his head in the affirmative. "Then you don't need to worry. I'm sure they know that you and Mr. Rhade exchanged time periods with the Commander and Colonel Foster and have come up with a plan to correct the situation."
Harper stared down at his chalkboard before attempting to write something but then furiously wiped away what he had written. The engineer leaned over the small chalkboard which kept it from Gem Tracy's view as he wrote a fresh note. When he was finished Harper sharply turned the board so the lieutenant could read his note.
"I do believe it and so should you. The type of friends I know wouldn't stop looking for their missing friends. I'm sure your friends are no different. I have a hunch that they are close to bringing you and Mr. Rhade back to your rightful time."
"I hope you're right Lieutenant," Harper promptly wrote in response.
Colonel Lake entered the room and approached Harper's bed. Andromeda's engineer immediately perked up and looked at the Colonel with curiosity. Gem immediately handed the chalkboard and chalk to Harper, who immediately began writing.
"I just wanted to pop in and see how you were doing Mr. Harper," Lake informed. "I'm glad to see you are doing better."
Andromeda's engineer briefly scribbled on the chalkboard before showing his writing to the blonde colonel. "Thanks Boss Lady. Guess you'll be without my brilliant service for awhile."
Virginia brought her right hand to her face to cover up her amusement then quickly recovered her composure. "Now see here Mr. Harper, we managed to make do long before you and Mr. Rhade arrived here."
Harper's expression showed he was unrepentant. Lake turned to Tracy who was monitoring the engineer's vital signs. "It seems our guest is nearly ready to be released," the colonel commented.
"He's not yet ready to be released Colonel Lake," Gem replied. "He's still weak and needs to rest. Dr. Jackson ordered Mr. Harper to remain here overnight at least."
"Did you get the results of the tests back yet?" Lake asked with concern.
Tracy shook her head before answering. "Not yet but we expect the results back any time."
Harper tapped Colonel Lake on the arm to get her attention. Lake turned towards the engineer to see he was holding up the chalkboard again. She took a few moments to read the chalkboard before replying, "Your medical mishap did cause us concern regarding our schedule; however, it gave us time to examine the work you finished."
"So what do you think? Pure genius right?" Harper wrote.
"Your work is quite good," Lake conceded.
Harper smiled broadly, as he scribbled on the chalkboard. A few moments later the engineer showed the two ladies what he had written.
Virginia read the chalkboard and frowned at the engineer. "I assume you've already been told that you need to remain here awhile longer?" Harper nodded his head and sighed in response. "I don't understand why you're so anxious to get out of bed and help us."
While the colonel was talking Harper had been busy writing on his chalkboard. He now showed his message to Lake. "You want me to make you a slipstream drive. I can't do that lying in bed," the engineer wrote.
"Yes we want you to do work on a slipstream drive for us but you're ill, so it will have to wait," Virginia replied with resignation.
"I don't get you people," Harper's writing groused. "You seem more concerned with my health than getting a slipstream drive up and running."
Gem put a sympathetic hand on Harper's shoulder. "Colonel Lake and Colonel Freeman aren't cold hearted. They want you to get well."
Harper frowned at the lieutenant and began speaking, in spite of Gem's instruction. "Yeah, I guess I'm no good to you dead, huh?"
Colonel Lake's expression became stern but a slight nod of the head from Lieutenant Tracy softened the colonel's demeanor. "That's not the only reason we want you to recover. Despite what you may think we are not completely coldhearted."
"I remember you saying that before," Harper shot back. "The trouble is I don't know that I believe it. I'm helping you because I'm in a tough spot and I don't want to see Earth turned into the garbage heap it is in my time."
Virginia appeared concerned to hear the engineer's doubts. "Are you saying that you are not going to accept our offer of employment?"
Harper's brow furrowed as responded, "No that's not what I mean. I mean I have a lot of doubts about your organization and what's best for Rhade and me, and you're not giving me a lot of options."
"That's the way it has to be Mr. Harper," Lake stated seriously.
"Yeah, yeah, that's the story of my life; always stuck between rock and a hard place," Andromeda's engineer muttered. "I wish that for just once my life could be simple; no Magog, no Dragans, none of Dylan Hunt's grand scheme to bring truth and justice to all known worlds. Is that too much to ask for?"
The colonel appeared taken aback at Harper pouring out his feelings. "No, it's not too much to ask for Mr. Harper. Your comments make it sounds like our employment offer would be welcome news."
The engineer let out a long sigh. "It is and yet it isn't. Rhade isn't such a bad guy and he belongs in his own time. Isn't there anyway you can let me fix up the Maru's slipstream drive and let Rhade pilot it back home?"
Lake took a seat in a chair next to Harper's bedside while Lieutenant Tracy quietly slipped away to help a S.H.A.D.O. employee who had just entered the room. The colonel leaned forward in her chair. "I'm afraid that would be difficult to just let either of you leave here, but it would be just as difficult to keep you both prisoner here. That is why we offered you a job here. Your engineering knowledge and skill is most impressive. As we explained previously, Mr. Rhade is a different case. He's intimidating and to be perfectly honest, I'm doubtful that we could keep him confined. However, we don't have any available jobs for someone with his skills."
"Rhade doesn't need special skills, he's an Uber. Their skill is looking big and menacing," Harper retorted with a smirk.
"I apologize for all that you have been put through Mr. Harper," Lake began as she shifted in her chair. "We don't have anything against you or Mr. Rhade but the fact is you both are here and in our custody. Things are quite complicated as I am sure you are aware."
Harper frowned as he stared straight ahead, avoiding eye contact. "I know it's a complicated situation but Rhade and I can help S.H.A.D.O. and figure a way to get back to our time. All we're asking is for you to give us a chance. Can't you just erase from our memories the period of time that we're here and let us go merrily on our way?"
Virginia put a reassuring hand on Harper's left shoulder. "That is one angle that Colonel Freeman and I are working on. We're still not positive that we can erase Mr. Rhade's memory so that is why we made the job offer to you."
Andromeda's engineer showed concern on his features. "You can do that in your time? Erase people's memories, I mean?
"We have developed a serum that will erase certain periods from a person's memory," Lake elaborated. "When the person wakes up he or she doesn't remember whatever length of time we wish to erase from the person's memory."
Harper relaxed his posture and leaned against his pillow. "Oh, there for a moment I thought you meant making a person's mind a blank slate and erasing all memories."
"It would take far too dangerous an amount of the serum to bring about complete amnesia," the colonel promptly informed.
"So you could just erase Rhade's memory of his time here right?" Harper pressed.
Lake frowned at her fellow engineer. "As I said we're not sure since Mr. Rhade is a genetically modified human."
Harper perked up and began to sit up straight in the bed. "You are probably right that in its present form your serum would not affect Rhade, but I may be able to help you fix that. Just gimme a bit of time."