Table of Contents [Report This]
Printer Chapter or Story Microsoft Word Chapter or Story

- Text Size +

Disclaimer see part 1

An imaginative view of the world 16 - 20

"Dr. Crusher, she's conscious again. All the readings have returned to normal. It looks as if nothing has ever happened. Kyla, can you hear me?"
Kyla only nodded and tried to look around the room. Dr. Crusher came to stand beside her and smiled down on her. She checked the readings on a monitor over Kyla's head.
"It seems that everything's alright. The readings don't show anything unusual. If I hadn't seen you collapse with my own eyes I wouldn't believe that anything happened. If you feel fit you're free to go to your quarters. You're off duty for the next two days. I suggest you don't do something like sport. Just try to relax and get a lot of rest. The after effects of the things they've done to you during the abduction should wear off in the time until you have to be back on duty. Your memory should come back anytime soon. I'll look by your quarters when my shift's finished. Contact sickbay as soon as you have problems, will you?"
"Yes Doctor," Kyla said and slowly sat up. She tried to remember the way to her quarters when the sickbay doors closed behind her. She entered the next turbolift and asked the computer to bring her to her quarters. The doors opened again and she was in the corridor where she had been with Dr. Crusher what seemed to her ages ago. She remembered which door to take and entered her quarters. Two days of rest. She remembered what had happened on Voyager. What if she went to the holodeck and switched the safety protocols off? Even though Dr. Crusher had told her to stay away from sports she wanted to try. Then she remembered what had happened the last time she had entered the holodeck aboard the Enterprise and decided against going there. Maybe if she waited long enough she would fall asleep eventually. She sat down on the sofa and stared out of the view port. She was a simple ensign and had her quarters at the outer hull? Wasn't this a luxury reserved for higher ranking officers only? If this was all a dream then it didn't matter. If it were real, what definitely couldn't be, they – whoever they were – had changed the rules. She stared at the stars streaking by her window. A funny feeling spread in her stomach when she thought about the speed they must be travelling with. Many times the speed of light. In her own time it wasn't even possible to travel at simple light speed. She didn’t bother to spend more time with thinking about warp physics and simply enjoyed the view of the stars.

She turned around and wanted to go to the replicator. The room had changed. She looked at the view port. The stars were going into the other direction. She had changed universes again. But where was she now? The stars were going a lot slower and she had a different uniform. The quarters looked simple and somehow different than she had expected a room aboard a starship. It wasn't as familiar as the quarters aboard the Enterprise 1701 but she had seen it before. This was the Enterprise NX-01 – the first ship ever to bear the name Enterprise and the first warp-5-vessel from Earth. What was she doing aboard this ship? She decided to go to the replicator anyway when she remembered that replicators hadn't been invented yet. She had to be careful when talking to someone from the crew. She knew that they had encountered a space station that had been equipped with replicators but the technology hadn't been brought along when the space dock had been destroyed.
"Subcommander T'Pol to Ensign Parker," the speaker on the wall blared and Kyla nearly jumped. She wanted to hit her communicator and remembered that they hadn't been invented either. She went over to the communication panel on the wall and answered the call.
"Yes, Subcommander?"
"You are late. We have an appointment in the fitness room. Do you wish to resume the training or do you wish to quit?"
"I am really sorry. I'm already on my way. I couldn't find my shoes. I'll be with you in a minute."
She had no idea what kind of training T’Pol was referring to but not finding her shoes had been the only excuse that had come to her mind. She changed her uniform for the clothes that were lying on her bed and went outside. She was standing in the corridor like a lost lamb. She had watched the first 50 episodes or so but had no idea where to go. She found a turbolift and thought that her problems were over. And then she remembered that the computer wasn't reacting to voice commands and she had to operate the lift manually. When she had finally found out how to get to the fitness hall at least 10 minutes had passed. T’Pol looked annoyed even though Kyla assured her that she was sorry.
"I always told you that order is the first law. You have to get things organised. Not only your thoughts and movements but also the chaos in your quarters. Let us start with the exercises. I hope you remember what we have done the last time?"
"No, I forgot even though I tried to keep it in mind."
T’Pol sighed – what was very unusual for a Vulcan. She showed her a few movements that looked more like ballet than anything else. She was glad that she had had ballet classes back in the real world and she could follow the Subcommander easily.
"You have been practising. Your coordination has improved since the last training," T’Pol stated. Kyla didn't say anything just tried to concentrate on the movements. If this was some kind of Vulcan combat training there had to be a way to beat T’Pol. She wondered why she was always doing some kind of sports in every universe. In the real world she wasn't doing any sports activities at all. She didn't know what was happening but suddenly she was lying on her back and staring up at T’Pol.
"You haven't been concentrating. Don't let this happen in a fight. You would be dead by now."
She offered her a hand and helped Kyla up.
"We repeat this exercise. Not only concentrate on your movements but on mine as well. In combat I am your enemy and I'll kill you if you make the slightest mistake. It was your choice to begin this training. Have you changed your mind?"
"No, Subcommander, I haven't. I'll try to concentrate."
"Don't try to concentrate on something. Simply do it. We start this exercise slower this time. Focus on the attempt of beating me."
"Easier said than done," Kyla mumbled and started the exercise again. Four more times she found herself lying on her back and T’Pol standing over her. Each time she helped her up and they started all over again. The fifth time she managed to bring T’Pol down to the ground. She didn't know if it had been sheer luck, knowledge or if T’Pol had let her win. She helped the Subcommander up. Kyla was panting heavily and she felt as if she had just run 20 miles.
"Are you feeling alright?" T’Pol asked and Kyla nodded. "Do you wish to resume the training?"
"When and where?" Kyla simply asked.
"Tomorrow in the same room at 1600 hours. And be on time. I don't want to wait. Are you sure you are alright? You look quite pale. "
"I'm fine, really. I just need a hot shower and something nice to eat and I'll be my old self. Would you care to join me for dinner?"
"Thank you for inviting me but I have an appointment with the Captain."
"Sure. See you tomorrow then."
Kyla took her bag and went out of the fitness hall. She felt like breaking down. Every muscle in her body ached and all she wanted to do was sleep. A hot shower for half an hour and then a nice and warm bed. That was all she wanted to do. But she had to find the way back to her quarters. She leaned against the wall and tried to steady her breath when T’Pol exited the room.
"Do you want me to bring you to sickbay?"
"No. I just want to lie down my quarters," Kyla protested weakly.
"I will bring you to your quarters. Do not protest against that. It is an order. Your staying power needs to be improved. We will have to work on that as well. I have proposed to the Captain that I will lead a mission on the next habitable planet where all lower ranking officers will take part in a survival training."
"Like running through the desert? Or surviving in a polar region?"
"If you want to I can arrange it for you. I have thought more of rainforest regions. It has both high temperatures and high atmospheric moisture. These are your quarters. I suggest you are on time for duty tomorrow morning or I will have to report it to the Captain."
"Yes, sir. Thank you."
"You are welcome."
T’Pol watched Kyla step through the doors of her quarters and walked away. Kyla took off her clothes and went into the bathroom. The hot water was streaming down her body and soothing her aching muscles. She was hungry but she didn't want to go to the mess hall or whatever it was called aboard this ship. She switched off the water and wrapped herself in a towel. She wondered what they were doing with the dirty clothes aboard this ship but discarded the thought and simply threw the clothing onto her desk before she slipped into her nightgown and laid down on the bed. It had looked more comfortable than it actually was. But she didn't have time to think about it. She fell asleep immediately.

***

She felt a hand caressing her face. It was awfully dark and there seemed to be no noise at all. She tried to open her eyes to see where she was and who was caressing her cheeks but she couldn't. She couldn't even move a muscle. And suddenly there was light everywhere. Someone had opened her eyes and was waving a torch in front of her face. She wanted to look away, wanted to close her eyes, wanted the light to go away. But it was as if she was frozen and couldn't do anything on her own. Then the light was gone and all she saw were dancing black spots in the even blacker darkness surrounding her.

š›

"Kyla. You have to wake up. We have to get started. How do you feel?"
She slowly opened her eyes. Jarod was sitting on the edge of the bed and looked down on her.
"I feel like I have been run over by a truck. Get started with what?"
"We have held a council of war in the bathroom," Jarod grinned, "and we have come to the conclusion that it's enough to immobilise your legs. It's only one injection."
"What if something goes wrong?"
"That's what I said," Kira said from the door, " If something should indeed go wrong we have a problem. Not being able to move your legs is bad but not being able to use your arms is worse."
"So something can go wrong."
"Yes. But I hope this one in a thousand isn't going to be you. Would you mind?"
"Mind what?"
"We have to get started. Would you please sit down on the edge of the bed so I can reach your lower spine? The injection itself can hurt. I'm trying to be careful. But the needle itself is quite long." Kira took a syringe from a bag and showed it to Kyla. She tried hard not to panic. The needle itself was about 5 inch long and looked horrible. "I need to get the needle right into your spine that's why it's called a spinal needle. I need to –"
"Stop it. I don't want to know any more. It's enough. I hate needles no matter what size. This one's horrible. Get started so it's over soon."
"I can't get started yet. I need an intravenous bottle first."
"Another needle? You're kidding."
"Sorry, no. You need the –"
"Kira, you can leave it. That's alright. The sodium chloride is used to prevent a swelling that can have an impact on the muscles running down the spine. That doesn't concern us this time. We want to immobilise her legs for more than just one hour. If she's afraid of needles anyway lets not make it worse."
"Thanks, Jarod."
"No problem. Do you need any help, Kira?"
"Nope. I'm fine. OK, Kyla. Here we go."
She felt the prick of the needle. It wasn't as bad as she had thought. But it was an awful feeling to feel the needle make its way through the flesh and right inside the spinal marrow. There was a light pressure when Kira squeezed the liquid from the syringe into her body. Then she pulled the needle out again. Kyla felt like throwing up.
"I know how you must feel but you have to remain seating for a little longer. It's bleeding and I -"
"Sorry Kira to interrupt you once more but she looks like she's going to collapse any second. Let her lie face down on the bed."
"Thanks, Jarod," Kyla mumbled and nearly fell off the bed. Jarod caught her and helped her to lie down while Kira pressed a piece of cloth onto the bleeding wound.
"It is completely normal that you're not feeling all that good. Just relax if that's possible and tell me when you start to feel your legs going numb."
It didn't hurt like she had anticipated. It was a funny feeling that started at the place Kira had pricked her. It was like sitting for days and then standing up. It was tickling. At the beginning she thought it was funny but when the feeling began to spread down her back and over her back and started to go down her legs she panicked.
"Jarod?" she whispered.
"Try to slow down your breathing," he whispered back. "Has the bleeding stopped? She needs to turn around."
Kira nodded and helped Kyla to turn onto her back.
"Slow down your breathing, Kyla. I know it's hard. There's nothing to worry about."
"I want my legs back!" Kyla nearly screamed and Jarod pushed her back into the cushions when she wanted to jump up.
"Stay where you are and try to breath slowly or you'll suffer from a circulatory breakdown. I don't want to have to reanimate you. Understood?"
Kyla nodded her head and tried to hold her breath.
"I can't. It feels like suffocating," she sobbed and tried to suck in more air.
"OK, I know you're panicking but try not to panic any more. I'll be pressing a piece of cloth on your mouth and nose. It will get harder to breathe but you'll have to slow down. If it won't work - we still have an oxygen bottle with us."
By now nothing mattered. She felt like she was dying from lack of oxygen any minute, her lungs felt like exploding and her legs were numb. It couldn't be any worse. For only three or four breaths did he press the cloth on her face then he took it away and put a face mask over her mouth and nose.
"Better?"
Kyla nodded and tried to sit up. Jarod helped her and she found that her legs were something that didn’t seem to belong to her. It was curious sensation not to be able to feel her own body parts. She poked her leg and didn't feel anything.
"I don't like it. It's awful. How long will it last?"
"A few days if we're lucky. We need to get out of Chicago before you can start to walk again, you know," Kira explained, "We have to meet with Rachel tonight and tomorrow we'll meet with Samantha. I hope we have found a way to help you and get out of Chicago by then. As soon as we're finished the drugs can wear off. If they're not working the way I want them to we have to repeat the procedure. Or you play your role very convincingly. You just need to get used to it. Now you'll sit in your wheelchair for the first time."
"But I have been sitting in it when we went up here."
"Wasn't it different? You still had you legs in a matter of speaking. Now you need it."
"You're right. And I'm sure I'm not gonna like it."
"But you'll get used to it. We have about half an hour until we meet with Rachel. We should get going. Do you think you're prepared?"
"I don't think so but do I have choice?"
Jarod simply grinned and lifted her up and sat her into the wheelchair. She hated to watch Jarod put her feet where they belonged when she didn't feel a thing. He gently kissed her forehead and smiled at her.
"I am really sorry for what happened. I promise that we'll make it up someday."
"The Caribbean?" Kyla grinned back.
"Only if I get a lot of nice young men dressed in nothing more but leaves," Kira smiled and opened the hotel room door for Jarod and the wheelchair.
"I want only one young man. Thank you. But he's not in the Caribbean," Kyla sighed.
"You’ll see him again one day. We’ll help you find your way back home. And if we don’t we’ll find you a wonderful young man," Jarod said and pushed the wheelchair inside the elevator.
When they went out on the street people started to stare at Kyla again and she started to hate her role. But if Jarod thought it necessary she would play along. He had been right. It wasn't far to the O'Toole's. Jarod opened the door and Kyla closed her eyes. The stairs were long and steep. Jarod lifted her up and carried her downstairs while Kira carried the wheelchair. Once he stumbled but caught his balance on the next step.
"Don't you dare doing this again. I don't want to die from a heart attack," Kira said when they were at the bottom of the stairway. "How are you, Kyla?"
"A little shaky but alright. Can you see Rachel?"
"No, we're too early. Let's find a table and sit down."
A nice young man welcomed them at the main entrance.
"Can I see your driver's license?" he asked Kyla.
"Do I look like I'd be able to drive?" Kyla grinned and Jarod gave the man her forged ID card.
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."
"I'm used to it," Kyla simply said.
They were shown a table in one of the corners and they sat down and waited for Rachel.
"I didn't know you had a false ID for me," Kyla whispered and Jarod shrugged his shoulders.
"And I told you not to speak so much in public. Some people are very good in identifying voices."
They ordered a pitcher with coke and waited. They waited for 10 minutes, 20 minutes, half an hour, three quarters of an hour. Rachel didn’t show up. Jarod’s cell phone rang. When he hung up he looked really concerned.
"That was Samantha. She said that Rachel was involved in a car crash earlier this morning. She's with her in hospital. I'd like to see her very much but we can't risk to go there. There's police everywhere and I don't want us to be caught while visiting a friend. And I'm sure you're still all over the news."
"What about you?"
"Do you think the Centre would officially announce what they're doing? They had to if they wanted someone else to catch me. All they want is to catch me on their own. They're cowards."
"Jarod, please. We're in the public. Could you please find another topic to talk about?"
"Sorry, Kira. Would you mind if we go home? I can't stand to sit here any longer while Rachel is in hospital. Would the two of you return to the hotel while I go to the hospital?"
"Where is the hospital?"
"Just a few blocks down the road. It would be best if you just return to our room."
"Alright. You'll go to the hospital and I'll bring Kyla back to our room. Then I'll see if I can get us something to eat."
"Would you please include me in your conversation? Why don't we stay here for a little while longer and order something to eat?"
"No, Kyla, we've already been here too long. Sorry. Let's pay the bill and leave."
"You know what I think about all this. I don't need to comment."
Jarod paid and they left. Everybody tried not to stare at Kyla but she felt that she was watched. She was glad when Jarod lifted her up and carried her up the stairs. Somehow she felt safe when she was sitting in her wheelchair again.
On the five minute walk back to the hotel Kyla and Kira didn't say much. Jarod had left them as soon as they had been standing outside and Kyla was back in her wheelchair. He had looked really concerned and Kyla thought that she remembered that the two of them have had an affair. She didn't know if she was right but that would explain Jarod's behaviour. He had disappeared behind the next street corner and had left the two of them alone without saying when he would be back or what they had to do if he wouldn't return. He was the only one with Samantha's phone number and he had the cell phone.
When they arrived at the hotel lobby someone called to them across the room.
"Sorry to bother you, Mrs. Lewellyn," the handsome young hotel boy said, " But there has been a call for you about an hour ago. Would you please call back this number?" he said and handed Kira a piece of paper with a phone number. "A Ms. Waters was asking to speak to you."
"Thank you. But how do you know who I am?"
"Sorry to say that but I only recognized your daughter. I apologize, Miss," he said towards Kyla.
"Thank you, Mister," Kira said and went towards the elevator. When the doors had closed behind her Kira leaned against the wall and exhaled.
"That wasn't good. I think I have seen that man before and it's not good if we get recognized because of you. We have to leave Chicago as soon as possible. I hope Jarod will be back soon. "
They went inside their room and locked the door. Kyla wheeled in front of the window and looked outside. On the left hand side she could see the lake on the other side some kind of construction site – she wasn't sure what it was and she didn't really care. From the 14th floor everything down in the streets looked funny and small and she felt even smaller in her wheelchair. Why had she agreed on that? She needed to go to the toilet and wondered how she would manage that. She asked Kira who came out of the bathroom with a coffee mug in her hands.
"I have to help you. I know it's hard but I'm sure you'll manage."

When she was finished she was glad to sit in the wheelchair again. Kira left her alone in the room to get something to eat. She didn’t know if Jarod would allow it but she took his laptop and read a few things he had on his hard drive. Mostly things about medicine but some interesting things about massage and acupressure. She nearly fell off her wheelchair when the telephone rang. Neither Jarod nor Kira had told her what to do so she answered the call.
"Hello?"
"Kira? It's me, Jarod."
"Jarod? You sound strange," Kyla said, still not sure if this was really Jarod or someone else who only pretended to be Jarod.
"I'm inside a phone boot. You're not Kira. You're Kyla. Where's Kira?"
"She went to get something to eat. Where are you?"
"I'll be back soon. Rachel is not well. I was told that she was hit by a truck and someone said that it didn't look like an accident at all. She'll survive but I can't stay here much longer. I suspect that this has something to do with the Centre."
Now Kyla was sure that it was really Jarod and she told him that Sam Waters had supposedly called at the hotel when they had been at the O'Toole's.
"We'll talk about that when I'm with you. I'll be back soon. I promise. See you then."
He hung up before Kyla could say anything else. Then the door opened and Kira came in.
"Jarod just called. He'll be back soon. He said that Rachel was hit by a truck that supposedly belonged to the Centre."
"Sure it was Jarod?"
"Absolutely. What have you brought for dinner?"
"Chinese. I hope you like it."
A knock on the door interrupted their conversation. Kira nearly panicked when she realized that Kyla wasn't wearing her wig. She pushed the wheelchair inside the bathroom and closed the door. Kyla locked it from the inside and tried to put on the wig while Kira opened the door. She opened the door only a small slit to look outside. She was relieved to see that it was only Jarod but he looked troubled.
"Where's Kyla?"
"Inside the bathroom. I was afraid it could be someone else."
Jarod opened the bathroom door and found Kyla who was still fighting with her wig.
"No need to hurry, Kyla, it's only me. By the way, why did you take it off the first place?"
"I thought we were on our own and nobody would care. And I can't go to bed with a wig, can I?"
"No need to apologize," Jarod grinned, "I couldn't live with a wig either. I'll lock the door and you can leave it off. But you have to close the curtains so nobody can see us."
"The curtains were open the whole time while I was in here without the wig."
"Don't argue with me now, honey. Kira, would you close the curtains please?"
Jarod sat down on the bed and so did Kira. Kyla whished she could slouch into the armchair but had to remain in her wheelchair.
"What happened at the hospital? How's Rachel?" Kira asked while trying to eat her dinner with chopsticks.
"As I already told Kyla, her car was hit by a truck when she was in a parking lot and wanted to get out of her car. She was hurt badly but she'll survive. Some guy said that a man with a missing thumb was driving the truck but he disappeared and wasn't found to make a confession for the police. So I'm not sure if this was his imagination or if it really was Lyle who was driving the truck. The truck had no licence plate and was all black. I can't believe they've done that. Do they know I wanted to meet her? Or was this just a coincidence?"
"I don't think that this was coincidence," Kira said, "Why else wouldn't the truck have a licence plate? And if someone said that the driver was missing a thumb – I don't think someone would imagine something like that. The only thing I can think of is that someone knows both you and the Centre and wants you to hate them more than you already do. But that sounds a little far fetched."
"I don't care who it was. I don't even care if it was Mr. Parker himself. I know that this was the Centre. It's time to sleep now. We have to get up really early tomorrow. We won't meet with Samantha in Chicago but somewhere else. I can't tell you where. I don't even know myself."
Kyla sighed. This universe seemed to consist of more sleeping than any of the others. Jarod lifted her out of the wheelchair and sat her down on the edge of the bed. She let herself fall down and Jarod covered her with the sheets.
"Sweet dreams and don't worry, the anaesthetic will wear off eventually. I promise."
Kyla only nodded and closed her eyes to drift off into an other universe.

***

She was lying on the cold stone floor. Her head felt like exploding and someone was holding her. She was afraid to open her eyes. She couldn't remember a scene like that. This had to be a new universe. Not another one. She heard female voices and the sound of fighting in the next room. She slowly opened her eyes. It was dark. She was in a cellar and when she looked up she looked into the eyes of a middle-aged man who was somehow strange. He looked down on her. His eyes were hidden behind glasses and some kind of torch light was reflecting on it. She had definitely seen him before. Was this something like Xena universe? No, they wore different clothes and didn't have glasses.
"Don't move, Kyla. The demon has wounded you badly," he said when Kyla tried to sit up – Giles. Rupert Giles. This was a Buffy universe.
"What happened?" She had to find out who she was and what role she was playing in this universe. maybe it would be best simply to pretend not to remember anything except her name.
"You and Willow were trying to fight a demon and –"
"Willow? Where is she? Where's Buffy?"
"Kyla, I think you shouldn't be talking. You're badly hurt and I don't know what else the demon did to you but Buffy will take care of it. I'm sure she and Willow will manage to kill it. Then we'll get you to hospital."
"Why wasn't I able to kill it?"
"You did your best but you hesitated when it looked at you directly. Then it hit you. You were unconscious for a little while but you were talking about someone named Scott the whole time. Now try to relax, Kyla, things will be over soon."
A shrill tone was heard in the room next door and then there was silence. The door opened and Buffy and Willow entered the room. They looked tired but Kyla knew that they had been successful. But why had she hesitated to kill the beast? And why had she been babbling about Scott? What was so special about him? Maybe he had looked like Scott. Or maybe Scott was one of her kind and was travelling through universes as well. But she didn't dare to tell Giles about that. He was a great teacher and a wonderful man but she didn't know if she could trust him. Buffy and Willow kneeled down beside her and smiled. Willow gave her a necklace.
"Put it onto the wound. It belonged to the beast and has special abilities. It will heal your wounds quickly."
Kyla did as told and felt a prickling sensation moving through her body. It only took a few seconds until the feeling subsided. She looked at her hands. They were covered with blood and her shirt was red as well but the wound on her belly was gone. There wasn't even a scar left. She smiled and tried to sit up. Her head still ached. Giles helped her up and steadied her. When she had been watching Buffy on TV people had looked smaller. Giles was huge and even Willow was taller than she was. Giles was even taller than her father had been when he had still been alive. Or was it just her imagination? She had been smaller then but had grown since he died. Why was she so fixed on how tall people were? It didn't matter at all.
"What happened? I don't remember anything."
"Nothing? Not even that it was you who managed to summon the demon? I failed but you and Willow managed to do it. And when the demon saw you it wanted to kill you. I don't know why it went for you and not for Willow as well. But somehow you didn't manage to kill it."
"Buffy, you have to tell her the truth. Of course she didn't kill the demon. She hesitated. She failed in killing it. The demon will come back. I doubt that Willow killed it alone. You helped her."
"Of course I did. Why would it come back? It's dead."
"No Buffy, it's not. It will return. Kyla has to learn a lot before she can hunt vampires and demons on her own. Now let's end this topic and go home. It's late."
"But why did we summon the demon?"
"You don't even remember that?" Giles turned a little pale but caught himself immediately. Something seemed terribly wrong but Kyla didn't know what. Giles was leading her out of the room but she didn't know if he was holding her by the elbow to steady her or to keep her from running away. Why should she run and where should she go? She had no idea what was happening in this universe. But she didn't like the fact that there was another universe where she had to get killed. But his one didn't seem to be a hard one. Getting killed by a demon shouldn't be hard to arrange if Giles allowed her near a demon in the near future. What if she was a complete failure? What if he decided to keep her away from those creatures? There would be a way out of it. There had to be.
Buffy took her other elbow and nodded to Giles who disappeared. He seemed to dissolve into thin air but he was just quick when turning around the next corner of the street.
"Can you walk on your own?"
"Of course I can. What happened to Giles? He had a look in his eyes as if he had seen a ghost in me."
"He has – so to say. You survived an attack by a beast you summoned. That's something that hardly ever happens. But you still have much to learn. Never hesitate when you face a demon."
"I know that by now. But why did we summon the demon the first place? I have no idea what happened before I woke up."
"Nothing? Really nothing? Then it's true what's been said about that sort of demons."
"Buffy, stop talking in riddles. I want to know what happened," Kyla protested.
"Giles wanted to summon a demon that could help you remembering."
"Remembering what?"
"You suffered from partial amnesia. Don't you remember?"
"No. What?"
"Since the accident that killed your parents you suffered from partial amnesia. You knew who you are and where you are but nothing about your past."
"Buffy - wait. My parents got killed in an accident?"
"Don't say you forgot everything you learned since the accident!?"
"What did I learn, Buffy?"
"We tried to tell you everything about your past and hoped you would start to remember the rest. The thing Giles wanted to summon is said to have a kind of healing power that can heal wounds in the soul as well as wounds in the body itself."
"So what went wrong?"
"Good question. It is said that the one who kills the beast gets its powers. I can only guess what happened. Giles said it would be best if you summoned the beast yourself so you knew the exact moment it would appear. Then again he decided otherwise. He said you were too young to summon demons so he told Willow and me to do it so we had some practise. Something went wrong and you said something you weren't supposed to say. I don't know what it was but I remember Giles getting really pale. When the demon finally appeared it attacked you and nearly killed you."
"But what kind of demon was it?"
"Good question. It should have been a relatively harmless one but you turned it into something else. And I have no idea what that is. And I don't understand what Giles meant when he said that the demon would come back."
"But I do," Willow interrupted, "the demon disappeared into thin air. It should have dissolved in flames. But how could Giles have known that? The door was closed when it disappeared. But I don't know why it left the necklace with us."
"Maybe it felt sorry for what it has done?" Kyla asked and both Buffy and Willow looked at her like she had said something wrong.
"I think Giles was right. It was too early. But still I don't know what it all meant. And whatever you said made it transform into something bigger and more powerful. And if it simply disappeared to come back later something is terribly wrong with it. But I don't understand why Giles nearly panicked. He never panics. Let's go home. I hope Giles will be with us tomorrow to explain everything. Do you still have the necklace?"
"No, Giles took it with him when he left. Why?"
"Do you remember how it looked, Kyla?"
"No, I didn't even look at it. Willow should know how it looks. She's the one who gave it to me."
"I don't remember. I only know that it was triangular." Willow tried to concentrate. "It was a Celtic symbol like one never ending line."
"What do you know about it? Does it say something about the demon?" Buffy asked. While they had been talking had arrived at their house. They went inside. They sat down in the kitchen and Willow made some tea.
"You said the demon had healing powers it gives to the one who kills him, right?"
Buffy and Willow nodded.
"It left the necklace with us. It still has healing powers even though the beast itself still lives. Maybe that's the thing Giles is so worried about."
"But what if you have healing powers now?"
"We could try," Willow suggested.
"DON'T!" Giles' voice came from the front door, "It isn't going to work."
"How can you be so sure about it?"
"I'm not sure about anything, Buffy, but I don't want to risk anything."
"I can try it at my own risk. Don't try to stop me."
Buffy took a knife from the drawer and wanted to cut herself. She had never seen Giles move that fast but he was faster than Buffy and took the knife from her hands before she could even move it towards her finger.
"I told you not to try it, young lady. Kyla, be a good girl and go to bed. The three of us have a lot to talk about."
"Don't tell me I'm too young to understand. I already know."
Kyla went into the living room and let herself fall onto the sofa. She had no idea if she had her own room upstairs but the sofa had always looked comfortable on TV. Why hadn't anyone told her anything useful yet? She still had no idea what had really happened or who she really was in this universe. She heard Buffy and Willow argue about something in the kitchen. Was it about the necklace and its healing power? She had to admit that it was frightening her but it had saved her life. Suddenly she felt tired. She closed her eyes and dozed off.

***

"Rise and shine, Ensign," she heard the Doctor's voice and felt the hypospray he had just pressed to her neck spreading in her bloodstream. "How do you feel?"
"I feel like I fell down from a mountain. Where am I?"
"Voyager. Sickbay."
Captain Janeway's face came into view. She tried to move but found herself unable to do so. She was back on Voyager. She had been here before and supposedly had had a date with Harry on the holodeck where something had gone wrong.
"I have good and bad news for you. Which one would you like to hear first?" the Doctor asked.
"Good news first."
Janeway and Harry who was standing next to her both looked very confused. Something was wrong. Why else would the Captain be there? She was just a simple Ensign and the accident had happened in her free time. So why was she here?
"Good news? The surgery is over and you'll survive."
"Doesn't sound very positive to me. So what's the bad news?"
"The surgery wasn't successful. I wasn't able to re-establish the neural link in your spine."
"What does this mean? Sounds like a complete failure to me. Is that why I can't move?"
"Kind of - yes. You won't be able to move your legs again. At least not by yourself. There is enough technical equipment that can make you walk and there would always be the chance of using Borg technology."
"No way. I'd rather beam myself out into space before I let Borg nanoprobes control functions inside my body. But what happened in the holodeck that caused this accident the first place?"
"We still haven't found out," Harry said. He was pale with a touch of green at his nose. He wasn't feeling comfortable being around her and the Captain but he tried not to show his discomfort even though it was hard not to see how he felt.
Janeway came to stand beside her and put her hand on her shoulder. She looked down on her with a sad smile on her face.
"Take as much time as you need to recover. I release you of your duties aboard the ship for the time being. When the Doctor tells me you're fit for doing your job again you will be put back to duty. But don't press things. You have time. All the time you need."
Kyla simply nodded. She was too much in her thoughts to do anything else. There had to be a connection between this universe and the one with Jarod in Chicago. In both universes her legs were a topic beyond discussing. At least for her. The Captain left sickbay and Harry stepped forward to stand next to her. He looked down on her but didn't know what to say.
"Don't worry, Harry, I'll be fine."
"But it's all my fault. I convinced you to come along even though you had your doubts. And as far as I understand the Doc you're far from being fine. What you need is a miracle and no boyfriend like me who's nearly crying when he looks at you."
"That's right. I don't need a crying boyfriend. What would people think?!"
"Does it mean it's over?"
"Of course not. Stop crying."
"I don't understand you. No matter what happens your sense of humour stays the same. How do you do that? If I were in your situation the only thing I would wish for was dying. Or at least disappear into a world of dreams and pretend nothing ever happened."
"Do you think I am different? Don't you know me at least a little bit? You know that I like sports and the thing I hate most is not being able to do as I want to. I can't pretend it never happened. That would mean denying who I am. No. I was the fool who wasn't able to climb so I have to live with the consequences."
"But the security protocols weren't functioning properly. They are my speciality. I should have taken care of that."
"Harry, stop wailing. It's no one's fault in particular. Many thing had to happen at once. I don't blame you and I don't blame myself either. It happened and I can't make it undone. Maybe I should wish for Q to appear and ask him to change the world for me."
The Doctor came up from behind and made Harry step aside. He held a small device in his hand.
"This is a spinal implant. It will take over the functions of your spinal cord. You will get used to it. You have to practise walking again but I'm sure Mr Kim is going to help you. I need about ten minutes to put the device in place. In half an hour and you'll be released to your quarters. No sports for the next few weeks only light walking at most. Now turn on your belly and let me proceed. Mr Kim, please leave sickbay for the time being. I will contact you when you can pick her up."
Harry didn't say a word simply nodded and bit his lip before he left the room. Kyla watched him go. Somehow she wasn't comfortable with the idea of Harry Kim as her boyfriend. He was way too old for her. Or she was older in this universe. In real life she was 17. She had to be older or else she wouldn't be an ensign.
"Doc, how old am I?"
"Excuse me?"
"How old am I? Simply answer the question."
"24. Why do you ask?"
"I was just curious if I remembered right. I'm trying to sort my thoughts while you do your job. Is it going to hurt?"
"Of course not. We're not in the middle ages anymore."
"Sorry. Didn't mean to be rude."
"No offence taken. Now stop talking so I can begin. You might as well take a little nap."
"No thanks. I prefer to stay awake. I have a lot to think about."
The Doctor shrugged and turned away. She heard him rummaging around and felt him touch her back. She heard strange sounds but didn't feel anything. Only ten minutes later he stopped and stepped back.
"As good as new. You have to get used to it first. Don't wait for miracles. It will work and if you're lucky you won't even remember that it's there. But the first few days will be spent with constant learning from both you and the device. It has to learn to interpret the signals from your brain and you will have to get used to how it works and that it's there. Do you want me to call Ensign Kim for you?"
"No thanks. I'll manage without him. Anybody else who could help me?"
"Naomi is next door and practising her biology. She can accompany you."
"That would be nice."
The door opened and a young woman stepped through. That was Naomi Wildman? On TV she had been much younger. She had been a child. She had to be at least 20 years old. That was it. Everybody except the Doc had seemed different but she hadn't been able to put a finger on it. Now she knew when and where she was. About 8 or more years in the future that didn't exist on TV. On TV they had returned to Earth when Naomi was a child. But what did it matter? She was older as well and she was still older than Naomi. But why was she still practising biology? Maybe she wanted to have a career in this field. She didn't want to know.
"Hey Kyla."
"Hi Naomi. How are you?"
"Fine. How do you feel?"
"I don't know yet. Maybe if you would help me up I could find out."
Naomi grinned and helped her up. It seemed like they were good friends to her. She had no idea but she hoped to find out any time soon. Naomi helped her to sit up and somehow she didn't feel very comfortable. She could move her legs but they didn't seem to belong to her. She didn't trust her own legs to carry her. Naomi held her by one arm and she steadies herself against the biobed when she made her first attempt to stand with the implant in her spine. Her knees felt wobbly but they worked as they usually did. Everything seemed to be fine. The Doctor nodded and gave her permission to leave sickbay.
"My quarters. I think I need some time to get acquainted to this feeling."
"How's your memory? The Doc said you had problems remembering things before the accident."
"That's true. To tell the truth I have no idea where to go but I think you do," she grinned at Naomi.
The sickbay doors closed behind them. She felt unsure on her legs. People she had never seen before greeted her in the corridors and she smiled back.
"Slow down, Naomi. I don't feel that fit. How far is it to the next turbolift?"
"Not far. You'll manage. Come on."
She concentrated on the door Naomi had pointed on an put one foot in front of the other. Suddenly her legs didn't move anymore and she stumbled. Naomi tried to catch her but the ground came nearer. A strong hand caught her before she hit the ground. She looked up and saw Chakotay. He smiled and helped her up.
"I know you aren't comfortable with the idea I have but I don't see any other way."
Before she could utter a word Chakotay had lifted her up and carried her towards the turbolift.
"How do you know that?"
"You never allowed anyone to carry you. Even if it was in battle and you were wounded. You always insisted on walking by yourself."
So she had to be one of the Maquis. Another bit of memory of what had supposedly been her life. The turbolift doors closed behind them. Chakotay had been right. She hated to be carried around like a child. She felt vulnerable. And that was a feeling she strongly disliked. The doors opened again and he carried her through the corridor to her quarters. In front of the door he put her back on her feet.
"You walk through that door on your own. I don't want any rumours to come up."
"No, I'm not going to get married," Kyla grinned.
"Fine. Let me know when you need something. I'll leave the two of you alone. Take care."
With that he turned around and left them alone. The doors to her quarters opened and she looked at her quarters what seemed to be the first time. It looked like the quarters did in ever Voyager episode. A few personal belongings but nothing special. She let herself fall onto the sofa. Naomi sat down beside her and looked at her.
"Is there something I should know about you and Chakotay? What about you and Harry?"
"That's a good question. I don't know. I can't remember anything that happened before I woke up in sickbay after the accident."
"At least you know who you are. That's important. The rest will come back eventually. I'm sure. Do you want me to stay with you for a while ode do you need some rest?"
"If you don't mind I'd like to be alone to sort things out. Thanks for your help."
"It's been a pleasure. I'll be in sickbay and go on with my biology experiments. Call me when you need help."
"Thanks. I'll keep that in mind," Kyla smiled. Naomi got up and kissed her on the cheek before she left the room. The doors closed and she was alone again. Alone with her thoughts and alone in a room she didn't have the faintest memories about. All she knew was that she needed something to drink. Slowly she got up and walked to the replicator. The Doc had been right. She needed some time to get used to the implant and its reactions to her brain commands. She felt as if the commands her brain gave took their time to reach the implant and make the muscles in her legs move. That was definitely something she had to get used to. She ordered a hot camomile and peppermint tea and walked back to the sofa. Halfway there her knees went wobbly. She didn't know if she should simply throw away the glass and praise herself or try to steady the glass. She tried to do both - and fell. She heard the glass break and heard herself fall to the ground. She didn't feel her knees hitting the floor only her head banging against the corner of the table. She tried to hit her communicator when the world went black.

***

It was dark. Which universe was she in? She was moving. She was being carried through the darkness. She tried to focus on the man who was carrying her but her vision was blurred. A dark haired woman was walking beside them. They were in a hurry and nearly running. This had to be the universe where she had just escaped the Centre. The man who was carrying her had to be Jarod and to woman had to be Miss Parker.
"Kyla, are you awake? Can you try to stand on your own? We have to get into the plane fast."
She was set to the ground and she focused on the stairs in front of her. Lyle's drugs were still affecting her but she felt them wear off eventually. Her vision became clearer and she climbed the stairs into the plane as fast as she could. She heard Jarod and Parker talk behind her but couldn't make out the words. She felt Jarod's hands on her shoulder when she was finally standing in the plane and turned to face him. He smiled and nodded.
"We're going to make it. Don't worry. How do you feel?"
"Better. Maybe a little tired and hungry but more like myself than the last hour."
Parker and Jarod smiled and sat down. Kyla did the same and was tempted to close her eyes but decided against it. She had been in this universe for only a few minutes she couldn't leave this soon. This universe seemed quite quiet at the moment - why not enjoy a little bit of the silence and just lean back and try to sort through her thoughts and the things she had lived through. Somehow it seemed like a whole lifetime since she had started to shift through the universes but when she counted it couldn't be much more than two days at most. How long had she been gone from her own universe? What had been a dream and what had been reality? Was she still sitting with the psychologist? Had he really tried to send her to a closed facility? Had Jarod been real? Had her trip to Chicago been real? She couldn't make out where reality ended and her dreams and illusions began. Were they real illusions? What a choice of words. Could illusions become reality? Was she nuts? She had lived through more of her daydreams than she could have ever dreamed of. Another wise choice of words, she thought and leaned back. The world rushed by when the plane started to ascend into the sky. Everything was going so fast like her life had gone in the last days. Or already weeks?
She felt Parker's eyes on her and turned around. Parker was sitting on the seat in front of her and was watching her. She tried to smile at Parker. Somehow it was hard to believe she was really here. Was she here or was it just a dream? What if she just accepted it as reality? What if she gave up her notion of reality? What if she accepted the shifting as normal? Just ignore the things Terry/Dax had said about getting killed to go back? Would it work?
"What are you thinking about?"
"Good question. I'm trying to sort my thoughts but somehow it doesn't work. I can't concentrate."
"That's normal. You have to remember that Lyle drugged you. Not just any drug but his own special creation. And that's something you can be proud of."
"What? That he used me as his guinea pig?"
"No, that you survived."
"But you survived as well."
"He didn't drug me. He just tried to control me. That's something else."
"Can I have something to drink?"
Changing topic seemed to be the only thing to escape from this conversation. She didn't want to talk to anyone anymore. She wanted to concentrate on everything that had happened the last days. She wanted to recount everything and maybe find out where one reality ended and the other ones began. She found herself thinking of realities. Where they real? This one thought stayed in her mind and she had no idea how to find out the truth - if there was such a thing. Live it and try to be happy? Life it and try to get killed to get back? Did she want to get back? What did she want? Kyla had no idea. On one hand this was like paradise. She had to get used to the shifting but this was just like her dreams. Every universe mingled with the other and sometimes they became one. All she had ever dreamed about had become true. She was part of the TV series and she was the main character. So why not enjoy it? But on the other hand she missed her friends and sometimes even her mother. But was this enough to give up this wonderful dream?
Parker came back with a glass of water and interrupted her thoughts again. Kyla smiled and thanked her and hoped that she would leave her alone again. But she didn't dare to ask to be left alone. Jarod and Parker had saved her life.
"You look tired. Do you want to lie down and try to sleep?" Jarod asked when he passed them by. Kyla smiled at him and nodded. He had saved her once more. Parker smiled and got up. Together they left the compartment and she was alone. Alone with her thoughts once more. But she felt too tired to think about anything. Suddenly her eyelids felt as if they weighed tons and she closed them. She hadn't been in this universe for to long but she left it again. She fell asleep while the plane was speeding through the sky.









You must login (register) to review.