Temporal Steele — Part 5
by
Chapter 14
"
"Yes, Captain."
A troop of security officers assaulted the holodeck's entrance. Four phasers fired in unison, cutting a porthole in the door. Tuvok stepped through, pried out the metal chair frame, and then pulled the door panels apart to admit Captain Janeway, Chakotay, and the Doctor.
"I'm not picking up any life signs," Chakotay said, consulting his tricorder.
"Doctor, what were you doing when you were transferred to the Jeffries tube?" asked the captain.
"As I recall, I was trying to shut down the program and restore access to the holomatrix. I followed the detectives down the beach toward the panel, then proceeded to fail miserably," he said, looking at his boots.
Chakotay put a hand on his shoulder.
"It's ok, Doctor. You did what you could."
"Thank you, Commander." He perked up and showed them to the panel.
Tuvok attempted to access the panel without success. He tried voice commands.
"Computer, shut down the program. Authorization Tuvok alpha three."
The surf continued to crash beneath the stars.
"Captain! How kind of you to join us."
"Who the hell are you?"
The figures emerging from the dunes down the beach strolled over.
"Remington Steele," he said, extending his arm. "This is my associate, Laura Holt."
Janeway ignored the proffered hand. Her eyes did not leave them as she addressed her crew.
"We've got a serious malfunction here."
"There is no malfunction, Captain," Steele informed her, brushing sand out of his hair.
"Then you wouldn't mind telling us what's going on here?"
"Not at all." He deferred to Laura.
"Where do I start?"
Captain Janeway shrugged.
Laura thought for a bit, then said, "What you have been referring to as radiation isn't radiation. They are a non-corporeal lifeform and, for some reason, they're interested in us."
They spent the next few minutes explaining.
"And Doctor," Steele added. "Our apologies."
"How do you communicate with these aliens?" asked Chakotay.
"Actually, we don't," answered Steele. "We had to buy some time so we could figure out what they wanted."
"I don't know about this." Captain Janeway paced the sand. "There is no evidence to show that the timeline you propose is the original."
"That's because it's not," Laura said flatly.
"I see."
"The Temporal Prime Directive doesn't enter into this, Captain," Steele said, putting his arm around Laura's waist.
"Oh, it most certainly does. You're asking us to alter the past."
"You're willing to spend the rest of your lives mired in this wormhole on principle? They're not going to let you go."
"We already have a way to get out."
"What about Harry?"
The captain asked, "What about Harry?"
"Have you been able to revive him?"
"No, we haven't," she said, suddenly worried.
"Please don't think we're threatening him. Or you," Laura urged. "It's not us. It's" She waved, indicating the cosmos.
Captain Janeway motioned for her crew to leave.
"Please excuse us. We need a little time to discuss this."
"Take all the time you need, Captain," Laura said. "Just don't shut us down."
"That's a whole different can of worms, isn't it?"
Chapter 15
"
The captain crossed her quarters and ordered a carafe of coffee from the replicator.
"I don't know, Chakotay." She poured herself a cup and sank back into the sofa. "I just don't know. Am I prepared to let Harry go to get this crew home?"
"That's not the only option. We can give the aliens the torpedo they need to correct the timeline."
"Correct it? We're not talking about a point in time that has been artificially altered. Who are they to decide what happens to Mr. Steele and Miss Holt? Even though they happen to agree with the choice of timeline, what about the effects that change has on others? We could give them the torpedo and vanish from existence."
"So it's either let Harry die or violate the Temporal Prime Directive. Damned if we do; damned if we don't."
"I don't even want to think about what to do with two sentient holograms."
"It's times like this I'm glad I'm not the captain."
"Thanks a lot."
* * *
"
"Then I guess we're stuck here, Laura," he said, snuggling closer to her under the blanket in front of the fire. "I like a good blizzard, don't you?"
"She'll shut us down before we're ready. Then we won't exist here and, back in Oregon, we'll screw it up."
"She won't shut us down. We're sentient." He wrinkled his brow and added, "I think."
Laura smiled.
"We'll still screw it up back in the real world."
"You know, Laura," he said, kissing her. "I've been wondering about that. I'd like to think that three weeks ago I just had a little temporary insanity and that we are destined to be together eventually."
"But?"
"But then why would our friends go to all this trouble?"
"Good question."
"I need a drink. How about some champagne, Laura?"
"I'd love some."
"Computer, a bottle of Dom Perignon and two glasses."
They materialized and he poured.
"I do enjoy these holodecks, Laura. I dare say if they existed back home, you'd never get me out. Think of it: one could live inside a movie instead of just watching one. Assume a role. You would make a wonderful Vicky Anderson to my Thomas Crown. There were so many restrictions on films in those days, though. I'd update it a bit. Change a name or two."
"You're hopeless, Mr. Steele."
He handed her the glass. They intertwined their arms and sipped. She twisted inside the blanket to place her glass on the floor. As she did, the blanket slipped, exposing her bare shoulders. He tossed his glass into the fire.
"Are you happy here?" he asked.
"Like I told you, this was my fantasy."
"Got any others?" he said, tracing her shoulder.
Laura thought for a moment, letting his fingers work their way south.
"I love it when you do that, but makes it very difficult to think."
"I'll stop."
"Don't you dare."
Laura concentrated since he was expecting an answer even if he was otherwise occupied at the moment.
"I like it right here," she decided, "with the hologram I love."
Chapter 16
"
Chakotay struggled along beside her.
"They programmed this. I don't think we should just shut it off without asking."
"I hope talking to them again helps. They are detectives, after all. Maybe there's another option."
They trekked on toward the cabin. Candlelight flickered dimly through the frost-covered glass. Chakotay knocked.
Inside the cabin, under a myriad of blankets, Laura raised her head.
"Did you hear something?"
"Laura, there is no phone, there's a blizzard outside, and there's no possible way it could be Mildred popping in at an inopportune time."
"I heard knocking. There it is again."
Reluctantly, they rose and dressed.
"Can we come in?" the captain yelled over the howling wind.
Laura opened the door and ushered them in, kicking out a pile of snow before slamming the door shut.
"What can we do for you, Captain? Have you come to a decision?"
"No, I haven't. We came to see if you thought of any options. I'm not too thrilled with the two we have now."
Remington Steele came out from the bedroom, still buttoning his shirt.
"We haven't been giving it too much thought."
"Nothing at all?" asked Chakotay.
"We didn't talk about anything that had to do with this caseuh, situation."
"That's not quite true, Mr. Steele. You wondered why, if we were destined to be together someday, our friends outside would go to such trouble to take us back to three weeks ago."
"Captain," Chakotay said, "there's our answer."
"Explain."
"Maybe the aliens chose that time for a reason. Maybe it accomplishes more than just advancing Mr. Steele and Miss Holt's relationship."
"It's still not the original timeline."
Steele said, "According to what we know from Harry, you really don't know what the original timeline was in Oregon."
"No, we don't."
"So maybe they're preventing you from choosing a situation with a subtle problem that won't show up for a while," Laura reasoned. "These aliens have lived in this wormhole for a long time. I get the impression that they know something about this."
"Computer, how about a table and chairs?" Steele suggested. They appeared, and the four sat down. "I love these holodecks."
He leaned close to Laura's ear under the pretext of adjusting his chair. "And you," he whispered.
"
"I think we should give them the torpedo. Then we get Harry back and can be on our way."
"I'm still not sure I like it, but I don't see that we have any other choice." She rose and paced.
"So what's the problem?"
"I hate to bring this up, but"
"But what about us, right?" Steele read her correctly.
"We can't keep a holodeck running twenty-four hours a day. We've tried it. It doesn't work very well and it's a drain on our limited power supply. We can, however, save your programs and reactivate you when we do have the power."
"
Epilogue
blip
Remington Steele was in his bathrobe listening to the thunder and watching North By Northwest when the doorbell rang. He switched off the television, ran his fingers through his hair so he looked presentable, and went to the door. He looked through the peephole to see Laura standing there with a bottle of champagne in one hand. No case, no occasion, no date for dinner.
"
"Good evening, Mr. Steele."
"Come in, come in." He stepped aside to let her pass, his back almost touching the entryway wall. She took two steps, just enough to let the door close behind her. They stood there, inches apart, for a moment. He was not sure what to do, and his face betrayed it. His brow furrowed, but the corners of his mouth went up in amusement at the confusion and electricity of the moment. Then she walked past him.
"I'll put this on ice." She reappeared out of the kitchen a moment later with an ice bucket and two glasses.
"What's the occasion?" he asked as he headed to the bedroom to dress.
"There isn't one," she called after him. "It's after ten. You don't have to change on my account."
He poked his head out of the bedroom door, his face covered in the same confusion as when she came in. What was she up to? He knew better than to hope, but he couldn't help it. He pulled on trousers and a shirt anyway.
When he opened the bedroom door, she was right there, pretending to study the framed movie posters she had seen a thousand times before.
"Laura? Is something wrong?" He touched her shoulder, turning her to face him.
His answer came as she drew him into a kiss. For a moment, he thought he should push her away and drag whatever it was out of her, but her kiss was so urgent and her scent so intoxicating that he could not do it. He wrapped his arms tightly around her, kissing her deeply, letting her draw him into this moment.
The kiss continued, and his arms were so close around her that all he had to do was lean back slightly to pick her up. Against every fiber of his being, he carried her to the sofa instead of the bedroom.
When he put her down, their lips finally parted. Each studied the other's eyes. She lifted her head to kiss him again. Before she could, he spoke.
"Laura, why don't we sit?"
This startled Laura, but she sat down. He did not sit next to her. His brain was telling him this was not right, even if other parts of him were telling him to ignore his brain. He perched on the coffee table in front of her.
Neither said a word. They stared at their respective shoes, trying to figure out what to do next.
"I need a drink," she finally said.
"Amen to that," he said with as much of a laugh as he could muster while his mind raced and he tried to think rationally about what was happening here.
He popped the cork, letting the foam wash over his hand. He poured two very full glasses and handed one to Laura before taking a long drink. "Mr. Steele," she finally said.
He waited for her to continue, but she was silent.
"Yes, Laura?" He took her hands in his.
"Why did you do that?"
"Do what?"
She hesitated. "Carry me here instead of"
"Laura, I know you too well. Something is wrong."
She squeezed his hands and moved forward, her face once again very close to his. "Actually, it's not."
The confusion was back, but without the smirk. She went on.
"I realized something today."
"What was that?"
She said nothing. Her lips parted in preparation to speak, but nothing came out. She let go of his hand and picked up her glass. She drained it and he refilled it.
Quietly, she said, "I need you." A beat, then stronger, "I need you."
Nothing is wrong. She needs me. She said it. Now or never, Steele, he thought. Tell her.
"
On the tenth ring, Laura asked, "Don't you think you should get that?"
Reluctantly, he went into the kitchen to answer it. He wanted to be out of earshot when he told whoever it was to bugger off.
"This better be important."
"Chief, I am so glad you're there. This Admiral called me at home, insisted I call you immediately, He said he tried, but just couldn't wait until tomorrow. He's got a very important case he can't trust to military channels and he needs you on it right away. I'm supposed to call him back yesterday', as he put it. He said he won't take no for an answer."
He was silent for a moment.
"Tell him no."
He replaced the receiver, then reached under the phone to shut off the ringer. He walked back to the living room and sat beside Laura.
"What were you about to say?" she asked uncertainly.
"I was about to tell you that I love you."
THE END
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