04/21/01

"Hope is the feeling you have that the feeling you have isn't permanent."-- - Jean Kerr

171-1121.

Having found Megan missing, or rather, not found her, Mitchell goes down to the front desk to see if he can find anything out. The same desk clerk is there, and is a veritable font of information Mitchell did not want to hear. Clerk: "Oh yeah, naked chick, perky pink nipples. Sure, I saw her. She was outside, and some guy came up to talk to her, then she got into a car." Argh.

During the soap opera that is the other party members' lives, Trevor has been bonding with his fellow crewmen. He's taken to see the local floor show. It's earthy entertainment, which isn't bad in and of itself, but it can't be sanitary to let people put money...there. Jim: "I've made contact with a local who has made arrangements for some ladies to join us." Trevor decides to leave, but is encouraged to stay by his buddies. Jim: "Don't go, we'll find some one as quiet and demure as you are." Bob: "Ah, what's the matter boy - your first time?" Much hilarity. Technically speaking, prostitution is against the law here, but... Jim: "Look, let's just say the local is a law enforcement officer. I've gone through him before." Trevor decides to pass. Trevor: "It's not legal on this planet, I've never paid for it before, and I'm not about to start now." Bob: "Well. Now who's on his high moral horse!" Trevor: "Moral...hmm, did you have to look that up?" Fine. The group of merry men are already leaving when Trevor starts to mutter about all the cases he's worked on "where the john beat up the hooker, or where the hooker rolled the customer". Trevor is now all by himself, in pursuit of a sports bar. He can find one, but only if he likes grav-ball. Oh yeah.

Into the Rolling Iron bar. One entire wall is taken up by a single tri-dee screen. Cool! There's a definite grav-ball theme throughout the bar, with picture-in-picture multiple games, all the bells and whistles. Trevor is in his element now. He gets a beer and a table and updates himself on all the scores. Each table has it's own personal sound buffers, but for Trevor half the fun of watching grav-ball is watching it with other fans. The screen has a countdown clock, as a big game is coming up in three hours. Perfect timing. It's Polyphemus versus Teucer. Trevor decides he'll root for Teucer, given his history with Polyphemus. Trevor spends the next couple of hours eating bar snacks, drinking beer, and talking grav-ball. By the time the pre-game show is winding down, the bar is packed and the (separated) sides of boosters are trying to out sing each other's team songs. All they want to do here is talk grav-ball, and Trevor is finally in his element. At last - people who want to talk about the same thing he does! The game starts up as the patrons pull out their lucky items, and a little non-sanctioned gambling gets going. Since Trevor has decided to stay out of trouble and keep a low profile, he doesn't take part in the betting.

Back on DownPort. Mitchell: "How long ago did she leave?" Clerk: "Oh, a few minutes ago." Mitchell goes outside and looks down the street, both ways. There are several privately owned vehicles in the area, but none nearby enough to definitely be the car. Mitchell returns to his room and rousts the Imperial by flipping the bottom sheet up and rolling Malcolm out onto the floor. Mitchell: "Well, she's gone." Malcolm: "Huh, what? Who's gone? Megan? What time is it? <standing> What the hell is going on, you deranged man?" Mitchell: "Megan is gone. Some one picked her up." Malcolm: "Shit! Do we know who took her?" Mitchell: "The desk clerk said she got into a car." He goes next door to collect Megan's clothing, then tells Malcolm it happened about 10 to 15 minutes ago. Malcolm: "Was it a marked police car?" Mitchell: "I don't know. All the desk clerk saw was her." He stuffs Megan's clothing into a pillowcase, for which he has to pay the clerk $20 Solars. Malcolm tries to find out what kind of car picked up Megan, but the clerk doesn't know from cars. Malcolm: "Okay, what color was it? And don't tell me you're colorblind." For the cost of the $20 Solar pillowcase, the clerk remembers that it was a light colored car, but then his memory starts to fail. Malcolm: "Don't shake the tree too much kid, it's got some fruit, but not much." Clerk: "So what? You're not cops, I'm under no obligation to give you any information. What are you going to do - threaten me with bodily harm?" Malcolm covers up the security camera, but restrains himself from doing what he really wants to do, which is beat the crap out of the guy. Instead, Malcolm adds another $20 Solars to get the information that the car was a big white limo. Clerk: "It was parked right on the corner. When the girl walked by, the door opened and a guy got out. He spoke to her, they got into the car and drove off." Mitchell: "Which direction did the car go?" The clerk indicates up the street. There are a whole bunch of shops that way, and the freeway. Malcolm: "She could be anywhere by now." They leave, with Megan's clothing, and take a cab to the freeway interchange to see if they can figure out where the limo went, but either direction has the same sort of locations - big estates mostly.

After some discussion, Mitchell and Malcolm decide to try to find Trevor and Dr. Neil. Malcolm will go back to the Hotel Parthenon, and Mitchell will go to the grav-ball bar they found on the cab's computer (since Malcolm and Mitchell both figure where there's grav-ball, that's where Trevor will be). Mitchell takes the shuttle up, but falls asleep. No one wakes him up until everyone else is off, and he feels very much more rested. He checks his watch and he's made a trip up, a trip down, then another trip up. Malcolm gets to the Parthenon Hotel, feeling really tired himself. Naturally, by this time Dr. Neil and Gabrielle are back from dinner and tucked in all comfy in their beds. (Note plural: beds.)

Mitchell follows the sound of grav-ball fans yelling to the Rolling Iron bar. It's filled to capacity, and he has to wait in line; he's tenth. The game is being played on the other side of the planet, hence the odd time.

Malcolm can't call the room directly - he has to go through the desk, and the clerk on the switchboard has directions to not disturb the occupants of that suite unless it is a dire emergency and between specific, more rational, hours. Not willing to wait, Malcolm takes the elevator upstairs only to discover that he needs a key to get to the penthouse suites level. He takes the elevator up to the floor below, but there are no stairs going up. There are escape tubes (on the outside of the building) with buffered grav-generators in case of fire, but no stairs, and no fire escape ladders. Damn.

Malcolm goes in search of a more creative route up, and he finds an accessway for the maintenance robots, with vertical tracks. He could do it. After all, he's been through the Imperial Commandos, and he's just spent all that time climbing mountains. All right then. Up the sheer wall, trying not to think about the drop, or how dirty he's getting, but he does in fact get to the top floor. He pushes on the panel, then slides it to the side (there's a potted plant in the way). Malcolm peeks out onto the 50th floor, and sees the garden and water feature in the central area, and the hotel staff person reading a flimsy. Well, bugger. The people in the Presidential Suite might want something during the night, and hey - nothing is too good for the brother of the Ephor of Polyphemus! The man is reading quietly and drinking his soy latté, but he's in the way. So much for Malcolm's clever plan. He's trying to ignore the draft, but he can't ignore the mechanical noises coming up the tunnel and climbs up above the floor, to the upper accessway. There are little animals scurrying around here, but Malcolm finds a doorway with roof access. It's not locked, since no one would be up here, just secured on the inside with a small pin. He removes the pin and starts to push open the door a bit, but as soon as it's cracked open, some force yanks the door open all the way, taking Malcolm with it.

Malcolm is laying against the polished glass of the hotel roof, at a 45 degree angle, hanging on to the door handle. The birds, sort of pigeon-like, only much bigger, are startled away, but come back and stare at Malcolm after a few seconds. Then a big, friendly looking bird lands, walks over, and attacks Malcolm's hand like some sort of carnivorous, evil wingéd creature! Malcolm manages to flail his injured hand enough to bang the bird against the glass. The bird lets go and flies off, making angry noises. It lands further away on the roof, and is joined by a second bird. There's a loud snap as half of the handle breaks, leaving Malcolm hanging from the end of the pipe. One of the birds comes back and looks at Malcolm, who growls at him. The bird backs up briefly then makes a lunge for Malcolm's eye. Malcolm jerks his head back and the bird's beak slams into the bulletproof glass. The bird is startled and backs off. Then the other end of the pipe handle breaks, and the greased Malcolm starts to skid down the roof, making a hell of a racket as he tries to use the pipe to slow his descent. But to no avail.

Malcolm plummets a single story onto a bench on the top floor balcony. Ow. The balcony looks like it hasn't been used recently, just cleaned. He tries the sliding glass door, but it's locked. He checks out the balcony, and it doesn't go all the way around, it has gaps between the four sections/suites. Malcolm looks over the edge and tries to figure out where he is in relation to the suite he was in yesterday, which is really hard to do at night, from 50 stories up. The pigeons watch him from over the lip of the roof, but they don't go down to the balcony (afraid of the Acme Giant Carnivorous Pigeon Zapper?). He removes his really dirty outer jumpsuit, takes out a Solar coin and starts tapping on the door.

Gabrielle is woken up by the sound of faint tapping. She goes to the door of her bedroom, but the tapping doesn't seem to be coming from the door, it's coming from the glass door. Wait a second, she's on the 50th floor, and she's pretty sure there shouldn't be anyone on the balcony. She sets the window opaquing so she can see out but whoever's outside can't see in, and then she turns on the outside light. Oh. It's Malcolm. Who for some reason is...on the balcony...50 floors up. Showing perhaps less than good judgment, Gabrielle lets Malcolm in.

Gabrielle looks quizzically at Malcolm. Malcolm: "Shore leave turned out to be more exciting than I expected. Megan has gone missing. I tried to call, but you aren't accepting phone calls." Gabrielle: "I'd better get Dr. Neil." Malcolm: "Do you have a tissue..?" Gabrielle: "The bathroom is over there." She leaves and Malcolm goes into the really gorgeous full bathroom - gee, it must be nice staying here.

Dr. Neil answers the door, in his silk dressing gown. Dr. Neil: "Yes, what seems to be the problem?" Gabrielle: "Malcolm is here. Megan has gone missing." Dr. Neil: "Interesting. Has she fled or was she taken?" Gabrielle: "I don't know yet." Dr. Neil: "Well, we should find out." Gabrielle: "I thought it was serious since he was out on the balcony." Dr. Neil raises an eyebrow. Dr. Neil: "I see. We do have an elevator." They go out into the main area. Dr. Neil: "What has been done to locate Lt. O'Hanlon? Do you know if she left on her own?" Malcolm: "She was half-corked, naked, and she was picked up on DownPort by a man in a white limousine, and we don't know exactly where they went from there." Gabrielle: "Why on earth was she outside naked and intoxicated?" Malcolm: "I found Megan at a bar, on the UpPort, working her way through a very good bottle of bourbon. She asked me if I thought she was inadequate in some way, because of her small frame, and then she showed me her evidence. The rest of the bar thought she was just fine." Dr. Neil: "And then?" Malcolm: "I thought we should leave before we attracted official attention. We went DownPort and I got a room so she could get cleaned up and sleep it off. She was asleep when I left her and Mitchell showed up full of righteous indignation at my despoiling the natural order or something." Gabrielle: "You left her alone?" Malcolm: "Mitchell insisted on staying, but didn't want me any where near her, so we were in another room. I fell asleep, and the next thing I know I was being tumbled out of bed by Mitchell, who tells me Megan was missing. We got the description of the car from the hotel clerk, eventually, then I came here to talk to you, only no one would ring your room, I can't use the elevator without the key, none of the staff on this shift know me, and they can't ask you to identify me because you weren't to be disturbed. I found an accessway that led to the roof from the floor below, and managed to get onto your balcony without falling off or being eaten by the damn birds." Dr. Neil picks up the phone. Dr. Neil: "Yes, room service? I'm feeling a bit peckish. Would you send up a tray with sandwich makings, oh and a pot of coffee. Jamaican Blue Mountain, preferably. <click> We should locate Captain Taylor." Malcolm: "He was going to a sports bar UpPort to look for Trevor." Dr. Neil makes another phone call, and gives someone Mitchell's description. Dr. Neil: "...Yes, for pick up...No, I'm not expecting any problems...Yes, thank you." Room service brings up food and coffee, then the staff person leaves. Dr. Neil: <to Malcolm> "You must be tired after your climb, and I'm sure you'll want to freshen up." Malcolm agrees, and goes to shower.

On UpPort, Mitchell is still in line when he feels a sting on the back of his leg. Then a helpful person catches him as he starts to black out. Another man pipes up with "I'm a doctor! Help me get him into my car - we must get him to the hospital." The worst thing is Mitchell had just one person ahead of him in line.

Dr. Neil: <to Gabrielle> "I must say those pajamas fit you quite well." He picked them out himself. Gabrielle: "Um, thank you." She goes to put something more on. Malcolm is enjoying the multihead, multilevel shower. He wants one. He comes out feeling much better, and has something to eat. A little while later a couple of delivery men show up with a very large crate. Dr. Neil thanks them and they leave. Dr. Neil asks Malcolm to do the honors, as the delivery men left a crowbar.

There's a bright light in Mitchell's eyes and the first thing he sees is the Imperial standing over him with a crowbar. The adrenaline kicks in and he struggles against the tape holding him to the wheelchair. Dr. Neil leans into view. Dr. Neil: <to Malcolm> "Would you please take care of Captain Taylor?" Mitchell wishes the doctor was a bit more clear. Malcolm: "I'm trying to, without getting bit. Mitchell, would you calm down!" He rips off the 100 mile an hour tape, as Mitchell tries to figure out if he still needs to throttle Malcolm. Malcolm cuts Mitchell free of his bonds. Mitchell has not clue how long he's been out, so he gets up carefully. He's a bit dizzy, but nothing major. Mitchell: "Nobody just asks 'If you would come with me please, citizen' any more?!" Dr. Neil: "I suppose I could have been more specific. I asked some men who work for me to pick you up. On the other hand, I didn't specifically tell them I wanted you alive, so we should be grateful for that." Mitchell: "Oh, that's good." Dr. Neil: "Come now, Captain Taylor. The only thing that's been damaged is your pride. Let's get beyond this, we have work to do." Mitchell heads for the food and coffee.

Dr. Neil was able to find out some important information - the white limo was reported stolen, and has turned up abandoned. Mitchell: "Where was it found?" Dr. Neil: "Out near the Plalau Forest." Mitchell: "How far away is that?" Dr. Neil: "About 15 clicks outside of town." Malcolm: "Do they have parties out there - students, that sort of thing?" Dr. Neil: "No, not for some time. The area has a certain unsavory reputation. There's been some unpleasantness out there, the bodies of several young women were found there, the work of the 'Plalau Killer'. <pause> Of course that was some 30 years ago." Probably not him then. Probably. Malcolm: "Where the police able to find anything useful in the limo?" Dr. Neil: "The police will still have to collect DNA from all the people who had legal right to be using the vehicle so they can eliminate them." The car was found in perfect condition, like it had just been cleaned. Mitchell: "What's between where Megan was picked up and where the limo was found?" Dr. Neil: "Not much. Just a road near the forest, it's very secluded. The nearest building to where the car was found is a residence." Mitchell: "Along the route that the vehicle might have travelled, were there any reports of anything unusual?" Dr. Neil: "No, not that I can find." Mitchell: "Can we identify who's residence that is?" Dr. Neil: "Yes, but it's quite a distance from where the car was found. It belongs to a very wealthy recluse, who donated the sanctuary land - all but the area immediately surrounding his estate." Mitchell wants to see if there is any way to find out if Megan was still in the car when it got to the sanctuary, and Dr. Neil thinks he can find that out (what with security cameras and all), but in the morning, when those officials are awake. He's not worried apparently, because A: he doesn't care, B: he figures she's already dead, C: she's doing exactly what he told her to do, or D: none of the above. Dr. Neil: <to Gabrielle> "My dear, would you see if you can't scrounge up some accommodations for our guests?" Gabrielle: "Of course." Dr. Neil: "Thank you." He goes back to bed.

Malcolm: <to Mitchell> "If she's out there, she's possibly naked, and we've got the absolute wackos who dress the males in chadors let alone the females, and I'd rather she not run into any of them." Malcolm and Mitchell want to rent a car and drive out there, now, to see if Megan is beside the road or something. They'll bring some clothing, hot coffee, and food. Since they're bound and determined to go, Gabrielle calls down and arranges for the car, gets them a key to the suite, and reserves the other two-bedroom suite on this floor, with adjoining rooms to Gabrielle's and Dr. Neil's bedrooms. Gabrielle will make sure the bolt on her side is secured. She also gets them a cellphone, just in case.

Mitchell and Malcolm take the car, and start with the location Megan was last seen, where she got into the limo. Then they take the route to the location the limo was found, at the edge of the sanctuary. Good thing the cars here drive themselves. They watch out the windows and see nothing even vaguely Megan-like when they start running into the signs for the Plalau Animal Sanctuary. There are a couple of small roads along the way, going to residences. They stop the car where the limo was found, get out and listen. Many bird and animal sounds, and they see where the limo was parked and towed from. Where it was pulled off the road, it appears the limo was headed out of the sanctuary, not into it. Not far from there, about 500 metres, is a bus stop. They go there, and the bus comes on the hour and the half hour. They look around the car park by the bus stop, and there are a couple of cars parked there. One of them is rocking, and the other is emitting fumes. Malcolm sneaks up and takes a peek into the rocking car - two young men, no redheads. They drive into the sanctuary, staying in the car. They cross a low bridge and see something laying on the road, something pale. They stop, and it's a female human, with red hair. They leap out and Malcolm checks her out - it's Megan. She's unconscious, but still breathing. Just. She's cold, and bruised all over like she's been worked over or took a fall over a ravine. There is also evidence of other trauma, of an even more unpleasant nature. Mitchell changes the car's directions, not heading for the nearest hospital, but back to the hotel.

Mitchell: "We can't just take her back to the hospital and tell them we found her by the side of the road." It's agreed that would generate too many questions no one can answer right now, and might endanger Megan further, especially if the people who dumped her believe her to be dead. They call the hotel. Gabrielle: "You found Megan?" Malcolm: "Yes." Gabrielle: "Is she all right?" Malcolm: "No. She's been beaten up, probably raped. We're on our way back, we'll call from downstairs when we get there." They hang up. Dr. Neil: <to Gabrielle> "How badly hurt is she?" Gabrielle: "I don't know exactly. They said she'd been beaten up, probably raped." Dr. Neil: "I see. Good thing we have a medic. Mr. Edwards will probably require supplies. I suggest you call the medical supply houses, or the adventure stores and purchase the largest medical kits you can get." She calls and has two large suitcases delivered. Nice thing about being by the starport - 24 hour shopping and delivery. They're very expensive suitcases.

They arrive in the car, having dressed Megan en route. She's still pretty out of it on the trip, but Mitchell talks to her and lets her know who she's with. She unconsciously clings to him. Malcolm goes upstairs and gets the wheelchair and a blanket, goes down and brings up Megan.

Malcolm is surprised and delighted to see the incredibly high tech medical cases. He could do anything short of a heart transplant in the field with these things! Mitchell: "Did you get rooms?" Gabrielle: "Yes. We have the other suite on this floor now." She gives them keys. Megan is taken to one of the new rooms, where she wakes up. Megan lurches up and runs for the bathroom, where she throws up. Then the people outside hear the fresher running. Gabrielle goes into the bathroom to stop her. Megan: <semi-hysterical> "Got to wash. Got to get clean." Gabrielle: <holding her carefully> "No, no. Not yet. We need to be able to find them." Gabrielle gets directions from Malcolm on what to do to get the evidence they need. Malcolm also gives her an auto-injector of antibiotics, vitamins, painkill, and Lock (just in case). It's a very unpleasant experience, for everyone. After the samples are collected and passed outside, Megan can use the fresher, which she does, for a long time. Gabrielle stays with her.

Dr. Neil comes over to their rooms to find out how Megan is doing. He goes over to the medical bag, sifts through and pulls out a couple of small items, including an auto-injector. He reaches into his pocket and takes out a colored ampoule from his pocket, but Mitchell and Malcolm can't see what it is. He goes to the door, and they can see him standing with his back to them. Gabrielle answers the door but is concerned about letting Dr. Neil inside, considering Megan's state. Dr. Neil: "It's going to be all right." Mitchell and Malcolm see Dr. Neil holding his little blue glasses in his hand, then Gabrielle lets him into the bathroom and the door shuts.

Gabrielle: "Hmm?" Dr. Neil: "You should probably help her into bed now." Gabrielle: "Oh, of course." She's just had one of those moments where your brain sort of skips a few seconds. Except in this case, it was five minutes. She doesn't remember Dr. Neil coming into the bathroom, and she certainly doesn't remember seeing him without the little blue glasses. That might be for the best.

Megan is pretty much out of it, and immediately falls into a deep sleep when Gabrielle gets her into bed. Dr. Neil: "With what I've given her she won't wake up for at least the next 24 hours. She needs time for the body to heal. The mind we'll attend to when she's in better condition." Malcolm: "Is there someone you need to talk to?" Dr. Neil: "Not at this point." Things almost get ugly when Mitchell insists on staying with Megan, and Gabrielle doesn't think any of the men should be around her right now. Dr. Neil diffuses the situation by pointing out that Megan will not know who's in the room for a while, and the last thing they want is strong conflict in the room with Megan. Malcolm: <to Gabrielle> "The other issue is that rape trauma is not limited to the victim, it can also effect the victim's family, and Mitchell is the closest thing she has to family. You may be effected as well." No kidding.

172-1121.

Dr. Neil comes in several times to give Megan injections. Malcolm: "I wish you'd tell me if there's anything I should be looking for." Dr. Neil: "There won't be any side effects. I don't think we need to waste time with needless explanations right now." Dr. Neil brings tea and sandwiches in to Mitchell, then goes out and tells Malcolm he should bring in a pillow so he doesn't hurt his neck. He's been going for 36 hours straight." He also gives Mitchell, once he's asleep thanks to a little something in his tea, a shot from whatever he's carrying in his wallet. Whatever the heck that is.

There's a gentle knocking at the main door. Gabrielle answers it and finds a man. Man: "This is for Dr. Neil." Gabrielle: "Do you need to wait for a reply?" Man: "No." He leaves, Gabrielle takes the envelope to Dr. Neil. He opens it and reads through a bunch of papers. He walks in to Megan's room and gives the papers, with the last page flipped over so it's on top, to Malcolm. The last result is: "Species not known." Malcolm: "That should be impossible." Dr. Neil is looking at Malcolm with one eyebrow raised. Mitchell wakes up, sees Dr. Neil putting some papers into his pocket. Megan is sleeping. Mitchell stands up and goes out of the room, just outside the bedroom door. He feels emotionally detached, calm. His body temperature is a bit off, and he has a slight headache. Mitchell: "Did we find out anything about who did this to her?" Dr. Neil passes the papers to Mitchell, who leafs through the charts and diagrams until he finds the second to last page result of "species unknown". Malcolm looks through the other pages and can tell that the results found the samples to be from a mammal, but as far away from human standard as a Neanderthal would be from the average modern human. There is a hand written note on the last page: "Based on the gene sequencing, it may or may not be inter-fertile." That's why Malcolm gave her the 'morning after' injection. Not that he knew it would be quite this weird.

Dr. Neil takes the papers to the writing desk, puts them into a metal wastebasket and sets them on fire. He sets the burning papers out on the balcony so the fire alarm doesn't go off. Mitchell: "I could use some coffee, and something to eat." Dr. Neil: "Of course. I'll have some things brought up." Mitchell has been dozing for 18 hours. Megan is still asleep, but should be waking up soon. Mitchell: "How much will she remember?" Dr. Neil: "Of the assault? Nothing." Mitchell: "What are we going to tell her? She's going to want to know how she got hurt." Dr. Neil: "It has been my experience that the truth, no matter how painful, is usually the best. Unless you're a very, very good liar." Mitchell: "I'm not that good. Not where something like this is concerned." Gabrielle will stay with Megan while Mitchell takes a shower and has something to eat. Gabrielle did not see the report, and is a bit puzzled when Malcolm, Mitchell, and Dr. Neil make comments about "the forest of Dr. Moreau" as they leave Megan's room.

Malcolm goes off in search of information about whoever stole the limo. Even in the Rim it's possible to find a snitch, which he does. Apparently a man "in a really nice, expensive-looking grey suit was asking about an off-world female with red hair. Petite, cute. He had some big dark shaped person in the car with him, but he never got out of the car. He had a not very good picture of the female [an oblique shot of her face]. The guy said she'd be travelling with other people - a skinny little guy with blue glasses is one of them." Malcolm returns to the hotel right away, since this means it was deliberate and Megan was not just a target of opportunity. He shares his information with the conscious members of the group. Gabrielle is a redhead as well, and while she's a bit more rounded than Megan, both the women are exactly the same height, and since the 'little guy with blue glasses' was mentioned, that has rather unpleasant implications. Malcolm: "I've not seen the photo." Mitchell: "I'm thinking mistaken identity." Well, that makes Gabrielle feel bloody awful.

Megan is starting to wake up, so Mitchell goes in. Megan doesn't remember anything after being in the room UpPort with Mitchell, getting ready for bed, before Barbara's visit. Mitchell: "You've been pretty beat up." Megan: "No kidding. What happened - did I get into a bar fight?" Mitchell can see that some of her bruises look like fingerprints, sort of...if the 'person' who made them was about Krag Kiron size or bigger. Mitchell: "Not a bar fight, no." Megan: "Something else happened too. Between us..." She smiles at Mitchell, who figures now would be a good time to tell Megan what actually happened, since she is obviously very confused. Mitchell: "What's the last thing you remember?" Megan: "We were at the hotel room on UpPort, getting ready for bed." Ah, that would be the traditional 24 to 72 hours effected by Memwipe (which apparently Dr. Neil just carries around in his little wallet). Mitchell: "The engineer, Barbara showed up. she'd been tutoring me, and got the wrong idea." Megan: "I see where this is going." Mitchell: "You told her that you were my sister, and you left. I told her you weren't my sister, and she left. By the time I caught up with you, you'd been drinking really heavily, and had ended up DownPort with Malcolm." Megan: "Oh no, I didn't - with him -" Mitchell: "No. He just took you some place where you could sleep it off. He and I had a...disagreement, and we got the room across from you, neither one of us trusting the other to be alone with you." Megan: <a bit confused> "Okay." Mitchell: "Sometime during the night you left the hotel and were picked up by a guy in a limo." Megan: "Oh my God. A total stranger. I'm so embarrassed. Don't you understand, it's you I want to be with." Mitchell: "I do understand." Megan: "You must hate me." Mitchell: "Not at all. In fact, I'm the one who should be apologizing to you." Megan: "You're not the one who ran off with some stranger, like a...spoiled teenager. I mean, anonymous one night stands isn't really my thing....It's just not the Navy way." Mitchell is thinking "Wait a minute, yes it is - you hit port, you have sex, you buy some stuff, and you leave." Megan: "I feel really stupid telling you how I feel now." Mitchell: "I'm the one who should feel stupid for not noticing." Megan: "What now?" Mitchell: "Now we move forward. You forgive me for being stupid, and -" Megan: "You forgive me for being stupid."

Megan puts on one of the hotel robes and comes out into the main area, with a big grin on her face. Gabrielle: "Are you okay?" Megan: "Yeah, all things considered. Who would have believed Barbara had it in her?" Mitchell walks in and Megan smiles up at him. Okay, this is weird. Mitchell told the group he was going to tell Megan the truth of what happened to her, but she's not acting like it. The rest of the party is rather perplexed here. The phone rings, Dr. Neil answers. Dr. Neil: "Hello?...One moment please. <to Malcolm> It's for you." Malcolm: "For me?? Hello?" The voice is familiar - sounds like the snitch. Voice: "You know you were asking about the white car? I just saw the guy with the grey suit. He was looking for the redheaded girl again, and this time he had a good picture. I thought I should tell you that-" <click -brrrr>.

Index