For the time being, I decided to take what Healey said at face value. I didn't have much choice. But I still was very cautious. This didn't feel like the work of the evil leaper, but one never knows. I also needed to find out about my mission and what happened to Al. Major General Roger Healey seemed to be the answer man.

I had an idea, "General, I mean Roger," I hesitantly inquired, "See what Ziggy has on an Alfonso Cavalicci. He was most likely a Naval Aviator in Vietnam."

Healey looked surprised at my request, "After two years of leaping, you think I'd be used to that Swiss cheese memory of yours. I don't need Ziggy to give you the skinny on Al Calavicci. As you mentioned, Calavicci was a Navy pilot. He was shot down over Vietnam and spent over half a decade in a POW camp. After he was repatriated, he became CO of the Naval Fighter Weapons School (AKA Top Gun) at NAS Miramar. Calavicci was then promoted to Captain and given command of the Amphibious Assault Ship USS Pyle. Around the Bicentennial, Captain Calavicci was directing an landing exercise on an island thought to be deserted. Turns out there were people there. Calavicci rescued the seven survivors of the SS Minnow… lost at sea from a three hour tour a dozen years prior. Captain Calavicci retired from the Navy a few months later, moving to Las Vegas, opening a successful business flying in high rollers for the casinos, and marrying the former Ginger Grant. I remember seeing Ginger at the Sands…and think wow!" It seemed General Healey had a similar personality to Al's as well. Roger continued, "Calavicci decided to go into politics. Thanks to Ginger's publicity skills, and Thurston Howell's money, in 1992 Al Calavicci was elected to be the junior senator from Nevada. Sam, he sits on the subcommittee that oversees project Quantum Leap!"

So that's what would happen to Al if he didn't make into the space program. Sure he loved being an astronaut, but in this timeline he becomes a Senator married to a movie star! Maybe that's the way it's supposed to be…

I asked Roger, "So you know the people in this leap? And how come that woman could see you and the real me?"

Roger laughed, "Jeannie is a special case. I'd tell you more, but I made a promise to an old friend long before I met you. Anthony Nelson, Sr., Jeannie, and I were very close in the 60s and 70s. But like a lot of astronauts, we drifted apart after they ended manned spaceflight in 1985."

"They ended manned spaceflight in 1985?" I asked, shocked. I know I've forgotten a lot of things since I stepped in the Quantum Leap accelerator, but Iclearly remember shuttle missions after 1985.

Roger looked grim, and continued, "You are Mr. Short Term Memory. In 1984, a group of soldiers of fortune hijacked the Space Shuttle Galactica to liberate a Russian defector from the Soviet Space station Salyut 7. The defector gave the CIA valuable information about the Russian's "Star Wars" plan, but the shuttle pilot and mercenaries escaped to the Los Angeles underground after the Galactica landed at Edwards Air Force Base. The commandoes who liberated the defector were regarded as modern day Robin Hoods by the public. It still amazes me that even though thousands of rounds were exchanged in the shootout between the soldiers of fortune and the Air Force Security Police Detachment at Edwards, not so much as one person was injured. Anyway, the simple fact that a group was able to hijack a shuttle started some very important people asking very tough questions about manned space flight. It was decided by all the major world powers that with the advances in computers and robotics, that all future space flights would be automated. The rationale was that computers would be more cost effective and less risky. Without the thrill of space flight, Tony Nelson retired as a Colonel, and lives on a ranch in Texas with Jeannie and his son. I still get Christmas cards from them, but I rarely see the Nelsons. Since I was already established in the Army Research Command, instead of NASA, my career thrived."

That was definite food for thought. Even though Al would have loved being senator married to a movie star, he most definitely wouldn't have wanted at the expense of the space program. I'm sure somehow I'm here to find the root of this mess.

Almost as if it were reading my mind, Roger's hand controller started squealing. Roger said, "Sam, Ziggy said there is a 75 percent chance you are here to prevent the Galactica from being hijacked."

Great, now all I have to do is find out how to stop an event that will occur ten years in the future.