In Times Like These 2c2iq

In Times Like These

Date: Fifth day of the third solar year. Casualty rate: One survivor, twenty-three deceased.

It was a typical summer day when the time traveler came to visit. The female soldier, Elaine Drumman, wasn’t expecting her; she never was. Nobody could have predicted when she would arrive or how long she would stay. She just appeared one day.

Copyright

Text copyright 2019 by Jonathon Biers All Rights Reserved

This story is a work of fiction. The names, places, characters, and events portrayed are factious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or organization, is entirely coincidental. No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or otherwise, without expressed written permission from the publisher.

Chapter 1

A Walk Through Time

Tammy was nine years old when she first walked onto the second-level observation deck of Eclipse. With her steps as quiet as a mouse, the girl, dressed in black pants, a white blouse, and black shoes, shuffled across the floor. Unaware of it, this day would herald the start of a perilous journey that would ultimately claim her life. Under the overhead lights, her shoulder-length red hair gleamed, and her olivegreen eyes sparkled as she looked out beyond the observation deck window. Taking in the view of a world known as Teman in the distance, similar to Saturn in the Sol system, apart from Earth, it is the world in which she has come to know. Unseen by Tammy’s eyes, flowing from a speaker mounted to the ceiling above her head, a metallic male voice announced, “T-Minus Six. The temporal core is active.” Reflecting on her live, born during a time of turmoil, an enemy weapon had arrived. During the battle, the captain of a warship, ESS Phoenix, a human vessel, chose the only option available to him. Ordering the crew to abandon ship, he rammed the weapon, and the captain and first officer were her parents. “T-Minus Five,” the metallic male voice announced. “Temporal core is at fiftytwo percent.” Tammy raised her left hand. When she looked at a photograph she was holding, weathered with age, the photograph revealed three faces. Being held in her mother's arms, with her father standing by her side, she had no memory of the incident. Both of her parents ed away when she was only three months old. “T-Minus Four,” the metallic male voice announced. “Temporal core is at sixtyfive percent.” Pressing the photograph to her chest, feeling her heart beat against her fingers, she earned for a more innocent life. She longed for the days when her parents were still alive. Shortly after the photograph was taken, the harsh reality of war shattered her life. That reality tore her family apart, and what remained was forever changed.

“T-Minus Three,” the metallic male voice announced. “Temporal core is at seventy-two percent.” Tammy thought about the technology that would soon propel her nine years into the past. She stood quietly, facing the observation deck window, while beyond the confines of Eclipse, she watched boiling rings of energy as they encircled and tightened against the hull. They embraced the vessel in the same way that a mother would embrace her child. “T-Minus Two,” the metallic male voice announced. “Temporal core is at eighty-three percent.” While boiling rings of energy tightened against the hull, she watched Eclipse turn away from Teman. The vessel's speed slowly increased, and as it approached the point where time and space would converge, she was aware that one mistake could shatter time forever. T-Minus One,” the metallic male voice announced. “Temporal core is at ninetyfour percent.” Tammy watched as the outer boundaries of space beyond the observation deck churned. Eclipse was now in the process of creating a doorway, one from which there would be no escape, and the vessel was preparing to enter the heart of it. “Temporal core is at ninety-nine percent,” the metallic voice announced. “We are going for jump.”

Table of Contents

In Times Like These Copyright Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16

Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28

Chapter 2

Elaine Drumman

Frustration alongside stress. They both simply evaporated every time Elaine Drumman finished her full workout. With every step she jogged and every weight bench she pressed; more weight was lifted from her shoulders. While serving in the military, Elaine severed all ties to her emotions. She grew to believe that there was no room for emotion. She can't really hold it against her drill sergeant. In an effort to stay alive, she did it all to herself. If she ended up in one of those situations, that is, she would not have to worry about emotion. After an hour and a half workout, with drops of sweat forming on her chin, Elaine drew herself up from the weight bench. After a minute or so, she reached up with her hands and released her hair retainer. When she shook her head, damp red curls bounced around her ears and her neck. Comparable to the weight bench; Elaine turned her life into a machine. She had no other goal in life beside what the military wanted her to do. She didn't seek love, nor did she yearn for it. She focused all of her instincts on the need to survive, without fear, without regret, and without a second thought. Reaching out with her right hand, her fingers pulled a towel from the rack on the side of the weight bench. Wiping her face and running the towel through her damp hair, she began a journey to the shower room with full intent of grabbing her belongings and heading home. She rarely stayed around to take advantage of the shower room, even on nights such as this, when there was no one else around. She wasn’t a shy person, so dressing in the shower room didn’t bother her at all. She never stayed around long enough to take advantage of the shower room. This evening, however, she discovered a reason. Walking away from the weight bench with the towel draped over her left shoulder, she heard a resounding click from the front door of the gym. Pausing in her steps, turning around to face the front door, she caught sight of Gordon Krice as he walked through and into the gym. He is the captain of a starship, Phoenix. “Captain,” Elaine said, and his unexpected appearance aroused buried emotions within her. She recalled him standing by her side during her teenage years and

ing her as she mourned the death of a friend. Standing an arm’s length away from him, she never allowed emotions to cloud her judgment, or was she afraid of losing a friend? Gordon, standing in front of Elaine, dressed in his blue uniform with gold bars fringed on his shoulders, says, "Lieutenant." “Yes, sir,” Elaine answered. “We have a problem,” Gordon said. “Command has been tracking an unknown, and then they received a distress call.” “Where?” Elaine questioned. “The vessel was heading toward the Adar system,” Gordon replied. “Shower and pack your bags; you are back on duty.” Elaine began to feel lightheaded and her eyes drifted closed. When she opened them, she became confused? She was having a conversation with Gordon a minute earlier, but now he was gone. After looking around the room, she realized she was still in the gym. ‘What happened?’ she wondered, and heard the front door of the gym click open. Walking through the door and into the gym, Gordon came to a complete halt. Taking in her appearance as she was taking in his, after a minute, he says, “Lieutenant.” “Yes, sir,” Elaine replied, and her mind began to wander in a haze as her thoughts struggled to focus on what had just taken place. “We've got a problem,” Gordon said. “I just received word of a distress call.” Elaine took a moment to consider what Gordon had just said. She knew that the two of them had this conversation only two minutes earlier. She replies, "In the vicinity of the Adar system." Gordon did nothing but stand there and stare at her for a moment, his mind in a state of confusion. Unsticking his tongue, he asks, “How did you know?” "Because, we both had this conversation less than two minutes ago," Elaine

responded. Gordon appraised Elaine’s statement. Traveling through time had been proven theoretically feasible, and if they just had this discussion, what they might be dealing with is most likely a time traveler. “Time travel?” he enquired. “Time travel has been proven possible,” Elaine answered. “Shower and pack your bags,” Gordon ordered. “You are back on duty.”

Chapter 3

Tammy

Tammy never imagined what it would be like to be awake without waking up, or to be in excruciating pain and feel nothing at all. She wondered how she would have reacted to the situation. She had no idea that it would be anything like this. She struggled to what had taken place? What happened to her, and how did she end up in this situation? Each minute that elapsed, she appeared to be regaining consciousness, becoming more aware of how painful her body felt. Over the length of time, she had the impression that days had ed. When the onset of clarity began to set in, she finally opened her eyes, discovering herself in what appeared to be a hospital bed, with her head resting on a pillow. To gain a better understanding of her surrounding, she attempted to lift her head, but her head felt so heavy, as if a large rock had been attached to her neck. When she was finally able to lift her head, she looked around the room. When she examined the walls, she noticed that they were all beige, a light cream color. Toward her left, a white curtain covered a window above a dresser, and she realized it was early morning. The light of the sun filtered through it and into the room. To her right, she could see an IV pole next to the bed, and beyond the IV pole was a closed hospital room door. After a while, Tammy began to details of what had transpired. She recalled boarding Eclipse, entering the observation deck, and the journey through time had gone well, until something went horribly wrong. Upon their arrival at their destination, the spacecraft began to experience power issues due to a malfunction in the temporal core. The captain, Tasa, had a suggestion, even though it was a risky one. They could try to reach the nearest solar system, land on a planet, and attempt to repair the temporal core by creating an alternate timeline. Tammy couldn't what happened after that, but she had a bad feeling that it wasn’t good. As the minutes flowed into three, Tammy began to hear a whooshing sound. The sound she heard was close by, which sent shivers running along the length of her spine. When the minutes swelled into four, she realized the sound she heard was Tasa. Looking toward the curtain that was draped over the window in the room, she said, “Tasa, are you here?”

Tammy immediately noticed that something wasn’t quite right in the room. A strange blue ball of light had suddenly appeared in front of the curtain that was covering the window. The appearance, which was about four inches in diameter and hovering just out of her reach, provoked a low, threatening growl to escape from her throat. The blue ball of light growled in response. Tammy was concerned about the blue ball of light hovering in the distance. She was a clear target, and she couldn't run and hide from it. On the other hand, she didn’t want to run and hide from what was in front of her. Realizing that she was only a few feet away from safety and security, she stretched out her right hand, palm open, her fingers of her hand extended. Intermixed with swirling bands of blue rings, the ball of light drifted away from the window, crossed the room, and approached the bed. When it arrived at her outstretched hand, hovering in midair, it paused for only a moment before kissing the tips of her fingers. Tammy says, “Hello, Tasa.” “We have altered the timeline,” Tasa said. Tammy rubbed her face with her left hand in an effort to calm herself down and told herself not to worry. She was never going to be one of those helpless girls who hides in a corner. She had lied to herself, because she was alone and frightened, as she questions, "How long before the timeline begins to close?" “Six to eight months,” Tasa answered. “Then the timeline will begin to correct itself.” Tammy often wondered about time, in addition to the issues that might arise in the timeline itself. Was time written in water, or was it engraved in stone? She discovered the answer to her question. Constantly shifting like water, most of the time it was fragile. it was impossible to change the course of time without causing damage to the timeline itself. "How far back did I travel?" Tammy questioned. “Eight years, four months, two weeks, three days, five hours, nine minutes and

eight seconds,” Tasa answered. “And what about Eclipse?” Tammy questioned. Although she was aware that something terrible had happened, she couldn’t what it was. Her last memory was of them attempting to land on a planet. The clouds were flying by in a blur. The ground was ri under Eclipse, and the next thing she ed was only darkness. “I’m sorry,” Tasa said. “The vessel is gone.” “If Eclipse is gone,” Tammy said, “there will be no way for me to return.” “No,” Tasa replied. “Malfunction within the temporal core. The jump was successful, but Eclipse did not survive the journey.” “If Eclipse did not survive,” Tammy said, “what will take place when the timeline begins to close?” There was no reply from Tasa. “Tasa,” Tammy said. There was still no reply from Tasa. “Tasa,” Tammy demanded. “Answer me.” “I'm sorry,” Tasa apologized. “With the loss of Eclipse, the timeline will catch up with both of us. The effect will overtake me before you. The process has already begun. If there were any other option. If only we had not lost the vessel.” “What will happen when the timeline begins to close, Tasa?” Tammy questioned. The tone of her voice was tinged with concern. “The timeline will overwhelm us,” Tasa said. “The process will be gradual at first, and then it will increase dramatically. For you, the effect will be.” Noticeably hesitant in his words, he was unable to bring himself to finish his sentence. “What consequence will there be?” Tammy said.

There was once again no reply from Tasa. “Tasa,” Tammy demanded. “Answer me.” “As with myself, weakness will be at the beginning,” Tasa predicted. “As the timeline progresses, you will grow tired and weak. When the first portion of the timeline begins to close, you will sleep. You will cease to exist at the moment of closure. Your body will vanish like a puff of smoke.” Tammy shivered, wishing the prospect of dying away. With the loss of Eclipse, there was no way out of it; she had to keep a level head. Pulling her emotions together, she knew that dwelling on the past would do her no good; the past was now the future, and she had work to do. “According to your calculations,” Tammy said, “Mother should be carrying me now?” “Yes,” Tasa replied. “Is that the reason why I will grow tired and sleep?” Tammy asked. “I am unable to survive beyond the birth date?” “Yes,” Tasa answered. “Is the birth date the closure of the timeline?” Tammy questioned. “No,” Tasa answered. “The birth of the child marks the closure of your timeline. The child’s timeline will continue from that day forward, until the exact hour, minute, and second you traveled through time. At that moment in time, the final portion of the timeline will close.” “That is nine years from now,” Tammy said. “What will happen to her on that day? The day I journeyed through time?” “She will see glimpses of your life,” Tasa explained. “The six to eight months you are here, from the moment you stepped onboard Eclipse, until the day you sleep. At that moment in time, the timeline will reset.” Considering the questions regarding the six to eight months she had to live, Tammy knew that the timeline would soon catch up with Tasa. He had stated

that it had already begun, as she says, “I won’t be seeing you again, will I, Tasa?” “No,” Tasa answered. “For me, it will soon be over.” Looking at Tasa, Tammy realized she would be all right, even though she would soon die. She had been in worse situations before, as she extends Tasa one final look. “Tasa,” she said, knowing she can’t go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and create a new tomorrow. “Yes,” Tasa said. Looking at Tasa, measuring the validity of her life, Tammy says, “Thank you for everything you have done, Tasa.” Within two minutes, Tasa flickers like a dying flame and is gone.

Chapter 4

Escape

Wearing a hospital gown, Tammy slid out from under the blankets of the bed. As her bare feet touched the cold floor, she looked around the room, considering her options. Unsure of what to do next, her last ray of hope was extinguished in Tasa’s death. She wondered where she was? What planet did she crash-land on, and did she end up in enemy hands? It was just a matter of time before the enemy attacks, and she has only six to eight months to stop them. Their strategy would provide them with unrestricted access to a mystery beyond the stars. The mystery is Tasa’s home world, as well as the key to time travel. Her understanding of what was transpiring began two years earlier, when she was only seven years old. Her grandfather knelt in front of her, and said that the mystery from beyond the stars had been moved to Earth. A year later, when she was eight, Tasa appeared in front of her and said that she would be ing him on a secret mission that would take her to Dania V, which he referred to as his home world. It had been a long, nine-year struggle. With the presence of human warships nearby, she found herself onboard Eclipse. The operation was designed to travel through time in order to prevent the enemy from gaining control of Teman. Additionally, the objective was also to ensure that an alien invasion of Earth would be prevented. Tammy shifted her thoughts away from the enemy. Turning her attention to the dresser beneath the window, she rushes to the dresser and pulls the drawer open. When she looked down, she noticed a tunic and a pair of tros. Taking them out of the drawer, she returns to the bed. Removing her hospital gown, she dresses herself, zips up her tros, and stands up. Unsure of where she was, she had traveled approximately nine years into the past. She did not arrive at Teman as planned. Her mother was carrying her, and the invasion will take place when the child is three months old. At this moment in time, the enemy’s back is against the wall, but their back won't be against the wall for long. An opportunity will soon present itself, granting them the opportunity to strike. The only thing on Tammy's mind as she stepped away from the bed was Teman.

Approaching the closed door to the hospital room, once she arrived, she grasped the handle. After pulling the door open, she looked out into a long corridor and noticed a row of windows on the right side. Toward the far end, directly in front of another door, she could see what appeared to be a security desk. At that time, no one was in the corridor or seated at the desk. “I’ve got to get home,” Tammy breathed. Barefoot, Tammy made her way out of the hospital room and entered the corridor. She expected to come face-to-face with the enemy at any minute. They were green and scaly, and resembled a frog standing on their hind legs. Their hands and toes were webbed, and their eyes were large and unblinking, with a red forked tongue that would slip out of their mouths when they talked. Following the corridor, approaching the desk in the distance, she reached out with her right hand and touched the windows with the tips of her fingers. She couldn't see a single cloud in the morning sky beyond the glass. She didn’t notice a single sidewalk or other building because her eyes were centered on the direction she was headed. Arriving at the desk, it didn't take long before her eyes caught sight of the door. A sign above it reads: ‘THIRD FLOOR EMERGENCY EXIT.’ Stepping past the desk, arriving at the door, the fingers of her hands caressed the polished metal of the door handle. A heartbeat later, she heard the thud of shoes echoing through the corridor behind her, or perhaps they were the webbed feet of the enemy? At the sound she heard echoing behind her, her breath caught in her throat. Curving her fingers around the cool metal of the door handle, she pushed the door open, which made a subtle click, and she entered the confines of a stairwell. Closing the door behind her, she stood with her back against whatever was in the corridor. Thinking of the enemy, she stood for what seemed like an hour. She knew that her only way home was down, so reaching out with her right foot, touching the first lower step, her left hand gripped the stairwell railing for dear life. When her foot had reached the second step, she was startled when she heard a noise from below. The sound of a door opening and closing resounded through the stairwell, and shortly after that, the sound of footsteps echoing from below could

be heard as they approached. Tammy listened as footsteps approached from below. Meanwhile, she could hear muffled voices leaking through the closed emergency exit door. After hearing the click of the door latch, her suspicions regarding the muffled voices were confirmed when the door swung open to reveal a shadowy figure standing against the glare of the corridor lights. The shadowy figure stood motionless for a minute, and then said in a male voice, “You're not going to get very far.”

Chapter 5

Stairwell

In the dim light of a stairwell, Tammy shrank to the concrete steps. She drew her knees up against her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. All of her dreams flashed through her mind, and tears streamed from her eyes as if her heart had been squeezed like an orange and devoured without mercy. Feeling her heart pounding against her ribs, she heard the door to the emergency exit close. She didn't move as she heard footsteps approaching from behind. She didn’t breathe as she heard footsteps coming toward her from below. Fearful of moving, she believed doing so would only complicate her current situation. After a minute, she noticed the faint outline of a woman who was approaching from below. Drawing closer, what she saw was not composed of green skin, and what she saw appeared to be a female with a humanoid form. She was dressed in a blue military uniform, and her movements were slow and held back, with her eyes holding a questioning stare. The female officer approached at a slow, steady pace, closing the distance between herself and Tammy. Her eyes were centered on a child, who was crouched down on a concrete step, with her knees drawn up against her chest. Her movements came to a halt two steps below, her green eyes looking into Tammy’s own. For a minute, she just stood and watched as tears flowed from the young girl's eyes. Then, in a quiet voice, said, “Hello.” As Tammy examined the female officer, she noted a woman in her mid-twenties, with red hair that fell to her shoulders, and green eyes that were staring into her own. She wished her heart would stop beating so hard. She was worried it would alert the enemy to her presence, which was something she didn't want. “I’m sorry,” she apologized. “Please don’t hurt me.” "No one will hurt you," the female officer assured her. She reaches into her uniform shirt pocket and pulls out a handkerchief. Holding it out toward Tammy, she ends by saying, "Go ahead. Take it and dry your eyes." Accepting the handkerchief from the female officer’s hand, Tammy turned to size up the mysterious figure who was standing behind her. A male officer was poised against the emergency exit door, which was located just a couple of feet away. Dressed in a uniform of blue with golden bars on his shoulders, looking at

him, she realized it was too late to run. As he had said earlier, she wouldn't get very far. Tammy turned her attention away from the mysterious figure who was standing behind her. The blur in her eyes was nearly gone, and when she turned her attention back to the female officer and looked at her, her face was suddenly familiar. She had the impression she was looking at a faded photograph of her mother’s face. Standing in front of Tammy, the female officer noticed a strange look in the child’s eyes. They had been filled with worry a minute earlier, but now, they were filled with suspicion. “Can you tell me your name?” the female officer questioned. Tammy chokes out, “Tammy.” The female officer frowned at the look in Tammy's eyes. In order to help the child, she began to investigate various possible solutions to the problem at hand. All of a sudden, the shadows cleared, and a light came on in her brain. They were getting ready to embark on a journey, and a vehicle was parked outside. Reaching out her hand to Tammy, she says, “Let’s go outside for a walk.” As Tammy sat on the concrete step, her knees still drawn up against her chest, her fear had cleared, shattered like the last glimpse of darkness at the end of a long night. “Outside?” she inquired, and she had to restrain herself to keep from running down the stairs. She concludes, saying, "Do you mean out there, outside?” “Yes,” the female officer said. Rising to a standing posture, Tammy's right hand took hold of the female officer’s left hand. As she started to step down the steps on shaky legs, one step at a time, her left hand swept the wall for until her feet touched the bottom step. At that location, the male officer opened the door, and the three of them walked out into the cool morning air.

Chapter 6

Morning Breeze

Suspicious breathing echoed across the hospital grounds; a security guard was watching. A second guard was standing at the edge of the sidewalk. When three figures came into view, he took a step to their right. After Tammy had walked a short distance, her feet suddenly came to a halt. With her back turned to the emergency exit door, she directed her thoughts towards the female officer. There was something strange about the woman standing next to her. She had the distinct impression that she was looking at a faded photograph of her mother’s face, as she politely said, “Excuse me.” The female officer noticed that Tammy's eyes gleamed with curiosity. It seemed as if the child was looking for something in her mind that she couldn't find. "Yes," she said. “What’s your name?” Tammy questioned. “Lieutenant Elaine Drumman,” the female officer replied. Turning away from Tammy, she shifts her attention to the male officer. She then turns her attentions back to Tammy. "And he is captain Gordon Krice," she adds. Tammy looked away from Elaine and toward Gordon. Then she shifts her attention away from Gordon and back to Elaine. She was trying to recall those names in her mind, but with each ing second, it was becoming more difficult to . "Did you say your name is Elaine Drumman?" Tammy inquires. "Yes," Elaine replied. She noticed that Tammy asked her name rather carefully, as if she might step on a landmine with her words. She concludes, "Why?" Looking at Elaine, at that moment, she couldn't make the connection. She was standing between the two people she had traveled through time to save. “Nothing,” she said. At that instant, her inability to was complete. "I’m sorry.” Elaine cringed at the expression on Tammy’s face. Despite her best efforts, the child was unable to anything, and her thoughts were nothing more than a white smear in her brain. Then she inquired, “Do you know why you are

here?” "No," Tammy said. She was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown. Her thoughts had become disted, like a jigsaw puzzle, and she couldn't find the missing pieces. Facing Tammy, Elaine collected her own thoughts. She could tell that the child couldn't anything. She could see it in her eyes and hear it in the tone of her voice. "Do you know where you are?" she wondered. “No,” Tammy repeated herself. Elaine’s thoughts wandered to the remains of a crashed vessel. With each step she took, she got a little closer to solving the mystery of the mysterious vessel. “There was an accident,” she explained. “We discovered you among the wreckage of a crashed vessel, and you appear to be the only survivor.” Tammy suddenly ed the reason for her journey, and a portion of her mind suddenly opened up. "Eclipse,' she said, her eyes widening as she spoke. "They were taking me somewhere. I need to help someone, and I'm the only person who can do it.” “Do you know who?” Elaine was curious. "I can't say," Tammy replied, her eyes covering the majority of her thoughts. “All I can say is that I need to travel to Teman, a planet called Teman. I have to see my grandfather. Only my grandfather can help me with what I need to do.” Elaine could see a desperate look in Tammy's eyes. She made the decision to change the subject rather than continue to discuss the issue further. "What about your parents?" she asks. “They both ed away after I was born,” Tammy explained. “My grandmother and grandfather took care of me. Please, if you can, take me to Teman. I have to see my grandfather. He'd know what to do. I'm sure he'd know what to do.” Elaine resumed walking again, and the sensation she felt was unlike anything she had ever experienced in her life. 'Just an evening stroll through the hospital grounds,’ she thought, and as she raised a data-pad and looked at the screen, a knot formed in her chest and her heart began to pound against her ribs.

The data-pad reads. Name: Unknown Age: 9 DNA Confirmation: Positive Mother: Elaine Drumman Father: Gordon Krice Turning off the data-pad, Elaine lowered it to her side. The words she read on the screen terrified her, as she struggled to comprehend the gravity of what had just taken place. ‘Well,’ she reasoned. ‘How can I have a daughter when I’ve never been pregnant?’ Upon exiting the hospital grounds, Tammy paused in her steps between Gordon and Elaine. Standing against the rising of the sun, she noticed five black vehicles hovering six inches above the pavement on the street in front of her. Lined up in a row, a soldier was standing alongside the open rear enger door of the second vehicle. Tammy questions, “Are we going somewhere?” Elaine fumbled with the data-pad, she almost dropped it to the ground. When she looked at Tammy, she knew deep down that this young girl she had never given birth to was her daughter. “Yes,” she said. “We’re going to go on a journey, spend the night in a hotel, and first thing tomorrow, we’re both going to travel to Teman. We’re going to pay grandfather a visit.”

Chapter 7

Convoy

While a caravan of five vehicles traveled down the road, Elaine looked over her left shoulder and into the back seat. She saw Tammy looking out the driver's side rear window, but her thoughts seemed to be focused somewhere else. "Are you all right?" Elaine couldn't help but ask. Tammy's thoughts were preoccupied with the direction she was heading in, as well as a warning of what would soon follow in its wake. “Yes,” she itted. “All I need is to see my grandfather.” "You will," Elaine replied. Tammy shifted her attention away from the direction in which she was traveling. Elaine's uniform piqued her interest, and she decided to investigate further. Her grandfather wore a uniform that was strikingly similar to hers. His uniform, on the other hand, was also adorned with several medals on his chest. "Are you a soldier?" she inquired. "Yes," Elaine said. "My grandfather is a soldier," Tammy said, "Grandmother told me how they met. He was at war with a race he referred to as predators, and then an unknown vessel entered the system. That vessel originated from a planet known as Earth.” Elaine listened intently to Tammy as she spoke, and noticed a growing affection in her eyes. As a result of that affection, she became aware of her own emotions as they began to rise, which she immediately suppressed. “You love your grandfather, don’t you?” she said. Tammy responded with a heartfelt, "Very much. He is the ruler of Teman. He protects the world, the Earth, and me, but he wasn’t strong enough to protect all of us.” “In what way?” Elaine asked. "Grandmother told me that it began before I was born," Tammy said. “The predators were growing in strength. After first with Earth, grandfather discovered a planet named Dania V. The name of the planet means 'home' In the

Teman language. They discovered their home world. Their ancestors fled to escape the predators a long time ago, but the predators followed them.” “And?” Elaine inquired. "They discovered that the predators were looking for the world, "Tammy explained. "There was a technology there that they wanted. My grandfather sent a ship to the world. The name of the ship was Phoenix. When they arrived, they discovered that machines had taken over the world. They were living machines.” “And?” Elaine repeated herself. “When Phoenix arrived, they discovered that the engine they had used during the beginning of space travel had torn a rift in space. A portal to another universe had been opened by the rift. Both the predators and the machines flowed through the rift created by the engine they used.” “What about Dania V?” Elaine asked. “It was discovered that the battles lasted nearly a thousand years,” Tammy said. “The vast majority of the people left Dania V. Others were left behind. During that time, the machines worked to repair the rift in space, but they soon discovered themselves stranded. They wouldn't be able to return home unless the rift was reopened. They weren't about to do that, so they chose to establish a permanent presence on the planet.” “And your mother?” Elaine questioned. “It was during the time they discovered Dania V,” Tammy explained. “She was the first officer onboard a vessel called Intrepid. The vessel was Teman’s flagship. When the vessel was attacked by predators, her commander ordered her into an escape pod. She had information about Dania V. After Intrepid was attacked, mother was no longer the same.” “In what way?” Elaine asked. “Grandfather said that she isolated herself from everyone. She would spend the majority of her time working out at a gym. My father tried to help her. He attempted several times to break through the wall she had built around herself,

but she wouldn't let him. She always stayed an arm's length away from him.” “Why?” Elaine wondered. “She was afraid,” Tammy said. “Everything revolved around the loss of Intrepid. There were a lot of people she knew who died on that ship. She would never allow herself to become emotionally attached to father. She didn’t want to see him die.”

AS THE SUN BEGAN TO set, the convoy made its way into a small town, ing by a shopping mall on the main street. Before continuing on, they came to a stop in front of a post office, where they waited for the traffic lights to turn green before continuing on their way past a gas station and barbershop in the vicinity of a park. They pulled into the parking lot of the Shorberg Hotel just as the sun was setting. On the north side, there was a swimming pool, as well as two tennis courts and a golf course, among other facilities and services. A sidewalk ran the length of the building, and a guard clothed in military fatigues stood guard at the closed door of a hotel room. Elaine opened the front enger door, exited the vehicle and walked to the rear enger door and opened it. Upon noticing Tammy had fallen asleep, she reached in, unbuckled her seatbelt, and scooped the child up into her arms. Closing the rear enger door, holding Tammy's tired body against the rhythm of her heart, each beat emphasized the fact that she had left something important behind. Walking away from the vehicle, she crossed the parking lot, down the sidewalk, and eventually arrived in front of the hotel room door. The guard positioned as sentry opened the door. Upon entering the room, against the sound of the door closing, Elaine laid Tammy on a blanket-covered mattress. Looking around the room, Elaine noticed a package on the nightstand. Stepping away from the bed, opening the package, Elaine removed sleepwear, socks, and shoes. Returning to the bed, after dressing Tammy in the sleepwear, she tucked her under the blankets before she walked to the opposite bed and sat on the mattress. Elaine leaned her head back against the wall and looked at Tammy, fearful of more things than she could possibly name at the time. Most of all, she was afraid of what will await her in the morning. More than that, she was at a loss for words as to why she felt compelled to hold her. She suspected it had something to do with the fact that she was her daughter.

Chapter 8

Morning

Life can be a scenario of hellos and goodbyes. Life can also be filled with suffering and pain. Elaine believed she had it all, but what happens when your entire world comes crashing down around you? Perhaps she lacks a daughter who can help her confront her demons, and in that way, they can help each other. Sunlight blossomed over the Shorberg Hotel, and Tammy woke in the early hours of the morning. Opening her eyes, she climbed out from beneath the crinkled sheets of a bed and dressed. Not far away, a woman stood beside the closed door of the hotel room, her face expressionless in the stillness of the early morning. For Tammy, her young life had been raised by her grandmother. She was cared for by everyone other than her own mother. A chain of events began when Eclipse fell from the sky, which will eventually lead to her to discover that she has a mother whom she had never known. Tammy stepped away from the bed, made her way through the hotel room and toward Elaine. Her steps came to a halt in the center of the room, her mind reflecting on how her grandmother and grandfather first met. Shifting her thoughts away from that time, thinking about how the predators will soon arrive on Teman’s doorstep, she says, “Can we talk?” “Yes,” Elaine replied. Tammy took another step forward. In the back of her mind, Elaine’s face seemed familiar, as if she were looking at a faded photograph of her mother’s face. “Grandmother told me that father saved mother’s life on a world known as Dier Saul,” she said. “The predators attempted to take over the world, and it was a battle to end all battles, but they were not defeated. They thought they were, but they were wrong. The predators were in possession of a secret weapon, and they used it.” “Is that how your parents died?” Elaine asked. "Yes," Tammy replied. "It was an attempt to save the world of Teman. Without Teman, the predators would have a direct route to Earth, as well as the ability to travel to Dania V. They destroyed the warships above Teman, the orbital defenses were disabled, and they were taking control of the world. Their second

objective was to attack Earth. I was able to escape thanks to Earth and Dania V. That is why I must return. I need to inform grandfather of what is about to take place.” Elaine was aware of what was going on in Tammy's mind. She was hesitant, as if she were preparing herself for something noteworthy. Stepping away from the door, she took Tammy’s hand in her own. "Let's go have breakfast," she said. "We still have a two-hour journey ahead of us.” Opening the door, Elaine walked out of the hotel room and into the outside world. After closing the hotel room door and pausing in her steps, she took a moment to reflect on her current situation. At the same time, she looked at the parking lot, where five vehicles were parked. Elaine's attention was drawn away from the vehicles and towards the guard who had remained on duty throughout the night. She was curious if he was similar to herself. ‘I’m a soldier,’ she'd say as she stood alone in the dark. ‘I’m a soldier,’ she would say as she watched coffins being lowered into the ground. ‘I’m a soldier,’ she'd remind herself as she packed her meager belongings into a suitcase before leaving her possible future behind. “What’s your name?” Elaine asks the guard. "Mathew Douglas," the guard replied. "And your commanding officer?" Elaine questioned. “The captain of Phoenix,” the guard replied. "And the last time you ed home?" Elaine wondered. "Two weeks," the guard responded. He shifted his attention away from Elaine and toward Tammy. After a minute, turning back to Elaine, he closes by saying, "My wife and I are expecting our first child in four months." Elaine paused in her words as she faced a mirror image of herself. She realized that she was no longer a soldier standing in the dark. She was no longer a soldier leaving her possible future behind. She was evolving into something much more than she was as her emotions began to build inside her like an active volcano. She says, “I’m going to talk to Gordon when I get onboard.”

Tammy followed in Elaine's footsteps as she stepped away from the guard. Walking the length of the sidewalk, her steps came to a halt at the entrance to the cafeteria. When she looked at Elaine, the woman in front of her seemed all too familiar. She had a distinct impression that she had seen her once before. "It's strange," she remarked. "You remind me of someone.” While Elaine was looking at Tammy, she noticed a strange expression in her eyes. It was as if she were a daughter who had lost her mother, only to find her years later and she didn’t know who she was. As a result of this realization, the active volcano inside her grew in size, and tears welled up in her eyes as a result. Tammy noticed that Elaine was not in pain, despite the fact that her eyes were welling up with tears. Given her ability to think any problem through, the only thought that crossed her mind was sadness, prompting her to inquire, “You’re not starting to cry, are you?” Elaine turned away from Tammy and wiped a tear from her eye with her hand. In an attempt to keep her emotions under control, she discovered that they were far beyond her reach. She couldn't stop the active volcano inside her from erupting. Looking back at Tammy, she says, “No. Soldiers don’t cry.” Looking at Elaine, Tammy paused in her words. Wondering what happens to a soldier who has seen only battles, she then shifts into a more positive mindset. Not so much battles as not being able to forget what he or she had lived through. “Grandmother told me that soldiers cry," she said. "She knows a lot of soldiers who cry. The effort is to ease the pain of what they lived through. Only one soldier she knew couldn’t let go. That soldier was imprisoned within a uniform with nowhere to go.” “And this soldier?” Elaine questioned. "That soldier was my mother," Tammy replied. "It all started with Intrepid. After the final battle, when she had laid down her weapon, she continued to fight. Only it wasn’t a battle against an enemy; rather, it was a battle against herself. She was unable to let go of the past.” Silhouetted against the entrance to the cafeteria, Elaine knelt down on both knees. While looking into Tammy's eyes, she noticed something special about her, as if she had the ability to heal the wounds of war with her gaze alone. The thought made her smile, and it was genuine, not fake, as she says, “Let’s go

inside and eat.” Entering the cafeteria, Tammy sat at a table opposite Elaine. While served a plate of pancakes and syrup, Tammy lifted a glass of juice to her lips. Looking at Elaine as she typed a message on her data-pad, Gordon's image could be seen on the screen. She suspected the message had something to do with the guard stationed outside the hotel room door. After finishing breakfast, Tammy got up from the table and walked across the cafeteria. She placed the plate and empty glass on the counter, and then she ed the hospital. The woman standing in front of her said that her name was Elaine Drumman. That was her mother's name! Tammy turned away from the counter and looked toward Elaine, who was seated at the table not far from her. She couldn't pull her gaze away from her face. The faded photograph she'd once held in her hand had now come to life. She didn’t want to think of the past. She always wanted to know who she was, and as tears welled up in her eyes, she said, “I’m ready.”

Chapter 9

Shuttle

The five vehicles swung off the main road. Following the length of a barbedwire fence, it was possible to see an airfield, runways, and military aircraft beyond. When they arrived at the main gate, a military jeep was seen. Beyond the jeep, another vehicle was parked. Resembling a giant, polished beetle, the vehicle was an impenetrable barrier of bodywork and steel. Three men could be seen standing alongside the military jeep. Two of them were dressed in standard military uniforms, with rifles slung over their shoulders. The third man wore a black suit, white shirt, black tie, and a pair of black spectacles. The heat emanating from the road distorted their shimmering shapes. One of the two men, who were dressed in military uniforms, walked away from the military jeep and approached the caravan. Arriving at the driver's door of the lead vehicle, he waited until the driver lowered the window. The driver lowered his window and displayed his military badge. The man examined the military badge. With giving the all clear with his free hand, the gate behind him swung open. Returning the badge to the driver, he says, “You’re clear. The shuttle is standing ready on the tarmac.” As soon as the gate opened, the five vehicles ed through. After traveling the length of the runway, the driver came to a complete stop when the vehicle arrived at the shuttle. He turned off the engine, left the keys in the ignition, and opened his door. Exiting the vehicle, leaving the driver’s door open, he walked to the rear driver’s side door. Pulling on the handle, he opened the door. When Tammy exited the vehicle, she could see the shuttle in the distance. The heat rising from the tarmac distorted the shapes of two people who were standing in front of the open hatch. They were both the pilot and the co-pilot. Turning away from both of them, she walked to the opposite side of the vehicle and approached Elaine. Pausing in her steps, seeing a worried expression on Elaine's face, she said, "You're worried?" Elaine shifted her attention away from Tammy and cast an uneasy glance at the shuttle. Her journey was about to begin, and she was worried about what dangers may lay ahead. She turned her attention back to Tammy after watching

the pilot and the co-pilot as they both entered the craft through the open hatch. "Yes," she says in responds. "I'm concerned about you, myself, and Teman.” Tammy looked at the shuttle's open hatch. Apart from Elaine, she was well aware about the dangers that awaited her at the end of her journey. Looking back at Elaine, she says, "It will be all right, grandfather will know what to do.” “I hope so,” Elaine answered. Walking away from the vehicle, approaching the shuttle, they both stepped through the open hatch. Elaine seated Tammy next to the port side window and secured her with a harness. She then sat by her side, fastening her own harness. When the hatch closed and sealed, and when the anti-gravity generators were turned on, they both felt a build-up of pressure against their bodies. The pressure was released when the internal gravity generators were switched on. They then felt a wobble as the craft lifted off the tarmac and retracted its landing gears. Tammy turned her attention toward the forward section of the shuttle. Beyond four rows of double seats, she watched the pilot as he raised his hand above his head before he flipped a switch. “Ranger Five, package has been delivered,” the pilot said. “Awaiting clearance.” “Confirmed, Ranger Five,” was the pilot’s call back. “Phoenix is at three hundred and twelve, ing over Ragstaff.” Tammy shifted her attention away from the pilot's words and his response. Looking through the shuttle window, she watched the tarmac fade into a world of blue, brown, and green. She then leaned back in her seat and turned away from the view outside. Looking at Elaine, she wondered how the woman seated next to her would react to the knowledge that she was her daughter. Seated beside Tammy, Elaine had her hands folded in her lap. Reflecting on her life, she questioned whether the sacrifice she imposed on herself was worth it, or did she leave her future behind? That thought compelled her to look at Tammy, and as her emotions continued to build like an active volcano, she wondered how the child seated beside her would react to the knowledge that she was her mother.

Chapter 10

Phoenix

Tammy shifted in her seat and looked down the length of the shuttle. Beyond the cockpit window, the hull of Phoenix shone against the sun. The spacecraft, which was suspended over a world of blue, brown, and green, resembled a silver arrowhead with a bulge in the center. Watching the spacecraft grow in size, she thought back on what the pilot had said earlier, along with his response. Phoenix was the vessel that moved against the enemy weapon. During the battle, Gordon issued an order for the entire crew to abandon ship. He was certain that there was only one way to stop the enemy weapon. He had no choice but to ram it. Seated next to Tammy, Elaine noticed an unusual expression in her eyes as she looked through the cockpit window. She was still the same girl she had found, but she now had the desperate look of a soldier losing in battle. She placed her hand on Tammy's arm and inquired, “Is there something wrong?” Tammy required a significant amount of effort to turn away from Phoenix. When she looked at Elaine, only a sliver of hope remained in her eyes, and that sliver of hope was fading fast. “It’s nothing," she said. "I’m just a little frightened, that’s all.” When Elaine hears Tammy's response, her face twists in surprise. "It's more than just that," she said. “Please tell me.” Tammy turned away from Elaine and looked at Phoenix through the cockpit window. Then she recalled what her grandmother had told her about the battle. At that moment, she turned away from Phoenix and back to Elaine. She questions, "Is that Phoenix?" “Yes,” Elaine replied. Thinking of Elaine standing in the hospital stairwell, Tammy's heart was ablaze with emotion. Later, while standing in the hospital courtyard, she introduced herself as Elaine Drumman. She no longer held a faded photograph of her mother in her hand. That photograph she had once held had come to life. "Are you my mother?” Tammy wondered, with a questioning stare.

Even though Elaine's heart skipped a beat at the prospect of becoming Tammy's mother, she wondered, as she had done several times in the previous hours, 'How can I have a daughter when I've never been pregnant?' “Yes,” Elaine confirmed. “I believe I am.” Tammy looked through the cockpit window, and for a brief moment, she seemed to have her emotions under control. They only broke through the surface when she noticed Phoenix's thrusters fire and the spacecraft turned, revealing the nameplate, 'Phoenix.' At that point, she turns to Elaine and says, "You and father died onboard that ship." “How?” Elaine asked. Tammy described the enemy's assault on Teman. She said, “They received a distress call from the Rigel system. A series of solar flare eruptions damaged the crops at an outpost. Phoenix and a small detachment of warships remained behind as a fleet left for Rigel with provisions. The enemy saw a window of opportunity, and took advantage of it.” “What happened?” Elaine asked. “An armada appeared and approached Teman. They possessed a weapon that was capable of destroying the orbital defenses. Phoenix and the detachment that were left behind intercepted them, but they were outnumbered. During the battle, Phoenix was severely damaged. Father ordered everyone to abandon ship. He was convinced that there was only one way to stop the weapon. He had no choice but to ram it.” Tammy stiffens and closes, “You and father are going to die again.” Elaine reached out with her hand and wrapped her fingers around Tammy's hand. She says, "No, we're not," and she peers through the cockpit window at Phoenix herself. She continues, “You just said something that is extremely important.” "What? "Tammy asked. She thought this was shaky ground, she had to feel her way through. “Do you know when the fleet departs for Rigel and the enemy ships arrive?” Elaine asks.

Before Tammy could speak, Phoenix's landing bay startled her. A gravitational tug was felt, accompanied by a moan. The landing struts on the shuttle were extended, and the craft wobbled as it touched down on the landing bay floor. She confirms with a nod of her head and saying, "Yes." “Then we'll intercept them with our own armada,” Elaine replied. “The most important thing right now is how you got here. Somehow, you traveled through time, and we have a lot of questions that need to be answered.” “Grandfather can help,” Tammy said. “And he will,” Elaine replied, “though he may be a little surprised.” “In what way?” Tammy asked. Elaine moved closer. Untangling her fingers from Tammy's hand, she says, “Tammy, he won't know you. You haven't been born yet.” Tammy’s eyes opened wide with surprise. “Oh, you’re right,” she said, “my grandfather is in the future. A time after the battle.” When the hatch on the shuttle opened, they both stepped out of the craft. When Elaine looked at Tammy, she noticed a resemblance in her face. Tammy was the mirror image of herself in every way. Anyone could see it as they walked across the landing bay floor, stepped onto a lift, and vanished from sight.

Chapter 11

Guilt of Intrepid

Tammy made her way down a narrow ageway and onto the observation deck of Phoenix. She noticed that the spacecraft was quiet, the engines were still. Phoenix floated through space, an object without function. The observation deck she stood in reminded her of a small restaurant, but it was also large enough to be a reasonable business. In addition to custom-made tables and seating arrangements for the crew, the observation deck included a bar at the far end that was connected to a kitchen. She watched a waitress who was wiping down a table. She ended the task by wiping down the bar with a rag. Beyond the bar, there was activity in the kitchen, with a cook preparing meals. Ship time, it was an hour before breakfast, and the aroma of bacon lingered in the air. Tammy turned her attention away from the waitress. She listened to Gordon's voice as it boomed through the speakers mounted to the ceiling above her head. “All personnel, prepare to get underway,” she heard Gordon say. “Station leaders are to report to the bridge.” Gordon's words were followed by a moan that sounded like twisting metal. In less than a minute, the spacecraft began to turn away from the planet it was orbiting at what Tammy perceived to be a snail’s pace. Compared small to the size of the planet, Phoenix, on the other hand, was enormous. With a length of two hundred and fifty yards, a width of one hundred and fifty yards, and three decks high, the warship dominated the heavens as if it had a specific mission. Observing the planet slowly fade away from view, Tammy caught a glimpse of Elaine’s reflection in the glass of the observation deck window. When she showed up at the entrance to the observation deck, she noticed that her mother had the appearance of a soldier who was searching for her past, but she couldn't find it. She was curious about what her mother was thinking? Was she as alone as her grandmother had said, leaving her past behind and closing the door to any possible future? Standing at the entrance to the observation deck, Elaine nervously looked at Tammy. A question lurked in the back of her mind. She wondered if the child had heard the stories of her past? Inhaling deeply to calm her nerves, she announces, “We will arrive above Teman in thirty-nine hours.”

Like the second hand on a clock, Tammy slowly swung towards Elaine. With her back turned to the observation deck window, facing Elaine, standing even at a distance, she could hear a sliver of guilt in her mother’s voice. Even though she tried to understand it, another part of her felt understanding would mean her absorption into Elaine’s pain. She thought about that for a minute, before saying, “Grandmother told me that mother and father never married?” “Perhaps they couldn’t work things out,” Elaine answered. Tammy stepped away from the observation deck window, her face flushed with surprise. Approaching Elaine, walking between the observation deck tables, she was well aware that what her mother had said was untrue. Standing behind a wall, she wouldn't let anyone near her. Pausing in her steps three feet away, she says, “That’s not what my grandmother told me. Mother loved father, but she had too many scars. One of them cut deeper than all the rest. It was a scar she placed upon herself.” “And that scar?” Elaine questioned. Looking at Elaine while she looked back at her, Tammy reflected on all her grandmother had said. “It has to do with Intrepid," she replied. "Grandmother told me that you always blamed yourself for the loss of the vessel, the crew, and the commander. Despite the fact that there was nothing you could have done to save them, you felt as though you had failed them all. You never let go of that guilt.” Despite the fact that Elaine wasn't afraid of injury, Tammy’s understanding of her past tore all of her defenses down. After she gained the necessary confidence to speak, unsticking her tongue from the roof of her mouth, she says, “And how would you let go if you had carried it for most of your life?” “Everyone has to let go,” Tammy said. “There was a time when I blamed myself for my parent's deaths, then I realized it was my mother's scars that kept her away. She loved father, but she was afraid that what happened to her commander and the crew might happen to him. Unfortunately for her, it didn’t matter in the end. She died alone, standing alongside the one man she loved.” For a minute, which felt like an hour, Elaine stood frozen like a statue. Allowing herself a smile, a fragment of a grin that was more nervous than relaxed, she says, “And what would you say to your mother if you could face her?”

“I would tell her to always tell the truth and not hide behind a wall,” Tammy stated. “I might only be nine, but I’ve learned one important lesson in my life.” “And what would that be?” Elaine questioned. "Life is much easier when you tell the truth and face the consequences,” Tammy replied. “It's a real pain to try to talk your way out of a lie, and it's even harder if the lie is told to yourself.” For some time, Elaine stood in mute silence. Against Tammy’s gaze, tearing through the wall she had built around herself, she sinks to both of her knees and says, “And how would I begin?” Tammy saw the desperate look in Elaine’s eyes. She wanted to step out from behind the wall that she built. She says, “You can start with your uniform. Grandmother told me that you never took it off. You don’t have to wear it twenty-four hours a day. There are times when you need to put your work behind you. Besides that, I would tell father about Intrepid. I would tell him everything. Don’t stand behind that wall anymore.” Kneeling in front of Tammy, Elaine shifted nervously. She appeared vulnerable to everything, a firestorm that scorched against the desolate plains of her mind. After the firestorm had subsided, she says, “But all I have are uniforms.” Tammy was taken back by Elaine’s words. She questions, “Only uniforms?” “Yes,” Elaine answered. Tammy understood that conflict was a core element of a person's life, and no matter how hard you try to avoid it, it is unavoidable in the end. 'Perhaps I can show her a new path,' she thought, and said, "Is there a clothing store on this ship?" “Well, yes,” Elaine managed to mumble. “The store is located below us on deck three, just after the barbershop and before entering the engineering section.” As usual, Tammy noticed that Elaine was dressed in blue slacks, a blue shirt, a brown belt, black shoes, and a gun holstered by her side. She says, “Well then, let’s go shopping.”

Elaine climbed to her feet, a woman with a simple face, though hardened by war. She stood there for a minute, staring at Tammy as she extended her hand. She did the same thing, sweeping up her fingers into hers before turning and walking out into the corridor together.

Chapter 12

Shopping

Elaine and Tammy made their way into the lower starboard section of Phoenix, which contained the crew's quarters, the medical section, a barbershop, and the engineering section, among other things. Entering the supply section, Tammy immediately noticed that the shelves were stocked with cleaning supplies, toilet paper, napkins, and everyday needs. In the center of the room, rows of uniforms ranging from maintenance to officer were on display. Beyond that, there were racks of standard-issue clothing to browse. Biting her lower lip, Elaine walked past the rows of uniforms in silence. When she arrived at the ordinary clothing section, she rummaged through the racks, picking out what she thought she might need at the time. She was never one to panic. She was known for her military prowess, but now she has a daughter, as panic begins to settle in. Carrying a bundle of clothes in her arms, Elaine entered a vacant booth. She drew the curtain closed and then turned around to face herself in the mirror. Releasing her holstered revolver, she placed it on the bench by her side. The moment she began to take off her uniform, she felt fear rise up from her feet and slowly engulf her legs. Sliding her legs into the first pair of jeans, followed by a white blouse, it was a fitting situation. She liked the feel of that. The clothes were simple enough to highlight her body in all the right places. The blouse had a V-neckline and was low cut. She hoped that it wouldn't reveal too much. While the outfit she was wearing looked modest, she preferred something with a little more style, but not too revealing. After the twelfth pair of jeans and the tenth blouse, she noticed Tammy standing outside the curtain of the booth. Her arms were crossed across her chest, and her right foot was tapping the floor, as if restlessness had settled in. Parting the curtain of the booth and peeking through, Elaine said, “Is there something wrong?” Tammy, who was standing in front of the booth and staring at Elaine, noticed that her mother’s current situation was not the war-torn ravages of a battlefield. Her current situation was the confines of a clothing store. Her facial expression

was unreadable. Only her lower lip biting indicated certain change. “No,” she responded. “I’m just standing here waiting.” Elaine drew the curtain open and stepped through. Holding a bundle of clothes in her arms, after an endless hour and a half, choosing one pair of jeans and a blouse, she had become somewhat restless herself. "Do you think this will do?" she questioned. “Yes,” Tammy replied. Elaine didn’t think the clothes made her look any better, and the blouse she was wearing hugged her too tightly, revealing some cleavage. She struggled to keep her mind focused, but she felt naked without her uniform. Dropping the bundle of clothes to the floor, she covered her cleavage with her hand. “I really don’t know," she said. Tammy, who was standing directly in front of Elaine, released her crossed arms. She grabbed her mother’s elbow and spun her around so she could see herself in the mirror. As she had expected, she noticed that her mother’s eyes darted everywhere in shock. “Trust me,” she said. “You look fine.” “Are you sure?” Elaine questioned. “Yes, I’m sure,” Tammy answered. Continuing to look at herself in the mirror, Elaine’s eyes descended to her cleavage. After clearing her throat, she inquires, “Are you really sure?” Tammy considered the options in front of her. Weighing the odds, nothing seemed to work. She had to be straightforward and blunt. "Trust me,” she said firmly. “You look fine. You need to come out from behind that wall you built. Give yourself a chance to live." Elaine’s first reaction was to fight, but the opponent in question was a child. When she turned away from the mirror and looked at Tammy, she wished she hadn't. Tammy's expression caused her to bite her lower lip hard enough to bruise. “I feel naked,” she said. Tammy paused in her words before responding. Yes, Elaine was a strange woman, and she had the tendency to babble when she was nervous, but all the

same, she was her mother. “You’re not naked,” she stated. “Trust me.”

Chapter 13

Memories

The following morning , Tammy stood quietly on the observation deck. Facing the observation deck window, she watched a five-armed spiral galaxy, a mixture of red, orange, yellow, and white as it grew in size. When Phoenix began to roll over, as if the vessel were about to capsize, it accelerated at full speed towards the spiral galaxy in the distance. After drawing a deep breath, Tammy turned away from the five-armed spiral galaxy. She noticed Elaine as she entered the observation deck. Despite the fact that she was standing at a distance, she could see her mother chewing her lower lip. She was dressed casually in jeans and a white blouse, with no gun holstered at her side. Elaine, looking at Tammy, hesitated in her actions at the entrance to the observation deck. Then, after a minute, she calls out, “We will arrive above Teman in eleven hours.” Tammy noticed that Elaine's emotions were like an ocean of water approaching a weakened dam, threatening to flood the area beyond. Her mother had discovered her past midnight, trembling on the living room couch. With a blanket pulled around herself, her knees drawn up against her chest, how tears pooled in Elaine’s large, deer-like eyes. Elaine stepped from the entrance and onto the observation deck. She crossed the room between the tables, over to Tammy's side. Rather than look at the fivearmed spiral galaxy she offered Tammy a nervous smile. During the night, the child would not speak. She built a wall around herself that she was unable to break through, as she questions, “You had a nightmare last night?” Tammy was deafeningly quiet for what seemed like an hour. The thought of Eclipse trembled in her stomach as the memories of what transpired flooded back into her mind. Recalling how she had cried herself to sleep in Elaine's arms, she finally spoke. "Eclipse," she said. "They made a huge mistake.” "You didn't want to talk last night," Elaine said. "Can you tell me what happened now?” Tammy felt a shiver run down the length of her spine. What she recalled was more than enough to push her over the edge. "Time travel is extremely

dangerous," she warned. "The first mistake they made was with Eclipse. The second issue was with the temporal core.” “Temporal core?” Elaine questioned. “Eclipse was built after the conflict,” Tammy explained. “The vessel didn't exist where they were traveling. The temporal core would have held the vessel in not only a new time, but also in an old one. Eclipse would exist in two parallel timelines at the same moment in time.” “And?” Elaine asked. “One component of the temporal core began to break down,” Tammy said. “There was no way they could repair it while they were in flight. All of the systems began to fail. Upon arrival at our destination, they chose to land on a planet in an attempt to repair the temporal core by placing the vessel in an overlapping timeline, but they crashed.” “And you were the only survivor?” Elaine questioned. “Yes, but there was another besides myself," Tammy said. "His name was Tasa.” Swallowing hard, she paused in her words as tears swelled in her eyes. With her emotions reaching critical mass, she closes, saying, “I watched him die in front of me.” Elaine attempted an encouraging smile. She stood sharp in jeans and a blouse, without a uniform or a gun holstered by her side, despite the fact that she felt somewhat naked. Wrapping her arms around Tammy, watching the five-armed spiral galaxy grow larger, she says, “It's going to be all right. We both will get through this together."

Chapter 14

Quarters

When you're lost, alone , and far from home. When you miss your family, relatives, and friends and the only place left for you to go is home, perhaps you should consider going home. Elaine walked down the corridor of her crew’s quarters. She noticed that the walls were devoid of pictures. They were as empty as her life had been. She never considered what she could have had, and now it was time for her to go home, as she walked into the living area, seeing Tammy seated on a black leather sofa. Her steps came to a halt as she entered the living area because of Tammy's intense stare. Besides being stared at, she had a sneaking suspicion that she was showing far too much cleavage for her level-headed sensibilities, however, at this moment, she couldn't recall why. Elaine bit her lower lip. She desperately wanted to run away and hide, but she couldn't escape Tammy's unblinking stare. She was entering uncharted territory, and the child's stare didn't help matters either, as she inquires, "What do you think?" Tammy looked at Elaine from the other side of the room. Her mother was standing at the entrance to the room, dressed in jeans and a white blouse, with no gun holstered by her side. She was going to have dinner with Gordon on the observation deck. For her, she regarded it as a first date. They didn't say anything as they stared at each other, and then Tammy noticed tears welling up in Elaine's eyes. Additionally, she had the impression that her mother was thinking about Intrepid, in addition to the pain that had taken root in her soul. That prompted her to inquire, "I thought you told me soldiers don't cry?" “I’m not crying,” Elaine replied. Turning away, she wiped a tear from her eye. Tammy sighed, her breath trembling with emotion. She had a small heart, but she was bursting at the seams with love. “Let go of Intrepid,” she said, looking at Elaine as if she were bracing herself for a battle with an unseen foe. “Your past was yesterday, and tomorrow is your future.”

Often, with the best of intentions, life does not always turn out the way people hope. On of, life isn't like a movie with a happy ending. Elaine thought about it for a minute. As she did, all the suffering and anxiety evaporated, and the wall she built around herself crumbled in front of her eyes. Tammy smiled to herself. She noticed that the wall Elaine had built had collapsed. And there lies the issue. For someone who wanted so desperately to live, Elaine turned her life upside down. Pushing herself up from the sofa, she stepped through the living area and up to Elaine. Pausing in her steps, she says, “Welcome home, mother.”

Chapter 15

Reunion

On the world of Teman , silhouetted against the dawn sunrise, the bustling capital city of Sarana hovers among the clouds. The sunlight reflects off the city's towers and walls, transforming the city into something so majestic, so beautiful, that no man could ever match it in of beauty and grandeur. Through the endless days, visitors from distant worlds would travel the winding streets. Among traveling merchants, ambassadors, and children’s voices, their eyes would ache from the light. The light that unites them as one. One man resides here, with short red hair and green eyes. He is dressed in a fine linen robe and is standing in the central chamber of the Citadel, which is a large room that has been lavishly decorated with thick velvet. Visitors from distant worlds will seek him out, but there is no way in, and once inside, there is no escape unless he permits. Abernathy, the ruler of Teman and Elaine's father, raised his head beneath a translucent domed ceiling. He hears footsteps approaching the Citadel's main entrance, and today he will allow those who are beyond his sight in, where shadows are only reflections of yesterday. Gordon, Elaine, and Tammy approached two armed guards who were stationed on either side of the main entrance. As they walked up the main steps, upon entering, Gordon noticed guards flanking the crystal-fortified walls, where timber rose to the domed ceiling, the main chamber of the Citadel. Tammy, who was walking between Elaine and Gordon, paused in her steps. She didn’t look down or behind her; instead, she looked straight ahead. Abernathy appeared in the distance, and she watched his approach, her gaze fixed on him. He was dressed in a woven robe of dark purple and red, with his eyes displaying the directness of a man long accustomed to unquestioned authority. Abernathy continued his approach, pausing in his steps in the center of the Citadel. Extending both of his arms in a gesture of friendship, his voice rumbling like thunder through the room, he announces, “Enter. I bid you all welcome.” Gordon, who was standing to Tammy's left, noticed the softness of Abernathy’s voice. His demeanor, as he had known it, had drastically changed. Holding his

world in balance, he could send an armada into battle with a single word. However, on this particular day, his demeanor was ive, and his eyes shown joyfully in the dim light of the room. Bowing his head, kneeling on one knee, Gordon says, “Mr. President.” Abernathy's attention shifted to Elaine. He made every effort to put aside his anxiety. She was a woman who closed her eyes to the world, and the wounds she had inflicted upon herself, though invisible, ran deep, as he said, “Welcome home, Elaine.” Elaine replied formally, “Thank you, Mr. President.” Bowing her head, she knelt on one knee. Abernathy's attention and thoughts drifted away from Elaine and settled on Tammy. When he looked at her, he appeared confused, as if a jumble of thoughts were racing through his brain. After a brief pause, he says, "My word, you are the mirror image of Elaine.” Tammy, standing in front of Abernathy, did not bow her head or kneel. She had no reason to bow her head or get down on one knee, because he had always been a part of her life. She says, “I came to stop an attack, grandfather, and save the lives of mother and father.” Abernathy nods his head in understanding. He says, “I am aware of only one world that possesses the knowledge of time travel. Their law, however, forbids intervention within the timeline. I find it strange that they would do such a thing, but given the fact that you are here, it must have been important enough for them to break their one primary law.” Love, Tammy never said the word without meaning it. She replies, “Because I love you all.” As she spoke, her voice was tinged with sadness. She didn't want to break his heart by telling him that her days were numbered. He meant so much to her. She went on to say, “The predators are in possession of a secret weapon, and they will soon be given the opportunity to strike.”

Chapter 16

Timeline

There were twelve of them flying through the air, their wings flapping. A thin screech could be heard high above Goldshire Park. Silhouetted against the capital city of Sarana, a dozen birds were flying south. That demonstrated sound judgment on their part. Only a desperate creature would attempt to survive the approaching winter. Three days had ed since Tammy's arrival, and slanting rays of sunlight filtered through the orange, yellow, and green leaves of the trees. Across the leaf-fallen ground, Goldshire Park was deafeningly quiet. Armed security guards were stationed throughout the park. On the eastern side of Goldshire park, in the empty parking lot, Abernathy exited the enger seat of a military jeep. Following the length of a sidewalk towards two armed guards who were standing ready, he felt a stillness in the air, a sign of impending doom, or was it the fact that the park had been abandoned. Walking past both guards, within sight of a playground, and approaching a picnic table, he noticed Tammy nearby, a girl who had become so entangled in his thoughts. For two days, she was under hospital supervision. However, on this particular day, she was entrusted to Elaine's care. Elaine, who was standing next to a picnic table, overlooking the abandoned park, watched Abernathy as he approached. She remained motionless, with her face expressionless. Dania V had provided her with information regarding Tammy earlier in the morning. The child had less than a year to live. Abernathy stepped from the sidewalk, approached the picnic table and paused by Elaine's side. He looked toward a section of the park where Tammy was. Gordon could be seen standing by her side, while above both of their heads, like a crown of diamonds in the sky, Sarana floated among the clouds. It wasn’t difficult to distinguish between Tammy, Gordon, Elaine, and Sarana. Elaine was holding back a floodgate of tears in her eyes. "I always wanted grandchildren before I died," Abernathy said. He was unaware that Tammy’s days were numbered. “I had no idea one would appear overnight and be nine-years-old.” “I received information from Dania V,” Elaine said, and she frowned at the

guards who were stationed around her. She envied them almost bitterly. They had no idea what was growing inside her heart. “Your suspicions have been confirmed," she concludes, "but there is a problem.” “What problem?” Abernathy questioned. Elaine’s eyes were glistening with tears, and she felt that everything taking place was her fault. She should not have been onboard Phoenix during the battle with the enemy weapon. She says, “Dania V has informed me that she is dying." “Dying,” Abernathy said. He was surprised by the news, which he had not expected. Not after everything the child had been through. “Are you sure about that?” Elaine nodded her head sadly. “Yes,” she confirmed. “Dania V claims, with the evidence that Eclipse was lost, that there is no way for her to return. They estimate six to eight months. The timeline has been disrupted, and it will soon begin to correct itself.” “This can't be. Not after everything the child has been through,” Abernathy said. “Does Dania V know if there is a way to send her back. To construct another vessel?” “No,” Elaine replied, unable to confront the reality of what she had just said. “Dania V has informed me that there is not enough time. I was also provided information regarding Eclipse.” “And this information?” Abernathy questioned. "I've been informed that Eclipse is in the process of disintegrating," Elaine said. “They estimate that within the next six to eight months, there will be no trace that the vessel ever existed.” “The child and the vessel are connected,” Abernathy reasoned. “Yes,” Elaine replied. “From what I understand, the timeline has already begun to close in on Eclipse. The timeline will soon close in on her.” “Did they say if it will be painful when the timeline begins to close?” Abernathy questioned.

“No,” Elaine said, with her thoughts shifting from worry to panic. “They claim that she will become weak. Over time, confined to a wheelchair. She will then go to sleep one night and not wake up.” Abernathy's skin was suddenly tinged with rage. Unlike the previous rages he had experienced, this one was more focused, as if a buried memory was asserting itself. Not against Elaine or Tammy, but against an unknown foe. "Don't blame yourself,” he said. He believed that she would. “We will make the time she has left a memory for all of us.” “Will you be all right, father?” Elaine questioned. Abernathy noticed that Elaine appeared to have turned pale. Not because of something she'd heard, but at the reality of what was transpiring in front of her very eyes. “Yes,” he said. “However, I am more concerned for you.” Elaine shook her head. “I will be fine,” she answered. “I’ve seen soldiers die alongside me in battle.” Abernathy’s eyes remained focused on her. In a voice neither patronizing nor demanding, but full of comion, he says, “She’s not a soldier, child. She is your daughter.” “I know,” Elaine answered.

Chapter 17

Tammy

Fluorescent light reflected off the pink bathroom tile, bright enough to reveal Tammy’s handprint on the wall. Alongside the handprint, Elaine’s reflection in the mirror was clear and detailed. Her eyes were bloodshot from tears. She used a towel to wipe the tears from both of her eyes. As with Intrepid, she will once again lower a body into a grave. The body she will lower, however, will not be your typical body. She will lower a body made from her own flesh and blood. Elaine leaned against the bathroom sink, wishing she could fly away. She wished she could forget the day she discovered Tammy squatting on the stairwell steps of a hospital. She wished she could be back in her uniform and erect that wall around herself again, but she knew that wasn't going to happen.

TAMMY WAS NOT SURPRISED when she saw Elaine enter the living room and saw the glimmer of tears that remained in her mother's eyes. For the duration of time Elaine was in the bathroom, she listened to her cry. She also guessed correctly about the tears. Her mother had just learned that her days were numbered. Pushing herself up from the sofa, Tammy didn’t know what to say. She felt as if she had stabbed a knife through her mother’s heart. She will want to build that wall around herself once again because the person she will bury will not be a soldier from Intrepid. She will be burying her very own daughter. Tammy stood quietly for a minute, reflecting on the previous week. Watching tears as they swelled in her mother’s eyes, threatening to overflow, she remarked, “I thought you told me soldiers don’t cry?” Elaine's body tensed and became stiff as a result of Tammy's words. She wished the tears in her eyes would go away, but they wouldn’t. She also didn’t want to confront her, but she knew that if she didn't, she wouldn't be able to live with herself. “Why did you do this?” she demanded. Her eyes shone with a piercing gleam. “After what took place onboard Phoenix? After everything you've said, why?” Tammy took a single step forward in the direction of Elaine. She replied, “To save your life. You’ve been alone for so long, standing beside the one man you loved. You might have even died alongside him without saying that one word.” She pauses in her words, then closes, asking, “What month is this?” “Third week of Avor,” Elaine answered. Tammy reflected on Phoenix and Teman. Her relationship with Elaine seemed like a lifetime ago. Were they really as close as she had hoped? Perhaps, but she needed to know for sure. “No, on the human world,” she replied. “What month is it on Earth?” “June, but why?” Elaine answered. Standing in front of Elaine, Tammy's lips curved into a smile. She was curious as to whether her mother was aware that she was pregnant. If she didn't know,

this night would be full of surprises. She takes another step forward in Elaine's direction and extends her right hand, laying her palm against Elaine's belly, as if to acknowledge the fact. She says, “You should see the doctor tomorrow because you're pregnant.” Elaine didn't say anything right away, but the surprise of what Tammy had said reflected in her eyes. She was unaware that she was expecting a child. After placing both of her hands on Tammy’s hand, she says, “Pregnant?” Tammy agreed, saying, “Yes. I didn’t come back just for you and father; I came back for all of us. I want her to have a mother, not just a faded photograph. That is all I have ever had. I came back for all of us.” “You came back for all of us?” Elaine questioned. “Yes,” Tammy confirmed. “The timeline will eventually catch up with me, and I am not afraid of dying. Besides, I haven’t even been born yet, and I'm sure if you had the chance, you would have done the same for me.” There was a noticeable pause, but Elaine knew Tammy was right. She would have sacrificed her own life in order to ensure the safety of the child. She swept Tammy up into her arms. She didn’t think of the weapon that would arrive. If it were months or even years away. The only thought on her mind at the moment was the present. Tammy questions, “Are you upset?” Elaine replies, “No, sweetheart.”

Chapter 18

Quiet Evenings

In the silence of a two-bedroom cabin, Elaine leaned back in her bed. Leaning against the wall, peering through the open door of her bedroom, she saw Tammy lying on the living room floor. She noticed that the child’s face was filled with deep thought as she scribbled on a pad of paper. Elaine turned away from Tammy and closed her eyes. She realized that her world was no longer centered on Intrepid. Something far more important had taken its place. Her life was not ruled by a treill or a weight bench. There were no soft whispers in the darkness of the night. She wasn't standing behind a wall anymore, because her past no longer ruled her life. After hearing a tap on the frame of the bedroom door, Elaine opened her eyes. She saw Tammy standing at the entrance to the room, a piece of paper in her hand. She also noticed that the child was nervous, as if she had a thousand questions running through her mind at the time. “What do you have?” Elaine questioned, and looked at the piece of paper in Tammy’s hand. Tammy entered the bedroom, pausing in her steps at the foot of the bed. Her thoughts were focused on an event that would soon take place. She was well aware that Phoenix would soon stand up against a weapon. Outnumbered, the vessel will fight for the survival of a world, as she extends her hand, the piece of paper held between her fingers. She says, “Grandfather will want to see this." “What is it?” Elaine asks. Tammy appeared to be at a loss for words as she stood at the foot of the bed. On the one hand, she came to save Gordon and Elaine's lives, and on the other hand, she was concerned that they both would still die. She says, “It's the timeframe from when the fleet departs for Rigel and when the weapon arrives. The one that is going to attack Teman.” Elaine shifted her thoughts away from Tammy and focused on the piece of paper. After a brief pause, she turned her attention back to Tammy. She says, "He'll get it. You don't have to be concerned about that.” “But I,” Tammy said. Her following words were absorbed into the walls of the

room. Elaine, struggling to smile, noticed the expression in Tammy’s eyes. She was aware of what was marching through her brain. The child was frightened that she would still die. “Come here,” she said, and tapped her hand against the blankets of the bed. Watching Tammy as she climbed onto the bed, Elaine drew the piece of paper from her hand. Laying it on the nightstand, swinging back to face Tammy, she says, “Do you what I told you about the weapon before we arrived onboard Phoenix?” Sitting alongside Elaine, Tammy says, “No. I was too nervous then. A lot of things were happening.” “I told you that we will intercept the weapon with an armada,” Elaine said. “You don't have to worry . We will be fine.”

Chapter 19

Rest Area

As Gordon drove down Crawford Interstate, a suffocating silence engulfed the vehicle, so thick that it could be cut with a knife. He sat in the driver's seat, with both hands on the steering wheel, perplexed as to why Tammy be taken to her grandmother’s house. More importantly, why Elaine be driven to town. Elaine, who was seated next to Gordon in the enger seat, can see her thoughts speeding by through the dirty enger window. Laying both of her hands on her belly, she wished she could fly away, and with looking down, she knew something was going to show. It was only a matter of time. Tammy, who was seated in the rear seat, was lost in her own thoughts. With both of her hands folded in her lap, she struggled to hold back a smile as she looked at Elaine. Her mother reminded her of a teenage girl who went out to a party only to find herself in trouble the next morning. After driving for a considerable time, Gordon looked for a place to rest. He drove off the Interstate and into a truck stop, and there they were, along with picnic tables, restrooms, and vending machines. It was a typical truck stop in every way. Shifting gears into park, Gordon shut off the engine. Then, as he looked up into the rearview mirror, he noticed that Tammy was looking back at him. Her unblinking stare caused the hairs on the back of his neck to rise. Her eyes were like a ticking time bomb, a warning that something was going to happen soon. “Is something wrong?” Gordon inquired. He couldn't say anything more, her gaze rendered him speechless. “Oh no, father,” Tammy said, almost smiling at his response. She continued to hold back a smile, knowing that all he did was to fall in love. The only mistake he made lasted a few seconds, but it had the power to control his life. Elaine, who was sitting next to Gordon, turned to face him. She noticed his unblinking gaze as he stared back at Tammy in the rear-view mirror. She also noticed that nervous sweat was breaking out on his skin. She hoped that guilt didn't reflect in her voice when she spoke. “Are you all right, Gordon?” she inquired.

Gordon found it difficult to pull his gaze away from Tammy. When he was finally able to do so, he turned to face Elaine. As he wiped the sweat from his brow, he realized that he was more nervous than he had ever been in his life. "Yes," he said, his single word sounding different than usual. Elaine shifted her eyes away from Gordon. Her thoughts were racing through her mind as she looked over her shoulder and into the back seat toward Tammy. Her daughter held the stature of a judge and jury, and her piercing eyes revealed the knowledge about what she and Gordon had done. “Tammy,” Elaine said, “go sit by the picnic table. I need to talk to your father.” Tammy was well aware that Elaine was about to tell Gordon what she already knew. Turning her attention to Gordon, she shifts her attention back to Elaine a few seconds later. The strangeness of the situation prompted her to say, “Oh, this is so weird.” She ends with a simple, “Okay.” Elaine watched Tammy as she unbuckled her seatbelt, open the rear enger door, and walk away. She was only five feet away from the vehicle when she turned to Gordon and said, “Do you last month when I stepped out from behind the wall I built?” Gordon sensed it before he recognized it, like a breath of cold air ing across the back of his neck. Elaine’s words caused his eyes to fall to her belly. He was well aware of what happened after she stepped out from behind the wall she built. On the verge of committing suicide, their emotions ignited a fire that could not be quenched. “Oh, my word!” he panicked. Here, five hundred feet above sea level, the scenery was breathtaking. The mountains to the east, with their snow-capped peaks, romantic. Elaine didn’t feel romantic at the moment. Leaning close to Gordon, she says, “Tammy told me yesterday that I was pregnant, and there is more than that.” “What?” Gordon asked. He was surprised that he could even speak. “The baby is her,” Elaine said. “She travelled through time to save us both, and there is one more thing I discovered.” “What?” Gordon repeated himself.

Elaine replies, “She’s dying. They estimate six to eight months.” Gordon looked past Elaine and through the enger window toward Tammy. “Dying?” he questioned. "Yes. With the loss of Eclipse, there is no way for her to get back, and there isn't enough time to build another ship. The timeline will catch up with her within the next six to eight months. I need to know if I'm pregnant.” Gordon continued to look through the enger window at Tammy, and his thoughts were centered on Elaine’s words as he calls out, “Tammy, get in the vehicle. We’ve got places to go.” After a short rest, they pulled out onto the Interstate.

Chapter 20

Mother

When Gordon pulled the vehicle into the driveway of Abernathy's house, Elaine’s body stiffened. She can see her mother, Athena, in the living room, through the picture window. It was midafternoon, which was far too early for her. She was well aware that telling a lie to her mother would open a door to nightmares. She made a promise to herself that she would never make the same mistake twice in her life. Elaine wrapped her emotions in a cocoon, her thoughts as quiet as a mouse. That was the safest way to be, like a tiny flower in a vast field, and if she stayed small, her mother might not pull her up by the roots. ‘I could be pregnant,’ she thought, which only added to her guilt. Drawing the windshield visor down, Elaine looked at herself in the mirror. She had the feeling that this was the calm before the storm. No matter how many times her mother had told her, it seemed like an impossible thing to say, ‘I'm sorry. You were right. I should have been more careful.’ Tammy, who was sitting in the rear seat, looked at Elaine. She was aware that her mother's mind was racing like a runaway train. Once upon a time, she stood on a battlefield, holding a gun in her hand, and now she was frightened of everything. ‘Why is this so difficult?’ she wondered, never expecting it to be easy. “Hey,” she said. “At least you’re too old to be grounded.” When Elaine heard Tammy's words, her jaw stiffened. Looking at Tammy in the mirror, she thought, ‘Whoever said becoming a mother gets easier over time needs to be shot.’ She turned away from the mirror and looked at Tammy, who was sitting in the rear seat. She replies, “Oh, you really are no help.” Elaine opened the enger door and stepped out of the vehicle. Peering in through the window at Gordon, she felt like a teenage girl sitting around a campfire telling stories, except the story she had to tell her mother wasn't one you'd sit around a campfire to tell. Looking away from Gordon and toward Tammy, Elaine says, “All right, let’s go.” After removing her seatbelt, Tammy exits the vehicle.

Elaine followed the length of the driveway. She paused in her steps at the mailbox to look at a two-story house with white siding and red shutters, as well as a flowerbed in front of the living room window. She tried to keep her emotions under control, but they clawed at her and spread across her skin like shame. Tammy stood quietly and looked at Elaine. She thought to herself, ‘This woman has fought so many battles, however, the one she is about to face appears to be more terrifying than any she has ever faced before.' “Just relax,” she suggested. “Take a deep breath. It always worked for me.” Elaine took a deep breath and looked around the yard. When she placed her hands on her belly, she knew exactly what she had to do. She didn't have to think about it. After twenty steps, they arrived at the front porch and the front door of the house. As Athena opened the front door, sunlight streaked the air. Wearing a white blouse, blue slacks, her red hair pulled back into a ponytail, her olive-green eyes were fixed on her daughter, whom she had not seen in over a year. The moment Athena outstretched both of her arms, Tammy sprinted away from Elaine's side and into Athena's grasp. As Tammy wrapped her arms around Athena’s waist, Athena says to Elaine, “Come in, dear. Don’t be a stranger.” While walking through the front door and into the house, Elaine's posture resembled that of a disobedient child. To put it another way, she resembled a daughter who found herself in trouble and didn't exactly know how. “Good afternoon, mother,” she said. The tone of her voice had a nervous quality to it. Athena instinctively knew that something was wrong. Elaine was at a loss for words, and her posture reflected that of a daughter who was trying to hide a secret that would soon be revealed. “It’s all right,” she said. “Your father told me everything last night. There is nothing to be concerned about. Tammy is in good hands.” "I know," Elaine replied. Athena’s presence shook her to the core, which caused her skin to flush pink and a rose-colored blossom began to bloom across her cheeks. "I need to go somewhere for a couple of hours, and then I'll be right

back." A grin tugged at the corner of Athena’s lips, and then she noticed the rosecolored glow spreading across Elaine’s cheeks. Whenever the glow appeared, it was always an indication of guilt. When she noticed Elaine’s hands on her belly, she realized her daughter might be pregnant. “Oh my,” she said, her voice squealing. For a terrifying minute, Elaine's breath was caught in her throat, and her guilt multiplied tenfold. “It was an accident,” she sobbed, after she realized she could speak. “It was my first time.” Athena’s small grin grew into a broad smile. That action terrified Elaine. More when she took a step forward and drew Elaine into her arms. Releasing her grasp, taking a step back, she says, “Go. Please tell me of the doctor's findings. I’m sure you'll be informed that you're expecting a girl.”

AN HOUR OF WAITING, and Elaine sat on a cold examination room table. She felt the minutes slip away as she stared at the closed examination room door. When the door finally opened, she watched as doctor Janis Walters walked through the door. Janis closed the door behind her. She was tall and slender, with long blonde hair and blue eyes. Wearing a white uniform, holding a patient’s chart in her left hand, she says, “Congratulations. You are three weeks along.” Elaine moaned as the pleasure of the moment washed over her. She then thought of Tammy before inquiring, “Can you tell whether the baby is a boy or a girl?” "DNA reveals the child to be female," Janis said. "We will need to set up regular appointments for the remainder of the term, but there is something I will need to discuss with you first." Elaine nods her head. “Yes,” she answered. Janis says, "Since your mother is human and your father teman, there may be a slight complication during delivery." Elaine hoped there was nothing wrong with her, but Janis' expression led her to believe otherwise. "What kind of complication?" she questioned. Janis thought back to her first human, teman delivery. “Childbirth is painless for a teman woman," she said. “However, if you carry your mother’s gene, you may experience what humans call labor pains. They are quite normal for human women.” “Will they place the child in danger?” Elaine asked. She was more concerned for the baby than herself. “No, not at all,” Janis said, “but you might think otherwise once the pains begin.” “How will I know when they begin?” Elaine asked. “You will know,” Janis replied. “Talk to your mother regarding them. Until

then, you can get dressed. See the receptionist at the counter to set up your first appointment.” Janis walks to the door and leaves the room. Elaine exits the room in Janis’s footsteps. Following the length of a corridor, she enters the waiting room. Noticing Gordon as he stood at a distance, he had a nervous expression on his face. She smiles, before saying, “I’m going to have a girl.”

Chapter 21

Wedding Bells

It was eight o’clock in the evening, and Elaine turned off the bathroom light. As she stepped out of the bathroom and into the hallway, she realized that there are times you find a family when you least expect it. She noticed two hand-drawn pictures on the wall on the left side of the hallway. They brought back memories of a place she used to call 'home' before she turned her life upside down. The first picture depicted a child standing between a man and a woman. The second picture was a representation of Phoenix itself. Continuing down the hallway, Elaine paused at the open door of a bedroom. Reaching down, she grabbed a pair of jeans that were lying on the floor. She laid them on a chair next to the door and looked at the bed in the room. Old and weathered with age, it is the same bed she slept in as a child, which had been given to her by her father. Lying beneath the blankets, Tammy raised her head from the pillow. She had been waiting a year to see Elaine, who was now standing in front of her open bedroom door. She was well aware of the dangers and the possibility of failure, but she refused to give up hope. In the end, everything worked out for the better. They were all there together. Everybody was home. Elaine stood in front of the open bedroom door, looking at Tammy. Despite the difficulties she had to endure, she realized that everything had worked out in the end. There was no longer any thought of Intrepid. She no longer had any desire to go to the gym. They were all there together. Everybody was home. “Good night,” Elaine’s voice drifted in Tammy’s direction. “Good night,” Tammy replied, and she could have been proactive. She could have inquired, ‘Who are we?’ or ‘Where are we going?’ She didn’t ask. She considered the woman standing in front of her to be more than just a friend; she was family. Elaine stepped out of the bedroom and followed the length of the hallway. As she walked into the living room, she noticed Gordon silhouetted against the front door. If someone had told her two months ago that she would be sharing a home with a nine-year-old girl, she wouldn’t have believed a word of it.

“Is she asleep?” Gordon questioned. “She’s falling asleep,” Elaine said, recalling the times she would often find herself alone at night. Her entire life had turned into a lonely night. But this night was different. Gordon was there, and a child was falling asleep in a bed. The thought caused her to rush into his arms, clinging to him as though she couldn't bear the thought of him leaving. Looking past Elaine and into the empty hallway, Gordon realized how close the bonds between them had grown since Tammy’s arrival. Clearing his throat, pushing all thoughts of Phoenix aside, he said, “I’ve turned the note she gave you over to command. Abernathy has informed me that when the weapon arrives, we will be ready.” Elaine had a strange feeling that she couldn’t explain. That feeling was her first in the morning and her last at night. She wondered what that feeling was, and then she realized what it was. The loneliness of her life was being filled by a child. She says, “Tammy is worried about that note.” Gordon was well aware that it was his responsibility to protect the worlds. He swore to lay down his life in their defense, but the enemy this evening was unseen. His enemy was his own heart, and he decided not to risk the life of a friend more than necessary again. There was too much at stake if he lost his soul mate and the origin of his strength. “I don’t want you onboard Phoenix when we engage the weapon,” he said. “Your services are required elsewhere.” “I understand,” Elaine replied. Gordon maintained his composure. He had to make a decision this evening, and everyone should consider who would make them happy. That is a decision that only you can make. Reaching into the front pocket of his uniform pants, he pulls out a small, felt-covered box. He says, “I have something to ask.” Elaine’s attention was drawn to the small, felt-covered box, and she physically trembled at what she saw. She had the impression that he was about to make a proposal that she would love to accept. “Yes,” she said, her gaze fixed on the small, felt-covered box. Standing in front of Elaine, Gordon’s mind became confused. He had been rehearsing this moment for six hours, pacing the floor of Phoenix’s bridge. “I ...

I haven’t asked yet?” he said, with a mixture of shock and surprise flowing across his face. Elaine shifted her gaze away from Gordon and looked at the clock on the wall. Not because she needed to know what time it was, she already knew, but to impress upon Gordon that time was running out. Time was running out for Tammy. Looking back at Gordon, she said, “You didn’t have to ask. I’ve known for quite some time.” Gordon inhaled a deep breath as Elaine’s words faded from his ears. He thought of how he stood by her side during the most difficult times of her life, and how he had always ed her, even though she stood an arm's length away. Reaching out with his right hand, he swept her hair back behind her right ear, and he leaned forward, his lips touching hers in a tender embrace. Elaine returned his kiss without complaint, her eyes closed and her heart hammering against her ribs. However, she was completely unaware of what was about to take place as the sound of a floorboard squeaking behind her rang in her ears. She was jolted back to reality when she heard the noise. When Elaine looked over her shoulder, she noticed Tammy standing in the hallway. On her way to the bathroom, she came to a complete stop at the entrance to the living room. The sight of their embrace made her breath catch in her throat, and her eyes were wide open as she stared at them. Tammy takes a step back into the shadows of the hallway. She couldn’t believe what she was seeing. “Oh, this is so gross,” she said. “Are you going to do that again? You do know what happened last time? That's how I got here!” Gordon, who was still holding Elaine in his embrace, noticed Tammy's shocked expression. Against her unblinking stare, without a word spoken, he reached out his left hand, revealing the small, felt-covered box that he held. Tammy’s attention is drawn to the small, felt-covered box, and her shocked expression slowly fades from her face. "Is that what I think it is?" she asked, wondering what Gordon was holding in his hand. Elaine noticed Tammy's attention drawn to what Gordon was holding in his hand. She responds to what she had said. “How would you like to be a flower girl?”

After a moment of thought, Tammy says, "Yes."

Chapter 22

Grandmother

Life in a small town can be paradise. You know your neighbors, if not everyone in town. Nothing ever changes, unless you are a child who loved to dance and the strength of your legs fade. You are no longer able to dance. A beautiful winter's morning bloomed over the town of Shannon. The morning air was crisp, and the capital city of Sarana could be seen suspended between the clouds. Sunlight reflected off of the towers and walls. Below Sarana, a half-finished snowman stands in the front yard of a family home. Tammy had been too weak to finish. Sitting on the front porch of the home, she rubbed her face with her ungloved hands. Her journey home had been long, and here is where her journey will end. The first evidence of Tammy’s weakness was her inability to stand for a long period of time. Her legs would become weak. Crutches helped with her steps, since she refused to be confined to a wheelchair. With the help of crutches, Tammy climbed to her feet. Making her way through the front door of the home, she paused in front of the mirror next to the front door. Her eyes, which had once been bright, focused on her face. Her eyes were no longer as bright as they had been. The young girl had withered, her muscles frail, and her voice was often a soft whisper when she spoke. Tammy heard a noise in her bedroom and knew that Athena was making her bed. She had been a quiet companion in the home for nearly two months. Most of the time, she moved almost silently, relying on her body language to communicate much of the time. Athena would cook her own meals and keep her bedroom clean. When Tammy is unable to walk, she will assist with her steps. She would approach Tammy's bedroom early in the morning, stopping just inside of the doorway, as if she was making sure everything was ok. Athena enjoyed reading, and Tammy enjoyed every book she could read herself, until the day her vision became blurred. She was no longer able to read. She would sometimes just sit and stare into distant shadows. On one occasion, Athena asked her what she was doing? Tammy just smiled and said, 'Resting.'

This morning, Tammy's thoughts were on something else. She walked across the living room, released her grip on the crutches and placed them by her side. Kneeling down on the carpeted floor in front of the furnace intake vent, she reached into the back pocket of her jeans. She began by unscrewing the furnace intake vent with a screwdriver before pulling the intake vent away from the wall. Kneeling on the living room floor, with the furnace intake open in front of her, Tammy thought about what Elaine had said to her earlier that morning. As a reminder of who she is, she will name the baby Tammy. She just wished things didn’t have to turn out the way they did.

ATHENA TOOK A BREAK from her work in Tammy's bedroom, a laundry basket half-full of clothes by her side. Elaine left early for a dress fitting and she noticed a stillness in the home. Just a few minutes earlier, when she looked out the bedroom window, she saw Tammy sitting on the front porch. When she looked out the window again, she noticed that the child was nowhere to be seen. Walking out of Tammy’s bedroom, Athena followed the hallway. As she walked into the living room, she noticed Tammy kneeling in front of the open furnace intake vent. The child was leaning forward, her arm being drawn away from the darkness within. Her crutches, a screwdriver, and the furnace intake vent were all in close proximity to each other. “What are you doing?” Athena asked. The silence of the moment shattered like glass when Tammy heard Athena’s words. When she turned to face her, seeing her standing at the entrance to the living room, she felt like crying, her emotions as heavy as lead. Tammy says, “Can we talk, grandmother?” “About what?” Athena questioned. “Me,” Tammy replied, and she realized that her greatest fear was not of the dark, but saying goodbye. Holding back an ocean of tears in her eyes, her emotions reaching the breaking point, she ends, saying, “Can you keep a secret. A big secret?” “Yes,” Athena said, and she outstretched both of her arms. “Come here and tell me.” With the help of her crutches, Tammy climbed to her feet. Drawing close to Athena’s side, she says, “I'm going to be leaving soon.” “No,” Athena cried. “Don’t talk like that.” “Please, let me finish,” Tammy begged. “There is something I need to say.” Athena’s gaze was unwavering, despite the fact that her hands were beginning to

tremble. She knew that Tammy was aware that her days were drawing to a close. She wished that they weren’t. Athena says, “Go on.” “Before I traveled through time, I was told that I couldn't return to the time when Tammy existed. The action would disturb the timeline and be devastating for both of us. Both Tammy’s cannot exist at the same moment in time. If I went back in time before my mother became pregnant, events could transpire where I might not even be born. I would have disrupted the timeline. I knew what I had to do and I chose.” Athena says, “You came back while Elaine was carrying you?” “Yes,” Tammy said. “Try to understand. I can only exist for this brief period of time in the timeline. I can't exist beyond the birth date.” Looking at the open furnace vent, Tammy turned her attention back to Athena. She continues, saying, “I put a note in there addressed to myself. I was told, in time, the Tammy here will . From Eclipse to meeting mother in the stairwell. From Phoenix to my arrival here. She will even what is taking place here and now with you. It will be like I never died, because, in many ways, I never existed in the first place.” “You need to tell her,” Athena said. “You need to tell your mother what you just told me.” “No,” Tammy pleaded. “Please don’t tell mother. You must promise me that you will not tell mother. She will wait and wait, and it might eat her up inside. When the baby is born, the first portion of the timeline will close. For myself, I will no longer exist. I was told that my body will vanish like a puff of smoke.” Hearing Tammy’s words, Athena says, “You said the first portion of the timeline?” Tammy replies, “Yes. The second portion of the timeline will close when Tammy reaches her ninth birthday.” “What will befall her on her ninth birthday?” Athena asked. “The timeline will reset, and Tammy will everything.”

Athena paled. Even though she tried to smile, her eyes were filled with emotion as she says, “I promise.”

Chapter 23

Goodbyes

It was a beautiful spring morning, with the grass still damp with dew. Athena lived two miles away from Shannon Park. Children could run and play without fear, and both young and old could begin and end their lives in peace. Anything seemed possible for those who visited Shannon Park. On the eastern edge of the park, Gordon and Elaine stood beside a picnic table. Deep in thought, they both had been counting down the months, and now they were counting down the weeks. To their left, not far from their position, a medical team stood ready for any emergency that might arise. Elaine took a deep breath and placed her hands on her belly. With her due date only three weeks away, she wished she could travel back in time. Abernathy was informed a week earlier that the weapon had been discovered. Earth and Dania V were watching from a distance. In less than four months, the weapon will arrive at their front doorstep. Elaine says to Gordon, “Abernathy informed me of the weapon.” Gordon lifted a data-pad in his hand, the screen revealing details of what was transpiring. “Yes,” he confirmed. “I’ve received word that Earth is preparing to send Teman an armada. We've also been in with the Rigel system regarding their impending solar flare.” “I wish it didn’t have to be this way,” Elaine said. “If I could only turn back the hands of time.” Gordon says, “Tammy has given us a second chance. If I were in her shoes, I would have done the same thing.” Standing not far away, Tammy turned to face Gordon and Elaine. She approached them both using crutches, refusing to be confined to a wheelchair. She had been counting down the months herself, and now she was counting down the weeks. She had the distinct impression that something was happening inside of her. She didn't know what it was. For two weeks, she felt a growing paralysis in her legs, and with each breath she exhaled, she felt her life slipping away. On several occasions, her breathing would become shallow, confirming the fact that her

days were drawing to a close. Gordon noticed the difficulty in Tammy’s steps as she struggled to stand with crutches in her hands. He turned away from her and looked at Elaine. He was well aware that her birth date was approaching fast, and anxiety would often turn to fear, and fear would then flow into tears. “How soon?” Gordon inquired. Elaine forced a smile through a frown. She says, "Baby is due in three weeks.” Approaching Gordon across the dew-soaked grass, Tammy's steps were shaky. She could feel her legs becoming increasingly numb with each step she took. She could barely stand, and she was aware that she was on the verge of collapsing to the ground at any moment. “Father,” she said. “There is something strange going on inside of me.” Gordon turned away from Elaine and looked towards Tammy. Her words were too obvious to escape his notice. When he saw fear growing in her eyes, along with her inability to stand, he pleaded to himself, ‘Oh, no!’ Tammy's eyes opened into a terrified expression. She could feel her heartbeat as it became erratic, and she was aware of it. “Father!” she cried out in fear. That was the only word she could say, as she immediately collapsed to the ground. In one frightening moment, Gordon’s composure shattered. He rushed from Elaine's side and across the grass to Tammy. Kneeling by her side, leaning over her, he heard the words he feared the most. In a soft whisper, his daughter said, ‘Father. I can’t feel my legs.’ Standing by the picnic table, Elaine’s eyes adjusted to what had taken place. Rushing across the grass to Gordon’s side, her actions ended there, setting aside all the plans she had for today. Kneeling beside Gordon, she lifted Tammy into her arms. Lifting the data-pad to his lips, Gordon pressed a button. He says, “Code Blue. Get me my medics. I need my medical team, now!” Continuing to kneel by Gordon’s side, Elaine held Tammy in her arms, while, at the edge of her sight, she watched paramedics rush across the grass in her

direction. She followed their movements as if they carried the key to Tammy’s life.

Chapter 24

Hospital

With the exception of the Forsum Medical Library on Fern Avenue, Parkland Memorial was the largest hospital in town. Connected to a college, state-of-the art, it had three medical units as well as two surgical wings. Gordon paced the emergency room, waiting room floor, his arms aching from the weight of guilt. He was unable to reach his child. Beyond the partitions separating him from Tammy, there were far too many soft whispers, clicking of metal, and shuffling of feet. While Gordon listened to the irregular sound of a heartbeat coming from a heart monitor, the swing doors of the waiting room were flung back. Elaine enters the waiting room with an avalanche of thoughts rushing through her mind. “I’ve ed mother,” she said. “They both are on their way.” “I’m sorry,” Gordon pleaded. “Don’t say that,” Elaine replied. “What happened wasn’t your fault.” A few minutes later, the barrier that separates Elaine and Gordon from Tammy parts. A doctor shuffles through and into the waiting room, with not a word spoken, not even a glimmer of emotion shading his face. Clothed in a white uniform, he thumbed through the loose pages of a patient’s chart. Gordon stepped away from Elaine and approached the doctor. Raising his eyes to him, holding the appearance of a parent hoping that his child would be given a second chance, he says, “How is she?” The doctor lifted his eyes from the patient’s chart. Looking at Gordon, he says, "I'm sorry. There is nothing we can do for her. Her body is shutting down.” Elaine reacted like a woman struck in the face, her eyes centered on some private hell. Approaching the doctor, pausing in her steps by Gordon’s side, she pleads, “No!” “How long?” Gordon asked. Looking at the patient’s chart, the doctor’s expression curved into a frown. Looking at Gordon, he says, “Five. Seven hours at the most.”

“We’re staying with her,” Gordon said. The doctor nodded his head. He says, “We will move her into a private room and make the remaining hours as comfortable for her as we can.” “Will she suffer?” Elaine asked. “No,” the doctor replied. “After a while, she will close her eyes and in her sleep.”

Chapter 25

Losing Someone Precious

In the quiet stillness of a hospital room, Tammy rested in a hospital bed. With the exception of her soft breathing and the irregular heartbeat from her heart monitor, the only sounds she could hear were the soft whispers of her family. On the opposite side of the room, Abernathy, Athena, and Elaine sat in silent vigil. Moving her hand to the edge of the mattress, Tammy felt her life slipping away like sand in an hourglass. Standing by her bedside, Gordon's hand was then placed on her own, but she didn't feel it. Looking at him, her vision blurred, he mirrored a reflection in a puddle of water. "Hello, father," Tammy said, straining to speak. Gordon forced a smile through a frown, and he noticed that Tammy's hand felt unusually cold to him. Additionally, he could also tell by her labored breathing that she would have difficulty to speak. “Hello, princess,” he says. “I heard that you found the weapon?” Tammy said. “Yes,” Gordon answered. “Father,” Tammy said. “Can I ask you a favor?” “Anything, sweetheart,” he replied. “Promise me something,” Tammy requested. “Something important?” “Anything,” he answered. “When the enemy weapon arrives, don’t let it reach Teman,” Tammy said. “Hit it for me. Hit it really hard.” Gordon's senses reached an extreme level as a result of Tammy's words. He moved his hand away from hers. Reaching out, he brushed his fingers across her cheek. He says, “I’m going to write your name on the first missile, sweetheart.” Elaine, who was sitting between Athena and Abernathy, felt the weariness of the day wash over her. She stood up and walked across the room. Pausing by

Gordon’s side, she didn't know what to say as she leaned against the railing of the hospital bed for . Her child was on the verge of ing away. Tammy looked at Elaine. Despite her fears, she was confident that her journey had been a success in the end. Seeing tears as they swelled in Elaine’s eyes, she says, “Don’t cry, mother. The journey was worth seeing both of you.” She hesitates in her words for a minute, and then adds, “I thought you told me that soldiers don’t cry?” Shaking her head, Elaine says, “I’m not a soldier anymore. I took off that uniform.” Hearing Elaine’s words, Tammy smiles, and her eyes held a look that would have told anyone how she felt. “Mother,” she says. “Yes, sweetheart,” Elaine answered. Love, Tammy never said the word without meaning it. She says, “I love you.” “I love you, too,” Elaine replied, and she reflected on never saying those three words. She confesses not saying them. “For the time you were here,” she added, “I never said those three words. I’m sorry for not saying them.” “You didn’t need to say them,” Tammy replied. “I’ve always known.” Elaine watched Tammy as she closed her eyes. She felt her hand relax. A minute later, her head rolls to the side. When the heart monitor skipped a beat, Elaine cringed. When the heart monitor flat lined, she wept against Tammy’s tear-washed cheeks. Her child was gone.

THREE WEEKS HAVE ED, and Elaine’s due date had arrived. Stepping through a graveyard, approaching a grave, she knelt in the grass. Placing flowers alongside dozens already there, she felt a spasm through her body, causing her to collapse to the ground. Gordon, catching sight of what had taken place, rushed to her side. Leaning over her, he saw the look in her eyes as she looked up into his own. Watching her swallow against another spasm, he heard her say, ‘It’s time. Get me to the hospital.’ Twenty minutes later, within the hospital where a young child had ed away, was heard the soft cry of a new-born baby. A girl, red-haired, and Elaine had already chosen her name: Tammy.

Chapter 26

Battles

Standing inside the war room, which was occupied by computer stations and men, Abernathy's eyes shone with no emotion. He looked around the room with a dispatch in his hand, which had been delivered by an emissary from Earth. His uniform, not the lack of emotion in his eyes, revealed what was going on. A black two-piece outfit with a brown belt that divides the top shirt from the bottom pants. Everyone turned a blind eye to the medals on his chest. There was only one thing that mattered on this particular day. This was the day the weapon would arrive. “Station, alert!” Abernathy called out. Five steps to Abernathy’s left, Elaine held a three-month-old baby in her arms. They had already decided that she would not be onboard Phoenix when the weapon arrived. In front of her, mounted to the ceiling, were two large monitors. The left monitor revealed the positions of two military fleets. Hidden from view, a trap was being laid, called Project Kill. On the right monitor, Gordon could be seen standing on the bridge of Phoenix. On the right monitor, Gordon lowered his head, a gesture of respect. “We are in position, Mr. President,” he said Abernathy’s jaw tightened at Gordon’s words. He says, “The weapon is on the move. Estimated strike time is nine twenty-seven Earth time.” Gordon had long assumed that he could die in battle, but not this time, as he says, “The proximity mines are being geared for deployment, Mr. President. The weapon will not reach Teman.” Despite her weariness, Elaine was as nervous as she was on her wedding day. Taking a step forward, standing by Abernathy’s side, she looked at Gordon on the right monitor. “Gordon,” she called out. “Don’t you dare leave me a widow?” The muscles around Gordon’s eyes hardened as anger pierced the rigor of his face. He says, “I have no intention of it, Elaine. I will be back as soon as this mission is complete.”

Two hours later, Abernathy acquired a step forward towards the monitors. His eyes were unwavering as he watched a clock tick down the minutes. “Nine twenty-five.” “Nine twenty-six.” At nine-twenty-seven, a burst of energy appeared on a tracking station monitor, and the tracking station lit up. The tracking service leader calls out, “One heavy predator dreadnought, ten destroyers, five battle cruisers and eight heavy cruisers have just arrived, sir.” Hearing the words of the tracking service leader, Abernathy’s words explode from the depths of his throat. Looking at Gordon on the right monitor, he says, “We have . One heavy predator dreadnought and an assault force have just dropped from star-flight.” On the monitor, standing on the bridge of Phoenix, Gordon’s words became as hard as clenched knuckles. “Battle stations,” he called out. “Bring our armada out of hiding, and let’s take these sons of a dog out.” Within seconds, everyone in the war room heard his following whisper. He breathed, “This one is for you, Tammy.”

Chapter 27

Memories

The years ed into nine, with the sun not yet risen. Two adults were sleeping in a home when a young girl named Tammy crept out of her bed, which was not far away from where they were sleeping. She tiptoed out of her bedroom, down the hallway, and into the living room. Walking across the living room, Tammy paused in her steps at the entrance to the kitchen. Careful not to wake anyone up, she was aware of another presence in the home. Resembling a ball of energy, it had remained hidden in the shadows of the home for nearly a year. Tammy extended her right hand, her palm held open. She immediately noticed a blur of movement as a result of her action, soon followed by the appearance of a six-inch-diameter ball of energy. It approached her position, flickering with soft rings of light, and kissed the fingertips of her outstretched hand when it reached her position. Tammy looked over her shoulder, searching the living room and the dark hallway for any sign of movement, but she saw none, so she turned her attention back to the ball of light. After drawing in a breath, she whispers, “Hello, Tasa.” “Hello,” Tasa whispered back. “I see that you made it home.” Standing in front of Tasa, Tammy recalled a series of dreams she had over the course of a year. She wondered if they were dreams or perhaps they were memories. She says, “I didn’t think I would see you again?” “Then you ?” Tasa answered. “Yes,” Tammy said. She ed a dream in which she saw a woman standing in the stairwell of a hospital. Several dreams later, the same woman holding her hand as she ed away in a hospital bed. Her body trembled at the thought. “Tasa,” she continued, “Did I die?” “Yes,” Tasa said, “but it was a risk you took. It was a risk that we all chose.” “I don’t everything,” Tammy itted, reflecting on the events that had transpired in her mind. Of a vessel called Eclipse. Of a vessel called Phoenix, and that of a wedding. She almost choked on her following words.

She says, “The dying part was the hardest part to .” “You will everything soon,” Tasa said. “The timeline closes today.” Tammy recalled the day she stepped onboard Eclipse. That was her first step on a journey that would catapult her through time. “It was my birthday, wasn’t it?” she said. “I traveled back in time on my ninth birthday?” “Yes,” Tasa answered. “You said that it was a birthday present to them. Yes, the timeline closes today.” “Thank you for everything you've done, Tasa,” Tammy said, and paused in her words. She was aware that any error within the timeline could damage it. She concludes, saying, “Did I damage the timeline, Tasa? Did anything bad happen because of me?” “No,” Tasa replied. “The timeline flowed quite well. Despite the fact that there were a few surprises.” The possibility of a surprise caught Tammy off guard. Was Tasa serious? Not that she detected danger in his reply, but he said it with enough to startle her. She inquires, “What kind of surprise?” “Duke Sheller of Rigel,“ Tasa said. “As events unfolded following the battle, Phoenix saved his life. The timeline has been altered, but not in a dangerous direction.” Tammy reflected on her journey through time. If it were a dream, in which she wished it was, it would have been the worst nightmare she ever had. Only it wasn’t a dream, and if she knew one thing, her journey had taken the lives of the Eclipse crew, leaving only Tasa behind. “I’m sorry about Eclipse,” she expressed her regret. “You lost so many of your friends when it crashed, but I thought you were lost as well?” “Look out the living room window,” Tasa requested. Tammy turned her attention away from Tasa. She looked across the living room to the drapes that covered the front room window. The drapes obscured the view of anything outside. Turning back to Tasa, she asks, “Why?"

“Just look,” Tasa replied. Tiptoeing out of the kitchen, Tammy walked across the living room to the front room window. Parting the drapes, to her surprise, she saw two dozen balls of energy identical to Tasa floating against the stars. Turning away from the view outside, she walked back to the kitchen and questions, “Who are they?” “The crew of Eclipse,” Tasa answered. “But how?” Tammy said. “You all perished when the ship crashed.” “No,” Tasa said. “There was no battle which destroyed Phoenix. The assault on Teman failed. The events surrounding your journey did not take place.” To Tammy, the last year seemed almost like a dream, as she says, “Thank you for everything you have done, Tasa.” Tasa replies, “Until then, I will take my leave. If you ever journey to Dania V, look me up. I would be honored to visit for a time, or perhaps a moment in time.” Tammy shut her eyes and became drowned in the darkness, with the reality of time travel circling around her like a shark ready to devour her. Opening her eyes, she says, “No. No more time travel or anything like that. Once is enough for a lifetime.” At that moment, Tasa drifts towards the ceiling and vanishes from view. Tammy crept back to her room. Curling up beneath the blankets, closing her eyes, she drifts off to sleep with a smile on her face.

Chapter 28

Birthday

Clouds of orange, yellow , and white blanketed the sky as the sun rose in the early morning hours. Teman's atmosphere was distinguished by the clouds. Much like an ocean wave, they could change color and texture in a matter of minutes. Tammy woke in the quiet hours of the morning. She slipped out from beneath the blankets of the bed and dressed. As she looked around the room, she heard a familiar voice in the back of her mind. The voice was close by, but also far away, and became softer as the seconds ed. Approaching the bedroom window, Tammy parted the pink and white flowered drapes. With the capital city of Sarana hovering among the clouds, her eyes took in the view of a vessel as it skimmed across the horizon. The boomerang-like vessel paused for a brief moment before soaring skyward and disappearing from view. Tammy smiled at the familiar sight. What she saw was Eclipse, and the sight of the vessel made her feel both old and young at the same time. Her feelings were hurting, but she was also healing. She had once hoped to save a life. At the same time, she was a prisoner of death, and until now, she was the liberator of both. “Thank you, Tasa, and have a safe voyage home,” Tammy whispered.

AS MORNING FLOWED INTO noon, Tammy walked into the living room and knelt on the carpeted floor. Gordon, Elaine, and her three-year-old brother watched her as she began to open her presents. Meanwhile, memories lingered on the outskirts of her mind, with a final memory looming on the horizon. Tammy’s first gift was a scarf, which was soon followed by a flash of memory. Boiling hot, the memory was not painful. Her grandmother was standing in front of her, directly across from an open furnace vent. Being ed by crutches, unable to stand for a long duration of time, she ed saying, ‘Please don’t tell mother.’ Sitting next to Gordon on the sofa, Elaine didn't notice Tammy's mind slipping away. She didn't notice her eyes, which were staring into infinity, or her hands as they began to tremble. She'd became used to life at the Citadel, and her first trip to Rigel marked the end of her childhood and the beginning of her adulthood. Tammy became friends with Sally, Prince Andrew's cousin. Being the daughter of Duke Sheller of Rigel, they were a distinguished family Prince Andrew expressed in his communications. As Teman's most recent ambassador, Tammy visited Rigel four times and thoroughly enjoyed each visit. Elaine suddenly became aware of a strange look in Tammy's eyes. They held a reflection as dark as midnight, as if she were gazing into infinity. Disturbed at the sight, she reached out and placed her hand on Tammy's arm. “Is there something wrong?” she asked. Lost in a maze of memories, Tammy looked around the living room. Her eyes were soon drawn to the furnace vent against the wall. She turned and looked at her younger brother before shifting her attention to Elaine. "No, mother," she said. "I'm all right.” Tammy shifted her eyes away from Elaine and toward Gordon. She recalled a time when she was sitting on the front porch of the home. A half-finished snowman stood in front of her. She was soon standing in front of Athena, her crutches ing her steps. Tammy says to Gordon, “Father, can you get me a screwdriver?”

"Why," Gordon asked. "Please." Rising to his feet, Gordon walked into the kitchen. He emerged a minute later and handed her a screwdriver. "Is there a problem?" he asked. “No, father,” Tammy replied, and she crawled on her hands and knees across the living room floor to the furnace vent. Unscrewing the screws, pulling the vent away from the wall, she then reached inside and pulled out an envelope, lifting it in front of her eyes. Looking at Tammy, Elaine was surprised by what had taken place. She asks, “What is that?” Tammy looked away from the envelope. When she turned her attention to Elaine, she realized that the final piece of the puzzle had fallen into place. It was her final memory of her journey through time. She says, “I , mother. I everything.” Confused and surprised, Elaine asks, “ what?” “I Eclipse, mother, and the stairwell where we met. I Phoenix and our journey to Teman.” Placing the envelope on the floor, Tammy continues, saying, “I wrote this a long time ago in case I . I don’t need to read it. I already know what it says.” While Tammy’s words faded into silence, the front doorbell rang. She jumps to her feet and announces, “I’ll get it,” and she sprints to the front door. The door latch echoes and the door creaks open a few seconds later. Tammy calls out once more, “Grandmother! Grandfather!” Gordon, who was sitting next to Elaine, was surprised by what had transpired. Looking at the open furnace vent, followed by the envelope lying on the floor, he turned his attention to Elaine. He says, “What did she mean when she said she wrote it to herself?” “I don’t know,” Elaine answered. “Are you going to read it?” Gordon questioned.

“Yes,” Elaine said. “Go and get mother and father’s coats.” Rising to his feet, Gordon stepped away. Thirty seconds have ed, a minute, perhaps. Elaine reached down and picked the envelope up. Tearing it open, she pulls out a piece of paper. Unfolding it, staring at the words inscribed, it reads, ‘I thought that soldiers don’t cry.’ Athena, turning away from the front door, looked across the living room to Elaine. When she noticed the open furnace vent and the piece of paper in her hand, she smiled. Stepping away from the front door, walking through the living room, she stopped in front of Elaine. Leaning down, she kissed the top of her head before saying, “Tammy made me promise not to tell you.” Elaine looked across the living room toward Tammy. She was clinging to Abernathy’s side. Turning away from Tammy and looking at Athena, she asks, “What does this mean?” Athena pulled the piece of paper from Elaine’s hand. She says, “Tammy and I had a talk long ago. She made me promise not to tell you. You see, she never really died?” “What do you mean?” Elaine said. There was a tremor in her voice. “We all were there. We watched her die in that hospital bed.” “No,” Athena replied. “Tammy never really died. Do you last month when she asked you about Phoenix?” “Yes, but I never brought the subject up,” Elaine replied. “Phoenix was decommissioned two years after the battle.” “That’s because she has been ing,” Athena said. “She told me, long ago, on the day you gave birth, her body would vanish like a puff of smoke.” “Vanish?” Elaine questioned. “Yes,” Athena said. “Vanish. That grave you visit. The one you told Tammy is her twin sister who ed away when she was born. That grave is empty. Believe me, I had your father X-ray it.”

“Empty?” Elaine questioned. “What do you mean?” “The Tammy nine years ago could only exist for a short time within the timeline,” Athena explained. “Long enough to save you and Gordon’s lives. I’m sure she re everything now, including your wedding. Let’s just say she gave you an extra year to be with her.” Climbing to her feet, Elaine looked across the living room toward Tammy. She could see a twinkle in her eyes, the same twinkle she had seen many times before. At that moment, she realized that this young girl standing by Abernathy’s side was the same girl who ed away in a hospital bed. Walking through the living room, Elaine drew close to Tammy’s side. Reaching out with her right hand, she caressed Tammy’s cheek. With her eyes filling with tears, she says, “You traveled through time?” Love. Tammy never said the word without meaning it. She says, “Because I love you.” Hesitating in her words, seeing tears as they filled Elaine’s eyes, she continues, saying, “I thought you told me that soldiers don’t cry.” The End