CHAPTER TWO
Paris went straight to storage bay four; they had a 20th century device for playing videos, which they retrieved from a planet hiding stolen antiques. He found it easily and took it back to his quarters. When they first retrieved it he had made alterations so that it could be up linked to his personal computer, unfortunately he had no videos to play. He completed the up link and sat back in his chair, shifting to make himself comfortable. Once he felt settled he started the video. On the screen came the picture of a bedroom and then a female voice, "Personal diary of me, date is the fourteenth of October 2002, time four thirty p.m." Paris felt a little disappointed, he was hoping for documentaries talking more about that era, instead he had to sit through someone's thoughts, which he could do now. "Still," he though, "It was someone from the 21st century, no need to compla."
His trail of thought broke off. In front of him appeared a beautiful girl. He stared at the screen. "What a boring day" she said, "Double math! I thought I was gunna die." She smiled dreamily, "On the plus side, I sat behind Marc, he's got such a sexy back of the head." She laughed a giggly cute laugh Tom thought. "Anywho," she continued, Tomo." "Honey, tea time," a faint voice could be heard. "Coming mom" she called back. The girl picked up a remote and touched a button, the screen went blank.
Tom stared mesmerized as the same bedroom imaged flicked on. "My personal diary, date 16th of October 2002" came the sweet voice. "I've been banished to my room, " She said rolling her eyes, "Dads having a business meeting in the lounge and wants me out of the way, I make a bad impression. It's not true, he doesn't want anyone to know what they're talking about." She grinned, "but I do know. I've listened in a couple of times and opened his brief case. It's not very exciting, just some machine that cry..cryo..cryogenically freezes you. Nothing new, but apparently its revolutionary." She said the last word mimicking excitement.
"OMG, I nearly forgot" She squealed suddenly, her face breaking out into a huge smile, "I was sitting at the back in science when Marc walked in, walked to his desk in front of me.and.just before he turned to sit.he SMILED at me.at ME!! But, it probably means nothing" She glanced to a white folder lying on the floor next to her, "Ugh, dumb homework, see ya." She waved slightly and the image disappeared. "Mr. Paris" The sound snapped him back to reality. He reached forward and turned off the player. "Yes Captain" "How's the research coming?" "It's a personal diary, I've nothing significant yet, but I think it will reveal what's behind the door." "Very good," Said Janeway, "Please continue." Paris turned his attention back to his viewing screen and pressed play.
The familiar bedroom with posters on the wall filled the screen, and the girl rushed into view. "OMG," She practically yelled, "He asked for my number. Agghhh, I can't believe this is happening. I was just leaving math when someone grabbed my arm and said "Megan?" "Megan" Paris thought smiling.
"I turned around," continued Megan, " and there he was.Marc, my mouth dropped wide open.I hope he likes the goldfish look. Well, I finally managed to say "nugh" and.this is so cool, he said, "can I have your number?" God, it was so sexy, so I managed to write it down which was damn hard cos my hand kept shaking and then he says "thank" with that gorge smile, "I'll call you later." Aghhh, he's calling me, here, today." Megan continued to beam when the phone rang, her face converted into a comic shocked look. "Megan, phone." Came a voice. "O my God" whispered Megan; "it's him, ok, wish me luck." She got up and ran out of shot, the camera kept running.
After a couple of minutes a door slammed and a tearful Megan returned. "He wasn't interested in me," She choked with a mixture of rage and sadness, " The only reason he called is to see if I think if he asked out my sister, she'll say yes. I'm such a fool. She's on the phone to him now, it's not fair." Tom looked at Megan with a deep sadness, he felt he knew her and hated seeing her this hurt. "I just wish." sobbed Megan, her words becoming less clear, she shook her head, "Screw it." She said finally and the screen went blank.
Paris sat through a further thirty minutes of Megan's life-Marc, college, tests and work. He checked the log, there was still plenty more of the video left. On the screen a triumphant Megan appeared. "He cheated on her!! Marc cheated on her, isn't it great? I know, I know, I should feel bad for her, but I don't, at least I wasn't going out with him." She laughed, but quickly stopped, "but I suppose she is my sister and I should support her.maybe later." She glanced up quickly; she had heard something Tom hadn't. "My dad wants me" she said exasperated getting up, "Coming" she called, and left, the camera remained on.
Paris listened intently; he could her very faint voices. Although he couldn't hear what was being said, he could tell by the tone of the voices that the discussion was becoming heated. Megan's figure ran in to view, a door slamming behind her. She ran across to the window, her arms curled on the windowsill and she hung her head in them. As Paris watched he noticed her body was shaking and muffled sounds drifted across, he realized she was sobbing. Her head lifted up and she turned her body round before sinking to the floor, the wall supporting her back. She picked her knees up to her chest and looked up at the camera.
"They picked me" She sobbed, " I have to go in that freezing thing." She sniffed and broke down into sobs again. "What if it doesn't work, I'll never get out, I'll die." Her sobs became harder. "I can't," she said suddenly, "I wont!" She got up and went over to her bed. Reaching under she pulled out a black canvas bag. "I have to get out of here." She spun round and opened all drawers in the cabinet behind her. Reaching in she scooped up clothes randomly and tossed them into her bag. Suddenly her head snapped up, her eyes wide with terror. Paris heard a door being forced open, and three men walked into view.
"No" whimpered Megan, "Please don't." "I'm sorry," said one of the men, "You have been chosen." They walked towards her as she backed away into a corner. They grabbed her and lifted her up. "NO" she shrieked trying to free herself. "Daddy stop them, please.DADDY" She struggled but it was clear the men were strong and they forced her out of the room.
Paris stared at the empty room, not believing what he had just seen. Still shocked he moved the video forward to see if there was anything else. Paris guessed it was an hour later when two of the same men entered the room accompanied by another man he hadn't seen before. The three men stopped in the middle of the room. The man who he hadn't seen dropped his head, while the other two lay their hands on his shoulders. "I'm sorry Bill," said one of the men, "You weren't to know." "Its all my fault," replied the man, "I put her in there and now she's trapped, I'll never get to speak to my daughter again." "Don't give up" One man said, "You'll find a way to get her out." He sighed and broke away from the other two. "Come on, let's clear this room." Tom watched as the man approached a plug socket in the wall. The man wrapped his hand around the cord and pulled, the screen went blank.
Tom stared in disbelief; Megan was trapped in that machine. It was Megan behind the door. "Captain," Paris said. "I have some news."
Paris went straight to storage bay four; they had a 20th century device for playing videos, which they retrieved from a planet hiding stolen antiques. He found it easily and took it back to his quarters. When they first retrieved it he had made alterations so that it could be up linked to his personal computer, unfortunately he had no videos to play. He completed the up link and sat back in his chair, shifting to make himself comfortable. Once he felt settled he started the video. On the screen came the picture of a bedroom and then a female voice, "Personal diary of me, date is the fourteenth of October 2002, time four thirty p.m." Paris felt a little disappointed, he was hoping for documentaries talking more about that era, instead he had to sit through someone's thoughts, which he could do now. "Still," he though, "It was someone from the 21st century, no need to compla."
His trail of thought broke off. In front of him appeared a beautiful girl. He stared at the screen. "What a boring day" she said, "Double math! I thought I was gunna die." She smiled dreamily, "On the plus side, I sat behind Marc, he's got such a sexy back of the head." She laughed a giggly cute laugh Tom thought. "Anywho," she continued, Tomo." "Honey, tea time," a faint voice could be heard. "Coming mom" she called back. The girl picked up a remote and touched a button, the screen went blank.
Tom stared mesmerized as the same bedroom imaged flicked on. "My personal diary, date 16th of October 2002" came the sweet voice. "I've been banished to my room, " She said rolling her eyes, "Dads having a business meeting in the lounge and wants me out of the way, I make a bad impression. It's not true, he doesn't want anyone to know what they're talking about." She grinned, "but I do know. I've listened in a couple of times and opened his brief case. It's not very exciting, just some machine that cry..cryo..cryogenically freezes you. Nothing new, but apparently its revolutionary." She said the last word mimicking excitement.
"OMG, I nearly forgot" She squealed suddenly, her face breaking out into a huge smile, "I was sitting at the back in science when Marc walked in, walked to his desk in front of me.and.just before he turned to sit.he SMILED at me.at ME!! But, it probably means nothing" She glanced to a white folder lying on the floor next to her, "Ugh, dumb homework, see ya." She waved slightly and the image disappeared. "Mr. Paris" The sound snapped him back to reality. He reached forward and turned off the player. "Yes Captain" "How's the research coming?" "It's a personal diary, I've nothing significant yet, but I think it will reveal what's behind the door." "Very good," Said Janeway, "Please continue." Paris turned his attention back to his viewing screen and pressed play.
The familiar bedroom with posters on the wall filled the screen, and the girl rushed into view. "OMG," She practically yelled, "He asked for my number. Agghhh, I can't believe this is happening. I was just leaving math when someone grabbed my arm and said "Megan?" "Megan" Paris thought smiling.
"I turned around," continued Megan, " and there he was.Marc, my mouth dropped wide open.I hope he likes the goldfish look. Well, I finally managed to say "nugh" and.this is so cool, he said, "can I have your number?" God, it was so sexy, so I managed to write it down which was damn hard cos my hand kept shaking and then he says "thank" with that gorge smile, "I'll call you later." Aghhh, he's calling me, here, today." Megan continued to beam when the phone rang, her face converted into a comic shocked look. "Megan, phone." Came a voice. "O my God" whispered Megan; "it's him, ok, wish me luck." She got up and ran out of shot, the camera kept running.
After a couple of minutes a door slammed and a tearful Megan returned. "He wasn't interested in me," She choked with a mixture of rage and sadness, " The only reason he called is to see if I think if he asked out my sister, she'll say yes. I'm such a fool. She's on the phone to him now, it's not fair." Tom looked at Megan with a deep sadness, he felt he knew her and hated seeing her this hurt. "I just wish." sobbed Megan, her words becoming less clear, she shook her head, "Screw it." She said finally and the screen went blank.
Paris sat through a further thirty minutes of Megan's life-Marc, college, tests and work. He checked the log, there was still plenty more of the video left. On the screen a triumphant Megan appeared. "He cheated on her!! Marc cheated on her, isn't it great? I know, I know, I should feel bad for her, but I don't, at least I wasn't going out with him." She laughed, but quickly stopped, "but I suppose she is my sister and I should support her.maybe later." She glanced up quickly; she had heard something Tom hadn't. "My dad wants me" she said exasperated getting up, "Coming" she called, and left, the camera remained on.
Paris listened intently; he could her very faint voices. Although he couldn't hear what was being said, he could tell by the tone of the voices that the discussion was becoming heated. Megan's figure ran in to view, a door slamming behind her. She ran across to the window, her arms curled on the windowsill and she hung her head in them. As Paris watched he noticed her body was shaking and muffled sounds drifted across, he realized she was sobbing. Her head lifted up and she turned her body round before sinking to the floor, the wall supporting her back. She picked her knees up to her chest and looked up at the camera.
"They picked me" She sobbed, " I have to go in that freezing thing." She sniffed and broke down into sobs again. "What if it doesn't work, I'll never get out, I'll die." Her sobs became harder. "I can't," she said suddenly, "I wont!" She got up and went over to her bed. Reaching under she pulled out a black canvas bag. "I have to get out of here." She spun round and opened all drawers in the cabinet behind her. Reaching in she scooped up clothes randomly and tossed them into her bag. Suddenly her head snapped up, her eyes wide with terror. Paris heard a door being forced open, and three men walked into view.
"No" whimpered Megan, "Please don't." "I'm sorry," said one of the men, "You have been chosen." They walked towards her as she backed away into a corner. They grabbed her and lifted her up. "NO" she shrieked trying to free herself. "Daddy stop them, please.DADDY" She struggled but it was clear the men were strong and they forced her out of the room.
Paris stared at the empty room, not believing what he had just seen. Still shocked he moved the video forward to see if there was anything else. Paris guessed it was an hour later when two of the same men entered the room accompanied by another man he hadn't seen before. The three men stopped in the middle of the room. The man who he hadn't seen dropped his head, while the other two lay their hands on his shoulders. "I'm sorry Bill," said one of the men, "You weren't to know." "Its all my fault," replied the man, "I put her in there and now she's trapped, I'll never get to speak to my daughter again." "Don't give up" One man said, "You'll find a way to get her out." He sighed and broke away from the other two. "Come on, let's clear this room." Tom watched as the man approached a plug socket in the wall. The man wrapped his hand around the cord and pulled, the screen went blank.
Tom stared in disbelief; Megan was trapped in that machine. It was Megan behind the door. "Captain," Paris said. "I have some news."