Carter's face looked skeptical, "I don't like it. The timing is all wrong."

Koenig turned to Lucas Washington, "How much time before the alternate plan is functional?"

The man shrugged, "Another three hours, and we'll be ready."

Fraser piped up, "You think they've caught on?"

Koenig took in a large breath of air, "Quite possible. One thing's for sure, Paul Morrow and Helena Russell were acting suspicious earlier. At the very least, the timing of this navigational problem is too much for a coincidence."

"Well, it hardly matters what they think they can do with some kind of delay. In three hours, it won't matter what excuses they come up with," Sarcosian added.

"In three hours, they'll be running for anything that will get them off Alpha and down to the planet," Carter said.

Koenig's voice was stern, "Just make sure that the damage is permanent. If they can fix it, they might continue to stall."

Carter looked at Koenig, "Perhaps we should make sure that Dr. Russell and Paul Morrow can't cause any more trouble as well."

Koenig smiled, "What'd you have in mind?"

She noticed Paul Morrow standing at the door to the Med Lab. Silently, he nodded toward her office, and she followed him, closing the door behind them.

"Well?"

"No problems. Sandra and Kano are with us. We've got a twelve hour window, during which San and David will be working on our next 'delay.' But in the meantime, we have to learn more about these Bintossians, or we won't have a chance at helping the Commander and the landing party." He looked out toward the solitary figure on life support. "What is Victor's condition?"

Helena shook her head, "No change. He hasn't shown any sign of coming out of the coma he's in, and inducing him out is far too risky."

Morrow looked into her eyes, "We need him, Helena. He knows more than either of us about the Bintossians, maybe he can think of a way to eradicate them."

"How do we know that won't kill the people they've inhabited?"

"We don't. But Helena.....without trying, they're dead to us anyway." He pitched his voice softer, "For all we know, they're dead already. And we both know that none of them would want to continue on in their current state."

Russell looked away, the truth of his words more harsh a reality than she wanted to face.

He looked into her eyes, "You've got to try and wake the Professor."

Dr. Russell understood what was at stake, and still she hesitated.

"Helena, I know you're close to Victor, but we don't have a choice."

She closed her eyes; but even in darkness she could see the truth. Wordlessly, she walked out of the room, Morrow following close behind. Russell picked up a hypo, loaded it with a stimulant, and gently pressed it to Bergman's neck. There was no reaction.

Paul looked at her, "Do it again."

"Paul--"

"--Helena, I'm sorry, but we have very few options, and we need to know what he knows."

Helena reloaded the hypo, and slowly put it to his neck, releasing more stimulant into him. After a few moments, his eyes fluttered open, and turned wide with fear. Helena brushed a soft hand against his cheek.

"Stay calm, Victor, you're okay."

His dark grey eyes finally focused on her, but he was too weak to muster speech.

Paul leaned in, "I know you're in pain, Professor, but we need your help. We need to know if there is there some way to drive out the Bintossians from their Alphan hosts...."

It took tremendous effort, but Victor shook his head.

Helena sat on the edge of the bed, "Think, Victor. There must be something...."

It was a strain, but Bergman managed a slight nod. "Beings of light..... Control using refraction and reflection... Control until....."

"Until they kill their host and permanently take over?" Bergman nodded, so Morrow continued, "But until that transfer is complete, shouldn't we be able to reverse it somehow? Light can be blocked, why not these entities?"

Bergman's voice was a whisper on gravel, "Not without...."

Helena frowned, realizing he didn't have the strength to continue.

Paul's voice finished the thought, "Not without killing them?"

Helena took Victor's hand in hers, "Come on, Victor, there has to be a way. John needs us; he needs you."

The tired grey eyes grew sad, and a moment later, he tried to speak once more.

"Polarizing filter...."

Paul frowned, "Polarizing filter? Professor, what do you mean?"

Bergman swallowed hard, and Helena felt a pang of guilt realizing what the effort was costing him.

"Electromagnetic wave....."

Paul's eyes lit up, "We set up a polarizing filter that blocks the electromagnetic light wave...." Victor nodded, but Morrow's brow furrowed again, "Professor, I need more."

Bergman grimaced in pain, and Helena gently rubbed his chest, trying to comfort him. She turned to Morrow.

"Paul, he can't take much more."

"And we have no choice, Helena." He looked again at Victor, "Professor?"

"Hydrocarbon.....molecules...... absorb light."

Helena put it together, "Hydrocarbon molecules.... you mean solid hydrocarbon, like polymer?"

Victor nodded, his voice showing strain, "Linear polyethylene with molecular weight of three to six million...."

"So if we can find a way to encase them in polyethylene, then the Bintossians will have no way to project their mind control?"

Victor nodded, "Right." He closed his eyes in pain, but then opened them to whisper once more. "Must align either horizontal or vertical.... only work if transfer not complete...."

Helena frowned, "What happens if the transfer is complete?"

"Host will die."

His eyes pulled tight with pain, and Helena stroked a soothing hand across his forehead. "You rest now, Victor."

Bergman's voice was so low, only Russell could hear him, "Helena....the note...."

She leaned in, "The one for John?" Victor nodded, and she continued, "I have it."

"Tell him I'm......sorry."

Dr. Russell could feel the tears filling her eyes, but she smiled down at Bergman. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Victor."

Bergman shook his head slightly, "I'm breaking a promise I made a long time ago."

His eyes closed in exhaustion, and Helena gently put the hand down that she had been holding.

Paul's voice was filled with concern, "Will he make it?"

She shook her head, the tears from her eyes falling, "I doubt it. I just hope we get John back in time for him to say good-bye."

Paul pulled his lips together tightly, and didn't trust himself to say a thing.

Kano and Morrow quickly assembled the thick material paneling they had hastily created in the tech lab, covering the walls, ceiling and floor of the small chamber. Kano was sweating from the effort, and from the heat being generated in such a small space.

"It's so bloody hot in here! Why must we do this in an airlock chamber?"

Morrow stopped what he was doing for a moment. "Because if we fail, Kano, we can blow out the airlock door."

David turned quickly to look at Paul, "But, that would kill--"

"--the Commander, Alan and the rest of the landing party, yes."

Kano shook his head as he turned back to his work. "I don't like this Paul, and neither does computer. She's calculated our odds very unfavorably."

Before Paul could comment, there was a power surge, followed by the klaxon of the Red Alert sounding throughout the mooonbase. Sandra's voice broke in, echoing over the communications system.

"Life Support systems failure. All nonessential systems are to shutdown immediately. Repeat, life support systems failure. All nonessential systems are to shutdown immediately. We are on emergency backup power. Commander Koenig and Controller Morrow to Main Mission, please."