"BECKA!" Dylan shouted.
"It's alright captain." Rick said as he rubbed the side of his face. "I deserved that,… at least, she thinks I did."
"I think?" Becka shouted. "I know what I saw!"
"Becka!" Dylan shouted again. "I don't know what history you have with Mr. Styvers, but now's not the time. We need to deal with our guests in the brig and get some information from Mr. Stark."
"Don't you mean Admiral Stark?" Becka asked, beginning to calm down.
"No. There's no excuse for what he did. As far as I'm concerned, he's a traitor."
Dylan looked at Harper, Rommie and Trance.
"It's good to have you back. All of you."
"Thanks Boss." Harper said.
"Dylan?" Trance asked. "May I see Adm,… I mean Mr. Stark?"
"Yes Trance, but as far as I know he's still unconscious."
"That's ok." Trance replied. "I just want to run a few tests."
"Very well, but meet us all in the conference hall in twenty minutes."
"I'll be there" Trance said, as she began to leave the Docking Bay.
"Hold up Trance." Harper said. "I'll come with you."
Trance waited for Harper, and they took each other's hands as they walked to Medical.
The others also left and went to various parts of the ship.
Becka went to the Maru.
"Why did they have to bring him here?" Becka asked herself, as she paced back and forth inside the Maru. "Alright, he is good with weapons, and Harper didn't know for sure that we would be coming. But why does he have to be so good looking? Why did he have to cheat on me with that woman?"
" Of course he tried to tell me that it wasn't what it looked like, but I saw them in their warm embrace. He didn't look like he was trying to get away from her either."
Becka was interrupted by a sound outside the Maru.
"Captain Valentine? May I come in?" It was a females voice, but Becka didn't recognize it. She walked to the entry ramp and opened the door.
"YOU!" Becka shouted. "What are you doing here? I suppose Rick was going to tell me later that he brought his lover with him."
"Captain Valentine," Gloria said in a calm tone. "We need to talk."
"I don't think so." Becka said, as she threw a fist at Gloria's face. Gloria quickly and easily dodged the punch.
Becka tried to hit her again, and again. First a left, then a right, but Gloria dodged every strike.
"What are you an android or something?" Becka asked sarcastically.
Gloria smiled.
"By the Divine!" Becka said. "You are an android, aren't you?"
"Yes." Gloria said. "My name is Gloria. I am the Gates of Glory's Avatar. Rick's parents discovered me, when he was only a small child. His father repaired me and I helped his father and mother raise Rick. I also helped with other tasks. They accepted me as part of their family. That's something I hadn't had since before the fall."
"Wait a minute." Becka said, as she attempted to understand things. "You helped raise Rick? So, when I saw you two hugging, it wasn't,… I mean you two aren't…?"
"No." Gloria replied. "Rick is like a little brother to me, and I like to think that he sees me as his big sister."
"Sort of like me and Shorty."
"Shorty?"
"Harper." Becka explained.
"Oh." Gloria said. "That's cute. I'll have to come up with a name for Rick."
"I'll help you." Becka said. "Come on in Gloria. I'd like to find out what Rick was like as a kid."
"I've got lots of stories to tell about Rick, especially his teen years. I can tell you about the time when he…. No that would embarrass him, if I told you that."
"Then by all means, tell."
The two walked inside the Maru, as Gloria began telling Becka stories of a younger Rick Styvers.
Trance and Harper reached medical, and Trance relieved the medic that had been attending the patient.
Trance checked his vitals, and ran various tests.
"So." Harper said, when she had finished. "Is he gonna live?"
"Don't be silly Harper. Of course he's going to live. It'll be several hours though, before he regains consciousness."
"I guess we'll be waiting a while, before we're able to question him about things."
"I'm afraid so Harper."
"Harper. Will you stay here for a few minutes. I need to go get something from my room."
"Yeah. Sure Trance, but I could come with you."
"That would leave nobody here to monitor his vitals. Harper,… pleeeease." Trance begged. Harper looked into her adorable eyes, as she pleaded with him to stay. How could he say no to her?
"Ok Trance. I'll wait here, but don't be long or I'll come looking for you."
"Don't worry Harper." Trance said, following with a kiss on his lips. "I don't like being away from you any more than you like being left alone. I'll hurry. I promise."
Harper kissed Trance.
"Go on. I'll watch the injured creepy traitor."
"Love you."
"I love you too Trance."
Trance left Medical, and went to her room. There was one other test that she wanted to conduct on her patient, but the device she needed was somewhere in her room. Now all she had to do was find it.
"I'm supposed to be good at finding things." She said. "So why can't I find one simple piece of medical equipment in my own room?"
She continued looking for several minutes, but was unable to find the device.
"Oh well." She said to herself. "There's only a small probability that he's been infected anyhow. I better get back to Harper."
Unable to locate the tool she needed, Trance left her room and headed back to Medical.
In medical Harper was becoming concerned about Trance. She said she'd hurry back, but it had already been fifteen minutes since she left. Harper wanted to go check on her, but he promised her he'd stay and watch Stark's vitals.
At that moment somebody entered Medical. Harper heard the door open and assumed it was Trance. He turned to look, but saw one of the medical members enter instead. Harper tried to remember her name.
"Um,…Janie?" Harper asked.
"Actually it's Jeanie." She said.
"Right. Sorry. Listen, Trance asked me to watch this guy's vitals while she went to get something she needed. Since you're here, do you think you could take over?"
"No problem Sir." Jeanie said. "It's time for me to start my shift anyhow. That's why I'm here."
"Thanks." Harper said, and he left Medical.
Harper headed straight for Trance's room, but on the way there he had a strange feeling. It wasn't a dizzy spell or a feeling of Déjà vu. It was something totally different. Something felt different, but he wasn't sure what.
Deciding that it was nothing to worry about, Harper continued to Trance's room.
He knocked on her door.
"Hey Trance!" He shouted. "You still in there?"
"Yes Harper. I'm in here." Trance replied.
"May I come in?"
"I guess so."
Harper entered and noticed that all the lights were off in her room.
"Is something wrong with the lights Trance?"
"No." She replied. "I was just meditating."
"Did you find what you were looking for?"
"No. I still can't figure out what would be the best path to take."
"Well," Harper said, a bit confused by her response. "Maybe it would help if you turned the lights back on."
When Harper turned the lights on, he was shocked at what he saw.
Trance also had a look of unbelief on her face.
"Harper?" She asked. "Is that really you?"
"Trance? What happened to you?"
"What do you mean what happened to me? Have you looked at yourself lately?"
"Something weird is going on here babe. When you left me just a few minutes ago, you were purple."
"I think you're confused Harper. I'm the Golden Trance. You must have been with Purple Princess. Besides when we left the meeting with Dylan and the others you didn't have a tail."
"Wait a minute." Harper said. "What meeting are you talking about?"
"The one where my purple twin told us that she plans on killing herself powering the BHB. There's no way I'm letting her do it!"
"Wait a minute!" Harper exclaimed. "This can't be happening."
"Don't worry Harper. I'll stop her."
"No." Harper said. "You have to let her do it. It's the only way everything will work out right."
"Harper? Are you feeling alright? You better tell me what's going on, starting with why you look like an Avatar."
So, Harper explained everything to golden Trance. He told her how that he and she had saved purple Trance, about him becoming an Avatar, about finding Eternity, and their plans to save Earth.
"Wow!" Golden Trance exclaimed. "That's…. just Wow!"
"So you see Trance. You have to let her do it, because it is the perfect thing to do."
"I understand Harper." Golden Trance said. "You, the you in this time period, isn't going to be happy about this."
"I know Trance, but I forgive you, so don't be too hurt by the mean things I say. I'm sorry I said them,… or will say them. Living in two different times is a little confusing."
"You want confusing? Try visiting yourself."
"I think I'll pass on that babe."
"I take it that your Avatar ability is the gift of time?"
"Yeah. I guess so, but I hadn't intended on coming here. I just sort of stumbled back in time by accident."
"Maybe you should go back to the place you first realized something was different Harper. Maybe the doorway to your time is still open."
"Doorway?"
"Whatever it is." Trance said. "I'm not really sure what they're called. I've never known an Avatar personally that had your gift, but If I remember correctly you have to open a doorway or portal, whatever you want to call it, to travel to the desired time and place."
"It's worth a shot, but what if someone sees me?"
"Do you remember anyone stating that they saw another you this time in your past?"
"No."
"Then you won't be seen."
Harper did as Trance told him and walked back through the corridor toward Medical. As he was walking he bumped into purple Trance.
"Trance!" Harper exclaimed. "I'm back!"
"Where have you been Harper?" Trance asked. "We're already late for the meeting with Dylan."
"I finally found out why Golden Trance agreed to let you power the BHB." Harper said.
"What did you find out?"
Harper told Trance about going back in time and talking to her Golden twin.
"I'm happy for you Harper. I was wondering when this would happen." Trance said. "This means that you're starting to learn how to control your new gift, but promise me you'll be careful. You should think things through before traveling to other times, especially the past. It can be dangerous."
"I hadn't planned on going this time Trance." Harper explained. "It just sort of happened."
"Wait a minute!" Harper said. "You knew that I went back in time and talked to Golden Trance?"
"Of course I know Harper. We are one now. Her memories are mine. I remember our entire conversation."
Harper and Trance entered the conference room to find everyone else already there. Dylan sit at the head of the table. On one side was Rhade, Becka and Lena, and on the other side set Rommie, Rick, and Gloria.
Trance sit down next to Gloria, and Harper sit next to Lena, directly across from Trance.
"I'm glad you two finally decided to attend." Dylan said. "This is kind of important. Where have you been Harper?"
"I'm sorry Dylan." Harper said. "But if I told you, I don't think you would believe me."