J. B. Tilton/Page 6

FIVE

"Well, Captain," said Phlox several hours later, "they are quite human. I performed every test I could think of. Bone structure, respiratory system, DNA analysis, development of fingers and toys all produce the same results. They are one hundred percent human."

"Okay," Archer said. "At least that much has been established."

"I also found some very interesting readings," Phlox said.

"How so?" Archer asked.

"I detected some very unusual organisms in there systems," Phlox said. "Many of these organisms are typical of conditions on Earth approximately one hundred fifty years ago. They should not be present in the system of any human today. In addition, each seems to have suffered massive and repeated physical trauma. They each have extensive scar tissue from obvious physical damage. Frankly, I fail to see why they are not totally bedridden from the damage they have obviously suffered."

"Do you have any explanation for this trauma?" Archer asked.

"Not at this time," Phlox replied. "I have ascertained that some of this trauma should have killed them nearly instantly. How they were able to survive is still something I have not been able to determine."

"Doctor, I want you to perform one last test," Archer said.

He slid a PADD across his desk to the doctor. Phlox picked it up and read what was showing on the PADD's screen.

"I don't understand, Captain," Phlox said.

"Is there a problem, Doctor?" Archer asked. "You should have samples on file. Is there a reason you can't perform the test?"

"No, sir, not at all," Phlox said. "I can perform the test in a few minutes. I'm just curious you would ask for something like this, that's all."

"Thank you, Doctor," Archer said. "Run the test immediately. Bring your results to the situation room when you're done."

Phlox smiled, and then left the captain's ready room. Archer sat thinking about his guests. If they were human, the rest of their story might be true as well. Especially considering what he had found after a very short computer search. His guests had sat in their quarters long enough. It was time to have another chat with them.

"What are we going to do?" Paige asked as they waited in the quarters Archer had given them. "How did we get one hundred fifty years into the future?"

"That vortex the demon used," Phoebe said. "It must have brought us here. The question is, how do we get back?"

"I don't know," Piper said. "Leo doesn't answer when we call him. I don't know if he's been vanquished over the past century and a half or if he just can't hear us way out here. Paige, maybe you could orb us back to Earth. It may have been one hundred fifty years but Earth is obviously still there."

"I'd be afraid to try," Paige said. "Orbing across town is one thing. But Captain Archer said we were sixty-three light years from Earth. I'm not sure I can orb that far. I don't even have any idea just how far that is. I'd hate to get half way there and just suddenly orb back in. That wouldn't be good."

"No, it wouldn't," said Piper. "Phoebe, can you still levitate?"

Phoebe stood up. The next second, she suddenly began to rise into the air. She settled back to the floor and then sat down again.

"No problem there," she said.

"Okay," Piper said. "Paige, that pitcher on the counter. See if you can orb it."

"Pitcher," Paige said holding out her hand.

The pitcher suddenly appeared in her hand. She sat it on the table in front of them.

"Well, my powers seem to be intact," she said.

Piper picked up the pitcher. She tossed it up in the air and as it began to drop back to the table, she froze it in midair. They all looked as it hung suspended in the air. Piper reached up and plucked the pitcher out of the air and sat it down on the table.

"Apparently our powers haven't been affected," Piper said. "Phoebe, do you still have the vanquishing spell for that demon?"

"Right here," Phoebe said, pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket and laying it on the table. "Although I'm not sure what good it will do. If we've come this far into the future I'm not sure if this spell will be effective."

"Well, that demon is still around here somewhere," Piper said. "If it's after us, it's bound to make another appearance sooner or later. We need to be ready for it."

"That's going to be a little hard locked up in here," Paige said. "That woman with the pointed ears sure seems strange. You notice how she always seems to have the same expression on her face? It's like she hasn't got any emotions."

"Yeah, I noticed that," Phoebe said. "But that doctor seems to be smiling all the time. Kind of gives me the creeps."

Suddenly a chime sounded. The girls looked at each other not sure what the chime meant. After a moment, the chime sounded again.

"That sounded kind of like a doorbell," Phoebe said. She turned to the door. "Come in."

The doors to the room opened and Lieutenant Reed walked in.

"The captain wants to talk to you again," he announced. "I'm to escort you to the situation room."

"Fine," Piper said. "It's about time we got this thing straightened out."